Based on Merge Tactics: Season 11 (November Changes) by Supercell, published 27 October 2026. Playing Clash Royale? See the Clash Royale page on The Nexus.
November lifts Elixir per round from 4 to 5, adds copies to the 2-Elixir and 3-Elixir pools, and reshuffles the Quest 1 and Quest 2 Orb rewards. Two Boss Supers leave, Super Hog Rider and Super Dark Prince arrive, and the Rider trait returns. Nearly all of it concerns building speed and how many copies of cheap troops you can find. Elixir income decides how many merges you get before the midgame, and the shared pool decides whether a 3-Star version of a cheap troop shows up at all.
Five Elixir a round again
Here is the biggest shift. Income goes from 4 to 5 Elixir per round, undoing a cut the team said made the early game too slow. One extra Elixir each round separates upgrading a troop on time from waiting another cycle.
The change restores an old rate and adds no new mechanic, so the core decisions stay put and only the pace moves. Expect your first Ruler decisions and early merges to arrive sooner, though the notes give no figure for how much sooner.
Bigger shared pools for cheap troops
Supers now sit in the shared pool, and the team says that made 2- and 3-Star builds harder for cheap troops. The fix grows the copy count for 2-Elixir troops from 4 to 8, and for 3-Elixir troops from 4 to 6, so the 2-Elixir pool gets the larger increase. The stated goal is to put 3- and 4-Star versions of every 2- and 3-Elixir troop within easier reach.
November also swaps two Boss Supers for Super Hog Rider and Super Dark Prince, and the Rider trait comes back. The notes never name the two Boss Supers that leave, so check the in-game list before committing to a Boss Super build. A wider balance update for troops, Rulers, Traits and Equipment is promised this month, with its figures in a separate article. Modifiers run from Bronze I through Diamond, with names such as Elixir Festival, Four Stars and Trait Gift in the list.
New Quest Orb rewards
Quest 3 Orbs are untouched; the first two change. Opening a Quest 1 Orb gives 3 Elixir, and a Quest 2 Orb gives 6. Each then adds a pick between one random Equipment and one random 2-Star troop, costing 2 Elixir from Quest 1 and 3 Elixir from Quest 2. To even out the Quest 2 Equipment pool, the Legendary Lance is gone from it.
That matters if you planned a run around the Lance. The team says the pool change should let other pieces of Equipment get picked more often, so the Quest 2 choice may feel more crowded, although no odds are given for either Orb. Quest 3 still pays plus one Team Size and one 3-Star troop costing 4- or 5-Elixir, which keeps it the dependable route to extra space when your board is short on slots.
Fixes to unit behavior
Several fixes change what specific units do in a fight. Goblin Cage no longer triggers when Mage Wand has turned a unit into a harmless rabbit, and Rider units released from a cage stop taking unintended damage. Dark Prince jumps with corrected timing and stops attacking defeated enemies. Knight's Taunt no longer blocks the Giant Skeleton bomb or Goblin Demolisher explosion on death. Inferno Tower no longer heals when it damages an Elixir Collector, so a plan that counted on that sustain needs another answer. The You're Mine modifier now grants an Orb when Goblin Cage is defeated. Lines you built last month around Goblin Cage or Inferno Tower may play out differently, so retest them.
Numbers to keep handy
| What | Change | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Elixir per round | from 4 to 5 | Early rounds give one more Elixir, so the opening should move at a faster pace. |
| Copies in the shared pool for 2-Elixir troops | from 4 to 8 | Cheap troops are easier to find, which should make 3- and 4-Star versions more reachable. |
| Copies in the shared pool for 3-Elixir troops | from 4 to 6 | The 3-Elixir pool is bigger, which helps builds that aim for higher stars. |
| Quest 1 Orb | 3 Elixir, one random Equipment or one random 2-Star, 2-Elixir troop | The notes give the current reward only, so the Orb's value is listed without a before figure. |
| Quest 2 Orb | 6 Elixir, one random Equipment or one random 2-Star, 3-Elixir troop | The Quest 2 Orb now pays out more Elixir, with a 3-Elixir troop option on the random pick. |
| Quest 2 Orb Equipment list | Legendary Lance removed | The item is no longer a possible Quest 2 reward, which changes item planning. |
| Quest 3 Orb | +1 Team Size and x1 3-Star Troop (4- or 5-Elixir) | Quest 3 stays the same, so it is still the route to extra space and a higher-cost troop. |
| November troop pool | two Boss Supers out, Super Hog Rider and Super Dark Prince in | The Super lineup shifts, so Boss Super builds need a new plan. |
| Rider trait | returns to the rotation | Rider builds come back into the pool alongside Super Hog Rider. |
| Goblin Cage | Kidnap no longer triggers on a morphed rabbit, and cages no longer make assets disappear when they pull each other | Cage plays behave more predictably around Mage Wand and double cages. |
| Inferno Tower | no longer heals when damaging an Elixir Collector | Sustain from Inferno Tower is lower in Elixir Collector fights. |
| You're Mine modifier | now grants an Orb when Goblin Cage is defeated | Defeating Goblin Cage pays an Orb under this modifier. |
Who this helps, who it hurts
Who gains
- Players of 2-Elixir troops see the copy count rise from 4 to 8, which the notes link to easier 3- and 4-Star builds.
- Players of 3-Elixir troops see copies go from 4 to 6, leaving more room to merge up into higher stars.
- Players who want a quicker opening get one more Elixir to spend in each early round, with Elixir per round going from 4 to 5.
- Rider trait players get the trait back alongside Super Hog Rider, and the Goblin Cage fix keeps released Rider units from taking unintended damage.
- Dark Prince and Knight players get a corrected jump and targeting for the Prince, plus a Taunt that no longer stops the Giant Skeleton bomb or Goblin Demolisher explosion on death.
Who gives ground
- Legendary Lance Quest 2 planners lose that route to the item, because it was removed from the Quest 2 Orb Equipment list.
- Inferno Tower players relying on sustain lose the healing when it damages an Elixir Collector.
- Players built around the two leaving Boss Supers should check the pool before committing, since the notes do not name them.
Planning your first rounds
With income back at 5 Elixir, an early upgrade no longer starves the next merge, so keep more flexibility in the opening rounds. Check which cheap troops you can now reach at 3-Star before locking a plan, as builds that stalled on cheap troops have more room. Make your Quest 2 Orb pick knowing the Legendary Lance is gone, and if your build depended on it, line up a different piece of Equipment first. Read the separate balance article before saving for a specific troop.
Open questions
The notes do not say which two Boss Supers leave the pool. The separate balance article covers troops, Rulers, Traits and Equipment, and its figures sit outside this post. No odds are given for Quest 1 or Quest 2 random picks either, so the chance of a specific Equipment piece cannot be judged from them.
