The November 2025 meta (Season 77 post-balance) is a cycle paradise dominated by Evo Royal Giant 3.0, Hog 2.6, Evo Royal Hogs, and sneaky bait decks. Evo Royal Ghost got nerfed (soul damage down), buildings tweaked, but fast pressure + chip reigns supreme in Top 200 ladder (RoyaleAPI data).
Top 250 Tier List: Barbarian Barrel (#1), Skeletons (#2), Royal Ghost (#3), Fireball (#4) lead with insane usage across millions of games. Top 200 decks average 2.8-3.0 elixir, heavy on Evos like Cannon, Musketeer, and Baby Dragon.
Choosing the right card in each slot can boost your win rate by 5-15%. We break down 8 key head-to-heads with stats (tournament standard), meta usage, and decision trees. Data pulled from Top 200 (23k+ games/deck archetype) and leaderboards.
Quick Meta Snapshot: Top 10 Cards (Noff Top 250 Usage/Winrate Leaders)
| Rank | Card | Tier | Role | Usage Notes (Top 200) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barbarian Barrel | S | Small Spell | 12/15 top decks |
| 2 | Skeletons | S | Cycle/Distract | 9/15 decks |
| 3 | Royal Ghost (Evo) | S | Tank/Utility | 8/15 decks |
| 4 | Fireball | S | Medium Spell | 9/15 decks |
| 5 | Electro Spirit | S | Cycle/Stun | 5/15 decks |
| 6 | Vines | S | Root Spell | 5 decks (bait/beat) |
| 7 | Cannon (Evo) | S | Building | 4 decks (cycle king) |
| 8 | Minions | S | Air DPS | Leaderboard staple |
| 9 | Valkyrie (Evo) | S | Splash | Golem/LavaLoon |
| 10 | Baby Dragon (Evo) | S | Air Splash | 5 decks |
1. Barbarian Barrel vs The Log: 2-Elixir Swarm Slayer
Both clear Goblin Gang/Princess, but Barrel spawns a mini-tank.
| Stat | Barbarian Barrel | The Log |
|---|---|---|
| Damage | 212 (barrel) + 159 (Barb) | 240 |
| Radius | Small AoE | Full lane |
| Special | Spawns L11 Barb (1216 HP) | Knockback |
| Hits Air? | No | No |
| Top 200 Usage | 80% (12/15 decks) | 40% (6/15) |
Pick Barrel for RG/Hog/RHogs (defends + counters bait). Log for X-Bow/2.6 pure cycle (longer chip). Meta King: Barrel – #1 card overall.
2. Skeletons vs Electro Spirit: 1-Elixir Cycle Wars
Distract Inferno or chain stun? Skeletons edge in meta.
| Stat | Skeletons | Electro Spirit |
|---|---|---|
| Damage | 67 x5 (335 total) | 140 |
| HP/DPS | 67 HP ea. (distract 3x) | 205 HP, chain stun |
| Special | 3 units | Slow + reset (Inferno) |
| Top 200 Usage | 60% (9/15) | 33% (5/15) |
Skeletons for cheap distract (vs RG/Golem). E-Spirit vs Sparky/Inferno Dragon. Winner: Skeletons – #2 card.
3. Evo Cannon vs Tesla: Defensive Building Battle
Evo Cannon’s double-shot shines in cycle.
| Stat | Evo Cannon | Tesla |
|---|---|---|
| DPS | 180 (double shots) | 185 |
| HP | 1560 | 1310 |
| Lifetime | 31s + evo spins | Hide/re-target |
| Top 200 Usage | 27% (4 decks) | Low (air meta weak) |
Evo Cannon for ground cycle (Hog/RHogs). Tesla vs Balloon/Loon. Meta Pick: Evo Cannon (#7).
4. Fireball vs Arrows: Medium Spell Massacre
Fireball melts Firecracker/Evo Musk clusters.
| Stat | Fireball | Arrows |
|---|---|---|
| Damage | 572 (2x tower) | 246 x6 |
| Radius | 2.5 tiles | Full width |
| Special | Predictable splash | Instant swarm nuke |
| Top 200 Usage | 60% (9/15) | S-tier but niche |
Fireball vs buildings/Musk (meta staple). Arrows vs Bats/Minions swarms. King: Fireball (#4).
5. Evo Royal Ghost vs Evo Knight: Utility Tank Throwdown
Ghost’s invis dash > Knight’s tankiness.
| Stat | Evo Royal Ghost | Evo Knight |
|---|---|---|
| HP/DPS | 1700 / 190 | 1550 / 170 |
| Special | Invis + soul dmg (nerfed) | Charge + shield |
| Top 200 Usage | 53% (8/15) | Bait/Log decks |
Ghost for bait/sneak defense. Knight cheap tank. Meta Star: Ghost (#3).
6. Evo Baby Dragon vs Evo Valkyrie: Splash Supreme
Air splash vs ground whirlwind.
| Stat | Evo Baby Dragon | Evo Valkyrie |
|---|---|---|
| DPS | 160 (air/ground) | 253 (spin) |
| HP | 950 | 1300 |
| Top 200 Usage | 33% (5 decks) | 20% (Golem) |
B.Dragon vs air-heavy (Loon/Balloon). Valk ground swarms. Tie: Both S-tier.
7. Hog Rider vs Evo Royal Hogs: Wincon Rush Hour
Single target vs horde.
| Stat | Hog Rider | Evo Royal Hogs |
|---|---|---|
| DPS | 378 (tower) | 152 x4 (608 total) |
| HP | 1413 | 800 ea. |
| Top 200 Usage | 33% (5 decks) | 20% (3 decks) |
Hog precise chip. RHogs overwhelm buildings. Pick: Hog for 2.6 meta.
8. Vines vs Fireball: New Root vs Classic Nuke
Vines (3el root line) rising in bait/beatdown.
| Stat | Vines | Fireball |
|---|---|---|
| Damage | ~300? (roots 3s) | 572 |
| Special | Ground root + dmg over time | Splash |
| Top 200 Usage | 33% (5 decks) | 60% |
Vines vs tanks (root RG/Golem). FB versatility. Hot New: Vines (#6).
Meta Decision Tree: Slot Your Deck Right
- Small Spell: Barrel (80% meta) unless X-Bow (Log).
- Cycle: Skeletons > E-Spirit.
- Building: Evo Cannon for cycle.
- Spell: Fireball always.
- Tank: Evo Ghost.
- Wincon: Evo RG/Hog/RHogs based on speed.
Pro Tip: Track your last 10 opponents on RoyaleAPI – swap 1 card (e.g., Barrel > Log vs bait) for +10% WR. Drop your deck below – I’ll optimize!
Just like we broke down the must-pick cards crushing Clash Royale’s November 2025 ladder, check out the ultimate Brawl Stars for parents guide.
