How to Counter Graveyard in Clash Royale: Counters, Placements & Anti-Graveyard Decks (October 2026)

Quick answer: The most reliable way to counter Graveyard is a Poison-proof splash defender (Valkyrie, Wizard or Mega Knight) placed beside the targeted Princess Tower about 1 second after the cast — Mega Knight (7 elixir) and Wizard (5 elixir) both splash the 12 skeletons and survive a 4-elixir Poison.

Graveyard is a 5-elixir Legendary spell that raises 12 skeletons inside a 4-tile circle on your Princess Tower over 9 seconds, the first one 2.2 seconds after the cast; the June 1, 2026 patch cut the count from 13 to 12. In the October 12, 2026 meta snapshot Graveyard is most common at 9,000+ trophies (2.03% popularity, sample 4,342) and rarest under 5,000 (0.72%). Mega Knight, Wizard, Valkyrie, Electro Wizard and Skeleton Army are the most-played listed counters below 9,000; at 9,000+ the table lists Mother Witch, Dark Prince and P.E.K.K.A. You will meet Graveyard in five lists:

• Witch Graveyard Poison (the plain "Graveyard" label) averages 3.6 elixir and backs the spell with Poison, Vines and a Knight tank.
• Graveyard Freeze averages 4.3 elixir and freezes your defenders for 3.5 seconds while the skeletons land.
• Splashyard averages 3.4 elixir and defends with Baby Dragon, Ice Wizard, Tornado and Tombstone.
• Giant Graveyard averages 3.9 elixir and sends a 5-elixir Giant ahead of the spell.
• Mega Knight Graveyard uses a 7-elixir Mega Knight as the tank and has no settled list.

Which cards counter Graveyard?

Mega Knight, Wizard, Valkyrie, Electro Wizard and Skeleton Army are the counters this guide recommends first, because each splashes or soaks the skeletons for 3 to 7 elixir. The tables below list a selection of measured counters with their battle counts.

How to read the tables: each table lists a selection of measured counters, most-played first; the win-rate and impact figures are withheld. "Battles with counter" is the number of battles in the October 6–12, 2026 window in which a Graveyard deck faced an opponent running that card. Appearing in a table says nothing about how well a card counters Graveyard; the recommendations in this guide come from card mechanics. Counter Lookup shows the live version.

Under 5,000

#	Counter card	Battles with counter
1	Skeleton Army	652
2	Wizard	646
3	Mini P.E.K.K.A	526
4	Valkyrie	466
5	Mega Knight	325
6	Electro Wizard	233
7	Zap	226
8	Dart Goblin	224
9	Firecracker	185
10	Inferno Dragon	159

Listed most-played first (by battles with the counter) on Graveyard results.

5,000–6,000

#	Counter card	Battles with counter
1	Skeleton Army	1,575
2	Wizard	1,435
3	Valkyrie	1,294
4	Mini P.E.K.K.A	1,261
5	Mega Knight	1,004
6	Electro Wizard	682
7	Goblin Gang	577
8	Cannon	549
9	Archers	405
10	Zap	394

Listed most-played first (by battles with the counter) on Graveyard results.

6,000–7,000

#	Counter card	Battles with counter
1	Skeleton Army	1,275
2	Wizard	1,253
3	Valkyrie	1,021
4	Mega Knight	841
5	Electro Wizard	709
6	Arrows	700
7	Cannon	467
8	Dart Goblin	464
9	Executioner	309
10	Goblin Cage	111

Listed most-played first (by battles with the counter) on Graveyard results.

7,000–8,000

#	Counter card	Battles with counter
1	Skeleton Army	882
2	Wizard	879
3	Valkyrie	794
4	Mini P.E.K.K.A	607
5	Electro Wizard	585
6	Mega Knight	570
7	Princess	419
8	Zap	318
9	Executioner	210
10	Skeleton Dragons	147

Listed most-played first (by battles with the counter) on Graveyard results.

8,000–9,000

#	Counter card	Battles with counter
1	Valkyrie	952
2	Skeleton Army	860
3	Wizard	831
4	Mini P.E.K.K.A	707
5	Mega Knight	690
6	Electro Wizard	622
7	Firecracker	605
8	Tesla	451
9	Dart Goblin	380
10	Mother Witch	130

Listed most-played first (by battles with the counter) on Graveyard results.

9,000+

#	Counter card	Battles with counter
1	Mega Knight	912
2	Wizard	730
3	Inferno Dragon	664
4	P.E.K.K.A	598
5	Mother Witch	587
6	Dark Prince	545
7	Zappies	418
8	Guards	382
9	Royal Delivery	283
10	Skeleton Dragons	250

Listed most-played first (by battles with the counter) on Graveyard results.

What does each Graveyard counter actually do?

Graveyard counters do one of four jobs: splash the skeletons as they rise, soak their hits, attack from the air where skeletons cannot reach, or kill the tank in front of the spell. The table lists every card in at least one band's table above; roles are editorial.

Counter card	Elixir	Job against Graveyard
Mega Knight	7	Deploy jump and splash on the skeletons; survives Poison
Wizard	5	Ranged splash from beside the tower
Valkyrie	4	360° spin clears skeletons on every side of her
Electro Wizard	4	Deploy zap stuns the first skeletons; each shot kills one, two at a time
Skeleton Army	3	Swarm that trades with the skeletons; dies to Poison
Mini P.E.K.K.A	4	Kills the Knight or Giant tank, not the skeletons
Zap	2	Kills every skeleton inside its small radius
Dart Goblin	3	Fast darts; reaches Baby Dragon and Minions
Firecracker	3	Long-range splash from behind the tower
Executioner	5	Returning axe passes through the skeleton line twice
Inferno Dragon	4	Melts the tank from the air, where skeletons cannot hit it
Skeleton Dragons	4	Air splash the skeletons cannot touch
Mother Witch	4	Skeletons she kills come back as Cursed Hogs on your side
Princess	3	Long-range splash
Goblin Gang	3	Cheap swarm with a spear backline
Archers	3	Two ranged attackers; hit air
Cannon	3	Pulls the Giant away from the tower
Tesla	4	Hiding building; draws skeletons, hits air
Goblin Cage	4	Building that releases a Goblin Brawler
Arrows	3	Clears a skeleton wave, Minions and Guards
Dark Prince	4	Shielded splash charge
P.E.K.K.A	7	Deletes the tank, survives Poison, counter-pushes
Guards	3	Three shielded bodies that soak skeleton hits
Zappies	4	Three ranged stunners
Royal Delivery	3	Kills a wave and drops a Royal Recruit

Why are Baby Dragon, Bowler and Tornado missing from the tables?

Baby Dragon, Bowler and Tornado are the textbook Graveyard answers, but none of the three is listed in any band's table for October 6–12, 2026, because the tables are only a selection of measured counters. Splashyard runs Baby Dragon and Tornado, and Giant Graveyard and Graveyard Freeze run Bowler, so the three also sit on both sides of many battles. They work mechanically: skeletons cannot hit a Baby Dragon, and Bowler's boulder rolls through a whole line.

Where do you meet Graveyard?

Graveyard is most common at 9,000+ trophies (2.03% popularity) and rarest under 5,000 (0.72%). Splashyard, Giant Graveyard and Mega Knight Graveyard do not reach any band's 30 most-played archetypes.

Trophy band	Archetype	Popularity	Sample
Under 5,000	Graveyard	0.72%	1,343
Under 5,000	Splashyard	—	—
Under 5,000	Giant Graveyard	—	—
Under 5,000	Mega Knight Graveyard	—	—
5,000–6,000	Graveyard	1.38%	2,365
5,000–6,000	Splashyard	—	—
5,000–6,000	Giant Graveyard	—	—
5,000–6,000	Mega Knight Graveyard	—	—
6,000–7,000	Graveyard	1.78%	2,971
6,000–7,000	Splashyard	—	—
6,000–7,000	Giant Graveyard	—	—
6,000–7,000	Mega Knight Graveyard	—	—
7,000–8,000	Graveyard	1.39%	2,288
7,000–8,000	Splashyard	—	—
7,000–8,000	Giant Graveyard	—	—
7,000–8,000	Mega Knight Graveyard	—	—
8,000–9,000	Graveyard	1.18%	1,976
8,000–9,000	Splashyard	—	—
8,000–9,000	Giant Graveyard	—	—
8,000–9,000	Mega Knight Graveyard	—	—
9,000+	Graveyard	2.03%	4,342
9,000+	Splashyard	—	—
9,000+	Giant Graveyard	—	—
9,000+	Mega Knight Graveyard	—	—

— = not among that band's 30 most-played archetypes in the latest snapshot (not zero; meta_trends stores the top 30 only).

The band split tells you which counter to prioritise:

• Under 5,000: Skeleton Army and Wizard are the most-played listed counters (652 and 646 battles), with Mega Knight and Valkyrie also in the table.
• 5,000 to 9,000: Valkyrie, Electro Wizard, Wizard and Skeleton Army are listed in every table. A 4-elixir splash troop placed correctly does most of the work.
• 9,000+: the counters shift to Mother Witch, Wizard, Dark Prince, P.E.K.K.A and Guards (see the punish section below).

What is Graveyard and why does it win?

Graveyard, unlocked at Spooky Town (Arena 12), summons skeletons instead of dealing damage itself. Each skeleton has 82 hitpoints and deals 82 damage per hit at Level 11 (131 at the Level 16 maximum); they rise around the rim of the circle and attack whatever is nearest, usually your Princess Tower. Graveyard wins through three mechanics:

1. It skips your defence. Graveyard is a spell, so it lands past the bridge and past every troop you placed in the lane. The skeletons start next to the tower, not at the river.
2. It lasts 9 seconds. The skeletons arrive one after another over the spell's 9-second duration. A single small spell kills the ones already standing, then the next ones rise into the gap.
3. The support kills your answer. Poison (4 elixir), Freeze (4), Tornado (3), Vines (3) and Barbarian Barrel (2) all exist in Graveyard lists to remove or disable the troop you drop to clear the skeletons. A Graveyard with Poison is 9 elixir aimed at one defender.

Why do The Log and Arrows alone fail against Graveyard?

The Log (2 elixir) and Arrows (3 elixir) fail alone against Graveyard because they hit once while the skeletons keep rising for 9 seconds. Arrows (listed at 6,000–7,000, 700 battles) and Zap (listed in four bands) still help, because they also kill Minions, Guards or Witch skeletons in the same cast. Use a small spell to finish a wave your troop has thinned.

How do you place a defender against Graveyard?

The best placement against Graveyard is a splash defender directly in front of the targeted Princess Tower, touching it, inside the circle, so the skeletons walk into its range from every side. Three rules make that placement work:

• Next to the tower, not in the lane. A defender at the bridge or in the back corner leaves half the circle unguarded. Skeletons that rise on the far side reach the tower untouched.
• About 1 second after the cast, never before it. A defender placed before the Graveyard lands is an easy Poison or Tornado target. Most troops take about 1 second to deploy, so one placed a second after the cast lands just as the first skeleton rises at 2.2 seconds.
• Out of the support spell's reach. If the opponent still holds Poison, choose a defender that survives Poison (Mega Knight, Valkyrie, Wizard) or one the skeletons cannot hit (Baby Dragon, Skeleton Dragons, Inferno Dragon).

Each type of defender has its own spot:

Defender type	Examples	Where to place it
Melee splash	Valkyrie, Mega Knight, Dark Prince	Directly in front of the tower, touching it, in the middle of the circle
Ranged splash	Wizard, Executioner, Firecracker, Princess	Behind or beside the tower, on the side away from the tank
Air	Baby Dragon, Skeleton Dragons, Inferno Dragon	Over the tower; skeletons cannot hit them
Swarm	Skeleton Army, Goblin Gang, Guards	On the tower, only once Poison is out of hand
Building	Cannon, Tesla, Goblin Cage	Centre of your half, to pull a Giant away from the tower

Where do you place Valkyrie against Graveyard?

Valkyrie goes directly in front of the targeted Princess Tower, touching it, inside the Graveyard circle, so her 360° spin hits skeletons rising on both sides. She costs 4 elixir, less than the 5-elixir spell, and is the most-played listed counter at 8,000–9,000 (952 battles).

Valkyrie survives a Poison, so she is the safest choice against Witch Graveyard Poison. Against Graveyard Freeze, keep a second answer for the moment the Freeze ends (see below). Her normal spin (266 damage at Level 11) kills an 82-hitpoint Level 11 skeleton in one hit, so the August 3, 2026 cut to her Evolution's tornado damage (84 → 42) matters little here.

How do Wizard and Electro Wizard stop Graveyard?

Wizard stops Graveyard by splashing the skeletons from range, and he is the second most-played listed counter at 9,000+ (730 battles). Place him on the side of the tower away from the opponent's tank. The September 8, 2026 patch raised his damage 281 → 304 (+8%).

Electro Wizard (4 elixir) stops Graveyard with his deploy zap, which damages and stuns a small area when he lands, then with shots that hit two targets at once. Drop him onto the first skeletons. Electro Wizard is one of Season 88's boosted cards, so he plays at Level 16 this season: 1,141 hitpoints and 188 damage per shot, more than the 131 hitpoints of even a Level 16 Graveyard skeleton, so every shot kills one.

How do you use Mega Knight against Graveyard?

Mega Knight counters Graveyard by landing in the middle of the skeletons: his deploy damage kills the first wave, his area swing clears the rest, and Poison barely dents him. He is the most-played listed counter at 9,000+ (912 battles). At 7 elixir he is only worth it when he walks out of the defence as a counter-push, which a 9-elixir Graveyard Poison player can rarely stop. For the reverse matchup, see the Mega Knight counter guide.

When does Skeleton Army work against Graveyard?

Skeleton Army works against Graveyard once the opponent's Poison, Barbarian Barrel or Arrows has been used: a full swarm on the tower trades with the skeletons as they rise. Goblin Gang (577 battles at 5,000–6,000) and Guards (382 at 9,000+) follow the same rule; Guards' shields soak more hits.

What should you do about the tank in front of the Graveyard?

The tank in front of the Graveyard is the reason the skeletons survive, so kill it with single-target damage while your splash handles the skeletons. Knight (3 elixir), Giant (5), Golden Knight (4) and Mega Knight walk to the tower, take the tower's shots and leave the skeletons free to hit.

• Against Knight or Golden Knight: Mini P.E.K.K.A (4 elixir, 1,261 battles at 5,000–6,000) removes either quickly.
• Against Giant: Mini P.E.K.K.A, Inferno Dragon or a Cannon pull, then splash for the skeletons.

How do you defend the Splashyard, Giant Graveyard and Mega Knight Graveyard versions?

The Graveyard family shares the spell and splits on the support. The lists below are real 8-card decks from TrophyCoach's tracked-deck table (October 12, 2026).

How do you beat Witch Graveyard Poison?

Witch Graveyard Poison is beaten by defending the spell with a Poison-proof splash troop and punishing the 9-elixir commitment. A standard version is:

Card	Elixir	Role in the deck
Graveyard	5	Win condition
Witch	5	Splash support that spawns her own skeletons
Poison	4	Kills your defender and the swarm under the Graveyard
Goblin Cage	4	Defensive building; releases a Goblin Brawler
Vines	3	Second spell that grabs and damages defenders
Knight	3	Mini-tank in front of the Graveyard
Ice Wizard	3	Slows your push and your defenders
Barbarian Barrel	2	Ground clear and a Barbarian

The average is 3.6 elixir (29 ÷ 8). A Goblin Hut version replaces Goblin Cage. Graveyard returns to hand after four other cards; the four cheapest (Barbarian Barrel, Knight, Ice Wizard, Vines) cost 11 elixir, so a player who only cycles can recast Graveyard every 16 elixir: 44.8 seconds in single elixir, 22.4 in double. At 9,000+ the plain Graveyard label also covers a spawner version: Graveyard, Valkyrie, Furnace, Goblin Hut, Berserker, Poison, Vines and Barbarian Barrel (3.5 elixir, 28 ÷ 8), with Valkyrie as the tank. Against it, pick splash that also clears the Fire Spirits and Spear Goblins the two buildings keep spawning (Wizard, Electro Wizard, Firecracker), or spend a spell on the Furnace so it stops feeding the push.

• Track Poison. Poison is the deck's main answer to a swarm under the Graveyard; Barbarian Barrel and Witch only clear part of one. Once Poison is used, a 3-elixir swarm trades well.
• Use Valkyrie, Wizard or Mega Knight while Poison is held. All three survive a Poison and keep hitting.

How do you beat Graveyard Freeze?

Graveyard Freeze is beaten by a two-step defence: a normal first answer, and a second one held for the moment the Freeze ends. A standard version is Graveyard, Bowler, Executioner, Golden Knight, Inferno Dragon, Zappies, Freeze and Tornado: 4.3 elixir (34 ÷ 8). Bowler and Executioner defend, Tornado pulls your troops into them, and Freeze stops your defenders and tower for 3.5 seconds. The four cheapest other cards cost 15 elixir, so a pure-cycle loop including Graveyard costs 20 elixir: 56 seconds in single elixir, 28 in double.

• Defend in two steps. Answer the Graveyard as usual, then hold a small spell (Zap, Arrows) or a cheap second troop. If the opponent never casts Freeze, your first defender does the whole job. If they freeze it, the second answer clears the skeletons that rise after the Freeze ends. The September 8, 2026 patch shortened Freeze from 4.0 to 3.5 seconds (−13%), so more than half of the 9-second Graveyard is still running when it ends.
• Never commit both answers at once. One Freeze (4 elixir) on two defenders and a frozen tower is the play this deck is built around.
• Kill Golden Knight cheaply. Mini P.E.K.K.A or Guards stop him on the counter-push.

How do you beat Splashyard?

Splashyard is beaten by out-pressuring its defence, because the deck is built to defend first and cast Graveyard off the counter-push. A standard version is Graveyard, Baby Dragon, Poison, Knight, Ice Wizard, Tornado, Tombstone and Barbarian Barrel: 3.4 elixir (27 ÷ 8). Baby Dragon escorts the Graveyard from the air, where the skeletons' attackers often cannot reach it, and Graveyard returns every 16 elixir of pure cycling, the same as the Witch list.

• Bring air-targeting damage. Wizard, Electro Wizard, Dart Goblin, Firecracker or Archers reach the Baby Dragon.
• Place your splash after the Tornado. Tornado (3 elixir) pulls a placed Valkyrie or Wizard away from the skeletons.
• Push the other lane early. Splashyard defends best of the family, so double-lane pressure matters most here.

How do you beat Giant Graveyard?

Giant Graveyard is beaten by killing the Giant fast and splashing the skeletons behind it. A standard version is Giant, Graveyard, Witch, Bowler, Minions, Guards, Arrows and Giant Snowball: 3.9 elixir (31 ÷ 8). Giant plus Graveyard is a 10-elixir push.

• Pull or kill the Giant. Mini P.E.K.K.A (4 elixir), Inferno Dragon (4) or a centre Cannon (3) keeps the 5-elixir tank off your tower while the Graveyard lands.
• Splash both layers. Wizard and Valkyrie handle the skeletons and Guards; Wizard and Firecracker also reach the Minions.
• Punish the 10 elixir. A push in the opposite lane meets a defence that is 10 elixir short, usually only one or two cheap cards.

How do you beat Mega Knight Graveyard?

Mega Knight Graveyard is beaten like Giant Graveyard, with the Mega Knight as the tank. It has no settled list; one tracked version is Mega Knight, Sparky, Barbarians, Baby Dragon, Executioner, Goblin Machine, Freeze and Graveyard (5.1 elixir, 41 ÷ 8). Mega Knight's jump kills your swarms, so answer him with single-target damage (Mini P.E.K.K.A, P.E.K.K.A, Inferno Dragon) and clear the skeletons with a defender he has not landed on. A 7-elixir Mega Knight plus a 5-elixir Graveyard is 12 elixir, so every defended push leaves the opponent short. For Mega Knight lists without the spell, see the Mega Knight counter guide.

How do you punish Graveyard on offense?

Graveyard is punished on offense by attacking the moment the opponent commits the spell: Graveyard plus Poison or Freeze is 9 elixir, Giant plus Graveyard is 10, and Mega Knight plus Graveyard is 12. The spell has no defensive value, so the elixir the opponent spends on it is elixir their defence does not have.

That is why Dark Prince, P.E.K.K.A and Mother Witch work at 9,000+: each defends, survives, and becomes an attack the Graveyard deck must answer with cheap cards.

1. Counter-push the defender, don't play fresh. A Valkyrie, Mega Knight or P.E.K.K.A that survives the Graveyard is a free push.
2. Attack the other lane after a Graveyard. The opponent's defence there is whatever they kept in hand.
3. Bait the Poison with your offense. If Poison lands on your Goblin Gang or Dart Goblin at the bridge, the next Graveyard has no Poison behind it for at least four card plays.

Which decks beat Graveyard?

Goblin Barrel Bait, Mega Knight Bait, PEKKA Bridge Spam and Hog Cycle are the four tracked archetypes whose cards interact best with Graveyard, as an editorial judgment from card interactions: Trophy Road matchup results are withheld, and only the 9,000+ verdicts below are TrophyCoach's measured archetype-matchup results.

Deck	Avg elixir	Graveyard answers in the list	Why it works	9,000+ verdict vs Graveyard
Goblin Barrel Bait (Valkyrie)	2.8	Valkyrie, Skeleton Army, Princess, Dart Goblin, Cannon	Baits out the Poison, then answers the spell with Valkyrie or Skeleton Army	Favourable
Mega Knight Bait	3.75	Mega Knight, Goblin Gang, Arrows, Zap	Mega Knight lands on the skeletons and counter-pushes	No result
PEKKA Bridge Spam	4.0	P.E.K.K.A, Electro Wizard	P.E.K.K.A kills the tank; bridge pressure punishes the 9-elixir spend	Slightly favourable
Hog Cycle (Executioner, Valkyrie)	3.4	Valkyrie, Executioner	Defends the spell, then sends a 4-elixir Hog Rider the other way	Roughly even

How does Goblin Barrel Bait with Valkyrie beat Graveyard?

Goblin Barrel Bait with Valkyrie beats Graveyard by card interactions: Valkyrie, Skeleton Army, Princess, Dart Goblin and Cannon all answer the skeletons, and its bait pressure strips the Poison. The list is Goblin Barrel, Wall Breakers, Princess, Dart Goblin, Skeleton Army, Valkyrie, Cannon and Ice Spirit (2.8 elixir, 22 ÷ 8).

• Defence: Valkyrie handles the Graveyard while Poison is held; Skeleton Army handles it once Poison is gone. Princess and Dart Goblin pick off skeletons and Baby Dragon from range.
• Offence: Goblin Barrel and Wall Breakers draw out the Barbarian Barrel, while Princess, Dart Goblin and Skeleton Army draw the Poison. A Graveyard cast after both are spent is unsupported. Read the Log Bait counter guide for the reverse view of this deck.

How does Mega Knight Bait beat Graveyard?

Mega Knight Bait beats Graveyard by defending with Mega Knight and counter-pushing with bridge cards. One real list is Mega Knight, Archer Queen, Prince, Bandit, Wall Breakers, Goblin Gang, Arrows and Zap (3.75 elixir, 30 ÷ 8).

• Defence: Mega Knight lands on the skeletons and survives the Poison; Zap or Arrows clears a wave if he is out of cycle.
• Offence: Prince, Bandit and Wall Breakers punish the opposite lane while the Graveyard player recovers 9 elixir.

How does PEKKA Bridge Spam play against Graveyard?

PEKKA Bridge Spam edges Graveyard at 9,000+ (slightly favourable) by killing the tank with P.E.K.K.A and spamming the bridge while the opponent is short of elixir. The list is P.E.K.K.A, Ram Rider, Bandit, Royal Ghost, Magic Archer, Electro Wizard, Poison and Barbarian Barrel (4.0 elixir, 32 ÷ 8).

• Defence: Electro Wizard's two-target shots kill the first skeletons; P.E.K.K.A kills the tank in front of them.
• Offence: Ram Rider (271 damage since the October 6, 2026 buff, up from 250), Bandit and Royal Ghost hit both lanes faster than a 3.4–4.3-elixir Graveyard deck can answer. The Bridge Spam counter guide covers this deck from the other side.

Does Hog Cycle beat Graveyard?

Hog Cycle can beat Graveyard by trading efficiently. The tracked list is Hog Rider, Executioner, Valkyrie, Goblins, Ice Spirit, Rocket, Tornado and The Log (3.4 elixir, 27 ÷ 8). Valkyrie (4 elixir) and Executioner (5) both answer the skeletons, so the deck defends the spell and then puts a 4-elixir Hog Rider on the other tower every time the opponent spends 9 elixir on Graveyard and Poison. Hog 2.6 (How to Play Hog 2.6 Cycle) has fewer Graveyard answers than this list, so treat it with caution. The Hog Cycle counter guide gives the matchup from the Hog side.

What changed for Graveyard in Season 88?

Graveyard received no change in the October 6, 2026 balance patch. Its last change was the June 1, 2026 nerf: skeleton count 13 → 12 (−8%). Six October 6 changes (five entries below) touch cards in Graveyard lists or their counters. Figures are as published by Supercell (Level 11):

• Barbarian Barrel — Impact: small. Damage 232 → 215 (−8%). It is in the Witch Graveyard and Splashyard lists, so it clears slightly less of your swarm.
• Hero Ice Wizard — Impact: small. Freeze damage 89 → 46 (−49%), and the freeze no longer kills Skeletons or Bats. If the Graveyard player runs Hero Ice Wizard, your 1-elixir Skeletons now survive it.
• Golden Knight — Impact: small. Damage 161 → 168 (+5%); dash range 5.5 → 5 tiles (−9%). Golden Knight is in the Graveyard Freeze list.
• Cannon Evolution — Impact: small. Barrage damage 281 → 261 (−7%). Cannon is listed at 5,000–6,000 (549 battles) and 6,000–7,000 (467).
• Goblin Barrel and Wall Breakers — Impact: small. First hit 0.4s → 0.3s (−25%) and damage 281 → 302 (+7%). Both strengthen the bait decks that pressure Graveyard.

Earlier 2026 changes still matter: Poison's Crown Tower damage fell 184 → 168 (June 1); Bowler's and Executioner's projectile range fell 7.5 → 7 tiles (August 3), so they no longer clip your tower from behind the bridge; and the Witch Evolution's hitpoints rose 1,040 → 1,451 in an August 3 rework.

What are the most common mistakes against Graveyard?

Mistakes against Graveyard mostly come from treating a 9-second spell like a single push:

Mistake 1: Placing the splash troop in the corner or at the bridge. Skeletons rise around the whole 4-tile circle, so a defender on one side lets the far side hit freely.

Mistake 2: Dropping a swarm into a held Poison. Into a 4-elixir Poison, a 3-elixir Skeleton Army dies and the skeletons keep hitting. Count the Poison first.

Mistake 3: Spelling the Tombstone or Goblin Cage. Both are defensive buildings. Your spell belongs on the Witch, the Minions or the skeleton wave.

Mistake 4: Spending both answers into Graveyard Freeze. Two defenders placed together get frozen together; hold the second until the 3.5-second Freeze ends.

Mistake 5: Defending without counter-pushing. Stopping a 9- to 12-elixir push and then playing a fresh card instead of supporting the surviving defender gives back the elixir edge you just earned.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best card to counter Graveyard?

Mega Knight (7 elixir) and Wizard (5 elixir) are the strongest Graveyard answers by mechanics: Mega Knight's deploy damage kills the first wave and Wizard splashes from range. Valkyrie (4 elixir) is the cheaper option and her 360° spin clears all 12 skeletons around her.

Where should you place Valkyrie against Graveyard?

Valkyrie goes directly in front of the targeted Princess Tower, touching it, inside the 4-tile Graveyard circle, so her spin hits skeletons on every side. Place her about 1 second after the cast so she lands as the first skeleton rises at 2.2 seconds.

Did Graveyard get nerfed in October 2026?

Graveyard was not changed in the October 6, 2026 balance patch. Its last change was the June 1, 2026 nerf that cut its skeleton count from 13 to 12 (−8%).

Does The Log counter Graveyard?

The Log (2 elixir) does not counter Graveyard alone: it kills the skeletons already on the board, and more rise over the spell's 9 seconds. Zap (2 elixir) is a better finisher after a troop has thinned the wave.

How do you beat Graveyard Poison?

Graveyard Poison commits 9 elixir (Graveyard 5 + Poison 4) to one attack. Defend it with a Poison-proof splash troop such as Valkyrie, Wizard or Mega Knight, then counter-push the other lane while the opponent rebuilds elixir.

Is Graveyard still good in October 2026?

Graveyard holds 2.03% popularity at 9,000+ trophies in the October 12, 2026 snapshot, its highest share of any band, and 0.72% under 5,000. It is a top-ladder deck more than a climbing deck.

How do you beat Giant Graveyard?

Giant Graveyard averages 3.9 elixir and spends 10 elixir (Giant 5 + Graveyard 5) on one push. Kill or pull the Giant with Mini P.E.K.K.A, Inferno Dragon or a Cannon, splash the skeletons with Wizard or Valkyrie, and punish the empty elixir bar.