Quick answer: The Clash Royale September 2026 balance update (Season 87, Minion Academy) spans two waves — September 8 (18 card changes) and September 16 (4 more) — totaling 22 entries. Both new Season 87 cards were caught: Hero Ice Wizard freeze duration cut from 7s to 5s (−29%) and Minion Giant damage dropped from 189 to 168 (−11%), while Freeze duration fell from 4s to 3.5s (−13%), Fireball Crown Tower damage from 172 to 159 (−8%), Hero Balloon Skeletrooper landing damage −13%, and Evo Elite Barbarians rage duration −20%.
The Season 87 (Minion Academy) balance patch arrived in two waves: 18 card changes on September 8 and 4 more on September 16, totaling 22 individual entries — 10 nerfs, 6 buffs, and 6 reworks across both waves. The headline is that Supercell nerfed both cards introduced just weeks earlier this season — Hero Ice Wizard and Minion Giant — alongside a concentrated spell-nerf cluster and multiple Evolution adjustments that together reshape freeze-based and beatdown game plans heading into the back half of Season 87.
Complete September 2026 Change Table
All values at Tournament Standard (Level 11). Source: Supercell's official September 2026 balance notes.
September 8 Wave (18 Changes)
| Card | Change | Old | New | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hero Balloon | Skeletrooper Landing Damage | 263 | 230 | −13% |
| Battle Ram Evolution | Knockback | 2.5 tiles | 2 tiles | −20% |
| Elite Barbs Evolution | Spear Range | 3.5–5 tiles | 3–4.5 tiles | −10% |
| Elite Barbs Evolution | Rage Duration | 2.5s | 2s | −20% |
 Freeze | Duration | 4s | 3.5s | −13% |
 Fireball | Crown Tower Damage | 172 | 159 | −8% |
 Ice Golem | Hitpoints | 1,315 | 1,228 | −7% |
| Ice Golem | Slow Duration | 2s | 2.5s | +25% |
 Zappies | Hit Speed | 2.2s | 2.3s | +5% |
| Ronin | Hit Speed | 1.4s | 1.3s | −7% |
 Spirit Empress | Damage | 309 | 320 | +4% |
 Goblin Cage | Brawler Hitpoints | 1,080 | 1,121 | +4% |
| Hero Mega Minion | Warp-Back Mechanic | Not present | Added | Rework |
| Hero Mega Minion | Warp Damage | 399 | 422 | +6% |
| Hero Mega Minion | Crown Tower Damage Reduction | 75% | 0% | −100% |
| Hero Wizard | Ability Duration | 5s | 3.5s | −30% |
| Wizard Evolution | Shield Hitpoints | 192 | 176 | −8% |
 Wizard | Damage | 281 | 304 | +8% |
| Wizard | First Attack Speed | 0.4s delay | 0.5s delay | +25% |
| Bomber Evolution | Bomb Bounce Distance | 2.5 tiles | 3 tiles | +20% |
 Bomber | Damage | 225 | 212 | −6% |
 Battle Ram | Sight Range | 5.5 tiles | 6.5 tiles | +18% |
 Golem | Sight Range | 7 tiles | 7.5 tiles | +7% |
September 16 Wave (4 Changes)
| Card | Change | Old | New | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hero Ice Wizard | Freeze Duration | 7s | 5s | −29% |
 Goblinstein | Ability Duration | 4s | 3.5s | −13% |
| Minion Giant | Damage | 189 | 168 | −11% |
 Fire Spirit | Damage | 207 | 215 | +4% |
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Which Hero Cards Were Changed in September 2026?
Did Hero Ice Wizard Get Nerfed in September 2026?
Impact: massive. Hero Ice Wizard's freeze duration dropped from 7s to 5s on September 16 — a 2-second (−29%) reduction that fundamentally reshapes how the ability functions in ladder and tournament play. Hero Ice Wizard launched on September 7 with the Minion Academy season, which means Supercell issued this nerf just 9 days after the card became available. At 7s, the Frosty Fella ability froze an entire enemy push long enough to deploy a full defensive counter and initiate a counter-push with room to spare; at 5s, opponents can now disengage before that full defensive window closes. Freeze-lock beatdown strategies built around Hero Ice Wizard need to be rebuilt around tighter deploy timing — 5s is still a strong freeze, but the 2-second haircut removes the "automatic push clearance" ceiling.
Did Hero Balloon Get Nerfed in September 2026?
Impact: significant. Hero Balloon's Skeletrooper landing damage fell from 263 to 230 (−13%) on September 8. Supercell's developer note: "The Coffin Cadets were a bit too chaotic on landing." The 4-Skeleton coffin arrival splash was routinely clearing small defensive deployments on a successful Balloon run, functioning as both a win condition and an on-land board cleaner simultaneously. Hero Balloon's airborne stats and Balloon bombing run are untouched; the change is narrowly targeted at the over-the-top defensive disruption the coffin landing created.
Did Hero Mega Minion Get Reworked in September 2026?
Impact: significant (rework). Hero Mega Minion received the most mechanically complex change of the September 8 wave: it now warps back to its pre-ability position after executing the warp strike, its warp damage rose from 399 to 422 (+6%), and the 75% Crown Tower damage reduction was completely removed (−100%). The new mechanic means Hero Mega Minion functions as a repositioning assassin rather than a persistent positional threat — it strikes and returns, unlike the old behavior where the warp landed it in a committed offensive spot. The Crown Tower damage reduction removal is the most consequential stat: Hero Mega Minion now deals full damage to towers when it warp-strikes a connected position, which significantly raises its offensive burst ceiling in exchange for removing the defensive mitigation against tower retaliation.
Did Hero Wizard Get Nerfed in September 2026?
Impact: significant. Hero Wizard's ability duration was cut from 5s to 3.5s (−30%) on September 8 — the largest single-percentage Hero ability nerf in the September 8 wave. The 1.5-second window reduction shortens the spell-chain and fireball-spam burst that Hero Wizard's ability enables. This change is partially offset by the base Wizard's +8% damage buff (281→304), which now lets standard Wizard one-shot Firecracker and Archers at all levels — restoring meaningful value to the non-Hero form.
Which Evolutions Were Changed in September 2026?
Did Battle Ram Evolution Get Nerfed in September 2026?
Impact: significant. Battle Ram Evolution's knockback dropped from 2.5 tiles to 2 tiles (−20%) on September 8. Knockback is the Evo's core identity — it pushes defenders back to carve a clear lane for the Ram. At 2.5 tiles, medium-HP troops could be knocked back far enough to be left behind a tower before re-engaging; at 2 tiles, tanky defenders like Knight or Mini-PEKKA can often close the gap and re-engage before the Ram connects. The base Battle Ram gained +18% sight range (5.5→6.5 tiles) as partial compensation, letting it target units slightly earlier and improving its approach timing.
Did Elite Barbarians Evolution Get Nerfed in September 2026?
Impact: massive. Evo Elite Barbarians were hit on two stats simultaneously in the September 8 patch: spear range dropped from 3.5–5 tiles to 3–4.5 tiles (−10%) and rage duration fell from 2.5s to 2s (−20%). The spear-range cut means opponents can now micro-space support troops to avoid the burst volley on the Evo Elite Barbs' entry; the rage duration cut reduces the window during which both Barbarians operate at max speed and DPS. These two stats were the core reasons Evo Elite Barbarians dominated August 2026 ladder; both are now addressed in the same patch.
Did Wizard Evolution Get Changed in September 2026?
Impact: small. Wizard Evolution's shield hitpoints dropped from 192 to 176 (−8%) on September 8. The nerf is a supportive adjustment — the shield layer is slightly easier to pop, making the Wizard Evo's additional chain-lightning phase slightly harder to reach. The change is best read alongside the base Wizard buff: Supercell has deliberately shifted Wizard's strength toward the base card and away from the Evolution dependency.
Did Bomber Evolution Get Changed in September 2026?
Impact: small (rework). Bomber Evolution's bomb bounce distance increased from 2.5 to 3 tiles (+20%) on September 8, while base Bomber's damage dropped from 225 to 212 (−6%). The split is intentional: Supercell widened the ability gap between base Bomber and Evo Bomber to make the Evolution feel distinctly different, while lowering the base card's raw burst to justify the investment.
Which Spells Were Nerfed in the September 2026 Patch?
Did Freeze Get Nerfed in September 2026?
Impact: massive. Freeze duration dropped from 4s to 3.5s (−13%) on September 8, removing 0.5 seconds from every application. Freeze is one of the most-played spells in the game, and this is its first duration cut since 2025. At 4s, Freeze comfortably held a push while a full defensive counter-deploy arrived; at 3.5s, defenders need to start deploying 0.5 seconds earlier or accept a smaller defensive window. Freeze-combo beatdown archetypes — Golem Freeze, LavaLoon Freeze, Balloon Freeze — all lose a meaningful margin of their safety ceiling. Golem gained +7% sight range (7→7.5 tiles) as a minor upside for beatdown players, but it does not compensate for the Freeze nerf.
Did Fireball Get Nerfed in September 2026?
Impact: significant. Fireball's Crown Tower damage fell from 172 to 159 (−8%) on September 8. Direct troop damage against cards in the arena is unchanged; this specifically targets chip-damage chip strategies that cycle Fireball repeatedly at the tower. The nerf reduces Fireball's clock viability in stale or mirror scenarios. Combined with the Freeze duration cut, spell-damage cycle decks face two concurrent nerfs in the same wave.
Which Cards Got Buffed in September 2026?
Did Minion Giant Get Nerfed in September 2026?
Impact: significant. Minion Giant's damage fell from 189 to 168 (−11%) on September 16 — the second new Season 87 card nerfed just days after launch (September 7 launch, September 16 nerf = 9 days). The toxin-spray ranged attack is Minion Giant's defining offensive stat; −11% damage softens the burst against buildings and air defenders without touching hitpoints, deploy cost, or flight behavior. Minion Giant remains a viable 5-elixir flying win condition, but the nerf raises the survivable HP threshold for defending troops against the toxin volley, restoring matchup wins for air-defense players who struggled in Minion Giant's launch window.
Did Ronin Get Buffed in September 2026?
Impact: small. Ronin's hit speed improved from 1.4s to 1.3s (−7%) on September 8 — its second buff this season following the original launch period. Faster hit speed raises Ronin's DPS and reduces miss-windows against troops that attempt to micro out of melee range. Ronin was already a climbing meta pick in mid-to-upper-ladder control builds; this buff continues to push it toward competitive viability.
Did Fire Spirit Get Buffed in September 2026?
Impact: small. Fire Spirit's damage increased from 207 to 215 (+4%) on September 16. Fire Spirit is a 1-elixir cycle staple; even marginal damage increases shift one-shot thresholds against Bats, Goblins, and Goblin Gang troops, improving its defensive utility as a chip cycle component.
Which Decks Won and Lost in the September 2026 Patch?
Big winners
- Wizard cycle decks — base Wizard's +8% damage (281→304) now one-shots Firecracker and Archers, giving the non-Hero form real standalone identity for the first time in several seasons. Wizard cycle builds benefit without needing to commit a Hero slot.
- Ronin control decks — two consecutive buffs with no nerfs. Ronin decks at 7,000–9,000+ trophies are at their strongest point since launch.
- Anti-freeze beatdown — opponents of Freeze-heavy decks benefit from the 0.5s duration cut. Pure beatdown builds that previously lost to Freeze Golem or Freeze LavaLoon gain back a small defensive initiative.
Big losers
- Hero Ice Wizard decks — the −29% freeze duration is the most impactful single change for deck-building. Any deck built around a 7s freeze cycle-timing needs to be rebuilt.
- Evo Elite Barbarians decks — spear range and rage duration both cut in the same patch. Two-stat nerfs hit the Evo's identity from different angles.
- Evo Battle Ram push decks — knockback −20% narrows the clearing window that was the Evo's primary advantage.
- Freeze-combo beatdown — Freeze 4s→3.5s, Fireball Crown Tower −8%, and Minion Giant −11% all hurt the same strategy cluster simultaneously.
- Hero Wizard heavy decks — ability duration −30% is the single largest Hero percentage nerf in the patch.
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What Should I Do After the September 2026 Patch?
If you play Hero Ice Wizard: re-test push timings around a 5s window instead of 7s. Deploy your counter-push troops 1.5s earlier than before to achieve the same defensive density. Pair with faster-deploying win conditions like Hog Rider or Miner to reduce dependency on long freeze coverage.
If you play Evo Battle Ram or Evo Elite Barbarians: run both Evolutions for at least 20 games before deciding to drop them. The nerfs are meaningful but not necessarily fatal — player skill and matchup distribution can still sustain these decks at most trophy ranges.
If you play Freeze Golem or LavaLoon Freeze: the 0.5s cut requires stricter timing. Freeze is now more reliable as a defensive "save the push" tool than an offensive "extend into their tower" tool.
If you play Ronin control: this is your season. Ronin's back-to-back buffs make September 87 the best meta window for Ronin-based decks since the card launched. Test it at 7,000+ trophies.
If you play Minion Giant: the −11% damage nerf hurts toxin burst — prioritize deploying Minion Giant against isolated building defenses rather than split multi-defender setups where the damage reduction compounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Hero Ice Wizard get nerfed in September 2026?
Hero Ice Wizard's freeze duration was reduced from 7s to 5s (−29%) in the September 16, 2026 balance update, just 9 days after the card launched on September 7 with the Minion Academy season. The nerf targets the ability's lockdown ceiling exclusively — HP, damage, and deploy cost are unchanged.
Was Minion Giant nerfed in September 2026?
Minion Giant's damage was cut from 189 to 168 (−11%) in the September 16, 2026 balance wave. The card launched on September 7 with Season 87, making this nerf 9 days post-launch. Hitpoints, deploy cost, and flight behavior are unchanged.
How much was Freeze nerfed in September 2026?
Freeze duration was cut from 4s to 3.5s (−13%) in the September 8, 2026 balance update — a 0.5-second reduction on every application regardless of card level. This is Freeze's first duration cut since 2025 and affects every deck that runs the spell, with the largest impact on Golem Freeze and LavaLoon Freeze archetypes.
Did Fireball get nerfed in September 2026?
Fireball's Crown Tower damage fell from 172 to 159 (−8%) in the September 8 patch. Direct troop damage in the arena is unchanged; only the chip-damage component versus Crown Towers was reduced. Fireball remains the most versatile 4-elixir offensive spell in the game.
Is Ronin good after the September 2026 buff?
Ronin's hit speed dropped from 1.4s to 1.3s (−7%) on September 8, giving it higher DPS and fewer miss windows in melee. This is Ronin's second consecutive buff. Ronin is now at its strongest since launch and is a rising pick in mid-to-upper-ladder control decks.
What is the biggest nerf in the September 2026 Clash Royale patch?
The largest percentage nerf in the full September 2026 cycle is Hero Ice Wizard at −29% freeze duration (7s→5s, September 16). In the September 8 wave alone, Hero Wizard's ability duration cut of −30% (5s→3.5s) is the largest percentage — both changes target Hero ability duration windows, reflecting Supercell's active effort to rein in Season 87 Hero uptime.
Should I keep playing Evo Elite Barbarians after the September nerf?
Evo Elite Barbarians lost spear range (−10%) and rage duration (−20%) simultaneously. Both nerfs target the card's core offensive identity — burst on entry and sustained speed pressure. The Evo is still usable, but players who relied on the spear-volley entry to bypass defensive micro-management will need to adjust approach timing or switch win conditions at upper trophy ranges.