Overview
The Dragon Rider is the fifteenth Elixir troop unlocked in the Barracks at Town Hall 13, combining aerial mobility with ranged javelin attacks. This warrior-dragon duo deals 340 DPS at max level with 6,500 HP and 4.5-tile attack range, making them versatile units that can engage defenses from a safe distance while their dragon mount provides tanking capability. Unlike regular Dragons that use melee splash attacks, Dragon Riders throw javelins in a straight line, hitting all targets in the projectile’s path.
Dragon Riders revolutionized TH13+ air attacks by providing sustained ranged DPS without requiring close-range engagement. Their 4.5-tile range allows them to outrange most defenses (3-tile standard), meaning they can attack Air Defenses, Wizard Towers, and even Inferno Towers before entering lethal zones. They’re central to ZapRider (Lightning + Dragon Rider), LaRider (Lava Hound + Dragon Rider), and hybrid strategies. However, their 25 housing space limits army composition (only 8-9 Dragon Riders maximum), slow attack speed (2.1 seconds) makes them vulnerable to burst damage, and their line-attack mechanism means poor positioning reduces effectiveness significantly compared to splash damage troops.
📊 Stats & Upgrade Path
| Town Hall |
Max Level |
HP |
DPS |
Key Milestone |
| TH13 |
1 |
4,200 |
260 |
Unlocked — Ranged air troop introduced |
| TH14 |
2 |
5,000 |
290 |
Dominates TH14 hybrid attacks |
| TH15 |
3 |
5,700 |
310 |
Monolith & Spell Tower era |
| TH16 |
4 |
6,100 |
325 |
Blast Bow challenges |
| TH17+ |
5 |
6,500 |
340 |
⚔️ MAX — 6,500 HP · 340 DPS |
Key Attributes: Dragon Riders have a movement speed of 18 (moderate-fast), attack speed of 2.1 seconds, attack range of 4.5 tiles, and deal line-attack damage (hits all targets in javelin path). They occupy 25 housing space and target any building or troop within range.
⚔️ Attack Strategies
ZapRider (Lightning Dragon Rider)
Use 4 Lightning Spells + 1 Earthquake to destroy 2 Air Defenses. Deploy 8-9 Dragon Riders in spread formation to outrange remaining defenses. Add Rage Spells in core. Dominates TH13-15 with 75%+ 3-star rates.
LaRider (Lava Hound + Dragon Rider)
Deploy 2 Lava Hounds as tanks to soak Air Defense fire. Dragon Riders follow behind at 4.5-tile range, staying outside Air Defense lock-on zones. Use Haste Spells for mobility and Rage in core. Best TH14-16 strategy.
Queen Walk + Dragon Rider
Send Archer Queen with
Healers to eliminate 1-2 Air Defenses and Clan Castle. Once cleared, deploy 7-8 Dragon Riders for cleanup. Their range allows safe destruction while Queen tanks hero fire.
Rider + Baby Dragon Hybrid
Deploy 5-6 Dragon Riders in center, 6-8
Baby Dragons spread around perimeter for funneling. Dragon Riders provide sustained DPS while Baby Dragons (enraged) clear flanks. Use Freeze on Eagle Artillery.
Stone Slammer Support
Deploy Stone Slammer filled with Loons toward Town Hall. Once it crashes, send 6-7 Dragon Riders from opposite side. Stone Slammer tanks while Dragon Riders javelin-snipe defenses from safe range.
Clone Spell Line Formation
Deploy Dragon Riders in tight line formation, then use Clone Spell as they enter core. Cloned Riders double javelin output in the same line, hitting 10-12 targets simultaneously and obliterating compartments instantly.
🛡️ Defense Tips
Single-Target Inferno Towers
Set Inferno Towers to single-target mode to melt Dragon Riders rapidly. Despite their range advantage, focused Inferno fire kills them in 10-12 seconds. Position Infernos to cover multiple angles, forcing Freeze Spell usage.
Air Defense Deep Placement
Position Air Defenses deep inside core compartments (6+ tiles from edges). This forces Dragon Riders to advance closer, entering multi-defense fire zones and reducing their range advantage significantly.
Seeking Air Mine Placement
Place Seeking Air Mines near Air Defenses or in common Dragon Rider paths. While they don’t one-shot Riders (1,500 damage vs 6,500 HP), combined with Air Defense fire they eliminate Riders quickly.
Scattershot Coverage
Position Scattershots to cover core compartments where Dragon Riders will eventually path. Scattershots deal massive burst damage (350+), heavily wounding or eliminating Riders before Town Hall destruction.
🎯 Advanced Tips
Line-Attack Mechanics
Dragon Rider javelins travel in a straight line from Rider to target, hitting ALL buildings/troops in the path. Position Riders so their line-of-sight passes through multiple defenses simultaneously, maximizing damage per attack.
Range Advantage Strategy
Dragon Riders outrange Air Defenses (4.5 vs 10 tiles actual, but functionally hit at 4.5 vs 3 standard). Deploy them spread out to maintain range advantage—clustered Riders lose positioning flexibility and effectiveness.
Slow Attack Speed Weakness
Dragon Riders attack every 2.1 seconds—slower than Baby Dragons (1.6s) but faster than Electro Dragons (3.5s). Use Rage Spells to accelerate attack speed when pushing through heavily defended zones.
Training Cost Efficiency
Dragon Riders cost 60,000 Elixir at max level (25 housing space). An 8-Rider army costs 480k Elixir. Extremely expensive but justified for wars where their range advantage provides consistent 2-3 star success.
Super Dragon Rider Comparison
Super Dragon Rider (Level 2+, 25k DE boost) has longer range and more HP but costs 35 housing space. Only worth using for trophy pushing. Regular Dragon Riders offer better army composition flexibility.