Dragon

Overview

The Dragon is the ninth Elixir troop unlocked in the Barracks at Town Hall 7, and one of the most iconic units in Clash of Clans history. These massive flying beasts breathe fire in a cone-shaped area, dealing 310 DPS splash damage at max level with 7,200 HP. Dragons are self-sufficient powerhouses that ignore walls, ground traps, and most ground defenses, making them the ultimate “brute force” troop for newer players learning 3-star strategies.

Dragons excel at TH7-9 where their overwhelming HP and splash damage steamroll bases with limited Air Defenses. Their 20 housing space makes them expensive (only 11 Dragons in maxed Army Camps), but their ability to 3-star bases without complex funneling or hero usage makes them beginner-friendly. At higher Town Halls (TH12+), Dragons transition to support roles in hybrid attacks or cleanup duties, as Multi-Target Infernos, Eagle Artillery, and Scattershots counter massed Dragon strategies. They pair exceptionally well with Balloons in ZapDrag (Lightning + Dragons) and work alongside Rage/Freeze Spells for devastating pushes.

📊 Stats & Upgrade Path

Town Hall	Max Level	HP	DPS	Key Milestone
TH7	1	1,900	140	Unlocked — First air splash troop
TH8	2	2,100	160	Mass Dragon meta at TH8
TH9	3	2,300	180	ZapDrag strategy emerges
TH10	4	3,200	230	Inferno Towers weaken effectiveness
TH11	5	4,200	270	Eagle Artillery era begins
TH12	6	5,000	290	Giga Tesla counters emerge
TH13	7	5,500	300	Scattershot dominance
TH14	8	6,000	305	Pet House synergy unlocked
TH15	9	6,400	307	Monolith & Spell Tower challenges
TH16	10	6,800	308	Blast Bow era
TH17	11	7,000	309	Remains viable in hybrid attacks
TH18	12	7,200	310	⚔️ MAX — 7,200 HP · 310 DPS

Key Attributes: Dragons have a movement speed of 16 (moderate), attack speed of 1.5 seconds, attack range of 3 tiles, and deal splash damage in a cone-shaped area. They occupy 20 housing space and target any building or troop within range.

⚔️ Attack Strategies

Mass Dragon (TH7-9)

Deploy 10-11 Dragons in a line formation along one side of the base. Use Rage Spells as Dragons enter the core. This strategy guarantees 2-star (Town Hall destruction) and often 3-stars at TH7-8 with proper Air Defense elimination.

ZapDrag (Lightning Dragons)

Use 3-4 Lightning Spells + 1 Earthquake to destroy 1-2 Air Defenses before deploying Dragons. With fewer Air Defenses active, Dragons dominate the base. Works best at TH8-10 where 3 Air Defenses exist.

DragLoon (Dragon-Balloon)

Deploy 6-8 Dragons on one flank, 8-10 Balloons on the opposite side. Dragons tank Air Defenses while Balloons destroy defenses. Use Haste Spells on Balloons and Rage on Dragons for simultaneous destruction.

Dragon Funnel

Deploy 2 Dragons on each corner to clear edge buildings and create a funnel. Then send your main Dragon force (7-8) through the center with Rage/Freeze Spells. This prevents Dragons from circling the base perimeter.

Super Dragon Power

Super Dragons (Level 6+, 25k DE boost) have ranged splash attack and no melee requirement. Deploy 5-6 Super Dragons with Rage/Freeze for devastating TH12-14 attacks. Their range lets them avoid Inferno Tower lock-ons.

Dragon + Hero Support

Send Queen Walk or King Charge to eliminate 1 Air Defense, then deploy Dragons on the opposite side. Heroes tank additional Air Defense fire, allowing Dragons to push through with minimal losses.

🛡️ Defense Tips

Air Defense Triangulation

Position Air Defenses in a triangular formation covering all base angles. This prevents attackers from eliminating multiple Air Defenses with a single Earthquake/Lightning combo, forcing Dragons to face full Air Defense coverage.

Air Sweeper Coordination

Aim Air Sweepers toward common Dragon entry points (base edges). Air Sweepers push Dragons backward, extending their travel time under Air Defense fire and increasing casualties before they reach core defenses.

Seeking Air Mine Clusters

Place Seeking Air Mines near Air Defenses or in Dragon paths. Multiple Seeking Air Mines (1,500 damage each) can eliminate or heavily wound Dragons, weakening the overall push.

Clan Castle Troops

Fill Clan Castle with anti-air troops (Headhunter, Super Minion, Baby Dragon). These troops distract Dragons, deal sustained DPS, and disrupt the Dragon formation, reducing their splash damage effectiveness.

🎯 Advanced Tips

Cone-Shaped Splash Mechanics

Dragon breath attacks in a 3-tile range cone, not a circular radius. Deploy Dragons in lines (not clusters) to maximize splash damage coverage without overlapping fire on the same buildings.

Inferno Tower Weakness

Single-target Inferno Towers melt Dragons rapidly (6-7 seconds to kill). Always bring Freeze Spells (4-5 seconds) to disable Infernos when Dragons enter their range. Multi-target Infernos are less threatening.

Eagle Artillery Trigger

Eagle Artillery activates after deploying 180+ housing space (9 Dragons). Deploy Dragons slowly in waves of 2-3 to delay Eagle activation, or bring Siege Machine to trigger it early while Dragons are still outside range.

Training Cost vs Value

Dragons cost 40,000 Elixir at max level (20 housing space). A full Dragon army costs ~440k Elixir. Too expensive for farming but excellent for wars where guaranteed 2-3 stars justify the cost.

Dragon vs Electro Dragon

Electro Dragons (TH11+) have chain lightning and more HP but cost 30 housing space. Use regular Dragons for mass attacks (11 Dragons), Electro Dragons for hybrid strategies (4-6 E-Drags with ground support).

🔗 Related Troops

Explore other Elixir troops to build powerful attack combinations:

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Dragon – Clash of Clans