Overview
The Root Rider is the seventeenth and final Elixir troop unlocked in the Barracks at Town Hall 15, introducing nature-themed area damage mechanics to Clash of Clans. This mystical warrior rides atop entangled roots, dealing 300 DPS at max level with 5,500 HP and unique splash damage in a 1.2-tile radius. With 20 housing space, Root Riders strike an excellent balance between tanking capability, area damage output, and army composition flexibility, making them versatile units for both aggressive pushes and defensive support roles.
Root Riders revolutionized TH15+ ground attacks by providing sustained area damage that counters swarms (Skeletons, Clan Castle troops) while maintaining moderate HP to survive Inferno Tower and Scattershot fire. Their 1.2-tile splash radius is larger than Wizards (0.3 tiles) but smaller than Valkyries (2 tiles), creating a sweet spot for multi-target engagement without requiring melee range. They’re central to RootSmash (Root Rider + Ice Golem), hybrid strategies with Miners or Hog Riders, and Queen Charge Root attacks. However, their relatively lower HP (5,500 vs 7,000 for Electro Titans) makes them vulnerable to single-target Inferno Towers, and their moderate movement speed (16) can delay their arrival in high-DPS zones.
📊 Stats & Upgrade Path
| Town Hall |
Max Level |
HP |
DPS |
Key Milestone |
| TH15 |
1 |
4,200 |
250 |
Unlocked — Nature splash damage introduced |
| TH16 |
2 |
4,850 |
275 |
Dominates TH16 ground attacks |
| TH17+ |
3 |
5,500 |
300 |
⚔️ MAX — 5,500 HP · 300 DPS |
Key Attributes: Root Riders have a movement speed of 16 (moderate), attack speed of 1.5 seconds, attack range of 2 tiles, and deal splash damage in a 1.2-tile radius. They occupy 20 housing space and target any building within range. Special Ability: Area damage hits all troops and buildings within 1.2 tiles of impact point.
⚔️ Attack Strategies
RootSmash (Root Rider + Ice Golem)
Deploy 3 Ice Golems as tanks, followed by 8-10 Root Riders for splash DPS. Ice Golems freeze defenses on death, allowing Root Riders to survive and unleash area damage. Use Rage Spells in core. Dominates TH15-17 with 80%+ 2-star rates.
Queen Charge Root
Send Archer Queen with
Healers to eliminate Eagle Artillery and 1 Scattershot. Once cleared, deploy 9-10 Root Riders from opposite side. Queen tanks while Root Riders splash through defenses.
Root + Miner Hybrid
Deploy 6-7 Root Riders to tank and deal splash damage, then flood 20-25 Miners underground toward Town Hall. Root Riders eliminate swarms while Miners burrow past walls for surgical strikes.
Clan Castle Elimination
Drop 2-3 Root Riders on defending Clan Castle troops. Their 1.2-tile splash damage obliterates swarms (Wizards, Archers, Witches) in 2-3 seconds while tanking hero damage. Add Poison Spell for faster cleanup.
Rage Splash Burst
Deploy Rage Spell on Root Riders entering clustered defense zones. Raged Root Riders attack every 1.1 seconds (vs 1.5s), dealing 480+ DPS splash damage to all targets within 1.2 tiles—devastating multi-target destruction.
Root + Hog Rider Hybrid
Deploy Hog Riders to trigger Giant Bombs and clear outer defenses. Once Hogs reach core or are eliminated, send Root Riders toward Town Hall. Roots clean up remaining defenses with splash damage.
🛡️ Defense Tips
Single-Target Inferno Towers
Set Inferno Towers to single-target mode to melt Root Riders rapidly. With 5,500 HP, focused Inferno fire kills them in 10-11 seconds. Position Infernos inside core compartments where Root Riders will path.
Spread Defenses Apart
Position ground defenses 2+ tiles apart to reduce Root Rider splash effectiveness. Their 1.2-tile radius won’t hit multiple defenses simultaneously if spread properly, forcing them to target each defense individually.
Scattershot Positioning
Position Scattershots to cover core compartments where Root Riders will likely path. Scattershots deal massive area damage (350+), heavily wounding Root Riders and eliminating support troops following behind.
Spring Trap Clusters
While Spring Traps can’t eject Root Riders directly (too heavy), they eliminate support troops following behind (Bowlers, Wizards, Hog Riders). This isolates Root Riders without backup, making them easier to eliminate.
🎯 Advanced Tips
Splash Radius Mechanics
Root Rider splash radius is 1.2 tiles—larger than Wizards (0.3) but smaller than Valkyries (2.0). This allows them to hit 3-5 targets per attack if positioned correctly, making them excellent against clustered defenses.
AI Targeting Strategy
Root Riders target the nearest building within 2-tile range. Use funneling (
Baby Dragons, Wizards) to direct them toward high-value targets like Town Hall, Eagle Artillery, or Scattershots before engaging.
Range Advantage
Root Riders have 2-tile attack range (vs 0.8 melee for P.E.K.K.A). This allows them to engage defenses from safer distances, reducing vulnerability to splash damage from Wizard Towers or multi-target Infernos.
Training Cost Efficiency
Root Riders cost 55,000 Elixir at max level (20 housing space). A 10-Rider army costs 550k Elixir. Expensive but justified for wars where their splash damage provides consistent cleanup and 2-3 star success.
Super Root Rider Viability
Super Root Rider (Level 2+, 25k DE boost) has larger splash radius and more HP but costs 28 housing space. Best for trophy pushing where you need maximum area damage. Regular Root Riders offer better army flexibility.