Supercell has once again dropped a major balance update which was received with mixed reviews from the community. One of the obvious changes that many were expecting were the nerf on the Elite Barbarians. Although the nerf was on point and many were relieved for the significant changes on the Ebarbs, some fans aren't happy on the idea that Supercell is nerfing or buffing the card according to their pick rate in the arena. Here's why.
Clash Royale: Problems With Meta Cards
The main problem stems from the meta cards that affect not only its pick rate on the arenas but also the cards that interact with and against it. For example, when Elite Barbarians was first introduced, many were reluctant to add them in their decks primarily because of its high cost which can easily be countered by a dozen of cards for a positive Elixir trade. And so, Supercell did what they can to make the fans happy and that is, buff the card significantly.
What happens is that, Elite Barbarians was nerfed to the extent that almost all of the decks are carrying this card as the Ebarbs can basically demolish an enemy Tower in mere seconds. Due to the card's threat, cards that are deemed effective counter for it became even more popular. To cut to the chase, Archers and Zap are vital in most decks as they can basically help neutralize the imminent danger of the Ebarbs. And due to the cards' high pick rate, they, alongside the Elite Barbarians, received a significant nerfs.
Tweaking/Adjusting Cars Based on Popularity
Now, are the changes in Zap and Archers really essential? Most players from the Clash Royale subreddit think not. According to them, the pick rate of the two cards have nothing to do with their nature being overpowered but instead, was a result of them being a great counter for the Elite Barbarians, the most picked card in the meta.
Although the changes on the Archers won't affect much of the card as far as Elite Barbarians are concern, it's still sad to know that Supercell are basing their nerfs and buffs depending on the cards' pick rate. Fans are now thinking that with the constant shift in the meta, there's not enough room for diversity in the competitive play.
With Clash Royale's inclination towards being a competitive Esport, maybe the studio should be more logical with their upcoming changes in the future and not just based their decisions on the pick rate of the cards and how hot they are in the meta.
