Bandit is a 3-elixir legendary troop that dashes onto her target from a few tiles away and is invulnerable while she dashes. She is fast, hits hard for her cost and is often used to support a push or to finish a damaged tower. You beat her with cheap spells, close-range defenders and good timing.

Quick answer: the most efficient counters to Bandit are The Log, Zap, Knight, Skeletons.

Best counters to Bandit

These cards deal with it safely and for little elixir. Tap a card’s name to open its own guide.

• 
  The Log 2 elixir +1 elixir trade
  The Log knocks her back and deals heavy damage; with tower support she rarely survives it.
• 
  Zap 2 elixir +1 elixir trade
  Zap stuns her and cancels her dash, so the tower gets free hits and a cheap troop finishes her.
• 
  Knight 3 elixir
  Knight absorbs her hits and wins the duel for the same elixir, then can counterpush.
• 
  Skeletons 1 elixir +2 elixir trade
  Skeletons cost just 1 elixir, distract her and take her down with the tower.

How to defend

• Place your defender right next to her: if a target is close she can’t use her dash, and without the dash she is just a fragile troop.
• Don’t spell her during the dash; she can’t be damaged then. Wait until she lands.
• When she comes behind a tank like P.E.K.K.A, kill her first with a small spell so the tank has no support.

Common mistakes

• Placing a defender a few tiles away, which lets her dash in for free.
• Using a big spell like Fireball on her alone and losing elixir.
• Ignoring her because she is cheap; a Bandit that reaches the tower deals a lot of damage.

After defending: the counterattack

Bandit is cheap, so the elixir gained by defending her is small. The real gain is the surviving troop: after Knight or Skeletons clear her, add your win condition behind them.

Which spells kill it on their own?

At equal levels, whether a single spell takes this troop out without help from towers or other cards:

• Bandit (HP 906): Lightning, Rocket

* Poison and Earthquake only kill it if the troop stays in the area for the whole duration. Values assume equal levels; level differences change the outcome.

Best decks against Bandit

Decks ElixirDeck’s deck builder makes against Bandit: each one is scored on both deck balance and its matchup against this card (all cards at the same level, evolutions and heroes unlocked). Every deck uses a different win condition; if your cards differ, you can adapt any deck to your collection.

Classic decks with a good matchup against Bandit

Each guide explains step by step how the deck is played.

• Hog 2.6 Cycle · Good matchup
• Mortar Miner · Great matchup
• LumberLoon Freeze · Good matchup
• Royal Giant Fisherman · Good matchup

Which decks use Bandit?

Guides to the classic decks that run this card; each one also explains what to play against that deck.

Build a counter deck from your own cards

Enter your player tag and ElixirDeck finds the best decks against Bandit with your cards and levels.

Matchups are estimated from card roles and well-known counters; player skill and card levels change the result a lot.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best counter to Bandit?

The most efficient counters to Bandit are The Log, Zap, Knight, Skeletons. The Log knocks her back and deals heavy damage; with tower support she rarely survives it.

What deck is good against Bandit?

Among the classic decks, Hog 2.6 Cycle, Mortar Miner, LumberLoon Freeze match up well against it. The best counter deck ElixirDeck builds is a Goblin Barrel deck: Goblin Barrel, Knight, Princess, Heal Spirit, The Log, Inferno Tower, Minion Horde, Rocket.

How do you get a positive elixir trade against Bandit?

Stop Bandit (3 elixir) cleanly with Skeletons (1 elixir) and you are 2 elixir ahead, enough to attack the other lane.

Bandit card guide: stats, decks and balance history →

How to counter other cards