Elite Barbarians are two very fast, strong melee troops for 6 elixir. At the bridge they force an immediate answer, but they can’t hit air and lose to swarms, shields and splash with tower support.

Quick answer: the most efficient counters to Elite Barbarians are Skeleton Army, Guards, Valkyrie, P.E.K.K.A.

Best counters to Elite Barbarians

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

• 
  Skeleton Army 3 elixir +3 elixir trade
  Skeleton Army surrounds both barbarians; they kill skeletons one at a time while the rest bring them down.
• 
  Guards 3 elixir +3 elixir trade
  Guards’ shields absorb their hits; for 3 elixir they hold the barbarians in front of your tower.
• 
  Valkyrie 4 elixir +2 elixir trade
  Valkyrie’s spin hits both barbarians at once; together with your tower she takes them out.
• 
  P.E.K.K.A 7 elixir
  P.E.K.K.A kills each barbarian in very few hits and survives for a counterpush.

How to defend

• Defend in front of your tower, not at the bridge: they’re fast, but the tower helps you there.
• They can’t hit air, so Minions or Bats damage them for free.
• A building in the middle pulls them so both princess towers shoot them.
• Watch the opponent’s small spells (Zap, The Log, Arrows); once they’re used, your swarm is safe.

Common mistakes

• Answering with one single-target troop like Knight: two barbarians beat it.
• Placing your swarm where the opponent’s Arrows or The Log can hit it right away.
• Panicking with Fireball: it doesn’t kill them, and you lose your spell.

After defending: the counterattack

After you stop the Elite Barbarians cheaply you’re several elixir ahead; counterattack in the same lane with the troops that survived.

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:

• Elite Barbarians (HP 1341): 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 Elite Barbarians

Decks ElixirDeck’s deck builder makes against Elite Barbarians: 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 Elite Barbarians

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

• LavaLoon · Great matchup
• LumberLoon Freeze · Great matchup
• Hog Mega Minion EQ · Great matchup
• Miner Poison Control · Great matchup

Build a counter deck from your own cards

Enter your player tag and ElixirDeck finds the best decks against Elite Barbarians 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 Elite Barbarians?

The most efficient counters to Elite Barbarians are Skeleton Army, Guards, Valkyrie, P.E.K.K.A. Skeleton Army surrounds both barbarians; they kill skeletons one at a time while the rest bring them down.

What deck is good against Elite Barbarians?

Among the classic decks, LavaLoon, LumberLoon Freeze, Hog Mega Minion EQ match up well against it. The best counter deck ElixirDeck builds is a X-Bow deck: Minion Horde, Valkyrie, Skeleton Army, X-Bow, Ice Spirit, The Log, Tesla, Fireball.

How do you get a positive elixir trade against Elite Barbarians?

Stop Elite Barbarians (6 elixir) cleanly with Skeleton Army (3 elixir) and you are 3 elixir ahead, enough to attack the other lane.

Elite Barbarians card guide: stats, decks and balance history →

How to counter other cards