Miner is a 3-elixir win condition that burrows underground and pops up anywhere, usually right on your tower. It deals reduced tower damage but chips away every cycle, often together with Poison or Wall Breakers. Keep a cheap troop ready for it.

Quick answer: the most efficient counters to Miner are Knight, Valkyrie, Poison, Goblins.

Best counters to Miner

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

• 
  Knight 3 elixir
  Knight tanks the Miner’s hits and kills it next to the tower for the same elixir, then walks to the bridge.
• 
  Valkyrie 4 elixir
  Valkyrie’s spin kills the Miner and whatever comes with it, such as Goblins, Bats or Wall Breakers.
• 
  Poison 4 elixir
  Poison on the Miner while your tower shoots it takes it down without spending a troop, and also hits whatever comes with it.
• 
  Goblins 2 elixir +1 elixir trade
  Goblins kill the Miner quickly for only 2 elixir; place them so they reach it right away.

How to defend

• Place your answer right where the Miner pops up, next to the tower, so it starts hitting immediately.
• If the Miner comes with a swarm (Minion Horde, Skeleton Barrel, Goblin Gang), use a splash card like Valkyrie or a small spell.
• Remember the Miner can also go for your defensive building or the support troops behind your tower.
• A lone Miner deals limited damage; sometimes it’s fine to let the tower take a hit and use your elixir elsewhere.

Common mistakes

• Placing your defender too far away so the Miner gets several hits in first.
• Using a big spell on a lone Miner.
• Answering with a swarm while the opponent’s Poison or Zap is in cycle.

After defending: the counterattack

Miner decks are usually cheap control decks. After a clean defense with Knight or Valkyrie, take your troop to the bridge with a cheap support card.

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:

• Miner (HP 1210): 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 Miner

Decks ElixirDeck’s deck builder makes against Miner: 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 Miner

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

• Graveyard Poison · Great matchup
• PEKKA Bridge Spam · Good matchup
• Log Bait · Good matchup
• Miner Poison Control · Good matchup

Which decks use Miner?

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 Miner 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 Miner?

The most efficient counters to Miner are Knight, Valkyrie, Poison, Goblins. Knight tanks the Miner’s hits and kills it next to the tower for the same elixir, then walks to the bridge.

What deck is good against Miner?

Among the classic decks, Graveyard Poison, PEKKA Bridge Spam, Log Bait match up well against it. The best counter deck ElixirDeck builds is a Goblin Barrel deck: Goblin Barrel, Knight, Princess, The Log, Goblin Gang, Poison, Hunter, Inferno Tower.

How do you get a positive elixir trade against Miner?

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

Miner card guide: stats, decks and balance history →

How to counter other cards