Case Study: Clash Royale
Background
Clash Royale is a free-to-play real-time strategy video game developed and published by Supercell in 2016. The game is a multiplayer online battle game where players use a deck (composed of 8 cards of varying levels, rarities and types) to destroy more towers than their opponent. Clash Royale has grown incredibly popular and boasts a global player base with over 1 million daily players.
As an aspiring data analyst, I also have a direct connection and a certain level of expertise with the mobile game. I am a Clash Royale League player (the required minimum number of trophies is 5000). I’m currently sitting at 5500 trophies. I have been playing for over 3 years and have over 6300 battle wins.
Project Context & Goal
Use data analytics to analyze which combination of cards, from the training camp/arena 1 cards create the best deck for ‘Classic Challenge’ matches (special mode where all cards and towers are at an equal level–11). In Clash Royale each card has a listed rarity, elixir cost, and card description. The card rarities are common, rare, epic, legendary, and champion. Elixir is the currency required to play a card during a match. A player can only hold 10 elixir, and it’s gradually built over time, so using it effectively is key.) In my analysis, the card elixir cost ranged from 2 to 5. In the card description, there is Health value, damage values, and card type. Some cards are individual attack units (they can attack units, towers, or both) while other cards are spells or buildings (unique cards that can distract units, or directly damage enemy units/buildings).
Data Overview
- Collecting match data across 165 matches (1 match with each possible deck combination). For round 1, we tracked card selection, match result, average elixir cost, match duration (in seconds), and crowns earned per match
- For round 2, all 2+ crown winners have 3 matches each. We tracked card selection, average elixir per deck, and match results.
- Data organized in spreadsheet files
- Each sheet is password protected
- The workbook file was shared as read-only
- Data in sheet 1 is organized with 165 rows across 6 columns
- Data in sheet 2 is organized with 31 rows across 6 columns
- Data for the match result, match duration, and crowns earned were recorded using drop-down menus to ensure accuracy
Round 1 Results
- Approximately 38% of decks won their first-round Classic Challenge match
- Approximately 60% of decks lost in the first round
- Out of the 64 winning decks, only 31 decks won their first match with 2 or more crowns
- Out of all 165 matches in round 1, there was only 1 draw
- The total average elixir cost is 3.37
Round 2 Results
- There was only 1 deck that won all 3 matches (deck#17)
- There were 5 decks that lost all 3 matches
- Approximately 38.7% of decks won 1 match
- Approximately 41.9% of decks won 2 matches
- The average number of matches won, was 1.3225
- The total average elixir cost is 3.42
Graphs
While having the results explained in prose is great, graphically depicting these results communicates even more clearly. In the graph below you can see the distribution of decks that won and lost in Round 1.
In the graph below, you can see the number of decks and the crowns won in their Round 1 matches.
In the graph below, you can see the distribution of decks and their wins based on results in Round 2.
Areas of Improvement
- Results could be due to user error; to improve the study, would perform the same experiment with multiple players
- Limited card selection doesn’t conclusively show which cards are better or worse
- The ‘strength’ of these decks can be accurately determined after matches in other modes that are more competitive and multileveled (cards and crown towers).
Recommendations
- Based on these results I think there needs to be a spell card that resets charging units/buildings (e.g. zap or lightning)
- I’d add at least one low elixir card (with a cost of 1) to the first arena, so players can build a faster cycling deck (i.e. deck with a low average elixir cost).
- I’d recommend re-works for the Goblin Cage. The best round 2 deck (#17) won all three matches (it didn’t have Goblin Cage). Approximately 4 of the 5 worst decks in round 2, had Goblin Cage in their deck
