Introduction
They’re small, green, and driven by insatiable greed. Dismissing Goblins in Clash of Clans as mere resource-stealing pests is a grave tactical error. These speedy little fiends, often overlooked in favor of more glamorous troops, possess a unique set of capabilities that, when properly harnessed, can transform your Clash of Clans experience. This guide will delve into the intricacies of utilizing Goblins effectively, moving beyond their basic looting function. We’ll explore their strengths, weaknesses, strategic deployment, complementary army compositions, and common pitfalls to avoid, ensuring you unlock the full potential of this often-underestimated unit. Prepare to unleash the green tide and become a Goblin master!
Goblin Basics and Statistics
The Goblin is an elixir-based troop obtainable very early in the game, making it an accessible and vital asset for players of all Town Hall levels. These units are quickly trained and relatively inexpensive, making them ideal for consistent resource farming. While their individual stats might seem underwhelming at first glance, their unique ability to target resource buildings makes them a potent force in the right circumstances. Goblins have the cheapest training cost of all troops.
What truly sets the Goblin apart is its affinity for resources. They are programmed to prioritize resource buildings like Gold Mines, Elixir Collectors, Dark Elixir Drills, and, most importantly, Gold and Elixir Storages. This focus allows them to bypass other defenses and structures, directly targeting the loot you crave. Furthermore, Goblins deal double damage to resource buildings, further accelerating their resource-gathering capabilities.
Understanding the Goblin’s Strengths and Weaknesses
To effectively deploy any unit in Clash of Clans, understanding its strengths and weaknesses is paramount. Goblins are no exception.
Strengths
- Exceptional Speed: Goblins possess unparalleled movement speed, allowing them to rapidly navigate bases and reach their targets before defenses can lock on. This is invaluable for dodging projectiles and quickly grabbing loot before defenses retaliate.
- Low Training Cost: Their low elixir cost and short training time makes them ideal for quick and frequent raids. You can train a large Goblin army in a short period, allowing for consistent farming sessions. This also minimizes the risk of significant resource loss when experimenting with different attack strategies.
- Resource Focus: Their AI is specifically designed to target resource buildings. This ensures that Goblins prioritize the loot you seek, rather than getting distracted by other structures. This single-minded focus is critical for efficient farming.
- Damage Multiplier: Goblins inflict double damage against all resource buildings, enabling them to quickly decimate even heavily fortified storage units. This multiplier is the key to their effectiveness and makes them exceptionally efficient loot grabbers.
Weaknesses
- Low Hitpoints: This is arguably the Goblin’s greatest weakness. They have extremely low health, making them incredibly vulnerable to splash damage from Mortars, Wizard Towers, and Bomb Towers. Even single-target defenses like Archer Towers and Cannons can quickly eliminate them if they are not deployed carefully.
- Limited Damage to Non-Resource Buildings: While their damage output against resource buildings is impressive, their effectiveness against other structures is minimal. This limits their ability to clear entire bases and makes them reliant on other troops for support.
- Unpredictable AI: While designed to prioritize resources, the Goblin’s AI can sometimes be unpredictable, especially when encountering obstacles or defensive structures. They may sometimes wander off course or get distracted by buildings that are not their primary target.
Strategies for Effective Goblin Farming
Mastering Goblin farming requires careful planning, strategic base selection, and precise deployment techniques. Here’s a breakdown of effective strategies:
Trophy Range Recommendations
The ideal trophy range for Goblin farming will vary depending on your Town Hall level. Generally, lower trophy ranges offer a higher concentration of inactive bases with full collectors. Experiment and adjust your trophy range to find the sweet spot where you consistently encounter loot-rich targets.
Base Selection Criteria
Identifying bases suitable for Goblin raiding is crucial. Look for the following indicators:
- Full Collectors and Mines: The most obvious sign of an inactive base. Look for collectors overflowing with resources.
- Exposed Storages: Storages placed outside the walls or in easily accessible compartments are prime targets.
- Rushed Bases: Bases with significantly lower Town Hall levels than their defenses are often easier to raid, as their defenses may be under-leveled.
- Inactive Clan Castle: An empty or easily triggered Clan Castle indicates a less active player.
Deployment Techniques
- Funneling: Create a clear path for your Goblins to reach the desired resource buildings. This often involves deploying other troops, such as Giants or Barbarians, to draw fire and clear obstacles.
- Tanking Units: Deploying tanking units, such as Giants, Barbarians, or even Clan Castle troops, ahead of your Goblins will absorb damage and protect them from defensive fire. This allows the Goblins to focus on looting without being immediately eliminated.
- Spam Deploying: In some cases, a mass Goblin attack can overwhelm defenses. This works best against bases with weak defenses or exposed collectors and storages. However, be cautious when using this technique against bases with heavy splash damage.
- Jump Spells and Haste Spells: Jump Spells can bypass walls, allowing your Goblins to quickly reach core storages. Haste Spells can further amplify their speed, making them even more difficult to target.
Example Army Compositions
- Goblin Knife: This popular strategy involves using Giants as tanks, Wall Breakers to create openings in walls, and Goblins to quickly decimate storages. Healing Spells are often used to sustain the Giants. A typical composition might be eight Giants, ten Wall Breakers, around one hundred and forty Goblins, and two Healing Spells and one Rage Spell.
- Goblin and Giant/Barbarian Mix: A simple and effective composition that utilizes Giants or Barbarians as tanks and Goblins as the primary damage dealers. This is a versatile strategy that can be adapted to different base layouts. A possible army includes twelve Giants, two Wallbreakers, eighty Barbarians, eighty Goblins.
Goblins in Clan War and Trophy Pushing
While Goblins are primarily known for farming, they can also play a niche role in Clan Wars and trophy pushing, albeit with limited effectiveness.
Using Goblins as a Clean-Up Crew
After initial attacks have cleared defenses around resource buildings, Goblins can be deployed to quickly grab any remaining loot and secure additional stars. However, this is a risky strategy, as even a single defense can quickly eliminate a large group of Goblins.
Goblin Raids in Lower Town Halls
In lower Town Halls, where defenses are less developed, Goblin raids can be surprisingly effective for trophy pushing. However, as you progress to higher Town Halls, this strategy becomes increasingly unreliable.
Situational Uses
Goblins might be effective in very specific base layouts, such as those with exposed Dark Elixir Drills or easily accessible storages. However, these situations are rare and require careful scouting.
Supporting Spells and Heroes
Certain spells and Hero abilities can significantly enhance the effectiveness of Goblin raids.
Spells that Synergize Well with Goblins
- Rage Spell: A Rage Spell can temporarily boost the attack speed and damage of Goblins, allowing them to quickly destroy resource buildings and overcome defensive fire.
- Haste Spell: Haste Spells provide a significant speed boost, allowing Goblins to reach their targets even faster.
- Jump Spell: A Jump Spell can be used to bypass walls and create a direct path to core storages.
- Heal Spell: Heal Spells can sustain Goblins in areas with moderate damage, allowing them to survive longer and grab more loot.
- Invisibility Spell: The Invisibility Spell is effective in avoiding high damage.
Hero Abilities
- Barbarian King: The Barbarian King can serve as a tank to draw fire and protect Goblins.
- Archer Queen: The Archer Queen can snipe outer buildings to funnel Goblins towards the desired targets.
- Grand Warden: The Grand Warden’s Eternal Tome ability can provide temporary invincibility to Goblins, allowing them to survive heavy damage.
- Royal Champion: The Royal Champion can act as a tank and distract defenses.
Common Goblin Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Avoidable mistakes can quickly lead to failed Goblin raids. Here’s what to watch out for:
Deploying Goblins into Splash Damage Defenses
This is the most common mistake. Mortars, Wizard Towers, and Bomb Towers can decimate Goblins in seconds. Scout the base carefully and avoid deploying Goblins in areas where these defenses are active.
Not Scouting the Base Properly
Failing to scout the base can lead to unpleasant surprises, such as hidden Teslas or Giant Bombs. Always thoroughly examine the base layout before deploying your troops.
Neglecting Funneling
Without proper funneling, Goblins may wander off course and get distracted by irrelevant buildings. Always ensure that there is a clear path to the desired resource buildings.
Over-Reliance on Goblins in High Trophy Ranges
Goblins are generally not effective for trophy pushing in higher Town Hall levels. Over-relying on them in these ranges will likely result in frequent losses.
Underestimating the Need for Supporting Troops
Goblins are fragile and require the support of tanking units and spells to be effective. Underestimating the need for these supporting elements will severely limit their effectiveness.
The Future of Goblins: Possible Updates and Revisions
As Clash of Clans continues to evolve, there’s always the potential for updates and revisions that could impact the Goblin troop. It will be interesting to see if Supercell introduces new abilities or stat adjustments to make them more viable in different attack strategies. The community consistently offers feedback on troop balance, and it’s possible that the Goblin will receive attention in future updates.
Conclusion
Goblins in Clash of Clans are not simply mindless resource-stealing units. They are a specialized troop with a unique set of capabilities that can be highly effective in specific situations. By understanding their strengths and weaknesses, mastering strategic deployment techniques, and utilizing complementary spells and heroes, you can unlock the full potential of these often-underestimated troops. Remember that this is an important troop for consistent resource gathering. Experiment with different Goblin strategies, adapt your tactics to different base layouts, and share your own experiences with the Clash of Clans community. With practice and dedication, you can become a true Goblin master!
