Clash Royale Musketeer and Ice Spirit Techniques and Combos

Clash Royale Musketeer and Ice Spirit Techniques and Combos by usc1313

Today, I’m bringing you a guide of the various capabilities of the Musketeer when paired with the Ice Spirit on defense. But first, a little about me.

Fun Facts

1. My personal best is 3757 using this deck:
   
2. I am in Reddit Bravo and the Super Magicals
3. My favorite card in the game is the Ice Spirit, but I think LavaHound is the coolest card
4. I have every card except Ice Wizard and LavaHound
5. I have spent $9.99 on the game

Musketeer

The Musketeer is one of the best cards in the game for transitioning from defense into offense. It’s combination of range and DPS gives it unique abilities and interactions that allow for some mind bending positive elixir trades and combinations when paired with the Ice Spirit. All of this makes it the current ranged attacker in high-level gameplay. I have compiled some unique uses of the Musketeer and the Ice Spirit on defense that can net huge elixir positive trades as well as allowing you to counter attack. Additionally, her range allows her to shoot from one lane into another, allowing you to defend one lane, then push the other.

Many times opponents will be attacking in a lane that you don’t want to counter-attack in because most of your damage is on the other side. These two cards allow you to pull off some incredibly efficient defensive plays while still pressuring the lane that you want. I will be using the term Split Lane Defense by which I mean placing the Musketeer one tile in the opposite lane and having her shoot into the other lane.

Ice Spirit

The card I keep repeatedly saying is the best card in the game. It’s ability to Freeze troops for 2 seconds for only 1 elixir gives it countless value in games. It can be used so effectively with the Musketeer because it delays and oncoming troop from getting to the Musketeer for an extra two seconds while dealing a fair bit of damage itself. Another great use is for luring troops close enough into the other lane for the Musketeer to lock onto them and go to town from a different lane.

These all may not be ‘ideal’ ways of defending, but often we find ourselves in a bad cycle and have to make do with what’s in our hand, and these two troops can do a lot!

Examples:

1. My Favorite Use of This Combination (192 damage) I pulled off this defense of Miner + Mini Pekka + Fire Spirits on the Ladder, which gave me inspiration for this guide. This is a perfect explanation of how to combine the benefits of the Musketeer’s Range and DPS with the Ice Spirit’s freeze in order to net an effective +8 elixir trade for the price of three Miner swings on the tower.
2. Same Lane Hog Defense (0 Hits) While I do not recommend using this as your main Hog Rider defense, there will be times you will be out of cycle and will have to improvise. There are two key tricks to pulling this off correctly. The Musketeer should be placed at or slightly in front the tower or directly level with it. Also, you need to place the Ice Spirit so it blocks the path of the Hog Rider, making it take more time to get to the tower.
3. Opposite Lane Hog Defense (1 Hit) This is useful for when you and your enemy are pressuring opposite lanes. If you are trying to build up a big push, your opponent could cast a lone Hog Rider to try to get you to commit elixir to the lane you are not attacking. So for the price of one Hog swing and a one elixir Ice Spirit, you get a full health Musketeer attacking the lane you want. You also need to block the path of the Hog Rider with the Ice Spirit on this one.
4. Miner + Minion Horde Defense (Limited Counter Attack) A Miner and Minion Horde attack is one of the quickest ways to take a tower, but has many counters. If you are caught out of cycle or surprised, Ice Spirit and Musketeer can serve as a makeshift defense. It is not the most effective way of dealing with this push, but sometimes you can be strapped for options. Two key points to remember. Musketeer placement should be close to the tower and Ice Spirit should be placed on the ‘path’ in front of the tower to hit five of the Minions. Please note: Over-leveled Minions could take two shots depending on tower level, so this play could be far less effective on ladder. Thanks to /u/edihau for pointing this out.
5. Musketeer and Valkyrie Push Trifecta decks sometimes throw this eight elixir push in order to help cycle back to their Elixir Collectors without play a Hog Rider. Musketeer and Ice Spirit can do a handy job of defending, while leaving the Musketeer with enough HP to be a threat. Key points to remember: Place the Ice Spirit out of range of the Valkyrie and right before the Musketeer shoots the tower so it absorbs one shot. Also place your Musketeer above the opposing Valkyrie so it locks onto the opponents Musketeer first.
6. Opposite Lane Pump Defense (0 Miner Swings) This trick is useful when you have a pump at the back of one lane, but you want to attack another. Place the pump against the King Tower, as shown to bait them into using their Miner. Key things to remember: Pump placement and Musketeer placement (opposite lane).
7. Defending Dual Lane Pressure This is an example of how to use these cards to defend against dual lane pressure. Often times opponents will have a Princess in one lane and launch an attack in another, forcing you to split where you spend your elixir. The Ice Spirit is excellent for baiting the attacking troops into the other lane so the Musketeer can attack them and then deal with the troops in her lane.
8. Valkyrie + Goblin Push (0 damage) This push, while not exceedingly common, will take down a tower if not defended properly. Key things to remember while executing this defense: pull the troops back up towards the river with the Ice Spirit and place the Musketeer next to the tower.
9. Barbarians (0 damage) A pack of Barbarians coming across your side can be a tough push to defend if you don’t have any AOE cards in your hand. This allows you to pressure the other lane (it works in the same lane as well) while taking 0 damage on your Musketeer or Tower. A key thing to remember is the Musketeer needs to be placed one tile into the opposite lane in order to switch lanes.

Thank you all for reading. I hope you enjoyed a more technical guide and that it well help you with troop placement and defending efficiently. Question? Comments? Criticism? All is welcome in the comments below.