Unlike the temporary version seen in a recent event, the Meteor Golem is now a permanent fixture in your barracks, ready to smash through enemy lines. Accompanying it is the new Totem Spell, which creates a powerful area of effect that buffs your troops within its radius, creating new opportunities for deathball pushes and surgical strikes.
New Defenses Shake Up Base Building
The core of the TH18 update is a set of formidable new defenses. The star of the show is the TH18 Giga Inferno itself, which now deploys unique defensive units called Guardians. These come in two flavors: the ground-pounding Smasher and the long-range Longshot. In a new twist, these Guardians must be upgraded by a Builder, adding another layer to resource management.
Two other major defensive structures have also been added:
- Revenge Tower: A new defense that likely punishes attackers who swarm a single area.
- Super Wizard Tower: A new merged defense that concentrates the power of multiple Wizard Towers into one devastating structure.
These additions mean old base designs are likely obsolete, as defenders will need to account for new pathing and threat priorities.
What's new with crafting?
Crafting Phase 2 kicks off a few days after the update, expanding the system significantly. Players can now craft three new defenses: the Light Beam, Hero Bell, and Bomb Hive. This phase also introduces Sparky Stones, a new currency earned through crafting that can be spent in the new Fancy Shop for unique cosmetics and items, rewarding players who consistently engage with the crafting mechanic.
How does this update change the meta?
Beyond the new content, a key balance change targets the Minion Prince, which has received a 1000 HP reduction. However, this is offset by bonus HP gained from Equipment, shifting its power away from a baseline and towards rewarding players who have invested in its gear. This rebalances its role without making it useless. Additionally, high-level Clans can now donate more Spells, a welcome quality-of-life change that will help in Clan Wars. With so many new tools for both offense and defense, the meta at the top levels of Clash of Clans is officially wide open.