th18attack-guide
TH18 Dragon Rider Guide 2026 -- Peak Air Force War Attack
Complete TH18 Dragon Rider guide for 2026. Maximum Dragon Rider count, full EDrag chain coverage, max Warden air ability, Multi-Archer Tower avoidance, and three-star execution at the highest TH level.
TH18 Dragon Rider is the most powerful air attack configuration in the game. Six to seven Dragon Riders (maximum count with 380 housing), five Dragons, four EDrags, and max Grand Warden air mode create an air wave DPS that three-stars bases in under 2 minutes when the approach angle bypasses the Multi-Archer Tower. The Ricochet Cannon and Monolith remain completely irrelevant to air troops. Only the Multi-Archer Tower, Eagle Artillery, and remaining Air Defenses require management. At maximum Dragon Rider count and maximum Warden ability, TH18 Dragon Rider is the most reliable air three-star in any TH18 war matchup.
Army Composition and Spells
Standard TH18 Dragon Rider (380 housing): 6 to 7 Dragon Riders (super boost, 60 to 70 housing), 5 Dragons (100 housing), 4 Electro Dragons (100 housing), 5 Balloons (10 -- cleanup), filler Minions (remaining ~100). Spells: 3 Lightning + 1 Earthquake (destroy one AD), 2 Rage, 2 Freeze (Multi-Archer Tower and Eagle Artillery), 1 Haste. Clan Castle: Dragon or Balloon. Warden on air mode. RC Electro Owl max-level ground support adjacent to approach edge.
Step-by-Step Execution
Step 1 -- Lightning pre-attack: Destroy the AD most directly in the approach corridor. At TH18, five ADs may be present -- removing one reduces anti-air concentrated fire by 20%. Step 2 -- Multi-Archer Tower routing: Place the deployment point where the Multi-Archer Tower is perpendicular to the Dragon Rider line. Step 3 -- Max RC Electro Owl: Deploy RC adjacent to the approach edge. Max Electro Owl chains to the maximum targets per bolt including Air Defenses and Multi-Archer Tower. Step 4 -- Seven Dragon Rider deployment (if housing allows): Drop Dragon Riders across an 8 to 10 tile wide line. Five Dragons immediately behind. Four EDrags behind Dragons. Step 5 -- Max Warden air mode: Behind the combined force. Activate on Multi-Archer Tower burst on the lead Dragon Rider or Eagle Artillery burst. Max ability at TH18 is the longest invincibility window in the game. Step 6 -- First Rage: Outer ring engagement. Seven Dragon Riders with Rage deliver the highest single-wave air DPS in the game. Step 7 -- First Freeze: Multi-Archer Tower concentrated burst on lead Dragon Rider. Step 8 -- Second Rage: Inner ring / Town Hall approach. Second Freeze: Eagle Artillery burst. Step 9 -- Haste on Balloons and Minion cleanup.
Seven Dragon Riders at TH18
Seven Dragon Riders simultaneously firing at seven different defenses while mounted on seven Dragons creates the highest single-wave multi-target DPS in Clash of Clans. Each Dragon Rider-Dragon pair fires at a different defense target, meaning seven defenses are destroyed simultaneously within a 3 to 5 second window. This multi-target simultaneous destruction clears the outer ring faster than any ground attack strategy at TH18.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many Dragon Riders can I field at TH18?
Six to seven with 380 housing and super boost. Seven Dragon Riders is the maximum possible count and delivers the highest simultaneous multi-target air DPS in the game -- seven defenses destroyed simultaneously within 3 to 5 seconds.
Does anything other than Multi-Archer Tower threaten Dragon Riders at TH18?
Eagle Artillery deals burst damage on the air cluster and requires Freeze or Warden ability. Air Defenses provide sustained anti-air fire reduced by pre-attack Lightning removal. Ricochet Cannon and Monolith do not affect air troops at all.
Why is RC Electro Owl deployed on the ground for an air attack?
Max Electro Owl chains between ground buildings and air defenses within 7 tiles of RC. RC walking the base perimeter adjacent to the Dragon Rider approach corridor means Electro Owl continuously damages Air Defenses and Multi-Archer Tower, helping Dragon Riders destroy them faster.
When is TH18 Dragon Rider the best choice over Super Witch Blizzard?
Against bases with heavy ground-targeting investment (many Ricochet Cannons and Monolith upgrades at the expense of Air Defense). Also when the attacker has significantly higher-level air troops than ground troops -- the ground army levels matter more for Super Witch Blizzard than Dragon Rider.
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