3 Elixir
Overview
Fisherman is surging in the meta with +1.05% usage growth this week, now at 6.92% usage. This 3-elixir Legendary provides unmatched utility through his hook mechanic, which pulls enemies toward him from up to 7 tiles away. Unlike any other card, Fisherman can reposition enemy troops, activate your King Tower by pulling Hogs and Giants, and separate tanks from support. He also pulls himself to buildings, making him effective against X-Bow and Mortar. His synergy with Royal Giant and Hunter creates dominant defensive sequences. While his raw damage and HP are modest, Fisherman's hook transforms defensive positioning and makes him invaluable in control archetypes.
Strategy
When to Play
Fisherman's value comes from his hook, not his stats. Use him to pull win conditions (Hog Rider, Ram Rider, Battle Ram) into your King Tower for permanent activation. Against beatdown, hook the tank away from support troopsâthis separates pushes and lets your tower focus the tank while you handle support separately. Against buildings, Fisherman pulls himself toward them, ignoring the hook's normal rangeâuse this to reach X-Bow or Mortar from unexpected angles. In Royal Giant decks, Fisherman hooks defenders away from your RG, creating uncontested shooting windows.
Placement
For King Tower activation, place Fisherman between your King Tower and Princess Tower so his hook pulls Hog/Giant/Ram directly into King range. The pull trajectory mattersâpoor placement pulls enemies beside King instead of into its range. For tank separation, place Fisherman at the river's edge to hook tanks toward your side while support troops continue walkingâthis creates massive separation. Against X-Bow, place Fisherman at the bridge once X-Bow locks onto your towerâhe'll pull himself to X-Bow and tank shots while your troops destroy it. For defensive anchoring, place Fisherman in the center so his hook range covers both lanes.
Synergies
Fisherman + Hunter is devastatingâFisherman hooks targets directly into Hunter's close-range shotgun spread, guaranteeing maximum pellet hits. Fisherman + Royal Giant dominates because Fisherman hooks defenders away from RG, letting him shoot towers uncontested. Fisherman + Tesla/Cannon creates defensive trapsâhook threats into building range for clean eliminations. Fisherman + Tornado provides double-pull utility: hook tanks, Tornado support troops, and create overwhelming defensive positioning. Fisherman + Royal Ghost synergizes in control decks where both apply pressure through unique mechanics opponents struggle to address.
Matchups
Strong Against
Hog Rider - Hook Hog directly into King Tower range for permanent King activation. Once activated, Hog decks struggle to break through double tower coverage.
Giant/Golem - Hook tanks away from support, splitting pushes in half. This forces opponents to either abandon support troops or let you isolate their tank.
Battle Ram/Ram Rider - Both trigger King activation when hooked correctly. Ram Rider's snare is irrelevant when she's being pulled away from towers.
X-Bow/Mortar - Fisherman pulls himself to buildings, tanking shots while your troops destroy the siege weapon. This unique interaction counters building-based win conditions.
Bridge spam - Hook aggressive units (Bandit, Battle Ram, Royal Ghost) away from towers and into your defensive zone. Their bridge pressure becomes your advantage.
Balloon (grounded phase) - If Balloon drops for death damage, hook it away from tower. This can save 200+ tower damage in close games.
Countered By
Air troops - Fisherman's hook only affects ground units. Minions, Balloon, Lava Hound, and air-based strategies ignore his primary utility.
Swarms - Skeleton Army, Goblin Gang, and Minion Horde overwhelm Fisherman's single-target attacks. He can only hook one troop at a time.
Ranged support behind tanks - If opponents stack Wizard/Musketeer/Executioner behind tanks, hooking the tank pulls it into range of your tower while support troops shred you.
Electro Wizard/Zappies - Stun effects reset Fisherman's hook timing, preventing clean pulls. E-Wiz especially disrupts hook-based defensive sequences.
Prediction spells - Opponents who predict Fisherman placement can Fireball/Poison him as he hooks, eliminating your defensive anchor before it provides value.
Tips
King activation placement: Position Fisherman so the hook trajectory goes THROUGH King Tower range. Test placement in trainingâwrong angles pull enemies beside King, not into it.
Hook cooldown awareness: Fisherman's hook has a 1.5-second cooldown after each pull. Against multiple threats, prioritize which target to hook firstâyou only get one pull per cycle.
Tank separation timing: Hook tanks the moment support troops appear behind them. Early hooks let tanks reconnect with support; late hooks mean you've already taken damage.
Building pull mechanic: Fisherman pulls HIMSELF to buildings, not buildings to him. Use this to reach X-Bow/Mortarâhe'll tank shots while your troops destroy it.
Hunter combo setup: Place Hunter first, then Fisherman. Hook threats directly into Hunter's face for maximum pellet damage. This combo shreds tanks instantly.
Opposite-lane pressure: After hooking threats defensively, Fisherman survives with HP for counterpush. Support him with Miner or Royal Ghost for opposite-lane pressure.
Double-lane coverage: Place Fisherman in the center so his 7-tile hook range covers both lanes. He becomes a flexible defensive anchor against split pushes.
Avoid hooking into danger: Don't hook tanks when support troops will shred Fisherman. Sometimes letting the tank come naturally while you address support first is smarter.
Common Mistakes
Wrong King activation angle: Placing Fisherman where the hook pulls enemies BESIDE King Tower instead of into it. Practice the correct angles in training mode.
Hooking air-targeting troops: Pulling Baby Dragon, Mega Minion, or Inferno Dragonâthey'll just retarget to your tower after the hook. Hook ground troops only.
Ignoring hook cooldown: Expecting multiple hooks in quick succession. Fisherman needs 1.5 seconds between hooksâone hook per defensive sequence usually.
Early King activation attempts: Trying to hook Hog for King activation when they have Earthquake or spell to kill Fisherman. Wasted opportunityâwait for better moments.
Solo defense reliance: Using Fisherman alone against big pushes. He hooks ONE troopâyou need support troops to handle whatever he doesn't pull.
Predictable placement: Always placing Fisherman in the same spot lets opponents pre-Fireball or avoid hook range entirely. Vary placement to stay unpredictable.
Hooking into splash: Pulling tanks directly into your tower when Wizard/Executioner are behind them. The splash will destroy your tower while you focus the tank.
Forgetting building interaction: Not using Fisherman against X-Bow/Mortar. He's one of the best building countersâpulling himself across the arena to tank and distract.