Best Clash of Clans Pets Ranked for Each Hero

Fun fact: Did you know that everyone thought the pets update in Clash of Clans was an april fools prank? I thought no way they are going to release pets of all things, the timing was early april so I also couldn’t help but think this was an April Fool’s prank. But it wasn’t, they released pets in April 10 of 2021.

Pets in Clash of Clans completely changed how the heroes operate. Before the release of pets, heroes were predictable. There were limits on what you could pull off in an attack. The pet system flipped that on its head.

The catch is that not every pet pulls its weight.

A few are essential picks that show up in nearly every meta strategy. Some are situational and only earn their slot in specific army comps. The rest sit at the bottom, barely worth the Dark Elixir to upgrade past Level 1. Knowing which is which is important if you want to pull of some crazy attacks!

This guide ranks all 11 pets currently in the game from worst to best, breaks down which heroes they pair with, and gives you a clear order for what to upgrade first.

Clash of Clans Pet Tier List Ranked from Worst to Best

Here’s the thing about pet rankings. They only tell half the story.

A pet’s actual value depends entirely on which hero it is paired with. The Spirit Fox feels overpowered on the Royal Champion and only decent on the Grand Warden. L.A.S.S.I. is mostly skipped, but in the right strategy on the right hero, she has a clear role. Every pet on this list is good or bad in context.

The rankings below reflect overall versatility, current meta impact, and how often each pet shows up in winning attacks. Pets that work across multiple heroes and strategies, or are simply overpowered with a specific strategy are better than pets that are simply average or cannot impact the result of the attack much.

Important note: Just because a pet doesn’t rank in the top 5 or top 3 in this list, that doesn’t mean you should ignore that pet, not level it up at all. Most of the pets will be useful in their own way and you will need to level them up to progress in the game.

11. Poison Lizard

Release date: October 10, 2022

Unlocks at: Pet House level 7. Requires Town Hall 15.

The Poison Lizard unlocks at Pet House Level 7. It attacks quickly at range with poisoned spit, which slows down affected Heroes and Troops, in addition to causing them additional damage over time (as if they were hit by a Poison Spell). It can also spit at buildings, but this causes neither slowdown nor poison damage over time.

It sounds great in theory. In practice, it is one of the most situational pets in the game. The damage is okay. The targeting is unpredictable. And it tends to wander away from your hero to chase distant threats.

Stats overview (max level):

• HP: 2,300
• DPS: 335
• Poison DPS: 140
• Targeting range: 6.5 tiles around the paired hero
• Range: 4.5 tiles
• Special Ability: Targets enemy heroes and CC troops first within 4.5 tiles, then switches to nearest building. Poison effect slows and damages enemies over time.

It pairs okay with the Archer Queen and Barbarian King when defending units are a problem. At Town Hall 15 you can only upgrade it to level 10 and to be completely honest, those stats are very mediocre. At Town Hall 18 you can upgrade it to its max level of 15, and then Poison Lizard becomes kind of usable but by then you will have access to the Spirit Fox and Phoenix and they outperform it in nearly every scenario.

Should you upgrade Poison Lizard? It is better to not focus on this one. You unlock another great Pet at Town Hall 15 (It’s in this list), that’s viable even in Town Hall 17 and 18. You are better off upgrading that first, maxing out your heroes before spending dark elixirs on this pet.

10. L.A.S.S.I

Release date: April 12, 2021

Unlocks at: Finish building Pet House. Requires Town Hall level 14.

L.A.S.S.I. is the very first pet you unlock. Pet House Level 1 at Town Hall 14. She is a fast-moving ground pet that runs ahead of your hero and attacks the closest building.

On paper, she has the highest DPS of any pet in the game. In practice, that DPS doesn’t really matter. She runs ahead, pulls Clan Castle troops by accident, triggers traps, and dies before doing any serious damage.

Stats overview (max level):

• HP: 4,500
• DPS: 400
• Targeting range: 2.5 tiles around the paired hero
• Range: 0.6 tiles
• Special Ability: Can jump over walls. When the hero is knocked out, attacks the closest building until defeated.

She ranks at the bottom because better pets exist for almost every hero she could be assigned to. You will only use her during Town Hall 14 if you prefer using the Grand Champion. In my opinion, she is like a budget diggy. (He is also on this list, pretty high up.)

Should you upgrade L.A.S.S.I? I would advise you to keep this one at level 1 (Pros also recommend that.). There are better pets for every Hero compared L.A.S.S.I. It’s better to not waste your dark elixirs on her.

9. Mighty Yak

Release date: April 12, 2021

Unlocks at: Pet House level 3. Requires Town Hall 14.

The Mighty Yak unlocks at Pet House Level 3. It has the highest HP of any pet in the game, the lowest DPS to match, and one specific job. Destroying walls. The Yak deals 20x damage to walls, which makes it more effective than a Level 1 Wall Breaker for getting your hero through layered compartments.

That used to matter. With Super Wall Breakers handling wall destruction more reliably, the Yak feels less essential than it did two metas ago.

Stats overview (max level):

• HP: 6,300 (Highest HP among all pets)
• DPS: 243.6
• Damage to Walls: 4,872 (rivals a Wall Wrecker)
• Targeting range: 7 tiles around the paired hero
• Range: 1.2
• Special Ability: When the hero is knocked out, gains rage for 8 seconds. Increased speed and damage.

It is a decent pick for the Archer Queen during Queen Charges. But there are better pets for the Archer Queen.

Should you upgrade Mighty Yak? You can upgrade it if you have maxed out the Electro Owl (more on that later). But if you want, you can keep this one unleveled as well and save dark elixirs for better spending.

8. Angry Jelly

Release date: April 17, 2024

Unlocks at: Pet House level 10. Requires Town Hall 16.

The Angry Jelly has an unusual ability. It forces your hero to target only defences for a short period, ignoring everything else.

That sounds odd until you actually use it. It enables Warden Fireball charges. It lets the Barbarian King solo entire compartments without getting distracted. And it gives you precise pathing control during messy attacks.

Stats overview (max level):

• HP: 2,125
• DPS: 193
• Range: 1.5 tiles.
• Special Ability: Forces the paired hero to target only defences for a fixed duration after deployment. The Jelly itself is untargetable by defences and traps while the brainwash is active.

Not a universal pet. But for players running Warden Fireball or hero-focused pushes, the Jelly is one of the most impactful additions to the game.

Should you upgrade Angry Jelly? It depends. If you are running a Warden Fireball or Hero-focused pushes, you should definitely upgrade Angry Jelly. But even if you are not running those, I think you should still upgrade it when you can. It’s definitely a strong pet overall.

7. Unicorn

Release date: April 12, 2021

Unlocks at: Pet House level 4. Requires Town Hall 14.

The Unicorn is a healer pet that heals your hero continuously throughout the battle. Think of it as a personal Healer that cannot be distracted by other targets.

This is the defining Queen Walk pet. It heals both ground and air heroes, jumps walls to keep up, and never wanders off. As long as your hero is leading the attack, the Unicorn keeps them alive far longer than they should be.

Stats overview (max level):

• HP: 2,325
• Healing per second: 75 to the paired hero
• Healing range: 2.5 tiles
• Special Ability: Heals the paired hero (or another nearby ally if the hero is knocked out). Heals both ground and air units.

The Unicorn has been one of the strongest pets in the game since release, and it still earns its spot in the meta.

Should you upgrade Unicorn? Absolutely yes. Unicorn is a must-max pet for anyone running Queen-based strategies, which is most of the meta. Even if you are not building around the Queen, the Unicorn pairs well with multiple heroes and stays useful from Town Hall 14 all the way through the late game. Prioritise it early.

6. Electro Owl

Release date: April 12, 2021

Unlocks at: Pet House level 2. Requires Town Hall 14.

The Electro Owl is a flying pet with a chain lightning attack. Same mechanic as the Electro Dragon, just smaller. It hits a second target for 80% damage.

The Owl has quietly become one of the most valuable pets in the game. Its range stretches up to 7 tiles when paired with the Grand Warden, compared to just 1 tile with the Barbarian King. And with the rise of Minion Prince and air-heavy attack strategies, the Owl now has more meta-relevant pairings than ever before.

Stats overview (max level):

• HP: 3,000
• DPS: 170
• Range: 6 tiles
• Special Ability: Chain Lightning hits a second target for 80% of the primary damage.

This is a pet that has aged incredibly well. What used to be a niche air-strategy pick is now a top option for both the Grand Warden and the Minion Prince. Two of the most-used heroes in current war metas. If you are running any kind of air comp, this should be one of your priority upgrades.

Should you upgrade Electro Owl? Yes, and probably earlier than you think. With the Minion Prince meta and air-based Warden strategies dominating attacks, the Owl is no longer a backup pick. Upgrade it as soon as you have your top-tier pets in a good place. It is also one of the few pets that stays relevant from Town Hall 14 all the way to Town Hall 18 and beyond.

5. Phoenix

Release date: October 10, 2022

Unlocks at: Pet House level 8. Requires Town Hall 15.

The Phoenix is one of the most dramatic pets in the game.

It follows your hero, attacks alongside them, and when the hero is about to die, it wraps them in an egg, grants temporary invulnerability, and revives them. Those few seconds of invincible hero time turn 90% attacks into clean three-stars on a regular basis.

Stats overview (max level):

• HP: 4,200 (egg form is invulnerable until the hero is knocked out)
• DPS: 250
• Range: 2.5 tiles
• Revival window: Brief invulnerability granted to both the hero and Phoenix when she hatches
• Special Ability: Resurrects the hero when they are knocked out, granting both temporary invincibility. Then continues fighting as an air unit.

The Phoenix is a top-tier pet for the Barbarian King and Grand Warden. Maxing it should be a priority at Town Hall 15 and above.

Should you upgrade Phoenix? 100% yes. The revive ability alone makes the Phoenix one of the most impactful pets in the game, and it pairs well with multiple heroes. If you are at Town Hall 15 or above, this should be one of your first pet upgrades after Spirit Fox. The number of attacks Phoenix has saved at the last second is genuinely uncountable.

4. Diggy

Release date: October 10, 2022

Unlocks at: Pet House level 6. Requires Town Hall 15.

Diggy tunnels underground to reach the next defence and stuns his target on the first hit, making him one of the best counters to Inferno Towers and Monoliths.

He is not flashy. But he is reliable. The stun lets your hero dodge a critical hit at exactly the right moment, and his bullying of single-target Infernos is something no other pet replicates. The downside. He targets defences only, ignoring enemy troops and heroes that might threaten your hero.

Stats overview (max level):

• HP: 5,000 (second-highest pet HP after Mighty Yak)
• DPS: 150
• Range: 0.8 tiles
• Special Ability: Tunnels underground to reach the next defence; stuns target on first hit.
• Targeting: Defences only.

Strong with the Royal Champion, Barbarian King, and Archer Queen, especially against bases with heavy single-target defences.

Should you upgrade Diggy? Yes, especially if you are at Town Hall 15 or above and dealing with Monoliths and Inferno Towers regularly. Diggy fills a unique role that no other pet does. The single-target defence stun is too valuable to ignore in the current meta, particularly for Royal Champion attacks.

3. Frosty

Release date: October 10, 2022

Unlocks at: Pet House level 5. Requires Town Hall 15.

Frosty slows enemy defences and spawns Frost Mites. Small frost units that absorb damage and distract defences while your hero pushes forward.

Frosty changes how attacks feel entirely. Defences struggle to keep up because they are constantly slowed and pulled by Mites. Your hero takes far less damage and lasts much longer. King with Frosty feels illegal. Queen with Frosty feels immortal.

Stats overview (max level):

• HP: 3,800
• DPS: 150
• Targeting range: Within 4.5 tiles of Hero
• Range: 3.5
• Frostmite spawning: 2 Frostmites per summon, every 8 seconds, up to 10 active at a time
• Special Ability: Spawns Frostmites that slow defences and absorb damage. Frosty’s own attacks also slow targets with frost breath.

A must-max pet at Town Hall 15. Pair it with your strongest tank-style hero and watch defences fall apart.

Should you upgrade Frosty? Without question, yes. Frosty is one of the highest-impact pets in the game and easily one of the first pets you should max once you reach Town Hall 15. The slow effect combined with Frost Mite distractors trivialises a huge chunk of defensive layouts. Pair with Spirit Fox and Phoenix as your top three priority pets.

2. Sneezy

Release date: March 24, 2025

Unlocks at: Pet House level 11. Requires Town Hall 17.

Sneezy is built for air attacks and healer-heavy strategies. He spawns small Booger units that distract defences and absorb damage. After your hero dies, he goes feral and starts smashing defences directly.

He is excellent in air attacks. The Boogers eat Air Defence damage while your real units do the work, and the post-death damage phase often closes out three-stars when an attack is teetering on the edge.

Stats overview (max level):

• HP: 4,650
• DPS: 450
• Range: 5.5 (Ground), 1.5 (Air) tiles.
• Booger spawning: 1 Booger every 10 seconds, max of 2 active at a time. Boogers cannot trigger air traps.
• Special Ability: Spawns Booger distractor units while the hero is alive. After the hero is knocked out, Sneezy becomes enraged and screeches to deal high single-target DPS to defences.

Recent balance changes nerfed parts of his kit. He is still a strong pick for the Minion Prince and Grand Warden in air mode.

Should you upgrade Sneezy? Yes, if you are at Town Hall 17 and running air-based attacks. Sneezy is essentially the best Minion Prince pet in the game, and he pairs beautifully with the Grand Warden in air mode too. If you are not running air strategies often, you can hold off and prioritise other pets first. But for air players, Sneezy is a must-max.

1. Spirit Fox

Release date: December 12, 2023

Unlocks at: Pet House level 9. Requires Town Hall 16.

The Spirit Fox is the best pet in the game right now.

Its ability is simple. It grants temporary invisibility to itself and the paired hero every 6 seconds. That is it. That is the whole gimmick. And it is absurd.

Royal Champion charges become almost guaranteed. The Archer Queen survives situations she absolutely should not. The Barbarian King walks through compartments untouched. Almost no hero in the game does not benefit from the Spirit Fox.

Stats overview (max level):

• HP: 2,800
• DPS: 180
• Targeting Range: Within 4.5 tiles of Hero
• Range: 2.5 tiles.
• Invisibility cooldown: 6 seconds between activations
• Special Ability: Grants temporary invisibility to itself and the paired hero. Duration scales with Spirit Fox’s level.

If you only max one pet at Town Hall 16, this is the one. If you max two, still this one first. Top players unanimously agree.

Should you upgrade Spirit Fox? Yes. This is not a question. The moment your Pet House hits level 9, drop everything and focus on maxing the Spirit Fox. No other pet upgrade comes close to the impact this one delivers across nearly every hero and strategy. If you only max one pet at Town Hall 16, make it this one.

Best Pets for Each Hero in COC (Pet Pairing Guide)

The tier list shows you which pets are strong overall. But raw strength is not enough. The real question is which pet to put on which hero, what the community calls pet pairing, and that is where most attacks are won or lost.

Equipment factors in heavily here too. The right pet on top of the right gear loadout multiplies the impact of both. For a deeper breakdown of which equipment works with each hero, check out our guide on Best Equipment for Heroes.

Here is the pairing breakdown for all six heroes in Clash of Clans.

Barbarian King

The Barbarian King is the strength specialist. Tanky, melee, and built to wade through the heart of a base. The pets that work with him are the ones that keep him alive longer or amplify his durability.

• Phoenix (Best) — The revive ability is everything for the King. Those few seconds of invulnerability often flip the result of an entire attack.
• Frosty (Excellent) — Slow plus Frost Mites turn him into a wall of damage. King with Frosty feels close to unkillable.
• Spirit Fox (Excellent) — Invisibility lets him push deeper into compartments without taking concentrated fire.
• Angry Jelly (Strong, situational) — Forces him to focus only on defences. Perfect for solo-clearing compartments.
• Diggy (Decent) — Useful against bases with Monoliths or Infernos. Situational compared to the top picks.

Archer Queen

The Archer Queen is the speed specialist and the most-used hero in the game. She is a ranged damage dealer who needs protection to stay alive, which makes support pets her ideal pairing.

• Unicorn (Best) — The defining Queen Walk pairing. Constant healing makes her almost impossible to take down.
• Spirit Fox (Excellent) — Invisibility gives her the survival edge she sometimes lacks even with healing.
• Frosty (Excellent) — Slow plus distractors makes her essentially immortal in the right base layouts.
• Mighty Yak (Decent, situational) — Useful for breaking walls during a Queen Charge, especially at lower levels.
• Phoenix (Decent) — Solid backup if the Unicorn is needed elsewhere.

Grand Warden

The Grand Warden is the support specialist. His value comes almost entirely from what he enables for the rest of your army. His pets need to keep him alive longer or amplify the impact of his abilities.

• Electro Owl (Best for air) — The defining air attack pairing. The Owl chains lightning to deeper buildings while staying out of trouble with the Warden’s range.
• Phoenix (Best for ground) — Saves the Warden in clutch moments and keeps his aura active longer.
• Spirit Fox (Excellent) — Invisibility on the Warden makes his Eternal Tome window far more likely to land cleanly.
• Angry Jelly (Excellent) — Pairs perfectly with Warden Fireball for guaranteed defensive targeting.
• Sneezy (Strong) — Solid in air attacks where Boogers can soak Air Defence damage.

Avoid: Diggy. His targeting mechanics conflict with the Warden’s role and reduce his overall impact.

Royal Champion

The Royal Champion is the offence specialist. A high-damage ranged hero who finishes attacks by clearing key defences. Her pets should help her land charges and reach priority targets.

• Spirit Fox (Best) — Invisibility makes her shield charges absurdly reliable. This is the defining Royal Champion pairing.
• Diggy (Excellent) — Tunnels to defences and stuns priority targets. Exactly what she needs to set up.
• L.A.S.S.I. (Decent) — Her movement speed actually keeps up with the RC, making her one of the few heroes Lassie genuinely supports.
• Frosty (Decent) — Slow effect helps her land jumps and reach defences without taking constant fire.

Minion Prince

The Minion Prince is the air specialist. A flying hero added with the Town Hall 17 update. He deals long-range damage from the skies, and his pet pairings should support air-based pushes.

• Sneezy (Excellent) — Boogers soak Air Defence damage while the Prince keeps poking from range.
• Electro Owl (Excellent) — Two flying damage dealers chaining shots. Natural synergy.
• Spirit Fox (Strong) — Invisibility helps him avoid Air Defence focus during critical moments.
• Frosty (Strong) — Slowing defences extends his survival in air-heavy comps.

Dragon Duke

The Dragon Duke is the newest hero in Clash of Clans, added in 2026. He is built around a unique solo playstyle. When separated from other air units, his Royal Rampage ability massively boosts his damage and attack speed while reducing trap damage. High HP, self-healing, and powerful abilities make him one of the most durable heroes in the game.

His pets should support that solo air-rush playstyle.

• Spirit Fox (Excellent) — Invisibility lets him slip past key defences during his rampage windows.
• Phoenix (Excellent) — A revive on the Duke is devastating for the defending base.
• Sneezy (Strong) — Air distractors complement his playstyle perfectly.
• Electro Owl (Decent) — Solid if you are running an air-focused army around him.

How to Unlock Pets Faster

Pets take time to unlock and even longer to max. The Pet House upgrade path gates each pet behind progression, and a single max-level pet can swallow weeks of Dark Elixir grinding before it pays off.

There is no way to skip the system entirely without spending money. But there are ways to get there faster.

1. Prioritise Pet House upgrades. Each level unlocks a new pet. Getting the building to max gets you access to the full pet roster faster.
2. Save Dark Elixir specifically for pets. Pets share DE with heroes and dark troops. Players who burn DE on lower-priority units find themselves stuck when it matters.
3. Use Hammer of Heroes and magic items strategically. Save them for the highest-impact pets. Spirit Fox, Phoenix, Frosty. Not on L.A.S.S.I.
4. Take advantage of events and season passes. Events regularly include Dark Elixir bonuses and pet-specific rewards. Maxing event participation is one of the fastest ways to accelerate progression.
5. Stack Builder Potions and Books of Heroes carefully. These compress upgrade times dramatically. Save them for your most important pet upgrades, not quick wins.
6. Buy a fully progressed account. If you want to skip the grind entirely and start with maxed pets, hero levels, and Town Hall progress, you can always grab one of the Clash of Clans accounts from a player who has already done the work. Many veterans no longer play and are willing to sell accounts that would take months to build from scratch.

Are Pets Worth Upgrading First?

The honest answer is yes. But only the right pets, and only at the right point in your progression.

Pets are some of the highest-impact upgrades in Clash of Clans. A maxed Spirit Fox or Phoenix carries attacks better than almost anything else you could spend resources on at higher Town Halls. But that does not apply to every pet equally. The wrong upgrade order will slow your progression instead of accelerating it, and Dark Elixir is too scarce to waste.

Here is a clear progression priority that holds up across Town Hall levels:

1. Heroes always come first. Your Barbarian King, Archer Queen, Grand Warden, and Royal Champion are the foundation of every attack. Maxing them, or at least keeping them upgraded as you push Town Halls, should be your top priority.
2. Hero equipment is second. Equipment now defines what your heroes can do. A maxed equipment loadout outperforms a higher-level hero with default gear.
3. Pets come third. But only the right ones. Spirit Fox first if your Pet House supports it. Then Phoenix and Frosty. Skip L.A.S.S.I., Mighty Yak, and Poison Lizard until you have nothing better to upgrade.
4. Lab and troop upgrades sit alongside pets. Your army needs to keep pace with your heroes. A maxed pet pushing Level 1 troops still loses to defending bases.
5. Defences last. Defences slow your trophy progression and matter less for offensive capability. Most progression-focused players upgrade defences only when they have nothing else to do.

The shortcut to remember. Heroes → Hero Equipment → Top-tier Pets → Lab → Defences. Stick to that priority and your progression stays clean from Town Hall 14 all the way through Town Hall 17 and beyond.