- Clash Royale has released the Season 79 titled “Fire and Ice” this January 2026.
- Part of the new additions are two new Heroes in Hero Wizard and the Ice Golem.
A new year and a brand new season for Clash Royale as the January update introduces Season 79 titled Fire and Ice, bringing two powerful new Heroes, fresh cosmetics, new events, and more additions. Let’s dive into everything coming this season.
Clash Royale Season 79 “Fire and Ice” January 2026 Update Overview
New Heroes: Hero Wizard and Hero Ice Golem
Hero Wizard
Hero Wizard brings a powerful new style of play. When Fiery Flight is activated, he rises into the air with wings of fire, becoming a flying unit for a short time while his attacks become much stronger. From above, he throws fiery tornadoes that deal splash damage to groups of enemies.
These tornadoes also pull enemy troops together, making it easier for Wizard and nearby troops to hit multiple targets at once. This makes Hero Wizard very strong in both attack and defense, especially when facing large pushes or crowded lanes.
Hero Ice Golem
While Wizard brings the fire, Golem is Ice cold. It brings its special ability named Snowstorm, when it is used, a moving blizzard surrounds it, damaging nearby enemies and slowing their movement and attack speed.
This makes it much harder for opponents to keep their push alive. After a few moments, enemies caught inside the storm are frozen, giving your troops time to deal heavy damage. The Hero Ice Golem becomes available on January 19th, 2026.
Free and Diamond Pass Royale Overview
With the January update, Season 79 continues the new two-track Pass Royale system, separating rewards between the Free Pass and Diamond Pass based on player progression.
Players below Arena 15 will continue to receive progression-focused rewards such as Gold, Boost Potions, and Lucky Chests through the Free Pass. Meanwhile, players at Arena 15 and above gain access to premium cosmetics, exclusive Hero content, and special seasonal unlocks through the Diamond Pass.
| Rewards | Free Pass | Diamond Pass |
|---|---|---|
| Gems | 100 | 225 |
| Evolution Shards / Hero | 2 Wild Shards | 6 Wild Shards (Below A15) / 1 Hero Wizard (A15+) |
| Wild Shards | 2 | – |
| Common Wild Cards | – | 2500 |
| Rare Wild Cards | – | 480 |
| Epic Wild Cards | – | 90 |
| Legendary Wild Cards | – | 7 |
| Champion Wild Cards | – | 3 |
| Card Boost Potion | 4 | – |
| Tower Skin | – | 1 |
| Emote | – | 1 |
| Battle Banners | 1 | 1 |
| Gold Crate | 26 | 4 Overflowing Gold Crates |
| Giant Chest | – | – |
| Magical Chest | – | – |
| Legendary King’s Chest | – | – |
| 1-Star Lucky Chest | 27-28 | – |
| 2-Star Lucky Chest | 13-18 | – |
| 3-Star Lucky Chest | 1 | 5 |
| 4-Star Lucky Chest | – | – |
| 5-Star Lucky Chest | 1 | 1 |
| Hero Boxes | Up to 5 (Arena 15+) | Up to 5 (Arena 15+) |
| Golden Name (Perk) | No | Yes |
| Premium Clan Gift (Perk) | No | Yes |
| Free Challenge Rejoins | No | Yes |
Tier 10 gets the Tower Skin treatment, with the Fire and Ice skin available. A large collection of new emotes also arrives this season, themed after the Hero Ice Golem and Hero Wizard. You can also unlock several new battle banners during the season.
Alongside the new cosmetics, four cards receive seasonal boosts during Fire and Ice: Wizard, Tornado, Ice Golem, and Skeletons.
Balance Changes for January 2026 in Clash Royale
Merge Tactics sees some balance changes this season.
Nerfs
Clan Trait
- Hit Speed Buff Duration: Infinity → 5s
When the Clan Trait was active, Wizard and Archer Queen became an unstoppable combo. Reducing the duration of the hit speed buff keeps their power in check.
Buffs
Assassin Trait
Critical Chance & Critical Damage:
- 2/4: 25% → 30% (+20%)
- 4/4: 45% → 60% (+33%)
Assassins had fallen behind in effectiveness, especially against backline units. These improvements bring their damage output back to a threatening level and strengthen their role as high-risk, high-reward attackers.
P.E.K.K.A Trait
- Heal %: 30% → 60% (+100%)
- Bonus Damage: 30% → 40% (+33%)
The P.E.K.K.A trait was not offering enough value in combat. By doubling the healing and increasing bonus damage, P.E.K.K.A units now have the durability and power needed to function as true front-line forces.
Bandit
- Damage: 80 → 90 (+12.5%)
- Hitpoints: 800 → 900 (+12.5%)
Bandit had lost some of her edge over time. These buffs restore her aggressive playstyle and make her more dangerous both when diving the backline and trading in direct fights.
Witch
- Damage: 120 → 150 (+25%)
- Hitpoints: 750 → 900 (+20%)
Witch gains significant improvements to both her damage and survivability. This helps her stay alive longer in combat and makes her Skeleton pressure much more threatening across the battlefield.
Golden Knight
- Hit Speed: 1.25s → 1s (-25%)
Golden Knight’s attacks now land faster, increasing his overall damage output and restoring his smooth, fast-paced combat style that made him such a strong presence in earlier metas.
Read other related Clash Royale articles:
- Clash Royale best decks guide featuring All Evolutions
- Clash Royale Card Evolution List of Cards
- Clash Royale Tower Troops Guide
- Clash Royale Season-Wise Card Tier List
- Clash Royale Season-Wise Card Evolution Tier List
For more Mobile Gaming news and updates, join our WhatsApp Channel, Telegram Group, or Discord server. Also, follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Google News for quick updates.
