The X-Bow has the longest range of any tower in Clash of Clans. When set to ground-only mode, its range of 14 is significantly longer than even the Mortar (which has a range of 11); when set to both air and ground defense, its anti-air range of 11 is longer than the Air Defense tower’s 10 tiles. This long range allows the X-Bow to be placed centrally in a base and still hit enemy units on the outside of the base.
X-Bow Basic Stats, Upgrades, and Number Available by Town Hall Level
Damage Type: Single Target
Attack Speed: 1 attack per .128 seconds
Range: 14 tiles (ground only), 11 tiles (ground and air mode).
Targets: Two modes. “Ground Mode” hits only ground units, Ground & Air hits both unit types.
Building Size: 3 tiles by 3 tiles
Attack Speed: 1 attack per .128 seconds
Range: 14 tiles (ground only), 11 tiles (ground and air mode).
Targets: Two modes. “Ground Mode” hits only ground units, Ground & Air hits both unit types.
Building Size: 3 tiles by 3 tiles
Like the Inferno Tower, the X-Bow must be reloaded periodically. One
full load (50,000 Elixir at level 1) is worth 1,500 shots. Unlike traps,
the X-Bow is able to continually function across multiple battles
without being reloaded. It only needs to be reloaded every 1,500 rounds
(although it can be reloaded earlier at a pro-rated fee). Given that the
X-Bow fires 1 round every .128 seconds, it can fire for approximately
192 seconds off of a full charge. This means that if it only attacks for
five seconds in a given battle, you only lose five seconds off of that
192-second charge. The X-Bow will then be able to fire for 187 seconds
before needing to be reloaded.
X-Bow Strategy
There are really only two decisions you will have to make regarding
the X-Bow: whether you want to set it to ground-only or ground and air
mode and where you should place it in your base. We will discuss both
below.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The X-Bow’s primary strengths are its long range and fast attack
speed. The long-range allows it to be placed centrally in a base while
still allowing it to fire on perimeter targets, while its fast attack
speed ensures it does not waste damage in the form of overkill on
low-health units. Fast attack speed is much more efficient when dealing
with light units like Archers and Goblins than a slower attack speed.
The X-Bow also has unusually high health for a tower. At max level,
its 2,800 health makes it very difficult for a small group of units to
handle alone. Even though the X-Bow is single-target, its high health
means that it will need either many light units or a few powerful units
in order to take it out.
The primary weaknesses of the X-Bow are its status as a single-target
tower and its fast attack speed. Like any single-target tower, it can
get overwhelmed by enough enemy units. While its fast attack speed is a
virtue against very low-health units like Archers, the fast attack speed
is actually a liability against moderate health units like Wizards and
Hog Riders. The reason is that while fast attack speed ensures little
wasted damage, it also means no “burst” damage.
A lack of burst damage is countered very readily by healing. A
low-health unit like a Wizard can “tank” two X-Bows if the Wizard is
standing inside a healing spell. Meanwhile, a pair of slower
attack-speed towers like the Archer Tower would have a better chance of
taking out the Wizard in the same scenario, especially if there was
other ancillary damage coming in such as from a Mortar.
Anti-Ground or Anti-Air?
X-Bow users have the option of setting their X-Bow to hit only ground
units from a range of 14 tiles or both air and ground units from a
range of 11 tiles. At Town Hall 9, I think there is no question about
which mode to pick: you always set both X-Bows to anti-air and
anti-ground. The reason is that “Balloonion” attacks (Balloons and
Minions) are extremely popular and effective amongst and against Town
Hall 9 players.
The idea is to use Balloons to take out perimeter defenses, and then
allow the Minions to come in and clean up the remaining structures and
towers. X-Bows set to anti-air mode are very effective against both
Balloons and Minions. Balloons move slowly and as a result can be hit by
the X-Bow from far away, while the fast attack speed of the X-Bow is
very effective against the Minion. Setting the X-Bow to anti-air mode
significantly limits the effectiveness of Balloonion attacks.
At Town Hall 10, the option is not so cut and dry. Maxed out Town
Hall 10 players typically experience attacks by ground, and as a result,
the anti-air capabilities of the X-Bow often go unused. While Minion
and Balloon-based play may still be prevalent at low TH10; once Inferno
Towers go up, air attacks in general are not nearly as common. As a
result, some TH10s may prefer to go all-out against the ground attack
and opt to move some or all of their X-Bows to ground only mode.
X-Bow Placement
Fortunately, placing the X-Bow is a fairly easy decision: it should
be located centrally in the base. Whether you put it in the center-most
core of your base or in the next ring out, it should be located towards
the middle. The X-Bow works so well because of its long-range; with 2-3
X-Bows near one another, they can protect the center of the base from
attacks in any direction and overlap firepower. X-Bows have no business
on the perimeter of a base.
X-Bow Upgrade Priority
Upgrading the X-Bow should be a relatively low priority. While the
X-Bow’s stats improve solidly with each level, the high cost and long
upgrade time cause it not to be a top priority. I would however try to
upgrade only 1 X-Bow at a time; if you upgrade two or more at once, your
base will be at a defensive disadvantage.