What Does Star Level Do in Clash Royale?

By the RoyaleTracker Team·@RoyaleTrackerGG·Updated October 8, 2026

Star levels don't change gameplay at all. They only change how a card looks: a golden glow when you place it, and a gold skin at higher levels. A Star Level 3 Hog Rider hits exactly as hard as one with no stars.

Star Points unlock at King Level 6 and build up on their own as you play. That's why most players have thousands sitting there that they've never touched.

How Star Levels Work

Each card has up to three star levels. Star Level 1 adds a golden glow when you deploy the card. Star Levels 2 and 3 change the card itself, with gold armor, weapons or effects depending on the card.

Not every card goes up to 3. Some stop at 1 or 2, and Champions have none. Most spells only get the glow, and Rocket is the exception.

A card needs to be at least Level 7 for Star Level 1, Level 10 for Star Level 2 and Level 13 for Star Level 3.

No Star Level

Star Level 1

Star Level 2

Star Level 3

Hog Rider at no star level, then Star Level 1, 2 and 3, showing the golden glow and armor upgrades at each tier.

Once you unlock a star level, you keep it. If you like the old look better, you can switch a card back from its info screen, but you don't get the points back.

How to Get Star Points

After King Level 6, every point of Experience you earn also gives you a Star Point, so donating and upgrading cards both count. Extra copies of a card that's already max level also turn into Star Points:

• Common: 1
• Rare: 10
• Epic: 100
• Legendary: 1,000
• Champion: 2,000

You can hold up to 5,000,000 at once.

How to Check Your Star Points

Tap the XP bar at the top of the screen and switch it to Star Points. That shows your total, and you can collect any points waiting there. To spend them, open a card in your collection and tap the star button on its upgrade screen.

Star Level Costs

Rarity doesn't matter. Every card costs the same, and you pay for each level in order.

Maxing one card costs 35,000 Star Points. If you donate every day, you'll have that for your whole main deck sooner than you'd think.

Best Star Level Skins

• P.E.K.K.A (Star Level 2): she gets a second sword. She never uses it, but it's one of the best looks in the game.
• Rocket (Star Level 3): a Goblin rides on top. Easily the funniest one.
• Royal Giant (Star Level 2): his cannon turns gold and looks like the Level 10 Cannon from Clash of Clans.
• Goblins and Spear Goblins (Star Level 3): they get red mohawks. The goblins from Goblin Barrel, Goblin Gang, Goblin Hut and Goblin Giant get them too, so one upgrade changes several cards.
• Balloon (Star Level 3): the old Level 3 Balloon from Clash of Clans.

Archers, Wizard and Hidden Tesla also get Clash of Clans throwback skins.

P.E.K.K.A (Star Level 2)

Rocket (Star Level 3)

Royal Giant (Star Level 2)

Goblins (Star Level 3)

Balloon (Star Level 3)

Want to show off your gold cards? The Card Maker turns your player tag into a shareable image of your collection.

Should You Spend Your Star Points?

Yes. You can't use Star Points for anything else, so saving them gets you nothing. Start with your main deck, since you see those cards every game, then grab the skins you like from the list above.

Just don't expect gold cards to win you more games. If you're stuck at the same trophies, the deck is the problem. Check the best decks or run yours through the deck rater.