TH17 Root Rider Attack Guide 2026 -- Advanced Burrowing with New Defense Counters

TH17 Root Rider builds on the TH16 adaptation with the additional new TH17 defenses at maximum capacity. Root Rider hybrid at TH17 remains one of the top war attacks because the burrowing mechanic bypasses the vast majority of new defenses (which are surface-level and cannot fire on burrowing troops). The wide-spread deployment from TH16 continues at TH17, combined with the full Pet suite at maximum levels, which provides the most powerful supporting hero infrastructure of any TH level.

Army Composition and Spells

Standard TH17 Root Rider hybrid (360 housing): 4 Healers (28), 18 to 20 Root Riders (72 to 80 super boost housing), 4 Super Witches (32), 2 Golems (60), Wall Breakers (4), filler. Spells: 1 Rage (Queen Charge), 2 Rage (Root Rider wave), 2 Freeze (Ricochet Cannon / Monolith), 1 Earthquake, 1 Skeleton Spell. Clan Castle: Super Witch. All four Pets at TH17 maximum levels: L.A.S.S.I. wall-jump range increases, Electro Owl chain count increases, Frosty slow aura radius increases, Mighty Yak charge distance increases. Max-level Pets provide meaningfully stronger hero support than at TH16.

Step-by-Step Execution

Step 1 -- Identify TH17 new defense positions: Locate all new defenses from the TH17 update adjacent to burrowing corridors. Note which corridors pass near Ricochet Cannon bounce range. Step 2 -- Wide Root Rider spread: Deploy Root Riders across a 14 to 18 tile wide deployment zone. The extra housing at TH17 (360) allows 18 to 20 Root Riders -- the widest spread of any TH level. Step 3 -- RC with max Electro Owl: Deploy RC from Monolith side. Max Electro Owl chains to more targets simultaneously, providing better Monolith and adjacent defense clearing. Step 4 -- AQ with max L.A.S.S.I.: Queen Charge from opposite side. Max L.A.S.S.I. at TH17 jumps further and more frequently, reaching inner ring defenses faster. Step 5 -- Root Rider Rage: When Root Riders surface inside the second ring, drop Rage. Max-level Root Riders burrow faster than lower-TH versions. Step 6 -- Freeze on Ricochet Cannon when Root Rider cluster surfaces within chain bounce range. Step 7 -- Second Freeze on Monolith if not destroyed by RC. Frosty Warden slow aura at max level provides a wider slow radius covering the Root Rider cluster more effectively. Step 8 -- Skeleton Spell on Town Hall approach. Mighty Yak charge at max level reaches further, adding burst damage to defenses alongside the Root Rider surface cluster.

Max-Level Pet Advantage at TH17

TH17 with max-level Pets represents the peak of hero support power. L.A.S.S.I. at maximum level jumps more walls per Queen Charge. Electro Owl at maximum chains to more targets simultaneously. Frosty at maximum has a larger slow radius that covers more of the Root Rider surface cluster. Max Mighty Yak charges deal more burst damage per charge. The combined Pet suite at TH17 makes the Queen Charge + Root Rider combination more reliable than at any lower TH level.

Browse TH17 war bases at our TH17 war base collection.