Dark Elixir is a special and valuable resource in Clash of Clans that becomes available once your Town Hall reaches level 7. It's much rarer than regular Gold or Elixir and is mostly used for powerful upgrades and training special units. You'll spend it primarily on developing Dark Elixir troops, brewing Dark Spells, and upgrading your mighty Heroes to make your village and army stronger.

When you first start playing Clash of Clans, you'll mainly use Gold and Elixir. But once you hit Town Hall 7, a whole new world of power opens up with Dark Elixir. This dark, bubbling goo is stored in your Dark Elixir Storage and collected from Dark Elixir Drills, or, more often, by raiding other players' villages.

What You Can Do with Dark Elixir

Dark Elixir is key to unlocking some of the most impactful parts of the game. Here's what you'll be spending it on:

• Dark Elixir Troops: These are some of the toughest and most unique fighters in Clash of Clans. They are trained in the Dark Barracks and bring special abilities to your army. Some popular Dark Elixir troops include:
• Minions: Fast, flying units that are great for cleaning up a base.
• Hog Riders: These guys jump over walls and go straight for defenses, making them a headache for many base layouts. I remember the first time I faced a mass Hog Rider attack; my base was completely flattened because I hadn't properly defended against their wall-hopping ability! It taught me a lot about base design.
• Valkyries: Fierce warriors who spin to deal splash damage to multiple buildings or troops.
• Golems: Super tough tanks that soak up huge amounts of damage, protecting your other troops.
• Witches: They summon endless skeletons to swarm enemy defenses, causing pure chaos.
• Lava Hounds: Flying tanks that target air defenses, then burst into smaller Lava Pups when destroyed.
• Bowlers: They throw huge boulders that bounce and hit multiple targets.
• Ice Golems: These cool troops freeze defenses when destroyed, giving your other units a crucial opening.
• Dark Spells: Just like troops, Dark Elixir lets you brew powerful spells in the Dark Spell Factory. These spells take up less space in your army camp compared to regular spells, giving you more flexibility. They can really change the outcome of a battle. Some examples include:
• Poison Spell: Creates a toxic cloud that damages and slows down enemy troops and heroes, especially effective against Clan Castle troops.
• Earthquake Spell: Deals damage to buildings and walls, and can be used to open up walls for your ground troops.
• Haste Spell: Speeds up your troops in its area, which is super useful for fast air attacks.
• Skeleton Spell: Summons a group of skeletons to distract defenses or target specific buildings.
• Upgrading Heroes: Your Heroes - the Barbarian King, Archer Queen, Grand Warden, and Royal Champion - are vital for both offense and defense. Dark Elixir is used to level them up, making them much stronger with more health and damage. Upgrading your heroes is one of the most important things you can do with Dark Elixir. I always prioritize my Archer Queen upgrades because she makes such a big difference in my attacks; getting her ability just one level higher can totally turn the tide in a close fight. For more tips on making your troops better, check out our guide on How to Upgrade Troops in Clash of Clans.
• Research in the Laboratory: Your Laboratory also uses Dark Elixir to research and improve your Dark Elixir troops and spells, boosting their stats and abilities. This makes your army even more effective in battles.

Getting enough Dark Elixir can be a challenge, but it's totally worth it because of the huge advantage these powerful troops, spells, and heroes give you in Clash of Clans.