Behind the colorful graphics and intense gameplay of every successful arena battler lies a complex, invisible mathematical engine.

Many players believe that matchmaking is intentionally rigged against them, constantly forcing them to fight 'hard counters' after a win streak.
The Elo System Adapted
Most modern strategy games utilize a modified version of the Elo rating system, originally designed for professional chess.

This is why winning streaks inevitably end in a 'wall' of difficult matches; the system is functioning exactly as intended.
It only looks at your numerical rating.Accept the RNG.It helps them learn before facing real humans. The Problem of Card Levels
The standard Elo system works perfectly for chess because all pieces are equal, but tower rush games feature upgradeable cards.

To combat this, developers have implemented secondary checks that look at the player's King Tower level.
Community MythHow it Actually WorksThe Loser's QueueThe algorithm does not force losses; you are simply playing tilted against harder opponents because your MMR is inflatedAnti-Strategy CodeDevelopers have confirmed repeatedly that the algorithm does not read the contents of your deck when finding an opponent The Esports Standard
Because the ladder algorithm must balance queue times against fairness, it will never be perfectly balanced.

The algorithm is blind; it only respects victory.