In the popular mobile video game Clash Royale, players constantly debate which decks are the best. Every few weeks, updates change the game, shift the meta and throw the previous best deck out the window. With thousands of possible combinations to make a deck, finding the “best” deck is difficult. This difficulty is both a competition and a passion for the game’s players. From Hog 2.6 to Mega Knight cycle, these are the top five decks to hit the game in the current
meta.
Clash Royale was developed by the game company Supercell, the same company that created Brawl Stars, Clash of Clans, Boom Beach and other popular mobile games. It was released in 2016 and has generated over $4 billion in revenue.
Some of the game’s players would argue that a “best” deck does not exist, as winning is dependent only on skill, timing, and elixir managemen><<M
Contrary to Evans’ opinion, while it is obviously true that skill and timing greatly impact the outcome of the game, the cards themselves are what make a deck, not necessarily how you play them. If you check the top players in the game, the same decks appear over and over again, this is clear evidence of the dominance of certain decks. As sophomore Ethan Go puts it, “If you go into top ladder right now, you will see the same like maybe eight decks constantly. People wouldn’t use them if they weren’t the best.”
Forget win rates for a second, top decks succeed because they balance offense, defense and adaptability, allowing the user of such a deck to win, or at least put up a good fight, in any game. For this reason, decks that balance those three attributes as well as have a strong win condition increase your win chance exponentially, so long as the player has a decent level of Clash Royale knowledge.
Additionally, at such a high level of Clash Royale gameplay, no player has a huge advantage by way of strategy over any other, so decks are clearly what make the major difference, as people have the same skill level but experience different successes based solely on the deck they use. Freshman Everett Klotz said, “[A]t high rank, everyone knows what they are doing, it’s all deck synergy that basically decides whether you win or lose the game.”
Before we can dive into the different decks, you must understand the different types of decks Clash Royale has to offer. Clash Royale, as a strategy game, has different styles of gameplay. The main classifications of decks include, cycle (rapid and cheap elixir decks focused on cycling back to the win condition). Beatdown (slow decks that prioritize building massive pushes). Bait decks (forcing out enemy spells, then exploiting the lack of a spell to win with swarms). Lastly, control decks control the game with strong defense and low-elixir counterpushes.
Without further ado, I deck you down, a deck that is tried and proven, and has stood the test of time, is Hog 2.6 (Hog rider, Musketeer, Ice golem, Skeletons, Ice spirit, cannon, fireball and Log). This fast-paced deck, with Hog Rider as the win condition, thrives on speed, placement and hard-to-master elixir management. This makes it one of the most versatile decks in the game. One caveat is that the deck is not well-suited for lower arena players because of the skill needed to use it effectively. The Hog Rider itself is not a difficult card to play, so while it wouldn’t necessarily be recommended for lower arena players, considering it as an option would serve well. To quote Evan Brown again, “If someone cycles Hog well, you’re not stopping it.”
I deck you down once more. The Miner + Poison control (Miner, Poison, Mortar, Skeletons, Ice Spirit, Archers, Cannon and Log) is a great option because of its flexible play style and its emphasis on chip damage, which, in the long run, is what wins games. Most chip control decks have a weak spot on defense, however, this deck uses both Miner and Mortar defensively and offensively, which creates incredible adaptability. Freshman Arthur Kessler said, “Miner Poison is annoying, I’ve never been so mad after losing to a straight two minutes of chip.”
Thrice. A more recent deck is the triple dragon aerial beatdown (consisting of Lava Hound, Baby Dragon, Inferno Dragon, Ballon, Tombstone, Fireball, Arrows and Minions). This deck excels because most mainstream decks don’t prioritize aerial defense, which leaves a huge opening for this deck to exploit. Lava Hound serves as the tank that allows for the balloon to reach the tower and deal great amounts of damage, especially if not properly defended. This ensures an easy win, if not a swift three crown.
Fourth more. A Pekka Bridge Spam (Pekka, Battle Ram, Bandit, Royal Ghost, Magic Archer, Electro Wizzard, Zap and Poison). Although this deck may come across as elixir-heavy, which may raise concerns questioning its efficiency, it is actually an efficient deck when played correctly. Pekka, when used on defense, is a great card because of its massive health bar and its incredibly high single-shot damage, which, when turned around, can create a formidable counterattack. Junior Cole Morton said, “Pekka basically plays itself, especially if your opponent sucks.”
The quintuple deck down. Royal Giant Lightning (Royal Giant, Lightning, Fisherman, Mother Witch, Hunter, Goblin Cage, Electro Spirit and Log) is one of the best deck options out there, for players on the earlier side of the game simply because it doesn’t take crazy resources to upgrade this deck to high level and the synergy of the cards works in such a way that even with the a lesser understanding of Clash Royale gameplay this deck can still succeed.
With the constant controversies, endless strategies, and infinite combinations, finding the “best” deck is a demanding task. Whether you’re climbing mid ladder, or in the early game, knowing and understanding one of these top five decks can provide a huge advantage. Only a few decks stand the test of time and the imbalance of the game, and these five definitely are easily among the top. So what are you waiting for? These decks are why we clash.
