After the success of Clash of Clans and Boom Beach, Supercell released Clash Royale for mobile phones and tablets in 2016. Fans of Supercell took to the new game immediately. Many of the characters and concepts in the game were similar to those in Clash of Clans, though Clash Royale presented a more fast-paced, head-to-head alternative to CoC. It has remained a fixture among the top ten mobile strategy games in the world.
In Clash Royale, you choose eight cards to attack your opponent in real-time. Players aim to destroy enemy towers and defend their own. Whoever destroys the most towers after 3 minutes (and 2 minutes of overtime, if need be) is the winner. CR players make dozens of quick decisions throughout the course of a match, making it vital to choose the right cards. Here are 10 of the most popular and devastating Clash Royale decks.
10 Royal Giant Deck
The royal giant can take hits like a normal giant can, except he also fires his cannon directly at buildings. A deck centered around the royal giant usually features cards that can protect him against swarms, which can take him down quickly, or other buildings, which distract him from his ultimate target. A barbarian barrel or log, along with a baby dragon, can help get rid of those pesky swarm troops that eat away at your big man. The electro wizard, lightning, and perhaps some guards can eliminate the threat of other buildings that take his focus away from the crown tower. This deck is ridiculously effective and easy to build up.
9 Lava Hound/Balloon Deck
The cool kids call this one the “LavaLoon"deck. The attack involves the lava hound, which targets enemy towers and breaks off into lava pups after it is destroyed, and the balloon, which also targets enemy towers and leaves a bomb after it is destroyed. Minions and barbarians can distract/destroy various types of enemy troops that attack your hound and balloon, both of which are air troops. Spells like zap and fireball can ward off the inferno dragon and the inferno tower, cards that can beat the hound and balloon with a concentrated stream of fire. Attacks in this deck can take a while to develop since the lava hound and balloon are both expensive. But man, when you pick the right moment to strike, watch out.
8 Spell Bait Deck
Spell cards are quite valuable in CR. As such, certain decks are dedicated to forcing your opponent to use his or her spells as often as possible, so it is more difficult to counter your attacks down the stretch. A spell bait deck features cards like goblin barrel, princess, and ice spirit, which are all cheap troops that are best dealt with using spells. You might also find yourself at an advantage elixir-wise, for many of the spells used to defeat these troops are more expensive than they are. To get to the enemy tower, drop cards like the rocket or goblin gang, or simply use the aforementioned goblin barrel or princess. Most victories will be of the 1-0 variety. But a win is a win.
7 Spawner Deck
If you’ve ever gone up against an effective spawner, you know first-hand how frustrating it can be. This deck relies on buildings like the furnace, goblin hut, tombstone, and barbarian hut that constantly spawn troops to attack your opponent with. This provides pressure which, if you play your cards right, will build as the match goes on and the push finally pays off in the end.
Surround these spawning cards with troops that also have the ability to spawn, like the witch and night witch. Throw in a lightning spell or fireball that can take out bad matchups for this deck, like a wizard or executioner. Your opponent will be constantly preoccupied with the incoming wave of troops. As soon as he or she makes a mistake, it’s over.
6 Giant Witch Deck
When played properly, the giant and the witch work together like Jordan and Pippen. The giant starts in the back, giving you time to build up some elixir. The witch slots in behind him, spawning skeletons that make it tougher for enemy buildings to lock in on him, and taking out any minions or bats with her magic. Cards like the electro wizard, inferno dragon, and zap can help out with enemy buildings, while a miner and a poison spell offer a cheap alternative attack if the timing is off with your giant/witch duo.
5 X-Bow Deck
The x-bow is as deadly as it is strong, for this building shoots arrows at blinding speed while also being quite sturdy. A deck built around the x-bow features cheap cards that take out swarms, such as the log, ice golem, and archers. Put the tesla right next to the x-bow to help distract and take care of bigger troops that are coming for your main card. This deck requires quick reflexes, for people will be trying to take out your x-bow as soon as you drop it. Be ready to protect it, and it will be soon be firing on the enemy tower at will.
4 Hog Rider Deck
The hog rider is a fast, relatively sturdy troop that goes right for buildings and only costs four elixir. It is a popular strategy to cycle through your deck and try to play this card as often as possible, though this requires a specific supporting cast. One of the more popular ones involves the ice golem, log, skeletons, and ice spirit, which provide cheap protection for the hog rider while also making it easier to get back to playing him. The musketeer and cannon give you some affordable defense if an offensive push ever comes up short. This deck requires that you play fast, but if you can think quickly and be efficient, it is one of the most trustworthy decks there is.
3 Golem Deck
There are tanks, and then there are TANKS. The golem falls into the latter category, as it has the most health in the entire game, to go along with death damage and two golemites that spring into action once it is defeated. It’s expensive though, so you should probably drop it in the back to give yourself a chance to build up some elixir.
Surround him with cards like a witch/night witch, baby dragon, mega minion, and lumberjack to take out swarms or other cards that target the golem. A zap should be in there too, to deal with buildings like the inferno tower. Since the golem is pricey, an elixir pump can be very useful to help negate the effects of using the big card. This deck can be nearly unstoppable when played correctly.
2 Prince Deck
The prince and the dark prince each pack quite a punch, both during a charge and when they are standing still. If you can get them both galloping towards your enemy at the same time, watch out. This deck aims to ward off the few things that can stop an attack like this, namely certain buildings or perhaps a minion horde. Arrows, a zap, and a fireball should solve these issues. If you can get a mega minion or minion to fly over the princes as they are barreling down the field, you are in very good shape. A giant offers you an alternative attack, though that might not be an issue.
1 Mortar Deck
The mortar deck is similar in principle to the x-bow deck. The mortar is a building that can fire upon other buildings, so protecting it is key as it relentlessly attacks the enemy. However, since the mortar is cheaper than the x-bow, you can beef up its protection a bit. This comes in the form of a minion horde, the rascals, and the goblin gang, at least one of which you should drop as soon as the mortar is being built. A log and fireball will also be useful in preserving your key card.
NEXT: 15 Ways To Dominate At Clash Of Clans
