Clash Royale
What Is a Cycle Deck in Clash Royale?
A deck with a very low average elixir cost that rotates its cards quickly to play the win condition again and again.
What is a cycle deck?
A cycle deck is a deck built from cheap cards, usually with an average elixir cost below 3, so you can rotate through your cards quickly. The goal is to play your win condition more often than the opponent can play its counters. The most famous example is Hog 2.6, named after its 2.6 average elixir.
How card cycle works
You hold four of your eight cards, and every card you play goes to the back of the queue. Cheap cards let you get through the queue faster, so your win condition comes back to your hand sooner. Out-cycling means playing so quickly that your win condition returns before the opponent’s counter does.
Hog 2.6, the classic cycle deck
| Card | Elixir | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Hog Rider | 4 | Win condition that targets buildings |
| Musketeer | 4 | Ranged defense, including against air |
| Cannon | 3 | Defensive building that pulls tanks |
| Fireball | 4 | Medium spell to clear troops and finish towers |
| Ice Golem | 2 | Mini tank and kiting tool |
| The Log | 2 | Cheap spell against swarms |
| Ice Spirit | 1 | Cycle card that freezes for a moment |
| Skeletons | 1 | Cycle card and cheap distraction |
How to play a cycle deck
- Defend cheaply. Positive elixir trades are the whole engine of the deck.
- Pressure often, with small pushes. Chip damage from every Hog Rider adds up over the match.
- Count your cycle. Know which cards the opponent used, and send the win condition when their counter is out of hand.
- Do not waste cycle cards. Skeletons and Ice Spirit often save more elixir on defense than they cost.
Example
Your opponent uses Tornado on your Hog Rider. You quickly play Ice Spirit and Skeletons to cycle, and Hog Rider is back in hand before Tornado returns. The next Hog connects for a big chunk of tower health.
Strengths and weaknesses
Cycle decks are hard to punish and reward skill, which is why they appear at the top of the ladder in almost every meta. Their weakness is heavy pushes: with cheap cards, stopping a big beatdown push in double elixir requires precise defense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What average elixir counts as a cycle deck?
There is no official cut-off, but most players call decks around 3.0 or lower cycle decks, with the fastest ones below 2.8.
Can any win condition be used in a cycle deck?
Fast, cheap win conditions work best, such as Hog Rider, Royal Hogs or Miner. Expensive tanks like Golem do not fit the plan.