Clash Royale Lava Hound Decks: Mastering the Air Assault
The Lava Hound, a legendary air troop in Clash Royale, is a formidable win condition known for its massive health pool (3581 HP at tournament levels). While its damage output is minimal, its death triggers the deployment of six damaging Lava Pups, making it a powerful force. The Lava Hound's effectiveness has led to the development of numerous deck variations over time, and we'll explore some of the best currently available.
Understanding Lava Hound Decks
Lava Hound decks are primarily Beatdown decks, utilizing the Lava Hound as their core win condition, unlike traditional Giant or Golem strategies. These decks typically feature a strong air support component, complemented by one or two ground units for defense and distraction. The strategy often involves a slow, methodical push from the back, deploying the Lava Hound behind the King Tower, even at the cost of some tower health. This calculated risk-reward approach is key to success.
The introduction of the Royal Chef champion card significantly boosted the Lava Hound's popularity. The Chef's ability to upgrade troops synergizes perfectly with the Lava Hound, making it an even more potent threat. If unlocked, the Royal Chef should be your preferred Tower Troop when employing a Lava Hound deck.
Top-Tier Lava Hound Decks
Here are three high-performing Lava Hound decks currently dominating the Clash Royale meta:
Let's delve into the specifics of each:
This popular deck combines two powerful flying win conditions. While its 4.0 average elixir cost isn't the lowest, its faster cycle compared to other Lava Hound decks makes it highly effective.
| Card Name | Elixir Cost |
|---|---|
| Evo Zap | 2 |
| Evo Valkyrie | 4 |
| Guards | 3 |
| Fireball | 4 |
| Skeleton Dragons | 4 |
| Inferno Dragon | 4 |
| Balloon | 5 |
| Lava Hound | 7 |
The Valkyrie and Guards serve as crucial ground support. The Valkyrie handles swarm units like Skeleton Army or Goblin Gang, while the Guards provide strong DPS against units such as Pekka or Hog Rider. The Lava Hound and Balloon are deployed together for a devastating combined push, with the Hound tanking for the Balloon. Inferno Dragon provides excellent air defense, and the spells (Evo Zap and Fireball) offer versatility. Skeleton Dragons are used to push the Balloon further or reposition it.
This deck cleverly utilizes evolution cards to maximize damage.
| Card Name | Elixir Cost |
|---|---|
| Evo Bomber | 2 |
| Evo Goblin Cage | 4 |
| Arrows | 3 |
| Guards | 3 |
| Skeleton Dragons | 4 |
| Inferno Dragon | 4 |
| Lightning | 6 |
| Lava Hound | 7 |
The Evo Bomber delivers significant tower damage when strategically deployed, while the Evo Goblin Cage acts as a powerful defense against various win conditions. Guards continue their role as ground support, and the air support remains a combination of Inferno Dragon and Skeleton Dragons. Lightning is used for both offensive and defensive purposes, and Arrows provide effective swarm control.
A slightly heavier deck, but easier to learn, using some of the meta's strongest cards.
| Card Name | Elixir Cost |
|---|---|
| Evo Skeletons | 1 |
| Evo Valkyrie | 4 |
| Arrows | 3 |
| Skeleton Dragons | 4 |
| Inferno Dragon | 4 |
| Prince | 5 |
| Lightning | 6 |
| Lava Hound | 7 |
Evo Valkyrie's tornado effect is highly effective, and Evo Skeletons provide additional DPS. The Prince offers a secondary push option with its charge damage. Air support is again handled by Skeleton Dragons and Inferno Dragon. The push strategy is similar to the LavaLoon deck. The Prince can be substituted with a Mini-Pekka for a lower elixir cost.
Conclusion
Lava Hound decks require a different approach than cycle decks, focusing on a slow, controlled push. These decks provide a solid starting point, but experimentation with card combinations is crucial to finding the perfect strategy for your playstyle.
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