Top Lava Hound Decks in Clash Royale

The Lava Hound, a Legendary air troop in Clash Royale, is renowned for its massive health pool of 3581 HP at tournament levels, making it a formidable win condition. While it inflicts minimal damage, its true strength lies in its ability to spawn six Lava Pups upon destruction, which can target anything within their range. Over time, as new cards have been introduced, Lava Hound decks have evolved, yet they remain a solid choice for climbing the competitive ladder. Here, we explore how Lava Hound decks function and highlight some of the best decks to try in the current meta.

How Does a Lava Hound Deck Work?

Lava Hound decks operate similarly to Beatdown Decks, but instead of using a Giant or Golem, they leverage the Lava Hound as the primary win condition. These decks often incorporate a mix of air troops for support, with minimal ground units to defend or distract the opponent's cards. The strategy typically involves initiating a powerful push by deploying the Lava Hound at the back of the King Tower, sometimes at the cost of sacrificing a tower. These decks are slow and methodical, requiring players to be patient and strategic in their approach.

Historically, Lava Hound decks have maintained a strong win and usage rate across all skill levels, akin to Log Bait decks. Their popularity surged with the introduction of the Royal Chef, a champion building that can level up troops, synergizing exceptionally well with the Lava Hound. If you have the Royal Chef unlocked, it's highly recommended to use it as your Tower Troop when running a Lava Hound deck.

Best Lava Hound Decks in Clash Royale

Here are three top Lava Hound decks to consider in the current Clash Royale meta:

• LavaLoon Valkyrie
• Lava Hound Double Dragon
• Lava Lightning Prince

Detailed information on each deck follows.

LavaLoon Valkyrie

The LavaLoon Valkyrie deck is a popular choice, combining two powerful flying win conditions. With an average elixir cost of 4.0, it's not the cheapest, but it offers a quicker cycle compared to other Lava Hound decks. Here are the cards you'll need:

This deck utilizes Valkyrie and Guards as its ground troops, each serving distinct roles. The Evo Valkyrie acts as a mini-tank, effectively dealing with swarm troops like the Skeleton Army or Goblin Gang, and can tank hits from X-Bow decks. Guards provide ground DPS against units like Pekka or Hog Rider, offering excellent value due to their durability.

To execute a push, start with the Lava Hound at the back and deploy the Balloon on the bridge as soon as the Lava Hound reaches it. The Lava Hound tanks for the Balloon, ensuring it reaches its target. A single Balloon hit can be crucial in determining the outcome of the match.

The Inferno Dragon serves as a potent air DPS unit, capable of handling high-HP units like Golem or Giant. For spells, Evo Zap resets enemy towers or troops, while Fireball clears out counters like Musketeer or directly damages the enemy tower. Skeleton Dragons can push the Balloon forward or out of range of enemy buildings.

Lava Hound Double Dragon

The introduction of evolution cards shifted the Clash Royale meta, but most Lava Hound decks remained largely unchanged. However, the Lava Hound Double Dragon deck stands out. Here are the cards required:

While the Lava Hound remains the primary win condition, the Evo Bomber can deal significant damage to towers if used strategically. The Evo Goblin Cage is a robust defensive tool, capable of stopping most win conditions, including the Royal Giant, unless countered by Lightning or Rocket.

Guards continue to provide DPS support and protect against ground troops. Without a Balloon, the focus is on breaking through with the Lava Hound. Air support comes from the familiar combination of Inferno Dragon and Skeleton Dragons.

For spells, Lightning targets defensive troops or buildings, delivering substantial damage to towers, while Arrows clear swarms or units defending against your push. Arrows are more damaging than Log or Snowball, making them ideal for spell cycling later in the game.

Lava Lightning Prince

The Lava Lightning Prince deck may not be the strongest, but it's a good starting point for those new to the Lava Hound archetype. Despite its higher elixir cost, it's user-friendly, featuring some of the meta's strongest cards. Here are the cards you'll need:

The Evo Valkyrie is considered the best evolution card to pair with a Lava Hound deck, as its Evo form generates a small tornado that pulls in both air and ground troops. Evo Skeletons provide versatile DPS, capable of handling various threats.

The Prince adds a secondary pressure point, with its charge damage capable of clearing the field and dealing significant damage to towers. Skeleton Dragons manage swarms, while the Inferno Dragon tackles tanks or mini-tanks. Initiate your push with the Lava Hound behind the King Tower, timing it to benefit from the Royal Chef's level-up buff.

For a lower elixir cost, you can replace the Prince with a Mini-Pekka.

Lava Hound decks require patience and a strategic approach, focusing on building overwhelming pushes rather than quick cycles. The decks outlined here provide a solid foundation, but experimenting with different card combinations can help you find what best suits your playstyle.