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Building A Battle Deck in Clash Royale That Works

I’m getting better at Clash Royale, but I still have a really long way to go before I feel like I’ll be on the level of some of the guys in my clan. I put in maybe a combined 30 minutes to an hour a day battling my way to victory (or major loss) which doesn’t seem like a lot, but for a game that lasts 3 minutes per battle — and played on my iPhone — that’s pretty good. My biggest struggle has been in finding a good deck that synergizes with the cards I have (and don’t have) as well as counters what is most often used. Here’s what I came up with…

Clash Royale Arena 3 Deck

I’m currently in Arena 3. I was one or two matches away from Arena 4 when I went on a massive losing streak all the way back to Arena 2 and had to take a serious moment to stop and rethink what I was doing. I was constantly changing my deck, constantly thinking that every loss meant my deck was flawed. Every adjustment I made, I realize the next deck I fought countered me.

My problem wasn’t exactly in my cards, although they were certainly a component. My strategies were flawed too. I would see the mistakes I was making right as I made them. Every match was a “WHY did I just do that?!” One wrong card placement costs you the match in Clash Royale, and often recovering is only had when the enemy makes a mistake as well.

So anyway, after consulting with my clan mates they gave me some great advice. My deck is pictured above, but I want to go through it and explain how I use some of those cards and the strategies involved.

Keen’s Clash Royale Arena 3 Battle Deck:

  • Prince
  • Witch
  • Musketeer
  • Knight
  • Spear Goblins
  • Goblins
  • Goblin Hut
  • Arrows

The key strategy of my deck is to overwhelm BOTH lanes. I start by placing my Witch on one lane at the very back behind my towers. This gives her a chance to summon two skeletons groups by the time she reaches the middle, but also allows me to see how my opponent reacts. If they overcompensate to thwart the Witch, I send my Prince along with a musketeer or spear or anything else to the other side. Chances are I have caught them low on elixir and they not only lose a tower but are stuck on defense the rest of the game.

My deck is also fairly good against air. Muskeeteer takes out balloons with the help of Spear Goblins and the Witch. The Knight is a highly underrated card because he hits well and can really tank nicely — I’ve often had him tank for the prince. Goblins are great to disperse their melee, and Goblin Hut + Spears + Goblins in one lane with Prince or Witch in another is a second great push.

Decks I struggle against usually consist of a good combo of the Baby Dragon and Skeleton Army — I own neither because my luck sucks. I just had to realize that I won’t beat every match up, but on the balance I’m starting to pull ahead with more wins than losses.

I’d love to talk strategies with you guys if any of you play, or bounce ideas for decks off each other. My biggest recommendation would be to think about specific cards that usually lead to your opponent winning, and making sure that you at least counter the majority of them. You can’t counter them all, it simply doesn’t work that way. Find a balance and tactics that work for you and run with them.

  • Ugh, so I downloaded it, and it is pretty fun. I like how quick things go and there is some strategy. I just did the training matches and a few multiplayer. What’s the counter to tanks? Seems like they are vulnerable to air units usually. I got a Baby Dragon card, which seems good.

  • I used to swear by the Arrows spell, but lately I’m not sure. There was one particular match I played in which I used it unnecessarily (the enemy troops would have died to my tower anyway) and that “lost” 3 elixir was the difference between victory and defeat. Since then, I’ve started to realize that I would rather have that 3 elixir to drop a Baby Dragon or other troops that might survive the troops that need to be killed and otherwise turn the momentum.

    Of course, then I get wrecked by a Skeleton Army drop. Oh well.

  • @Werit: When someone sends a Giant against me I put a couple of Goblins behind him or a Musketeer on him and he’s usually toast before inflicting too much onto my towers. If a tank + just about anything else then I have to adapt. Usually I’ll bring out the witch and a musket or goblins.

    When the tank is a Giant Skeleton I distract it with a Soldier place just far enough away that the skeleton chases. It’s awesome watching it lumber away from my base chasing a unit while I then drop something like a Musketeer to chip away at him.

    @Azuriel: I strictly use the arrows to counter skeleton army or if I get unlucky and they swarm me with a Goblin Hut and a Graveyard. Rarely I’ll use the arrows to take out a barrel — times just right, the arrows nullify the barrel completely.

  • The Prince is still responsible for most of my losses today. He is tanky and hits very hard.

    For the Skeleton Mob, I use Arrows or the Valk.

  • The prince is countered by skeleton army or barbarian + support. He’s definitely the linchpin of my success right now. I force people to have to counter him, then while they’re busy with that I swarm them.

  • Sadly, I don’t have much yet. Seems like everyone has a skeleton army. For the Prince, I tend to drop the little robot guy as he hits hard too.

  • Yeah robot + a knight will do it. Even a knight alone would stop him enough to let your towers help. I don’t have a Baby Dragon or a Skeleton army. 🙁

  • I used to use the barrel of goblins but opted out of it. I ended up spending so much elixir for such little gain that I wouldn’t have enough to counter.

  • I always keep arrows in my deck I’m at arena 4 now.
    They have so much value for their 3 cost if the enemy spawns several small units.

    Goblins, goblins with spears, skeleton army, minion flyers, big group of 6 minion flyers.
    They all die to the 3 mana arrows. Hit several groups and oooh skyrocket in mana advantage.

    I do not use them on bigger troops, unless they get caught in the crossfire hitting smaller units.

    Just unlocked the 7 mana big pecca. A bit disappointing thus far, because its only lvl 1.
    Probably a powerhouse at high lvls. (hello premium players!!)

  • I’m still hanging around Arena 2 at Level 2 on my first day. The trouble is almost everyone I face is Level 3 or 4, so they have a tower advantage. I wonder why that’s happening. Is their matchmaking just based on trophies?

  • Just started tonight and not doing bad, but man, it’s really hard to counter the prince with only the starter cards. Only thing I have other than starters is musketeer.

  • Matchmaking is trophy-only, yup.

    Another tip that has been working well for me is to follow this basic card formula: Commons at or close to your level, rares 1-2 levels lower, epics 1-2 levels lower than rares. So if you are level 6, your commons should be 6, rares 4ish, epics 2+. I was using level 1 epics for too long and struggled, dropped them and started using high commons or rares and moved up. Level 5 on my alt and dip between arena 4 and 5.

  • I have been dabbling with it. What I like to do is nothing! To be more clear, I fill my deck with all low elixir cost cards and wait till I am full and then just unleash everything at once. I get a kick out of watching like 20 little goblins charge a tower and just imagine the other player cursing their decision to send something down the other lane 🙂

  • Prince can be countered by tombstone, skeleton army, barbarians, minions, perhaps cheap 2 cost goblins with ranged units behind it. (most counters cost around 5 mana. The prince also costs 5 mana)

    Everyone gets annihilated by the prince in the begin.
    In higher arenas he gets dealt with easy. I do not even use prince anymore, because of that.

  • @Zyler: I’m having success in arena 4 with the prince still. I use him as my “you must counter this” unit. If you counter him, I’ll waste your elixir and go around you. Don’t counter him… fine by me! 😀

  • I’ve started using minions against The Prince. Pretty much takes care of it unless I have some bad luck. Still, the biggest main is getting matched up against players 3 levels above me. My split push strategy is tougher when their turrets are stronger.

  • My you must counter this unit atm is the hot air balloon.
    As soon as I see they used most their anti air units… Goes well with the arrows spell.

  • Hmm did CR only just open in USA? All of you seem to be substantially lower level than me and most of my clan. And I am usually behind the curve (in EU here)