Clash Royale: Best Lava Hound Decks

Clash Royale Lava Hound Decks: A Guide to Victory

The Lava Hound, a legendary air troop in Clash Royale, targets enemy buildings and boasts a massive 3581 HP (at tournament levels). While its damage output is minimal, its death triggers the deployment of six damaging Lava Pups. This high health pool makes it a powerful win condition. Over time, Lava Hound decks have evolved, adapting to new cards while retaining their effectiveness. With the right strategy, a well-constructed Lava Hound deck can easily climb the ladder. Let's explore some top-performing Lava Hound decks in the current Clash Royale meta.

How Lava Hound Decks Function

Lava Hound decks employ a beatdown strategy, but instead of relying on a Giant or Golem, the Lava Hound serves as the primary win condition. These decks typically incorporate numerous air support troops, supplemented by one or two ground units for defense and distraction.

The core strategy involves deploying the Lava Hound at the back, aiming for a powerful push, even if it means sacrificing some tower health. This is a deliberate, methodical approach that prioritizes long-term gains over immediate defense.

The Lava Hound's popularity surged with the introduction of the Royal Chef. This champion building's ability to level up troops synergizes exceptionally well with the Lava Hound, making it a crucial addition to any Lava Hound deck if unlocked.

Top Lava Hound Decks

Here are three highly effective Lava Hound decks currently dominating Clash Royale:

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

Let's delve into the specifics of each deck.

LavaLoon Valkyrie

This popular deck combines two powerful flying win conditions. While its 4.0 average elixir cost isn't the lowest, its faster cycle speed distinguishes it from other Lava Hound decks.

Card List:

The Valkyrie and Guards are the ground troops, providing crucial defense against swarm units (like Skeleton Army) and heavier threats (like Pekka). The Lava Hound and Balloon are deployed together for a devastating push, with the Hound tanking for the Balloon. Inferno Dragon provides excellent air defense, while Evo Zap and Fireball offer versatile spell support. Skeleton Dragons provide additional support and can push the Balloon out of range.

Lava Hound Double Dragon

The evolution cards significantly impacted the meta, and this deck leverages that change effectively.

Card List:

This deck uses the Evo Bomber for significant tower damage and the Evo Goblin Cage to counter various win conditions. Guards provide ground support, while Inferno Dragon and Skeleton Dragons handle air threats. Lightning offers powerful burst damage against enemy defenses and towers, and Arrows are used for swarm control and spell cycling.

Lava Lightning Prince

This deck, while not the most powerful, serves as an accessible entry point to the Lava Hound archetype.

Card List:

This deck uses the Evo Valkyrie's area-of-effect damage and Evo Skeletons for effective defense and offense. The Prince provides an additional pressure point, while Skeleton Dragons and Inferno Dragon handle air units. Lightning offers burst damage, and the Lava Hound remains the primary win condition. The Prince can be substituted with a Mini-Pekka for a lower elixir cost.

Conclusion

Mastering Lava Hound decks requires patience and strategic thinking. Their slower, methodical approach differs from cycle decks. The decks outlined above provide a strong foundation, but experimenting with card combinations is key to finding a playstyle that suits you best.