Quick answer: The best Arena 2 deck is Giant + Musketeer + Tombstone + Skeleton Army + Bomber + Archers + Fireball + Arrows. Place Giant behind your King Tower, support with Musketeer, and use Tombstone on defense to handle Hog Rider. Most players reach 600 trophies within a week using this setup.
Best Clash Royale Decks for Arena 2 (Bone Pit) — 300-600 Trophies Guide
Arena 2, Bone Pit, runs from 300 to 600 trophies and introduces some of the most important cards in Clash Royale. Hog Rider, Tombstone, Skeleton Army, and Baby Dragon all unlock here, and each one changes how you think about offense and defense. This guide covers three decks that work with the cards available at this stage and explains the concept of building a deck around a single win condition — the skill that separates players who climb quickly from those who stall.
What Cards Unlock in Arena 2?
Bone Pit adds several key cards to the pool: Hog Rider, Tombstone, Skeleton Army, Baby Dragon, Valkyrie, Bomber, and Prince (if not already unlocked). Hog Rider is the most impactful unlock at this stage. He targets buildings directly, moves faster than any ground troop, and teaches the concept of cycle decks — low-elixir decks designed to play Hog Rider as often as possible.
If Hog Rider drops into your chest rewards early, building around him immediately is worth doing even before you have all the supporting cards.
Understanding Win Conditions
A win condition is the card in your deck specifically designed to damage the enemy tower. Every strong deck is built around exactly one. The rest of your eight cards exist to support that win condition — protecting it on offense, cycling back to it quickly, and defending so you can counterpush.
Common mistakes at this level include running two or three win conditions in the same deck (Giant + Hog Rider + Prince) or having no clear win condition at all and relying on chip damage from support troops. Both approaches lead to inconsistent results. Choose one win condition and build the other seven cards around it.
The 3 Best Decks for Arena 2
| Deck | Win condition | Primary counters | Best vs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giant Beatdown | Giant | P.E.K.K.A, Inferno Tower | Control and defensive decks |
| Hog Rider Cycle | Hog Rider | Cannon, Tombstone, buildings | Beatdown and tank-heavy decks |
| Baby Dragon Splash | Baby Dragon | Inferno Tower, Musketeer | Swarm-heavy opponents |
Deck 1: Giant Beatdown (Best Starting Point)
Cards: Giant, Musketeer, Tombstone, Skeleton Army, Bomber, Archers, Fireball, Arrows
Average elixir cost: 3.5
This deck works because Giant absorbs tower shots while Musketeer and Bomber deal free damage from safety. Tombstone handles Hog Rider defensively — place it in the center of your arena when you see Hog coming and the skeletons it spawns will swarm and kill him. Skeleton Army destroys opposing Giants.
How to play it: Place Giant behind your King Tower when you have enough elixir and a read on your opponent's deck. Add Musketeer as Giant crosses the river. Follow with Bomber if you see grouped troops defending. Fireball is best when it clips multiple troops and the tower simultaneously — this takes practice but is the highest-value spell play.
Upgrade priority: Giant first, then Arrows. Arrows must one-shot the opponent's Minion Horde — if your Arrows are underleveled, their flying troops survive and kill your Giant.
Deck 2: Hog Rider Cycle
Cards: Hog Rider, Musketeer, Knight, Cannon, Archers, Goblins, Skeleton Army, Arrows
Average elixir cost: 3.1
Hog Rider is the best win condition available in Arena 2. He targets buildings, runs faster than anything on the ground, and deals 200-300 damage per successful tower hit. This deck's low average elixir cost means you can cycle back to Hog Rider every 15-20 seconds and keep up relentless pressure.
How to play it: Open with Goblins or Archers to scout your opponent's first cards. Once you know their deck, wait until you have 6-8 elixir and their elixir is low (they just played something expensive), then drop Hog Rider at the bridge. Defend their counter-push with Cannon placed in the center of your arena and cheap troops. Repeat.
Cannon is essential in this deck. It pulls Hog Rider away from your tower when your opponent mirrors your strategy. Place it 4 tiles from the river, centered, every time you see an opposing Hog.
Upgrade priority: Hog Rider first. Hog's damage per hit scales with level, and he needs to be at a comparable level to your opponent's Hog to win the mirror matchup.
Deck 3: Baby Dragon Splash
Cards: Baby Dragon, Valkyrie, Musketeer, Tombstone, Archers, Skeleton Army, Fireball, Arrows
Average elixir cost: 3.6
Baby Dragon flies, deals splash damage to ground troops, and is extremely hard for Arena 2 opponents to counter without Musketeer or Archers. Valkyrie pairs with Baby Dragon to create a push that destroys every swarm card in the game — Skeleton Army, Goblins, Barbarians, and Goblin Gang all die instantly to the combination.
How to play it: Place Baby Dragon behind your King Tower. As he approaches the river, drop Valkyrie in front to clear ground defenders. Add Musketeer at the rear to handle any air threats and deal sustained damage. This triple combination is expensive at roughly 11 elixir total, so use it only in double elixir or after a strong defensive advantage.
Use Tombstone defensively. It distracts opposing tanks and spawns skeletons that add to your counter-push.
Upgrade priority: Musketeer and Archers, as they handle the air threats that stop Baby Dragon.
Card Levels at Arena 2
Level 3-4 cards get you to 600 trophies if you play well. Level 5 commons make it straightforward. Most opponents at this level are similarly underleveled, so skill and strategy matter more than raw card stats.
Target levels: Commons at level 4-5, Rares at level 3-4, Epics at level 2 if you have any. Request your win condition card from your clan every day.
Common Mistakes at This Level
Dropping Giant at the bridge is the most common error. When you play Giant directly at the river, you have no elixir left for support troops and the opponent can counter before you recover. Giant always goes behind your King Tower — he takes 5-6 seconds to walk forward, and that time is when you refill elixir and plan your support plays.
Sitting at 10 elixir is wasted generation. If you are not sure what to play, cycle a cheap card like Goblins or Archers in the back. Keep the bar moving.
Using Arrows on single troops is poor value. Arrows is a splash spell — it should hit Skeleton Army, Minion Horde, or Goblins at the tower. Using it on one Musketeer is a negative elixir trade.
Countering Common Threats
Against Prince: Skeleton Army is the cheapest counter (3 elixir for a 5-elixir card). Drop it directly on top of Prince once he is moving. Tombstone also works well — Prince locks on to the building while your towers and skeletons deal with him.
Against Skeleton Army: Arrows is the cleanest answer. Wait for the skeletons to fully deploy before casting — if you cast early, some skeletons survive. Bomber behind your Giant also handles them automatically.
Against Hog Rider: Cannon or Tombstone placed in the center of your arena (4 tiles from the river) redirects Hog to the building instead of your tower. Skeleton Army placed directly on Hog also works if your opponent does not have Arrows ready.
Against Minion Horde: Arrows kills them all at equal elixir. Fireball also works and adds tower damage. Never let them reach your troops uncontested.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Arena 2 deck in Clash Royale?
The most consistent Arena 2 deck is Giant Beatdown: Giant, Musketeer, Tombstone, Skeleton Army, Bomber, Archers, Fireball, Arrows. It uses all commons and rares, which level up faster and cheaper than epics, and the strategy is straightforward enough for new players to execute consistently.
How do you get out of Arena 2 fast?
Pick one deck, stick with it for at least 30 matches, and upgrade your win condition card first. Players who switch decks frequently after a few losses never develop the muscle memory or matchup knowledge needed to climb consistently. The Giant Beatdown deck at level 4-5 cards will reach 600 trophies within a week of regular play.
What cards are in Arena 2 (Bone Pit)?
Bone Pit introduces Hog Rider, Tombstone, Skeleton Army, Baby Dragon, Valkyrie, and Bomber to the card pool (in addition to everything from Arena 1). Hog Rider is the most important unlock — he becomes one of the best win conditions in the game and remains viable all the way to the highest trophy ranges.
Is Hog Rider better than Giant at Arena 2?
Both are effective win conditions, but they suit different playstyles. Giant is easier for beginners because the strategy is slow and forgiving — you have time to add support as he walks forward. Hog Rider requires better timing and awareness of your opponent's buildings and spells. If you want faster games and are comfortable with slightly more aggressive play, run Hog Rider. For pure ease of use, Giant is the better starting point.
How do I counter Skeleton Army spam?
Always run a splash spell. Arrows kills every skeleton instantly and costs the same elixir as Skeleton Army. If you see your opponent playing Skeleton Army repeatedly, it means they are spending 9 elixir on a single defensive card — exploit this by pushing harder in double elixir when they cannot afford to play it.
Should I upgrade my spells first?
Spell levels create breakpoints that decide specific interactions. Level 4 Arrows kills level 4 Minion Horde. Level 3 Arrows does not. Upgrade Arrows to match the most common troop levels you face. After Arrows, Fireball is the next priority — it needs to one-shot Bombers that defend against your Giant push.
Once you hit 600 trophies, you advance to Arena 3 (Barbarian Bowl) where Hog Rider becomes even more powerful and new win conditions open up.
Get a personalized card upgrade path based on your collection at ClashCoachAI.