Quick answer: The best Arena 4 decks use P.E.K.K.A as a tank killer on defense and counterpush engine, Hog Rider with a building defense, or Royal Giant with Musketeer support. P.E.K.K.A's Playhouse is where card levels start to matter significantly — aim for Commons at level 7 and Rares at level 5 before pushing hard.

Best Clash Royale Decks for Arena 4 (P.E.K.K.A's Playhouse) — 1000-1300 Trophies

Arena 4, P.E.K.K.A's Playhouse, runs from 1000 to 1300 trophies and is the first arena where opponents consistently play around their deck's win condition rather than just throwing cards out randomly. Five significant cards unlock here — P.E.K.K.A, Inferno Tower, Goblin Barrel, Royal Giant, and Ice Wizard — and each one reshapes how matches play out. This is also the first arena where the gap between card levels noticeably affects win rate. The advice in this guide reflects what works with realistic card levels, not theoretical maximums.

What Cards Unlock in Arena 4?

P.E.K.K.A is the defining card of this arena. She is the highest single-target damage dealer in the game, capable of killing Giants in 2-3 hits and two-shotting most support troops. Learning to use her on defense and transition into a counterpush is the primary skill to develop here.

Inferno Tower is the best building for killing tanks — it locks on to a troop and deals increasing damage over time, capable of melting P.E.K.K.A or Golem in seconds. Goblin Barrel introduces a new offense type: a spell that delivers three Goblins directly to the tower, bypassing ground defenses entirely. Royal Giant is a ranged tank that attacks towers from outside their range. Ice Wizard slows all troops in an area and is one of the most versatile support cards in the game.

The 3 Best Decks for Arena 4

Deck 1: P.E.K.K.A Control

Cards: P.E.K.K.A, Musketeer, Baby Dragon, Tombstone, Knight, Archers, Fireball, Arrows

Average elixir cost: 3.9

Recommended level: Commons at 7, Rares at 5, P.E.K.K.A at 2

P.E.K.K.A is not a card you typically play on offense in this arena — she is too slow and too easy to kite. Instead, use her as a defensive tank killer. When your opponent plays Giant or Royal Giant, drop P.E.K.K.A behind your tower and let her walk into the push. She kills the tank in 2-3 hits, survives with significant HP, and then becomes the front of your counterpush with Musketeer and Baby Dragon stacked behind her. This is called a P.E.K.K.A counterpush, and it is the highest-value play sequence in Arena 4.

How to play it: Wait for your opponent to commit to a push. Drop P.E.K.K.A behind your King Tower when they send their tank. Let the defense resolve, then immediately stack Musketeer and Baby Dragon behind P.E.K.K.A as she walks forward. Your opponent will struggle to handle a 3-card push when they just spent elixir attacking.

Tombstone handles Hog Rider defensively. Knight is your cheap, flexible cycle card. Fireball and Arrows cover spell needs.

Upgrade priority: P.E.K.K.A to level 2-3 so she survives Fireball and outduels opposing epics. Musketeer to level 5 so she survives opposing Fireball.

Is P.E.K.K.A good at Arena 4? Yes. She is the defining card of this arena and counters every tank-based win condition. Her weakness is slow movement speed, which means she rarely wins games when played purely on offense. Her strength is the counterpush — she can flip a defensive stand into a game-winning attack with no additional elixir investment.

Deck 2: Hog Rider + Inferno Tower

Cards: Hog Rider, Musketeer, Knight, Inferno Tower, Cannon, Ice Wizard, Goblins, Fireball

Average elixir cost: 3.4

Recommended level: Commons at 6-7, Rares at 5, Ice Wizard at 2

This deck is the best option for players who prefer the Hog Rider playstyle and want to continue using skills built in Arena 2-3. Inferno Tower replaces Cannon as the primary defensive building — it deals dramatically more damage than Cannon against tanks and is almost impossible to leave uncontested on defense. If your opponent is running Giant, Royal Giant, or any tank-based deck, Inferno Tower buys enough time for your towers to finish them off.

Ice Wizard is the key new addition. He slows troops in an area around him, which means your Inferno Tower gets more time to lock on and ramp damage, and Hog Rider is harder to swarm. Place Ice Wizard behind your Inferno Tower on defense for maximum value.

How to play it: Cycle cheap cards in the opening to scout their deck. Send Hog Rider when your opponent is low on elixir. Defend with Inferno Tower against tanks, Knight and Goblins against single threats, Musketeer against air. Fireball handles Barbarians and grouped troops that try to stop your Hog.

Upgrade priority: Hog Rider first. Inferno Tower second — it needs to kill tanks before they reach your tower.

Deck 3: Goblin Barrel Bait

Cards: Goblin Barrel, Knight, Inferno Tower, Skeleton Army, Minions, Musketeer, Fireball, Zap

Average elixir cost: 3.5

Recommended level: Commons at 7, Rares at 5, Goblin Barrel at 2

How to use Goblin Barrel: Goblin Barrel delivers three Goblins directly to the enemy tower for 3 elixir. On its own, the opponent can counter it with Arrows, Zap, or any splash troop. The bait deck works by carrying cards that force your opponent to use their spell on something else, then punishing with Goblin Barrel while their spell is in cooldown.

Skeleton Army baits Arrows. Minions bait Arrows or Zap. Once your opponent uses their spell, immediately fire Goblin Barrel to the tower. Three Goblins hitting a tower uncontested deal 400+ damage. Repeat this pattern 3-4 times over a match and you win without ever building a traditional push.

How to play it: Open by cycling to see their cards. When you identify their spell, start baiting it. Play Skeleton Army at the bridge — if they Arrows it, they used their spell. Immediately follow with Goblin Barrel. Defend with Knight, Inferno Tower, and Musketeer while cycling back to Goblin Barrel. In double elixir, apply dual-lane pressure with Goblin Barrel on one side while they defend something else on the other.

Upgrade priority: Goblin Barrel first — level directly affects how much damage the Goblins deal per hit. Zap second, as it needs to stun Inferno Tower to protect your Barrel approach.

Card Levels for Arena 4

This is the first arena where card level gaps consistently decide games. A level 6 deck faces level 7-8 opponents regularly in the 1100-1300 range, and the HP and damage differences at those levels are significant.

Target levels: Commons at level 7 (level 6 as a minimum), Rares at level 5 (level 4 as a minimum), Epics at level 2-3. If your commons are below level 6, prioritize card collection over trophy pushing — you will plateau quickly and climb becomes frustrating rather than skill-based.

Common Mistakes at This Level

Playing P.E.K.K.A on offense from the start is one of the most common mistakes. She moves at roughly half the speed of most attacking troops and gets kited to the side by cheap buildings. Use her on defense, let her kill the tank, then counterpush with the surviving HP.

Placing Goblin Barrel on the same tile every match is a mistake that opponents quickly read. Vary your Goblin Barrel placement — left, right, and center of the tower all force slightly different defensive responses and prevent your opponent from pre-placing a troop to kill the Goblins before they reach the tower.

Inferno Tower in the corner does almost nothing against Hog Rider. Hog ignores buildings placed outside his path and goes straight to the tower. Inferno Tower, like all defensive buildings, must be placed center-field at 4 tiles from the river to redirect Hog away from the tower.

Frequently Asked Questions

What cards unlock in Arena 4?

Arena 4 (P.E.K.K.A's Playhouse) unlocks P.E.K.K.A, Inferno Tower, Goblin Barrel, Royal Giant, and Ice Wizard. P.E.K.K.A and Inferno Tower are the two most impactful for changing how you play defense. Goblin Barrel introduces the spell-bait archetype. Royal Giant is a viable alternative win condition for players who want a ranged tank.

Is P.E.K.K.A good at Arena 4?

P.E.K.K.A is one of the best cards in Arena 4, used defensively. She kills every tank in the game at an elixir advantage when deployed behind your King Tower, and the surviving HP becomes a free counterpush. She is less effective when played offensively from scratch because her slow movement speed makes her easy to kite and cheap to defend with buildings.

What is the best deck for P.E.K.K.A's Playhouse?

The most consistent deck is P.E.K.K.A Control (P.E.K.K.A, Musketeer, Baby Dragon, Tombstone, Knight, Archers, Fireball, Arrows) at recommended card levels. Hog Rider + Inferno Tower is the best choice if you prefer the faster, cycle-based playstyle. Both decks are viable at 1000-1300 trophies with level 6-7 commons.

How do I use Goblin Barrel effectively?

Goblin Barrel wins games by chip damage accumulation, not by dealing 1000 damage in one shot. The key is baiting your opponent's spell before using it. Play Skeleton Army or Minions at the bridge — if they use Arrows, immediately send Goblin Barrel to the tower. Your opponent cannot Arrows again for several seconds and the Goblins deal free damage. Three to four successful Barrel shots add up to a tower.

Why do I keep losing at 1000-1300 trophies?

The most common cause is card levels. If your commons are below level 6-7, you lose HP and damage trades that you should win, which cascades into losing matches you play correctly. The second most common cause is playing P.E.K.K.A on offense rather than using her as a defensive-then-counterpush tool. The third is building placement — Inferno Tower, Cannon, and Tombstone all need center placement to function correctly against Hog Rider.

Is Royal Giant worth using in Arena 4?

Royal Giant is a viable win condition in this range because he attacks towers from outside their range and many opponents do not have a reliable answer to his sustained damage. He is weaker in later arenas where Inferno Tower becomes universal, but at 1000-1300 trophies, he wins games. Pair him with Musketeer and Baby Dragon for support and run Zap to reset Inferno Tower.

Once you reach 1300 trophies, Arena 5 (Spell Valley) brings Tornado, Executioner, and Graveyard into the mix — the beginning of true mid-ladder play.

Get a personalized deck and upgrade recommendation for your collection at ClashCoachAI.