Quick answer: At 6000–7000 trophies (Challenger 3 to Master 1), Graveyard Poison is the most consistent climbing deck and Royal Hogs Earthquake is the strongest counter to the common beatdown and spawner opponents you'll face. Both require near-max card levels — Commons at L14+, Rares L12+.

Best Clash Royale Decks for 6000–7000 Trophies (Challenger 3 to Master 1) — Feb 2026

The 6000–7000 trophy range marks the transition from consistent mid-ladder play to the high-skill competitive ladder. At Challenger 3 and early Master 1, you face opponents who have mastered their decks, use spell value precisely, and exploit any positional mistake. Generic "ladder" decks start to underperform here.

This guide covers the four best decks for this range in February 2026, with full card lists, why each deck works, and how to execute them effectively.

Deck Comparison (at a glance)

Graveyard Poison — Most Consistent Overall

Graveyard Poison is the best deck for climbing through 6000–7000 trophies because it rewards defensive patience and punishes opponents who try to rush or over-commit. One successful Graveyard + Poison combo deals 2000–3000 damage to the crown tower.

Deck list

• Graveyard
• Poison
• Knight (Evolved)
• Tombstone
• Skeleton Army
• Baby Dragon
• Tornado
• Princess

Average elixir: 3.8

How to win

Your strategy has two phases. In single elixir, defend everything with minimum elixir (Knight, Tombstone, Skeleton Army). Do not commit Graveyard until you know which spell your opponent has to counter it — typically Arrows, Fireball, or a fast troop + Zap combination.

Once you identify their counter, track their spell cycle. When their Graveyard counter is out of hand, drop Graveyard on the corner of the crown tower (the tile farthest from their troops), followed immediately by Poison centered on the tower.

Exact placement sequence:

1. Graveyard spell: target the front corner tile of the opponent's crown tower
2. Poison: drop immediately, centered 2 tiles into the tower's hitbox — this covers all 12 skeleton spawn points
3. If opponent drops troops to defend: Tornado those troops into your Poison zone

Matchup notes

vs Hog 2.6: Tombstone kites the Hog and spawns Skeletons. This matchup favors you slightly — wait for their Earthquake on your Tombstone, then Graveyard the opposite lane.

vs Giant Beatdown: Skeleton Army + Baby Dragon handles the Giant push cleanly. Spend minimal elixir defending, maintain your lead, and Graveyard when they rebuild.

vs Mirror Graveyard: Who has the better Poison timing wins. Bait their Tornado with a Princess or cheap troop, then commit.

Royal Hogs Earthquake — Best vs Beatdown and Spawners

Royal Hogs Earthquake beats beatdown by punishing their slow, building-dependent defense. When your opponent places a Tombstone, Furnace, or Bomb Tower to stop your Hogs, Earthquake destroys it instantly for 3 elixir profit.

Deck list

• Royal Hogs
• Earthquake
• Musketeer
• Skeletons
• Ice Golem
• Barbarian Barrel
• The Log
• Tornado

Average elixir: 3.1

How to win

Royal Hogs split to both lanes on bridge deployment — your opponent must defend both sides simultaneously. Most defensive buildings (Tombstone, Furnace, Bomb Tower, Goblin Hut) only cover one lane, making Earthquake a guaranteed removal tool.

Core combo: Royal Hogs (5 elixir) + Earthquake (3 elixir) = 8 elixir, guaranteed tower damage against any building-defending opponent.

Exact plays:

1. Send Royal Hogs at the bridge when you have 8+ elixir in hand (need EQ in reserve)
2. Wait for the opponent to place a building reaction, then drop Earthquake immediately
3. In double elixir: Musketeer behind Ice Golem as a secondary push while Hogs apply pressure

Why it beats the 6000-7000 meta specifically

Beatdown decks peak in popularity around 5000-6000 trophies but remain common at 6000-7000. Royal Hogs EQ specifically exploits their reliance on defensive buildings — Tombstone (Graveyard player), Furnace (spawner player), and Bomb Tower (general meta).

Xbow 3.0 — Best for Patient Players

Xbow 3.0 excels at 6000-7000 because opponents at this range have diverse card pools but fewer dedicated X-Bow counters than you find at 8000+. One successful X-Bow lock deals 4000+ damage — nearly a full tower in one cycle.

Deck list

• X-Bow
• Tesla
• The Log
• Skeletons
• Ice Spirit
• Ice Golem
• Arrows
• Barbarian Barrel

Average elixir: 2.9

How to win

X-Bow must be placed at the river, center column, when the opponent has no available bridge-area troops. Tesla placed directly behind it handles all air threats. Ice Golem in front absorbs the opponent's counter-push while X-Bow fires.

The critical rule for this range: If your opponent rushes the opposite lane to distract from X-Bow, defend with only Skeletons and Ice Spirit — minimum 3 elixir total — and let X-Bow fire freely. Trading 1000 tower damage for 4000 X-Bow damage is always profitable.

Lava Hound Lightning — High Risk, High Reward

Lava Hound Lightning is the highest-ceiling deck in this range but also the highest risk. It wins by filling the sky with a Lava Hound + Balloon + Lava Pup air push that opponents without dedicated air defense cannot stop.

Deck list

• Lava Hound
• Balloon
• Miner
• Tombstone
• Lightning
• Mega Minion
• Arrows
• Zap

Average elixir: 4.2

How to win

Lava Hound goes in the back at the King Tower. As it walks forward, Balloon is deployed behind it. Miner at the tower soaks the first Inferno targeting. Lava Hound tanks for the Balloon, then explodes into 6 Lava Pups when it dies.

The key risk: if your opponent has Mega Minion, Musketeer, or Inferno Dragon, they counter your push for minimal elixir. Lightning removes any single high-HP air counter before the push reaches the tower.

Exact plays:

1. Identify opponent's air counter in the first 30 seconds
2. Save Lightning specifically to eliminate that card
3. Miner on the opposite tower once Lava Hound push is at the river — forces split defense

Card Level Requirements for 6000-7000 Trophies

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best decks for 6000-7000 trophies in Clash Royale?

Graveyard Poison and Royal Hogs Earthquake are the two best decks for 6000-7000 trophies in February 2026. Graveyard Poison rewards patient defense and spell-baiting; Royal Hogs EQ punishes beatdown and spawner opponents who rely on buildings. Xbow 3.0 is strong if you face heavy cycle or control opponents in your win streak.

What card levels do I need for 6000-7000 trophies?

You need Commons at Level 13 minimum (Level 14 is comfortable), Rares at Level 11-12, and Legendaries at Level 6-7 to compete at 6000-7000 trophies. Below Level 12 Commons, the tower HP and troop survivability gaps make it very difficult to overcome skilled opponents.

How is 6000-7000 different from 5000-6000 trophies?

At 6000-7000 trophies, opponents use spell value more precisely, almost never over-commit in single elixir, and have mastered at least one deck's optimal cycle. The meta also shifts — cheap Hog 2.6 decks become less dominant, and control/siege decks (Graveyard, Xbow) become more common. You need a clear win condition and consistent execution to climb.

How do I get from 6000 to 7000 trophies fast?

Pick Graveyard Poison or Royal Hogs Earthquake and commit to 30+ games with that deck. Track your most common loss condition (usually: Graveyard countered by spell they always had ready, or Hogs stopped by a building you didn't Earthquake). Make one adjustment based on those losses, not a full deck change.

Is Lava Hound Lightning good at 6000-7000 trophies?

Lava Hound Lightning can reach 7000 trophies but is inconsistent at this range because many players at 6000+ carry Mega Minion, Musketeer, or Inferno Dragon as standard deck components. Against decks with dedicated air counters, Lava Hound loses badly. Use it if you face a lot of building-heavy or ground-only decks in your specific matchup pool.