Quick answer: The February 2026 Clash Royale meta is dominated by Royal Hogs 2.9, Hog 2.6 with Evolved Cannon, Log Bait with Inferno Tower, and Lava Hound Balloon. The November 2025 balance patch — which buffed Tesla Evolution, Mother Witch, and Royal Recruits while nerfing Mighty Miner and Evolved Firecracker — continues to shape high-ladder play.
Clash Royale Meta Decks: Best Decks for Every Trophy Range — Feb 2026
This is the weekly meta update edition of our deck guide — focused on what changed recently and which decks are winning right now at top ladder. For a deeper breakdown of evergreen meta fundamentals, see the main meta strategy guide. Here we track the shifts: what moved up, what fell, and what the top players are actually running this week.
What Changed: November 2025 Balance Patch Impact (Still Felt in February 2026)
The November 2025 balance update was significant and its effects have settled into a stable new meta over the past three months.
Buffs that matter:
Tesla Evolution received a stat boost that made it the premier defensive building against Hog Rider and air troops simultaneously. Evolved Tesla now activates with a stun burst that resets Inferno Dragon ramp and pushes back Bridge Spam troops. Any deck that can run Evolved Tesla gained a meaningful defensive upgrade. Royal Hogs 2.9 and X-Bow 3.0 variants are the primary beneficiaries.
Mother Witch returned to viability after a HP buff. She now survives Fireball at tournament standard card levels, which was the main reason she fell out of the meta. Golem Night Witch decks have started replacing Night Witch with Mother Witch in some variants as a result.
Royal Recruits received a deployment speed buff, making the split-lane pressure they create harder to react to. They appear in several midrange control shells at 5000–7000 trophies.
Nerfs that matter:
Mighty Miner was the biggest nerf recipient. His shield HP was reduced, meaning the interaction where Mighty Miner shield-tanked Fireball and survived no longer works consistently. He dropped from S-tier to A-tier at high ladder as a result. Decks that relied on Mighty Miner as a primary win condition have shifted to Miner or Hog Rider alternatives.
Evolved Firecracker had her multi-shot count reduced from 4 to 3 hits. She remains a strong card but no longer single-handedly stops air troops the way she did pre-patch. Decks that relied on Evolved Firecracker as their primary air defense have adjusted to include Mega Minion or Musketeer.
Top 4 Meta Decks: February 2026
| Deck | Tier | Avg Elixir | 7-Day Win Rate | Trophy Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Hogs 2.9 + Evolved Tesla | S | 2.9 | 53.5% | 5000–8000 |
| Hog 2.6 + Evolved Cannon | S | 2.6 | 52.1% | 4000–8000 |
| Log Bait + Inferno Tower | A | 3.3 | 53.6% | 4000–7000 |
| Lava Hound Balloon (LavaLoon) | A | 3.8 | 51.4% | 5000–8000 |
Deck 1 (S-Tier): Royal Hogs 2.9 with Evolved Tesla
Cards: Royal Hogs, Archer Queen, Evolved Tesla (or regular Tesla), Cannon, Earthquake, Skeletons, Ice Spirit, Log.
Why it is S-tier this week: Royal Hogs 2.9 has been the most-played deck at 6000+ trophies for six consecutive weeks. The split-lane pressure from Royal Hogs forces opponents to commit to one side, and Earthquake punishes any building placed to stop them. Evolved Tesla activates the stun burst on the first shock, stopping Bridge Spam and Hog Rider pushes cold.
What changed: Evolved Tesla's buff made the deck significantly stronger against air threats. Previously, air troops could bypass Tesla's targeting priority on certain placements. The stun burst now reliably hits Balloon and Mega Minion, which was the deck's main weakness.
How to play it: Split Royal Hogs early to probe their spell rotation. Earthquake when they place a building to stop Hogs. Archer Queen on defense against pushes that Evolved Tesla cannot handle alone. Win by cycling Hogs faster than your opponent can respond. This deck rewards patience — do not commit to large pushes, win on small chip damage accumulated over 3 minutes.
Primary counters: Beatdown decks with heavy splash (Golem Night Witch — splash clears the Hogs), opposite-lane pressure (this deck has limited defense if you ignore the Hog threat), reactive buildings placed before the Hogs cross the bridge.
Deck 2 (S-Tier): Hog 2.6 with Evolved Cannon
Cards: Hog Rider, Musketeer, Ice Golem, Evolved Cannon, Skeletons, Ice Spirit, Fireball, Log.
Why it is S-tier this week: Hog 2.6 is the most consistent ladder deck in Clash Royale history and remains true in February 2026. Evolved Cannon gained a shield burst on activation that stops Hog Rider for one hit — the mirror matchup advantage this provides is significant. The deck wins by converting every defense into a Hog counterpush and chipping the tower with Fireball.
What changed: Evolved Cannon's buff was relatively minor but impactful in mirror matches and against Bridge Spam. Hog 2.6 also benefits from the Mighty Miner nerf — previously, Mighty Miner shielded through Fireball and contested Hog Rider pushes efficiently. That interaction is now weakened.
How to play it: Defend with Musketeer, Ice Golem, Skeletons, and Cannon. Immediately counterpush with Hog Rider after every successful defense. Fireball when it hits Musketeer plus the tower — never Fireball small troops alone. Log on Inferno Tower reset when Hog crosses. Win by doing this cycle perfectly for 3 minutes.
Primary counters: Inferno Tower decks (particularly if paired with Hog pressure that denies your counterpush), P.E.K.K.A. Bridge Spam (forces expensive defensive decisions), and Royal Giant cycle (outranges the Cannon).
Deck 3 (A-Tier): Log Bait with Inferno Tower
Cards: Goblin Barrel, Princess, Rocket, Knight, Inferno Tower, Goblin Gang, Ice Spirit, Log.
Why it is A-tier this week: Log Bait remains one of the highest win-rate decks at 4000–7000 trophies because Inferno Tower hard-counters all beatdown win conditions while Goblin Barrel and Princess generate consistent chip damage. The November patch did not directly affect any core Log Bait cards, but the Evolved Firecracker nerf reduced a card that previously countered Goblin Barrel efficiently — a slight indirect buff.
How to play it: Bait your opponent's Log or small spell with Goblin Gang or Princess early. Once you identify their small spell is spent, send Goblin Barrel. Defend every push with Inferno Tower — it melts Giant, Golem, Mega Knight, and Electro Giant automatically. Rocket their stacked support troops when they clump near the tower. Win by spell cycling to victory once their tower drops below 1500 HP.
Primary counters: Rocket decks (Rocket kills Princess and denies Barrel value), heavy Lightning users (Lightning kills Inferno Tower and Princess simultaneously), fast cycle decks that can bait Inferno Tower with a Hog before sending real pressure.
Deck 4 (A-Tier): Lava Hound Balloon (LavaLoon)
Cards: Lava Hound, Balloon, Mega Minion, Tombstone, Fireball, Zap, Guards, Barbarian Barrel.
Why it is A-tier this week: LavaLoon remains powerful because Lava Hound is one of the few win conditions that Inferno Tower struggles against (Lava Hound has enough HP to absorb Inferno while splitting into Pups). Balloon behind Lava Hound deals massive tower damage. At top ladder, opponents who run heavy ground defense have no efficient air answer.
What changed: The Mother Witch buff has made certain LavaLoon variants swap Night Witch for Mother Witch, especially in Golem-hybrid versions. Pure LavaLoon as listed above is unchanged but benefits from the metagame's continued focus on ground-heavy counter decks that under-invest in air defense.
How to play it: Open with Tombstone to probe their air defense. Float the Lava Hound on one side when you have 9+ elixir. Place Balloon behind the Hound once it passes the river. Zap or Fireball anything that targets the Balloon. Mega Minion on defense against opposing air troops. Win by forcing them to deal with Lava Hound while Balloon takes the tower.
Primary counters: Musketeer + Tornado (Tornado pulls Balloon toward King Tower, Musketeer snipes Mega Minion), Electro Dragon (chains to both Hound and Balloon), multi-air-defense decks with Mega Minion plus Musketeer plus Arrows.
What Top Ladder Players Are Running This Week
Analysis of the top 200 players by trophy count in February 2026 shows three consistent patterns:
Royal Hogs cycle variants account for approximately 28% of games at 7500+ trophies. The deck's speed and Earthquake denial of buildings make it the go-to choice for experienced players who can manage the split-Hog timing consistently.
Siege variants (X-Bow 3.0 with Evolved Electro Spirit) account for roughly 19% of top ladder play. The Evolved Electro Spirit bounce mechanic resets defensive buildings and stuns troops, which pairs with X-Bow's need to survive long enough to chip the tower. This is a high-skill deck that rewards precise placement.
Beatdown has declined from ~22% to ~14% of top ladder games since the November patch. The Mighty Miner nerf removed a key bridging card that let beatdown decks transition from defense to offense. Golem Night Witch remains viable but requires more technical play than it did in October 2025.
Evolution Cards Affecting the Current Meta
Evolved Skeletons (split into 4 on death) remain the most impactful evolution at mid-ladder. Evolved Skeletons in the cycle position of any fast deck add surprising defensive resilience because a single Fireball or Zap no longer clears them cleanly.
Evolved Knight (shield plus immunity to small spells like Zap and Log) appears in several midrange control builds. The Zap immunity means opposing Hog Rider decks cannot clear Knight cheaply, which changes how they manage their push defense.
Evolved Bats (frenzy mode on activation) are emerging in Air Beatdown cycle shells. The speed boost makes Bats a viable secondary air option behind Lava Hound in decks that otherwise lack consistent air DPS.
Evolved Goblin Barrel (barrel has HP, three goblins survive if not spelled immediately) remains the defining card in top-tier Bait decks. Opponents now need a spell on the barrel itself (not just the goblins) to stop it cleanly, which increases Goblin Barrel's chip damage consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current meta in Clash Royale in 2025?
As of February 2026, the current Clash Royale meta is dominated by Royal Hogs 2.9 (S-tier, 53.5% win rate at top ladder), Hog 2.6 with Evolved Cannon (S-tier, 52.1% win rate), Log Bait with Inferno Tower (A-tier, 53.6% win rate at mid-ladder), and LavaLoon (A-tier). The meta shifted after the November 2025 balance patch which nerfed Mighty Miner and Evolved Firecracker and buffed Tesla Evolution and Mother Witch.
What are the best Clash Royale decks this week?
In the week of February 23, 2026, the top decks by win rate are Royal Hogs 2.9 with Evolved Tesla at 53.5% and Log Bait with Inferno Tower at 53.6%. Royal Hogs 2.9 is the more consistent performer across trophy ranges (4000–8000), while Log Bait peaks at mid-ladder (4000–7000) and drops slightly against the siege and control decks common above 7000.
What deck is strongest right now in Clash Royale?
Royal Hogs 2.9 with Evolved Tesla is the strongest deck at high-trophy play (6000–8000) in February 2026 based on usage rate, win rate, and adaptability. For players at 4000–6000 trophies, Hog 2.6 with Evolved Cannon is the most reliable choice because it is easier to pilot correctly and punishes the common mistakes at that trophy range.