Hog 2.6 Clash Royale Guide — Deck, Cycle Strategy & Tips 2025
Complete Hog 2.6 guide for Clash Royale: full deck list, cycle strategy, elixir management and how to win with the classic meta deck.
Hog 2.6 is Clash Royale's most enduring competitive archetype. Named for its 2.6 average elixir cost, this cycle deck has been played at top ladder for years and remains a meta staple. The goal: cycle Hog Rider repeatedly while denying your opponent's win condition with reactive defense.
The Deck
| Card | Elixir | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Hog Rider | 4 | Win condition |
| Musketeer | 4 | Defensive anchor |
| The Log | 2 | Ground swarm counter |
| Fireball | 4 | Spell; kills Musketeer + supports |
| Ice Golem | 2 | Disposable tank; kiting |
| Ice Spirit | 1 | Cycle; freeze assist |
| Skeletons | 1 | Cycle; distraction |
| Cannon | 3 | Defensive building |
Average Elixir: 2.6
The Cycle Strategy
- Defend everything with minimum elixir in single elixir. Your Cannon counters Hog Rider. Musketeer + Ice Golem counters Balloon. Log + Skeletons counters Goblin Barrel.
- Cycle back to Hog Rider as fast as possible using cheap cards (Ice Spirit 1 elixir, Skeletons 1 elixir, Log 2 elixir).
- Play Hog Rider when opponent is at 6 elixir or less. They lack the resources for a Cannon + support response.
Elixir Management
Never let your elixir cap at 10. At 10, play any cheap card (Skeletons or Ice Spirit) to cycle.
The positive elixir trade cycle: Defend their Hog Rider with Cannon (3 elixir) vs their 4-elixir push = +1 elixir advantage. Repeat 3 times per minute = +3 elixir per minute advantage = extra Hog Rider push each minute.
Winning in Double Elixir
In double elixir (1:00 remaining): Don't change your strategy. The defensive synergies of 2.6 work equally well with double resources — and so does your attack. Add Ice Golem + Hog Rider for a protected push.
See SnapPick Clash Royale Decks for the latest Hog 2.6 win rate data.
Data sourced from the official Clash Royale API.