AI Overview: This Hog Mini P.E.K.K.A Princess deck averages 3.0 elixir and cycles fast. The Hog, Ice Spirit and Ice Golem make the push, and Bats and the Princess keep it moving. Hog Rider’s best list wins 61.2% over about 3,800 battles, though this exact build has no tracker sample. Every price, rarity and 2026 change is rechecked below, so you can trust each number and skip the guesswork.
Last Updated: October 2026
Key Points:
- The eight cards cost 24 elixir, which is 3.0 on average, and Lightning at 6 is the only heavy card.
- Hog Rider had no 2026 change, and his best list wins 61.2% over about 3,800 battles.
- Mini P.E.K.K.A had no 2026 change, and his best list wins 60.6% over 1,100.
- Ice Spirit’s hitpoints fell from 230 to 215, but every printed list wins 56.7% or more.
- Princess’s best list wins 65.1% over 3,500, and her Evolution was buffed on August 4.
The Hog Mini P.E.K.K.A Princess List, Priced Card by Card
The big idea. Push every time the Hog, Ice Spirit and Ice Golem are in hand. The fast cycle outruns the answer.
Matchups. Against the Mega Knight, use Ice Golem and Bats. Against Executioner and Tornado, outcycle them with Princess, Bats, Ice Spirit, then the Hog. Against beatdown, defend with Mini P.E.K.K.A and the Ice Golem. The rule: never play the Hog alone.
| Card | Elixir | Job in the deck | 2026 status |
| Hog Rider | 4 | Win condition | No 2026 change; best list 61.2% over about 3,800 |
| Mini P.E.K.K.A | 4 | Tank killer and defense | No 2026 change; best list 60.6% over 1,100, only one of six above 50% |
| Princess | 3 | Ranged chip | Best list 65.1% over 3,500 (LogBait); Evo buff on August 4 |
| The Log | 2 | Cheap spell and reset | Crown Tower damage 41 to 35 on June 1; best list 65.1% over 3,500 |
| Ice Spirit | 1 | Cheap freeze and cycle | Hitpoints 230 to 215 on August 4; every printed list 56.7% or more |
| Ice Golem | 2 | Cheap tank and kite | Hitpoints 1,315 to 1,228 on September 8; best list 58.8% over 14,600 |
| Bats | 2 | Cheap air answer | No 2026 change; none of eight printed lists above 50% |
| Lightning | 6 | Big spell and finisher | Crown Tower damage 286 to 265 on June 1; best 72.1% over 736 |
Check the table for each card’s price, role and 2026 note.
Zoom out. The original found this deck surprising and strong in a meta full of Mega Knights. If Mega Knights fade and splash spells rise, the small troops lose their edge, and the cycle gets harder to protect. A weaker Hog Rider would slow the whole plan, and that slowdown is the first negative to watch.
What Changed in 2026
The short version. The Hog, Mini P.E.K.K.A and Bats did not change. Ice Spirit has 215 hitpoints. The Ice Golem has 1,228. The Log hits a tower for 35. Lightning hits for 265, down from 286.
Plain talk. This is a quick, tricky deck. It is fun, and it takes practice.
One more way to see it. The deck is a relay race. Each cheap card hands the baton to the next, and the Hog is the sprinter at the end.
In plain English. The Hog and Mini P.E.K.K.A did not change. The cheap cards got a little smaller, and Lightning hits a bit softer. The cycle is as fast as ever.
Claims, rechecked. The write-up cites a 50.65% win rate over 21,593 games for a spell bait deck on the same page. That number is from the original author’s day and does not apply to this deck. It says the Hog cycle counters the Mega Knight easily, which needs the Ice Golem and Bats. Treat every figure as a starting point, not a rule.
The fine print. The Princess and the Log both reach 65.1% over 3,500 battles. Ice Spirit lists all win 56.7% or more. Bats have no list above 50%. So the small cards help, and the Bats are the weak link.
Card pages: Hog Rider, Mini P.E.K.K.A, Princess, Bats and Ice Golem.
Zoom in. A cycle deck needs its cheap cards to stay cheap and alive. A new splash troop that kills Bats and the Princess together would break the whole loop. If the Lightning slips in a coming patch, expect the deck to feel clumsy until you adjust.
How to Play It Today
Push in a pack. Send the Hog only when the Ice Spirit and Ice Golem are in hand. A Hog alone is a free answer.
Last word. Short games reward a clear plan, and this list gives you one. Learn the first two plays, then trust the rest to follow.
Quick recap. Hog, Ice Spirit and Ice Golem together. Bats and the Princess keep the cycle turning.
Reality check. Fast decks punish slow hands. If you take long to decide, the cycle loses its speed.
Bottom line. Pick this list if you love fast cycles. Push in a pack, counter-push from defense, and outcycle the answer.
Worth knowing. Mini P.E.K.K.A is solid on defense, especially with the Ice Golem or Ice Spirit. Use him to kill a tank before it reaches the bridge.
Upgrade order. Level the Hog Rider, Mini P.E.K.K.A and Princess first. The Ice Golem and Lightning come next. The Log, Ice Spirit and Bats can wait.
Tips. The page also shows a spell bait deck and a PEKKA Mega Knight deck. This one is the second, the Hog cycle. Test each one on its own. Open the linked card pages before you queue, since one balance patch can flip a trade.
Counter-push from defense. The original’s example: counter the Hog with Bats, add the Ice Golem and Ice Spirit, and the opponent is in a tough spot.
Elixir math. Lightning, the Hog and Mini P.E.K.K.A cost 14 of the 24 elixir. The other five cost 10, or 2.0 each. So the cycle is quick, and the Hog returns after only three cheap cards.
Try it yourself: load Hog Mini P.E.K.K.A Princess Deck into the Clash Royale Deck Builder and test it with your own card levels. It averages 3.0 elixir. No tracker has sampled this exact build, so there is no 2026 win rate to quote.
Zoom out again. Cycle decks live and die by tempo. One wasted Hog costs four elixir and a full cycle, so the penalty for a bad read is bigger here than in a slow deck.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Hog Mini P.E.K.K.A Princess deck good in 2026?
Hog Rider’s best list wins 61.2% and the Princess’s best wins 65.1%, but this exact list has no tracker sample, so test the Bats slot first.
What is the average elixir cost?
24 elixir across eight cards, or 3.0 on average.
How does it beat the Mega Knight?
The Ice Golem and Bats are the best counter, with the Ice Spirit adding a freeze.
What beats the cycle?
Executioner with Tornado, which is why the Princess, Bats and Ice Spirit outcycle it.
Does this deck need legendary cards?
Yes. The Princess and The Log are legendaries.
Original Guide, Kept in Full
The text below is the original page, kept in full. It was written between 2016 and 2024, so some details are out of date. The tips and numbers above use 2026 sources.
Hi guys, Golem FTW aka Radius here with the 3rd episode my new series on Clash Royale Arena – Deck of the Month!
In short, this page will be about the 3 best and most popular decks in the current Meta. Don’t hesitate to show your opinion about this in comments. Without further ado, let’s go!
Disclaimer
- Decks are from both ladder and challenges. Decks’s versatility is a factor of selecting. A deck which works only in Challenges or only in ladder will not be selected.
- Just because you don’t like any of these decks doessn’t mean it is weak.
- My opinion can be different than yours and that’s fine. If you disagree with any of points, share it in comments.
Vote for the Deck of the Month!
P.E.K.K.A Mega Knight
First of all, it finally happened! Supercell released a balanced card!
Mega Knight is a very interesting cool card, with high HP, splash damage, monstrous spawn damage (which is similar to Fireball), and the absolutely cool jump effect!
Also he has so many pros, he has also cons. He is weak against air troops and high DPS melees.
How to prevent this positive elixir trades and destroy opponent’s Tower? Put PEKKA in front of him! This combo is really strong and needs a lot of Elixir to counter.
But what if they build a big defensive army to stop this? Apply pressure on other side by Bandit and they’re doomed!
But how do defend the meta cards? Mega Knight? PEKKA, Meta Knight, Ice Golem + Minions, just too many options!
- Hog Rider + Ice Golem? Well-placed Mega Knight will allow the Hog for only one swing!
- Three Musketeers? Both MK and PEKKA counter them really really well. Use one of them to counter the 2M lane and Minions for 1M.
- Golem? PEKKA for the tank, MK for support. Defended easily.
Now time for some in-deep guides!
Check out this great PEKKA Mega Knight guide by our mod, ̶L̶m̶a̶o̶m̶a̶n̶ Lolman!
Hog Mini P.E.K.K.A Princess Cycle
This deck finds out really OP, surprising and countering the meta pretty easily! It’s mainly based on making aggressive pushes on the bridge.
Counters the MK easily, Ice Golem + Bats is one of the best counters for this big boy.
You want to play this deck like a typical Hog cycle – push every time you have Hog, Ice Spirit and Ice Golem in hand.
Ideally, you want to make counter pushes.
Example of counter push opportunity: Opponent just used Hog Rider, you counter it with Bats, add Ice Golem and Ice Spirit to the push and opponent is in really tough situation. But let’s assume he somehow defended it, by using Executioner + Tornado. Then your ultra-fast cycle comes handy. Princess, Bats -> Ice Spirit -> Hog Rider and you have another push ready and their main counter (exenado) is outcycled. GG, thanks!
Mini PEKKA is just so solid card on defense, especially when paired up with Ice Golem/Spirit.
Let’s watch this video gameplay from Crown Championships – Global Series.
https://youtu.be/e1fuHE1ny-8?t=597
Spell Bait
Good old spell-bait. It was already here, always good, but in this PEKKA and Mega Knight meta, it has the best momentum ever.
Actual stats of this deck is just amazing – 50.65% win rate of 21593 GAMES! It has 4x more usage than the second deck in the world! (By popularity)
I think everyone knows what’s spell baits about. Try to bait Log with Princess/Goblin Gang, if they’ll Log it, punish with Goblin Barrel. If they’re keeping Log just and only for the Barrel, try to attack them with the push like Knight + Goblin Gang, Knight + Princess. These pushes are hard to stop only by troops.
Inferno Tower, Princess, Knight, Goblin Gang, Ice Spirit… Probably the biggest advantage of these decks is the card versatility. Except for Inferno Tower, this cards can be used for both offense and defense. Some examples of defense:
PEKKA + Electro Wizard + Bandit: Use Inferno Tower for PEKKA (remember to place it low, otherwise EWiz will hit it across the river and it will be just useless negative elixir trade. Use Knight and Goblin Gang for the supports.
3M – Rocket the 2M lane and Princess + Knight for the 1M + supports. Best placements for Princess is behind Arena’s Tower.
If you wanna train Spell-Bait, watch Adam’s games. He’s an absolute legend of this deck and best spell-bait player in the world.
And here’s some of his games from Crown Championships:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsatjHUkzhI
[poll id=”64″]Conclusion
Share in comments if you want more meta decks of the Month. Also, don’t hesitate to comment and help me improve the list!
I’ll reply every question/opinion!
Cya, kiddos!
Golem FTW
Sources
Researched from the following (no links, listed for transparency):
- CryptoAIMeta card guides for these cards, built from RoyaleTracker October 2026 samples and SeeMeta 2026 balance changes
- SeeMeta, Clash Royale balance changes 2026 (page updated October 2026), read through search summaries
- Supercell official Clash Royale API, card list (elixir cost, rarity, unlock arena)
- The original clash.world page (2016 to 2024), kept in full below