AI Overview: This Miner Mini P.E.K.K.A deck averages 3.4 elixir and defends with sturdy ground cards. Mini P.E.K.K.A and Valkyrie stop nearly any ground push, and the Miner and Poison start the counter. Mini P.E.K.K.A had no 2026 change, and its best list wins 60.6% over 1,100, though this exact list has no tracker sample. Each card is checked below.
Last Updated: October 2026
Key Points:
- The deck costs 27 elixir, which is 3.4 on average, and the Minion Horde is the heaviest card at 5.
- Miner’s tower damage fell from 49 to 39 on July 6, though his best list wins 66.0% over 535 battles.
- Mini P.E.K.K.A had no 2026 change, and only one of six printed lists won more than 50%.
- Valkyrie’s Evolution tornado damage was halved in August, and all eight base-card lists won 47.8% or less.
- Poison’s Crown Tower damage fell from 184 to 168 on June 1, and its best list wins 68.6% over about 3,800.
The Miner Mini P.E.K.K.A List, Priced Card by Card
Why it matters: two sturdy defenders turn every enemy push into a counter-attack. That is the whole plan: stop the push cheaply, then send the Miner behind the survivors.
| Card | Elixir | Job in the deck | 2026 status |
| Miner | 3 | Win condition and counter-push | Crown Tower damage 49 to 39 on July 6; best list 66.0% over 535 |
| Mini P.E.K.K.A | 4 | Tank killer and counter-push | No 2026 change; best list 60.6% over 1,100, only one of six above 50% |
| Valkyrie | 4 | Ground splash defense | Evo tornado damage halved in August; all eight base lists 47.8% or less |
| Spear Goblins | 2 | Cheap ranged support | Hit speed 1.7 to 1.6 seconds on August 4; best list 54.9% over 915 |
| Poison | 4 | Medium spell and chip | Crown Tower damage 184 to 168 on June 1; best list 68.6% over about 3,800 |
| Zap | 2 | Cheap spell and reset | Crown Tower damage 58 to 48 on June 1; Evo Zap 77.0% over about 1,000 |
| Cannon | 3 | Cheap building and hog guard | Evo barrage 281 to 261 on October 6; all eight printed base-card lists won 53.0% or more, seven of them Hog Cycle |
| Minion Horde | 5 | Air defense and swarm punish | Best list 51.9% over 992; only one of eight above 50% |
Each row gives one card’s cost, its job in the deck and its October 2026 status.
Mini P.E.K.K.A and Valkyrie are the core. The negative effect: Valkyrie’s base-card lists all won 47.8% or less this year, so the defender that anchors the deck sits on the weaker side of the tracked data. A future cut to Mini P.E.K.K.A damage would weaken the deck’s best answer to tanks.
What Changed in 2026
Short version: the Miner hits towers for 39, not 49. Poison deals 168, not 184. Zap deals 48, not 58. Mini P.E.K.K.A and the Minion Horde had no 2026 change worth planning around. The Cannon’s Evolution barrage fell from 281 to 261 on October 6.
Claims, rechecked. The deck is said to have pushed a player from 2,300 to 3,200 trophies, which the tracker cannot verify. Spear Goblins with the Miner are said to deal over 1,500 to a tower if left alone; that depends on levels, and the Miner’s tower damage is now 39. Treat every number as a starting point, not a rule.
The catch. Minion Horde’s best list wins 51.9% over 992 battles, with only one of eight above 50%. The Cannon has the opposite record: all eight printed base-card lists won 53.0% or more, though seven of those were Hog Cycle. That means the card is proven, but not in this exact kind of list.
Card pages: Miner, Mini P.E.K.K.A, Valkyrie and Cannon.
A deck this sturdy is slow to lose and slow to win. The negative effect: Miner chip needs more hits now, and Poison needs more ticks, so a close game may end on the clock before the counter-push lands. Poison and Miner are the two chip tools, and both lost ground this year.
How to Play It Today
Here is the order: hold the Mini P.E.K.K.A and Valkyrie for the opponent’s first push. Once both are placed and alive, send the Miner to the tower and add Spear Goblins behind them.
Tips. Keep a count of the opponent’s Minion Horde answers. When their Zap and Arrows are out of cycle, the Miner and Minion Horde push gets through. Review the linked card pages before a session, since a balance patch can change a trade without warning.
Think of it this way: Poison on the tower slows the Miner’s target and blocks cheap defenders. The Minion Horde with the Miner is the surprise play, and Zap covers the reply. Place the Cannon off center against Hog Riders.
Cost check: the Minion Horde is the only 5. Mini P.E.K.K.A, Valkyrie and Poison cost 4 each, and the other four cost 11 together, so the cycle stays quick enough for a second counter-push.
Try it yourself: send Miner Mini P.E.K.K.A Deck to the Clash Royale Deck Builder and tweak it to fit your levels. The average cost is 3.4 elixir; as a classic list it carries no 2026 win rate.
The deck has two clear counters in Mini P.E.K.K.A and Valkyrie, but not many ways to break a Rocket cycle. The negative effect: a spell-heavy opponent can chip the Cannon and the Miner for free, and the sturdy ground cards do nothing against it. A Rocket cycle opponent will also punish the Cannon with a cheap spell trade.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Miner Mini P.E.K.K.A deck good in 2026?
Miner’s best list wins 66.0% and Mini P.E.K.K.A’s best wins 60.6%, but this exact list has no tracker sample, so test the Cannon slot first.
What is the average elixir cost?
27 elixir across eight cards, or 3.4 on average.
What can replace Poison?
Fireball, Rocket, Arrows or Fire Spirits.
What can replace Spear Goblins?
Archers, melee Goblins or Minions.
Why run Cannon with Miner?
It is the cheapest building, and it gives a positive trade against Hog Riders.
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.
I am here to bring you the new Miner Mini P.E.K.K.A Poison Deck, which successfully helped push from 2300 trophies to 3200 trophies. This is a comprehensive guide so be prepare before reading lots of tips and tricks!
Comprehensive Miner Mini P.E.K.K.A Poison Guide
Miner – This is the star of the deck. As many of you know, the Miner’s main purpose is to prevent the crown tower from helping eliminate incoming troops. It can also take out Elixir collectors, spawners, and even serve on defense in emergencies. A very versatile card, it is the ultimate counter pusher. This card can not be replaced due to its unique ability.
Mini P.E.K.K.A – Not only is this a scary rush with the Miner, this card is the beast on defense. Royal Giants, Golems, Giant Balloon, this card will stop them all! It can also serve as a hog stopper when you can not pull out your Cannon. And after its perfect defense, add in the Miner and you’ll have a deadly counter push. This is a “Glass Cannon” meaning it does massive damage, however can be easily countered, however there are multiple cards in this deck that will prevent this. This card can not be replaced.
Valkyrie – This card and Mini P.E.K.K.A are your two defensive cards. These 2 cards combined will take out almost any push: Double Prince, Royal Giant, Golem P.E.K.K.A, Hog Rider Barbarians. Not only that, but again, it sets up a great counter push. The Valkyrie will also nuke supporting troops behind a tank unit while the Mini P.E.K.K.A chops down the tank. Again, very versatile card and something that your opponent can not ignore. This card can not be replaced.
Spear Goblins – For the cost of 2 Elixir, these guys will deal massive damage, especially with the Miner. Paired with the Miner, these guys will do a total of 1500 damage to a tower if left alone meaning your opponent can not ignore your cheap 5 Elixir push. Often, your opponent will panic with expensive troops or spells giving you an Elixir advantage right of the bat. This troops can be replaced by other troops such as archers, melee Goblins, or even 3 Elixir Minions, however I choose this troop due to its ranged ability and fast speed forcing your opponent to react quick otherwise their tower will suffer.
Poison – This card may very well be the card that earns you the win. Slowing down their tower and disabling them of placing cheap troops, this card is deadly with Miner + Mini P.E.K.K.A. However, keep in mind, this card is one of 2 cards that will deal with Minion Horde effectively, so you may want to save it if your opponent has one. On defense, it is excellent at stopping the Lava Pups in their tracks as well as a barbarian horde. This card is also excellent at stopping spawner decks in their tracks so you will never have to worry about decks as annoying as those! You can replace this card with a Fireball, Rocket (if you encounter xbow, mortar, or sparky decks often, however keep in mind you will have to use it against Minion Horde), Arrows, or Fire Spirits.
Zap – Many have noted, the best card in the game and it is truly a beast. This card will be your second counter to Minion Horde. It will also prevent your opponent from countering your Mini P.E.K.K.A effectively as well as giving it an extra shot on the tower. In higher level arenas, this card can stun a princess or ice wizard giving you time to swarm it easily with a Minion Horde. This is also the hard counter to many cards such as Goblin Barrel, sparky, Goblins, and Fire Spirits. You can replace this card with Arrows, or Fire Spirits.
Cannon – This card explains itself. It is the cheapest building with a decent amount of damage. It will always give you the +1 Elixir against hog decks as well as serve as a distraction to tank troops. The extra damage that this Cannon gives is a plus. Overall, this card has so many Elixir advantage opportunities and is certainly a staple in most decks. This card can be replaced with Tesla for easy Lava Hound counter, Inferno Tower for tank counters (although may be hard to deal with hogs), or if you want, Bomb Tower.
Minion Horde – The best defensive air unit in the game. It will counter that Giant Balloon easily as well as take out an unsuspecting sparky. The true power of this card comes when you combine it with the Miner. A Zap will not be enough to stop this combo and your opponent will not have enough time to think about what he has done before his tower goes down. Can almost be considered a staple. You can replace this card with 3 Elixir Minions or Musketeer.
General Game Plan
Strategy
The secret Miner strategy All Miner users have a secret that they do not share with anyone. Only Miner users know it and I will share it with you right now. Miner users have a little part of their brain dedicated to keeping track of all your Minion Horde counters. Yup, that’s all they will think about each battle. Don’t believe me? Ask the Top Players in the world! Look at their Decks! They do not run 3 Elixir Minions, but instead, Minion Horde. The reason for this is simple. Many players currently are deviating from using Arrows. Instead, they go for Princess and Zap. The problem with this is Miner deck. Miner + Minion Horde, the only effective counter for decks that run Princess and Zap would be the Princess. However, the Princess would be distracted by the Miner and Zap would be ineffective allowing your Minions demolish the tower untouched. This is the secret of a Miner player. They remember all your Minion Horde counters and once they figure you only have so few cards to counter Minion Horde, they will rush in at the moment you use it.
- The Miner P.E.K.K.A and Poison strategy: Place down Miner to tank the Mini P.E.K.K.A. Poison your enemy tower not only to slow it down making it take more shots to kill the Miner, but also to hinder your opponent from placing those cheap troops such as Goblins or Minions.
- The Miner Goblins: This is what it sounds like. You pair Miner with Spear Goblins. When left untouched, it deals over 1500 damage for just the cost of just 5 Elixir.
- The Minekkarie: Send the Miner and add in a Mini P.E.K.K.A behind the Valkyrie. The P.E.K.K.A will push the Valkyrie forward while the Valkyrie tanks for smaller troops. Very strong combo. You can strengthen this combo further with Spear Goblins in the back and Zap enemy Minions when they come and let the Spear Goblins pick the rest off for you. This combo works especially after you’ve counter your opponent’s attack with Mini P.E.K.K.A and Valkyrie.
Deck Strengths: Miner deck strengths are its abilities to counter most pushes easily. Even if your troops are at a sliver of health, the Miner will tank for them while they make their way to deal damage onto the tower. This deck also has great defensive cards so defending and making a counter push will be no problem. The other strength in this deck is the ability to cycle through cards very quickly, especially during double Elixir time. With this deck averaging around 3.4 Elixir, you can send Miners almost every 15 seconds making it tedious for your opponent to even start a push. This deck is also a great counter against heavy tank decks as the Miner will take out Elixir collectors and the Mini P.E.K.K.A will do work against those strong tanks.
Deck Weaknesses – Of course, this deck has several weaknesses. You will often face against players with absolute knowledge of countering Miner decks. This usually happens in Legendary Arena. Many players there are skilled and understand how to counter Miner decks easily.
- The first of which is to leave the Miner alone and deal with the incoming troops. The Miner does less damage than a single skeleton, the main damage dealers are the incoming troops, so deal with those before thinking about the Miner.
- This deck is also weak against other cycle decks. You may find it hard to keep up pace with some decks such as hog cycle, however, an experienced user of this deck will not how to correctly counter and continue the pressure.
- As many decks are weak to this, this deck also falls to the Giant Skeleton. Luckily, not many players choose this card in their decks, however all your incoming troops will simply disappear when that Giant Skeleton is placed down.
- The Mini P.E.K.K.A, ironically, is a great counter to the Miner. Two shots and its dead, meaning the Miner will be a lot less of a tank for your troops and you may find yourself dealing minimal damage.
- Although this deck can counter this pretty easily, another annoying factor are the Barbarians. These guys will stop a Mini P.E.K.K.A in its tracks not even allowing a Fireball or Poison to get through. The way to stop these guys is to use the Valkyrie and Mini P.E.K.K.A push.
- One last weakness would be buildings. Cannons and Bomb Tower lure your troops to the middle and take up time while the crown tower finishes off your Miner. The way to stop this is with poison, or do a Valkyrie and Mini P.E.K.K.A push.
Popular Matchups
- Giant Balloon – Set a Cannon down and add in Minion Horde to target only the Balloon. Use Spear Goblins if Minion Horde is not available. If none of those cards are present, use Valkyrie and Mini P.E.K.K.A to take out the Balloon and start a counter push as your opponent is definitely low on Elixir.
- Royal Giant – Mini P.E.K.K.A demolishes Royal Giant. If they use small troops, add in a Valkyrie. If there are Minions, use either Zap and Spear Goblins or Poison spell.
- P.E.K.K.A Double Prince – Use the Cannon to lure, Mini P.E.K.K.A and Valkyrie will deal easily with the Double Prince and Spear Goblins finish off the P.E.K.K.A. Add in Zap to stun and stop the charges of the prince too. Minion Horde will finish them off great too.
- Hog Rider – Very easy to counter with this deck. Cannon and Valkyrie will stop almost any hog push. If they send tons of troops behind their hog, add in a poison and Cannon and watch their troops vanish. In emergency situations, the Mini P.E.K.K.A obliterates the hog.
- Tanks (Giant and Golem) – Use Cannon to lure. The Mini P.E.K.K.A set on the tank will quickly finish it off. Add in the Valkyrie to take out supporting troops in the back and also set up for a counter push.
- Sparky – Place Cannon in middle, when sparky comes in, the tank in front (usually Giant or Royal Giant) will head towards it. Sparky will shoot at the Cannon allowing you to rush in with Valkyrie and Mini P.E.K.K.A. If no cards are readily available, Zap can reset sparky. Minion Horde will take out sparky quickly if your opponent is not ready.
- Three Musketeer – Valkyrie and Zap will quickly finish them off. Likewise with Mini P.E.K.K.A. Poison will slow them down and leave them with less than half health. Minion Horde can bring them to critically low health.
- Lava Hound – Immediately do a “cheap rush” on the other side, making sure not to waste more than 7-8 Elixir. You can then kill off any troops behind the Lava Hound such as the Balloon, Minions, baby dragon. When the Lava Hound dies, place poison spell to kill off its pups.
- Trifecta Hog – Valkyrie and Cannon will cease their combo. Add in Mini P.E.K.K.A if needed, but do not use Minion Horde to stop their combo. Instead, wait for them to use their poison and then rush in with Miner and Minion Horde. They only have a Zap to stop this which will not save their tower.
- Miner – Mini P.E.K.K.A wipes out the Miner in the back, add in the Valkyrie to stop the troops in the front, then set up for minekkarie push. I hope you guys enjoy this deck!
Remember, you need to “learn” all decks meaning it is OK to lose when you are just getting the hang of this deck. The more practice, the better you will get handling this deck. This Miner Mini P.E.K.K.A Poison Deck does require a lot of skill to master with. Happy clashing!
Shared by Blaxeturner from Particles!
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







