AI Overview: Mortar is a Clash Royale siege building that hits towers from far away. In October 2026, RoyaleTracker’s Mortar decks mostly sat between 41% and 52% win rate. The top list was a Giant Skeleton deck at 51.7% over 352 battles, and the best Evolution build, Evo Skeleton Army with Skeleton King, won 50.4% over 793. That makes Mortar a fun, skill-based pick, not a top tier one.
Last Updated: October 2026
Key Points:
- Mortar is a siege building that hits towers from far away.
- RoyaleTracker’s Mortar decks ranged from 41.1% to 51.7% in October 2026.
- The best Evolution was Evo Skeleton Army (50.4%), and the best Hero was Hero Dark Prince (48.7%).
- Mortar decks averaged between 3.5 and 4.6 elixir.
- Mortar is a skill-heavy pick, not a top-tier one right now.
Table of Contents
What a Mortar Deck Is
Mortar is a slow cannon that shells the tower. You protect it, and the tower slowly loses health.
Mortar costs 4 elixir and hits from a long distance. Mortar decks build around it with defensive troops and a few cheap cards. Unlike Hog Cycle or Log Bait, Mortar did not make the top 10 archetypes in the October 2026 RoyaleTracker list. The site’s own Mortar page listed nine decks with win rates from 41.1% to 51.7%.
Why it matters: a deck that wins half its games is good for learning and for fun. It will not carry you up the ladder as fast as the top picks.
Why the number matters: 50% means you win about as often as you lose. In twenty games, a 60% deck wins about two more than a 50% deck. That is the price of playing Mortar for fun.
Siege decks can come back in a single patch if Supercell buffs the card. The negative effect: a Mortar buff would bring a wave of new players to the deck, many of whom will lose games before they learn the placements.
Mortar Decks in the October 2026 Tracker
| Build | Cards | Avg elixir | Needs |
| Evo Skeleton Army | 3.6 | 50.4% (793 battles) | |
| Giant Skeleton | 3.8 | 51.7% (352 battles) | |
| Hero Dark Prince | 4.6 | 48.7% (569 battles) | |
| Evo Skeleton Barrel | 3.5 | 41.1% (389 battles) |
The best Evolution in the data was Evo Skeleton Army at 50.4%. The best Hero was Hero Dark Prince at 48.7%. Other sites may show different numbers, because every tracker samples different players.
The facts: no Mortar build in the table beat 52%. What it means: Mortar is not a shortcut to wins. Still unknown: whether a future buff changes that.
Quick math: the Evo Skeleton Army list costs 3 + 3 + 4 + 3 + 5 + 3 + 4 + 4 = 29. Divide by 8 and you get 3.6.
Try it yourself: open the Clash Royale Deck Builder with the Giant Skeleton build above, 51.7% in the tracker sample, already loaded. Swap Furnace for another cheap card to see what it does to the average cost.
How to Play Mortar
- Place Mortar where it can hit the tower. Check the range before you commit.
- Protect it with cheap troops. Skeletons and Goblins keep the building alive.
- Use Cannon Cart or Skeleton King to hold the line. A tough defender buys time.
- Keep a spell ready. Fireball clears the troops that go after the Mortar.
- Cycle back to a second Mortar. If the first falls, another one keeps the pressure on.
- Place when the opponent is low. A late reply gives Mortar more shots.
The move: play Mortar on your side of the bridge right after the opponent spends a big card on defense.
Mortar decks sit near 50% right now. A buff to Mortar range or damage could change that. The negative effect: siege decks that rise too fast get nerfed quickly, which can leave the community with a short, unhappy window.
What Beats Mortar
- Fast Hog or Ram pushes: they force the Mortar player to defend, so the building never gets going.
- Spells on the building: Rocket and Lightning put heavy damage on Mortar.
- Careful opponents: a player who counts your Mortar placements can punish the cycle.
For help, read the definitive Mortar guide, 25 tips for playing Mortar and how to counter Mortar decks.
Here’s the problem: Mortar needs several seconds to start paying off. A fast deck can win before it does.
Cause and effect: Mortar shells the tower slowly. Slow damage needs a long, safe game. A fast opponent can end the game before the damage adds up.
Should You Play Mortar in 2026?
If you enjoy siege play, yes. If you want the strongest deck for ladder climbing, look at the Hog 2.6 Cycle guide or the current Clash Royale meta. The best list in the table, the Giant Skeleton deck, shows no Evolution or Hero, so a player with few upgrades can still try it. The F2P and deck slots pages are useful.
Fact, assumption, implication: fact, the best list has no Evolution or Hero. Assumption, that you must pay for upgrades to play siege. Implication, the entry cost is low.
Play Mortar if you enjoy it. Do not expect it to carry you.
If Supercell keeps giving Evolutions and Heroes to defensive cards, siege decks will have more tools. The negative effect: more tools for the Mortar deck will also mean more tools to beat it, so any gain may be small.
Go deeper: For card basics, read the Mortar guide and the guide to using the Mortar. Planning a list of your own? The Clash Royale Deck Builder updates the average cost with every card you add.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mortar good in 2026?
RoyaleTracker’s Mortar decks ranged from 41.1% to 51.7% in October 2026, so it is playable but not top tier.
How much does Mortar cost?
Four elixir.
What is the best Mortar deck?
By win rate, the Giant Skeleton list at 51.7% over 352 battles. The best Evolution list is Evo Skeleton Army at 50.4% over 793.
Which Evolution is best for Mortar?
Evo Skeleton Army had the best win rate in the October 2026 data.
Is Mortar free-to-play friendly?
The best list in the October 2026 table, the Giant Skeleton deck at 51.7%, shows no Evolutions or Heroes, and the Evolution lists did not do better.
What counters Mortar?
Fast pushes, Rocket and Lightning, and careful placement tracking.
The Bottom Line
The takeaway: Mortar is a fun siege pick, but the tracker shows it near 50%, so treat it as a skill challenge.
What to watch next: any Mortar buff, since one patch could change the picture.
Want to test this list yourself? Our step-by-step Deck Builder guide walks through every tab, from the meters to the copy link.
Sources
Researched from the following (no links, listed for transparency):
- RoyaleTracker, Mortar best decks (October 2026 tracker samples)
- RoyaleTracker, deck archetypes 2026 (usage and win rates by archetype, October 2026)
- The original clash.world pages (2017-2024), used only for the “then” comparison