Royal Giant Executioner Deck: A 3.5 Elixir Lightning Plan

By Clash World · Deck Building · Oct 13, 2026 · Updated Oct 16, 2026

AI Overview: This Royal Giant Executioner deck adds up to 3.5 elixir today. The Royal Giant had no 2026 change, with Evolution lists from 56.9% to 79.8%, and Lightning’s best wins 72.1%, but the Valkyrie’s base lists all win 47.8% or less. The numbers all trace back to the October 2026 card data. Totals were added from the official card list.

Last Updated: October 2026

Key Points:

• The deck costs 28 elixir, which is 3.5 on average with the official card costs.
• Royal Giant had no 2026 change, and his Evolution lists win 56.9% to 79.8%.
• Lightning lost Crown Tower damage on June 1 (286 to 265), and its best list wins 72.1% over 736 battles.
• Executioner’s range fell from 7.5 to 7 tiles on August 4, and his best Evolution list wins 59.9% over 504 battles.
• Valkyrie’s base lists all win 47.8% or less, and her Evolution tornado damage was halved in August.

The Royal Giant Executioner List, Priced Card by Card

Here’s the thing: this deck is played differently from other Royal Giant decks. He almost never played the Royal Giant at the bridge, and said the deck is all about cycling and having enough elixir to counter the opponent’s counters.

Use the table to compare the eight cards by cost, role and 2026 status.

A Royal Giant deck with two expensive spells and an Executioner is easy to break up. The negative effect: the Executioner’s range was cut, the Valkyrie’s lists are weak, and a deck built around a few key cards loses punch if any one of them is trimmed.

What Changed in 2026

The Royal Giant did not change, and his Evolution is strong. Lightning is strong at 72.1% for its best list, though it hits towers for less. The Executioner has a shorter range, so he needs a little more protection. The Valkyrie is the weak spot.

Claims, rechecked. Lightning is the main anti-Inferno card and also good on Wizards and Musketeers, unless the opponent can punish with Three Musketeers or a pump. Lightning’s 72.1% best list in 2026 supports that, and the card is still a strong choice. The deck is stronger in tournaments because it is epic heavy, and that cannot be rechecked here.

The cheap cards. Skeletons have a best list of 68.6% and a tighter spawn spread since October 6. The Ice Spirit has every printed list at 56.7% or more. The Log lost tower damage (41 to 35). Tornado has no change and a best list of 64.7%.

Card pages: Royal Giant, Executioner and Lightning.

The Royal Giant is underwhelming because of its hitpoints. The negative effect: a long-range tank with low hitpoints depends on support troops, and a player who cannot protect the Executioner or Valkyrie loses both the defense and the push.

How to Play It Today

Here’s the thing: slow roll the Royal Giant. Dropping him in the back lets you save elixir for the Executioner and Lightning, so you get value against defending buildings and troops. Do not expect huge damage early. He called 3 or 4 hits, about 600 damage, a success.

Matchups. Against Splashyard, use Lightning on offense, keep the Executioner behind the Royal Giant and Tornado the troops together. Against Golem, bait the Log away from the Executioner and Lightning the pumps. Against Three Musketeers, pull them together with the Valkyrie in the middle, and Lightning all three in double elixir.

Translation: save Tornado for the Hog or for defense against beatdown. If the Executioner is behind the Royal Giant, use Tornado to clump the defenders. Skeletons, Ice Spirit and Tornado are his favorite combo against Elite Barbarians. Use Lightning against Inferno units and glass cannons, and avoid Lightning on a Pump deck’s push if they can punish.

Elixir math: the Royal Giant and Lightning take 12 of the 28 elixir. The other six cost 16, about 2.7 each, which is how the deck cycles back to them.

Try it yourself: the Clash Royale Deck Builder can open Royal Giant Executioner Deck with all eight cards placed. Its average cost is 3.5 elixir. Treat it as a classic list, since the tracker holds no win rate for it.

The negative effect: with Valkyrie base lists all at 47.8% or less in 2026, a swap to the Knight, which has a 67.1% best list, may be worth testing, though it changes the deck’s feel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Royal Giant Executioner good in 2026?

Lightning’s best list wins 72.1% and Royal Giant’s Evolution lists reach 79.8%, but the Valkyrie’s base lists win 47.8% or less, and this exact list has no tracker sample, so test the Valkyrie slot first.

What does the deck cost on average?

28 elixir in total across eight cards, an average of 3.5.

Why is Tornado saved?

What counters Lavaloon here?

The Executioner, Tornado and pressure on the opposite lane.

What is the plan against siege?

You are playing Royal Giant, so just place him down and win.

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.

Hey guys. Lolman here with a new guide for you guys, a guide about my new devastating Royal Giant deck.

Now I’m currently pushing my main deck on ladder with a very similar deck, but it’s slightly cheaper with a few different cards and the win condition being a Hog Rider instead as well.

The basic principle is the same however and this deck is played different to other Royal Giant decks you might see in ladder.

Striking Royal Giant Deck for Challenges

Cards Breakdown

Royal GG- This card is rather underwhelming in challenges because of its measly HP but all the same it dishes out a reasonable amount of damage to the Tower without actually reaching it.

You almost never play Royal Giant at the bridge unless you know your opponent is low on Elixir, or it’s double Elixir when you have enough Elixir for Inferno Tower.

It’s all about cycling and having enough Elixir to counter your opponent’s counters. Costing an average of 3.4 Elixir the deck is not too expensive either so you can send wave after wave of Royal giants.

Valkyrie- Most of the time, you will want to use her on defense. Also, she is mainly for dealing with Graveyard and swarms.

I find it her versatile than Knight in this deck, where you can place her in front of your Royal Giant.

I played with Valk and Knight and found Valk works better in the deck.

Executioner- Main defensive air targeting unit in this deck.

You need to protect him at all costs and try to avoid cycling an Executioner in the back unless you have to. It’s not as punishing because you have Tornado to pull things towards the Executioner but starting with him at the back is not a good move until you figure out what your opponent is playing.

Tornado- Should be saved for Hog if you are facing Hog. Similarly if you face beatdown, try and save it for defense. Of course you can use Tornado on offence as well.

In the case your Executioner is behind your Royal Giant and you want to clump up the opponent’s defending troops, use Tornado!

Skeletons- Cycle card, can be used vs Hog if Log is out of cycle. Skeles+ Ice Spirit with king active actually shut down Hog if the Hog is frozen in range of king Tower. Also great at kiting units.

Tornado + Ice Spirit + Skeletons is my favorite combo to deal with Elite Barbarians while using this deck.

Ice Spirit– Similar principle. Utilize the Freeze! Doing chip damage with Ice Spirit is great as well because sometimes you will likely want to finish the game by chipping with Log, Ice Spirit and getting value while using Lightning.

Lightning- Your main anti Inferno card. It’s also advisable to use it on troops like Wizard, Musketeer etc to get the positive Elixir trade (when you know that opponent cannot punish you with 3 muskets or a pump of course). However, try to avoid this because unlike other cycle decks, this deck does not cycle as fast. That being said, try to get value on your Lightning.

Log- Most self explanatory card! In the deck, you need it to gain value by destroying swarms. Get value with it as well as chip but don’t get greedy. For instant, avoid playing late Log missing Goblins because you want the Tower.

Also know when you need to save The Log, especially when you play vs Goblin Barrel. That being said, you can risk it for the biscuit and play it offensively if you know that you will end up doing more damage than a Goblin Barrel would.

General Gameplan

Early game

Starting off, there are a few plays you can make with this.

I do prefer to slow roll your Royal Giant. Now your pushes will be heavy despite this being a cycle deck. Dropping Royal Giant in the back will allow you to save up Elixir for Executioner and Lightning in order to deal with defending buildings/troops in a way that give you value.

Don’t expect to do massive amounts of damage early on. I would consider 3-4 hits off your Royal Giant a success as that’s ~600 damage on a Tower.

Final game in challenge. Royal Giant in the back allowed me to play Executioner to take care of the Minions and have enough Elixir to Lightning for insane value on the opponent’s Wizard and Executioner. 6 for 10 Elixir and my Executioner chipped his Executioner, enough to get rid of it. The opponent’s Tower HP was down by almost 1000 damage.

Royal Giant at the back -> Lightning -> Insane value.

So you typically want to get whatever chip you can in this time. Also getting value Lightnings works fine too. You will start off defensive. Try to defend. Then counterpush with an Royal Giant if possible. Keeping it in your pocket and a secret. Only time Royal Giant in the back is a bad idea is vs siege so if playing it in the back, be prepared for a Mortar or X-Bow on other lane if opponent plays siege.

Mid game

I usually play Royal Giant at the bridge during this time.

Defending your opponents push, you want to play Royal Giant in front of your Executioner or behind your Valk (with or without Lightning ready). Only do this if the opponent is also low on Elixir or doesn’t have Inferno because without enough Elixir for Lightning you will end up down Elixir.

So around now you will ideally make predictive plays and counterpush more often as well as add support troops for your Royal Giant.

Late game

As soon as 2x Elixir hits, Lightning everything 3+ Elixir that dies to Lightning if placed within range of Tower (if your opponent doesn’t have Inferno but you can simply spell cycle at this point if you played properly).

You will do most your damage during the early/ mid game with your Royal Giant anyway. So after chipping away the Tower, you will want to start cycling somewhat value Lightnings around when the Tower’s HP is in the low 1000’s. Remember that at tournament standard, Lightning does 346 crown Tower damage. That being said, this is only if your opponent does not have cards like 3 muskets etc.

You can also keep dropping Royal Giant at the bridge because you can build up enough Elixir for a Lightning or even a Executioner right behind your Royal Giant. Every shot counts at this point.

If you are a Tower up, you will want to drop your Royal Giant at this position

The Royal Giant is out of range of both towers at this spawn and it will move towards the crown Tower, shooting out of range of king Tower.

Match-ups

Lavaloon – Ah yes, the infamous Lavaloon!

With the Executioner and Tornado in your deck, there really isn’t a huge deal. Plus, Royal Giant fares well vs Lavaloon because you can simply pressure opposite lane with him.

Something Lavaloon players tend to do is to play Balloon + Minions on the opposite lane so if you use Executioner to deal with Lava Hound, you can Ice Spirit+ Lightning that side to get rid of that pesky push for a +1 trade while Executioner gets a +3 trade putting you 4 Elixir up.

These decks are weak to Valk in front of Royal Giant as well because if they drop Goblin Gang on Tombstone the Valk will melt the Skeles/Goblins apart.

Splashyard- Really easy match-up!

Just Lightning on offense, try to have an Executioner behind your Royal Giant and then Tornado the troops together. This leaves no counterpush 9/10 times.

If rushed, put Executioner safely away from Tornado range to distract the tanking troop while Valk is dealing with the Graveyard.

This deck you get insane Lightning value because unlike the traditional Hog deck, which runs a similar set-up to this deck, Royal Giant is not weak to Tornado.

Getting Lightning value on Bowler and Baby Dragon. Tornado cleaned up everything.

Golem- Similar to Lavahound. Executioner Tornado must be saved on defense. Don’t give the opponent’s Lightning value.

Try and bait out Log away from Executioner because Lightning alone won’t kill Executioner (this can be done with Skeletons on a Golem).

Just Lightning their pumps and Royal Giant can be used to rush or counterpush depending on if you are up or down Elixir.

Hog- Utilize Tornado well! Vs Hog Lightning, one thing you need to know is if you don’t have Tornado in cycle, place troops out of Lightning range.

Log bait is an easy match-up! Only real threat is Hog Lightning.

3 Musketeers

A play I like to do is pull Muskets and Ram close to each other with Valk in center. I use Executioner to handle the 2 Muskets. Having one lock onto the Tower and Executioner in a spot where he hits both. I minimize the damage suffered by the Tower for a +1 trade.

In 2x Elixir, Lightning the 3 Musketeers. To avoid Tower damage, the opponent will try to split them in the middle. Just hit all 3 Muskets for a +3 trade and you will be set. No matter if they pump up, you will still be ahead as pumping up in 2x Elixir isn’t that advantageous!

Siege- ….. you’re playing Royal Giant. Just place Royal Giant down and win.

Well then guys. I think I covered most of necessary stuffs.

This deck is rather strong and fits in well with the meta as Executioner and Tornado counter most other decks you will end up facing. With that in mind give this deck a try!

It’s stronger in tournament play as it’s a bit epic heavy and leveling Epics up to pair at trophy standards is a pain.

Hope you guys have the best of luck playing it. Lolman out.

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