AI Overview: This Bandit Mirror deck averages 4.0 elixir across its seven fixed cards and relies on splash. The Bandit dashes in, Mirror sends a second one, and the Giant Skeleton and Tornado set it up. Bandit’s best list wins 72.1% over about 1,100 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 seven fixed cards cost 28 elixir, which is 4.0 on average, and the Giant Skeleton at 6 is the heaviest card.
- Bandit and Electro Wizard both have best lists at 72.1% over about 1,100 battles.
- Executioner’s projectile range shrank from 7.5 to 7 tiles on August 4, and its best Evolution list wins 59.9%.
- Wizard was reworked on September 8, and his best base list wins 51.3%.
- Giant Skeleton’s bomb damage rose 28.7% on troops and fell 35.6% on towers on May 4.
The Bandit Mirror List, Priced Card by Card
The big idea. A mirrored Bandit is a double dash. The opponent must answer both, and the splash cards behind the Bandit punish anything that tries.
Matchups. Against Lava Hound, be careful about Lightning. Against Zap bait, use Tornado to turn on the King Tower. Against beatdown, the Giant Skeleton and Executioner punish. The idea: use splash against swarms, and the Bandit against buildings.
| Card | Elixir | Job in the deck | 2026 status |
| Mirror | varies | Copies the Bandit for a double push | No fixed price: it costs the last card played plus 1; no 2026 change found in the site card data |
| Bandit | 3 | Win condition | No 2026 change; best list 72.1% over about 1,100 |
| Giant Skeleton | 6 | Bomb tank and push partner | Hitpoints down 7.1%, death bomb up 28.7% on troops and down 35.6% on towers (May 4); best list 72.1% over 1,100 |
| Executioner | 5 | Splash and air defense | Projectile range 7.5 to 7 tiles on August 4; best Evo list 59.9% over 504 |
| Electro Wizard | 4 | Anti-air control | Best list 72.1% over about 1,100; Hero added in October 2026 (small samples) |
| Wizard | 5 | Splash defense | Rework on September 8: damage 281 to 304, first attack 0.4 to 0.5 seconds; best base list 51.3%, best Hero list 66.1% over about 1,500 |
| The Log | 2 | Cheap spell and reset | Crown Tower damage 41 to 35 on June 1; best list 65.1% over 3,500 |
| Tornado | 3 | Pull and splash combo | No 2026 change; best list 64.7% over about 1,900 |
Here is each card with its price and 2026 note. Mirror has no fixed price, so the average here counts the other seven cards.
Zoom out. Three legendaries and three epics make this a pricey list. If the Bandit or Electro Wizard slips in the next patch, the deck loses its two best performers at once. A weaker Bandit would slow the whole plan, and that slowdown is the first negative to watch.
What Changed in 2026
The short version. The Bandit and Electro Wizard are untouched and strong. The Executioner has a shorter range. The Wizard hits harder but starts slower. The Giant Skeleton’s bomb is better against troops and worse against towers. The Log hits a tower for 35, not 41.
Plain talk. Nothing exotic here, only good cards used well. The Wizard and Executioner are the weakest links in the data, so be ready to swap them.
One more way to see it. The Bandit is a dart and Mirror is a second dart. The opponent can block one, but not always two. The splash cards are the shield that keeps the darts coming.
In plain English. The key cards are the same, the splash cards changed a little, and the bomb changed shape. The deck still works for a player who reads the opponent well.
Claims, rechecked. The write-up says the author won a Grand Challenge on the first try. That is one result. It also lists the best and worst starting hands, which are opinions drawn from play, not data. Treat every figure as a starting point, not a rule.
The fine print. The Wizard’s Hero list wins 66.1% over about 1,500 battles, but his base card tops out at 51.3%. Treat the base Wizard as an average splash troop. The Executioner is similar, strong only in Evolution lists.
Card pages: Bandit, Giant Skeleton, Executioner, Electro Wizard and Tornado.
Zoom in. The original says the deck takes skill. With the Executioner and Wizard both a little slower, the splash plan needs even better timing, and a missed Tornado can cost a tower. If the Giant Skeleton slips in a coming patch, expect the deck to feel clumsy until you adjust.
How to Play It Today
Read your hand. The worst start is Mirror, the Log, Giant Skeleton and Tornado, so push or wait to see their first card. The best start is Bandit, the Log, Electro Wizard and Executioner, then defend and counter-push.
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. Read the start, defend, then send the Bandit and Mirror her. Splash covers the rest.
Reality check. This deck punishes slow hands. If you tend to play on autopilot, the Tornado and Mirror will cost you more than they win.
Bottom line. Pick this list if you like skill-based decks and own the legendaries. Learn the starting hands, then learn the double Bandit.
Worth knowing. If you lack a way to counter their first play, drop the Giant Skeleton in front of the bridge and see what they use to stop it. That tells you whether the Bandit will land.
Upgrade order. Level the Bandit, Electro Wizard and Giant Skeleton first. Executioner and Wizard come next. Tornado, the Log and Mirror can wait.
Tips. Use the Electro Wizard to zap everything in a Balloon or Lava push, and place the Executioner so it also hits the support troops. Open the linked card pages before you queue, since one balance patch can flip a trade.
Mirror the Bandit late. Play the first Bandit to learn their answer, and Mirror it right after the answer is spent. A mirrored Bandit costs 4.
Elixir math. The Giant Skeleton and Executioner cost 11 of the 28 fixed elixir. The other five fixed cards cost 17, or 3.4 each. That is why the deck can defend and still afford a double push.
Try it yourself: the Clash Royale Deck Builder has Bandit Mirror Deck preloaded, so you can swap a card or two before a match. The average sits at 4.0 elixir. No 2026 win rate exists for this exact list. Mirror is left out of that average, since it costs one more than the last card played.
Zoom out again. A splash-heavy list is strong when the field is full of swarms. If bigger single targets return, the Executioner and Wizard lose value fast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Bandit Mirror deck good in 2026?
Bandit’s best list wins 72.1% and the Electro Wizard’s best wins 72.1%, but this exact list has no tracker sample, so test the Wizard slot first.
What is the average elixir cost?
28 elixir across the seven fixed cards, or 4.0 on average, with Mirror left out.
How does it beat Lava Hound?
The Executioner clears the pups and the Electro Wizard zaps the path, as long as Lightning is not in their hand.
How does it beat Zap bait?
With so much splash, bait is easy to clear, and Tornado lets you turn on the King Tower when the Barrel lands.
Does this deck need legendary cards?
Yes. It uses three legendaries: Bandit, Electro Wizard and The Log.
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.
Hello I’m –M1K3Y7–(AKA MIKEY) and I’m here to show you how to use the new Mirror Bandit deck!
The deck takes some skill to use, but I won a Grand Challenge with my first try using the deck! This guide will include your starting hand, and will also cover countering common decks right now and counters to the deck.
Mirror Bandit Deck
Best to Worst Starting Hand:
The worst starting hand you can get in this deck is Mirror, The Log, Giant Skeleton, and Tornado. If this is your opening hand, you have to push or wait for the opponent to reveal their first card. You should then respond accordingly. If you don’t have a way to counter, you can put the giant skeleton down in front of the bridge and let them counter it so you know if they have a defense for your mirror bandit, which is your main win condition.
Your best starting hand is Bandit, The Log, Electro Wizard, and Executioner. If this is your hand, you should focus on defending so that you can counter push with a Giant Skeleton or double Bandit push.
Countering Popular Decks:
Lava hound: LH decks are easy to fight if cautious and they don’t have lightning. If they do, you’ll need to be careful with how you position your troops so they can’t be taken out. You’ll also need to make sure you place executioner so that he’ll clear supporting troops as well as the Lava Hound. Use the Electro Wizard to zap all in its path and destroy the balloon
Zap Bait: With so much splash in this deck, zap bait decks are extremely easy to take care of. Make sure that you know how to use the Tornado to activate your king’s tower when your opponent plays their goblin barrel. If you can your King’s tower activated early on, you’re almost guaranteed a win with this deck.
Golem Beatdown: Golem can be tricky to fight at first but if you can take a tower early game using double bandit (when they place down golem and prediction log if they have skarmy) then you can use the Wizard and Tornado combo to defend against the Golem. If you can push down the other lane so their Golem doesn’t have any support, you can even use the Tornado to pull the Golem and Activate your King’s tower.
Hog Rider: Once again, you can use the Tornado to pull the Hog Rider to your King’s tower which will help solidify your victory. Just make sure you don’t give your opponent an Elixir Advantage so you can stay ahead of them. Sometimes you need to allow some tower damage so that you can get ahead for a big push that they won’t be able to stop.
Elite Barbarians: With a lot of expensive cards in this deck, the Elite Barbarians can be difficult to defend. The trick is to keep your Giant Skeleton or Electro Wizard in rotation and don’t push with double bandit unless it’s a counter push because double Bandit is stopped very quickly by Elite Barbarians. If you have an Executioner or Wizard on the map, you can use the Tornado to pull the Elite Barbarians away so they’ll be cleared quickly.
Make sure you check out this video guide and challenge winning replay provided by KairosTime!
How to use the Mirror and Bandit:
Mirror: Along with the Tornado and Bandit, the Mirror is a key card because it allows you to play Double Bandit, which most people aren’t prepared to defend against. You don’t always have to mirror the Bandit, but it’s recommended to do so early on if you have an opportunity, so you can learn what counter your opponent has to this unique push. Other cards that can be mirrored if needed include the Log and Electro Wizard.
Bandit: The Bandit is an extremely unique card that fits into a lot of roles. In this deck, the Bandit acts like a cheap Lightning to get rid of larger defending troops that are targeting your Giant Skeleton, like the Musketeer, Electro Eizard, or even Executioner. She is great on support, and if you mirror her, she can be used as a pretty unique win condition. If your opponent has Skeleton Army or Tombstone, you should be prepared to use The Log to support a Double Bandit push.
Thanks for reading the guide! I hope you have a blast with this deck and that it helps you make your way to the 12th win of your own Grand Challenge!
This is –M1K3Y7– Crushing the Meta one card at a time.
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