AI Overview: This Hog Rider Fisherman deck averages 3.4 elixir and cycles fast. The Hog runs, the Fisherman pulls, and the Magic Archer shoots from far back. Hog Rider’s best list wins 61.2% over about 3,800 battles, though this exact build has no tracker sample. Each card gets a price and a 2026 check below. Every price, rarity and 2026 change is rechecked.
Last Updated: October 2026
Key Points:
- The deck costs 27 elixir, which is 3.4 on average, and Lightning at 6 is the heaviest card.
- Hog Rider had no 2026 change, and his best list wins 61.2% over about 3,800 battles.
- Magic Archer’s damage fell from 143 to 135 on August 4.
- The Log’s Crown Tower damage fell from 41 to 35 on June 1, and its best list wins 65.1% over 3,500.
- Ice Golem’s hitpoints fell from 1,315 to 1,228 on September 8, and its best list wins 58.8% over 14,600.
The Hog Rider Fisherman List, Priced Card by Card
The idea. Hog cycles punish slow answers. Here the Fisherman pulls the threat, the Mini P.E.K.K.A kills it, and the Hog runs the other way.
Matchups. Against Prince, Dark Prince and Valkyrie, the Mini P.E.K.K.A finishes what the Fisherman pulls. Against Giant Skeleton, pull it to the middle and finish with the Mini P.E.K.K.A. Against Goblin Gang or Barrel, Log them at the right moment. The thread: pull, then punish.
| Card | Elixir | Job in the deck | 2026 status |
| Hog Rider | 4 | Win condition | No 2026 change; best list 61.2% over about 3,800 |
| Fisherman | 3 | Puller and defender | No 2026 change found in the site card data; he appears in the best Hunter list, 56.9% over 937 |
| Magic Archer | 4 | Long-range investment and air defense | Damage 143 to 135 on August 4; Hero nerfed July 6; four P.E.K.K.A Bridge Spam Hero lists won 55.2% to 65.8% |
| Mini P.E.K.K.A | 4 | Tank killer | No 2026 change; best list 60.6% over 1,100, only one of six above 50% |
| Ice Golem | 2 | Cheap tank and bait | Hitpoints 1,315 to 1,228 on September 8; best list 58.8% over 14,600 |
| Bats | 2 | Cheap air support | No 2026 change; none of eight printed lists above 50% |
| The Log | 2 | Cheap spell and reset | Crown Tower damage 41 to 35 on June 1; best list 65.1% over 3,500 |
| Lightning | 6 | Pump response and push breaker | Crown Tower damage 286 to 265 on June 1; best 72.1% over 736 |
Here is each card, its price, and what 2026 changed.
What comes next. Three legendaries and a heavy spell make this list level-hungry. If Magic Archer and the Log lose more points, the cheap parts of the cycle weaken, and the Hog has to work harder.
What Changed in 2026
The short version. The Hog Rider and Mini P.E.K.K.A had no 2026 change. The Magic Archer hits for 135, not 143. The Log and Lightning hit towers softer. The Ice Golem is weaker, but its best list still wins 58.8% over 14,600 battles.
One more way to see it. The deck is a trick shot. The Fisherman pulls a threat out of position, the Mini P.E.K.K.A kills it, and the Hog runs the open lane. Each step costs little, so a failed trick does not end the game. Try the pull twice before you decide it does not work.
In plain English. The Hog Rider and Mini P.E.K.K.A did not change. The Magic Archer, Log and Lightning each lost a little damage. For a cycle deck that is a small cost, since you can still play many cheap cards in a row.
Claims, rechecked. The write-up calls the Fisherman the most underrated legendary and says a buff has pushed his use up. That buff dates from an older season, so check the card in game today. It also says the list has no big-elixir card, which is nearly true: only Lightning costs 6. Treat every figure as a starting point, not a rule.
The fine print. Bats are the soft card, with none of eight printed lists above 50%. The Mini P.E.K.K.A has a best list of 60.6% over 1,100 battles, and only one of six lists tops 50%. The Fisherman has no 2026 change in the site data.
Card pages: Hog Rider, Fisherman, Magic Archer, Mini P.E.K.K.A and Ice Golem.
The risk. The Magic Archer is the main air defense, and a single Fireball or Lightning in the wrong place can end the plan. Guard her with the Ice Golem and the Mini P.E.K.K.A.
How to Play It Today
Invest first. Start with the Magic Archer behind the King Tower, or cycle the Log on their tower. Do not drop the Fisherman or Hog Rider until you see the other side’s cards.
Reality check. Three legendaries make this list costly to build. If the Fisherman or Magic Archer is under-leveled, the pull and the air defense both suffer. Level them before you judge the deck, since a weak Archer loses to a single Fireball.
Bottom line. Pick this list if you like cycle decks with a trick. Pull with the Fisherman, finish with the Mini P.E.K.K.A, and send the Hog on a gap.
Worth knowing. If the opponent plays Lavaloon, pressure the other lane with the Magic Archer and Bats. That keeps them from building elixir for the Balloon push.
Upgrade order. Level the Magic Archer, Fisherman and Hog Rider first. The Mini P.E.K.K.A comes next. Ice Golem, Bats, the Log and Lightning can wait, though Lightning’s level matters for tower damage.
Tips. Count your opponent’s elixir and send the Hog when they cannot defend. Place the Ice Golem in front of the Hog on a counter-push to soak the first hit. Open the linked card pages before you queue, since one balance patch can flip a trade.
Pull with a plan. Use the Fisherman to drag a win condition to the middle. Then place the Mini P.E.K.K.A to finish it before it kills the Fisherman.
Elixir math. Lightning costs 6 of the 27 elixir, and the other seven cost 21, or 3.0 each. That is why the Hog can come back around quickly after a defense.
Try it yourself: Hog Rider Fisherman Deck is ready to play: the Clash Royale Deck Builder loads it in one click. It costs 3.4 elixir on average, and because no tracker covers this exact list, there is no 2026 win rate.
What to watch. Hog cycle is the oldest plan in the game, and everyone knows the answers. A pull and a pump response are your edge, so use them with care. The danger is that the pull and the pump response become expected, and then the deck has no surprise left.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Hog Rider Fisherman deck good in 2026?
Hog Rider’s best list wins 61.2% and the Log’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?
27 elixir across eight cards, or 3.4 on average.
When is Lightning worth playing?
Use it as a pump response or on a group near their tower, not as a first move.
How does this deck beat a heavy deck like Lavaloon?
Pressure the opposite lane with the Magic Archer and Bats so they cannot build elixir.
Does this deck need legendary cards?
Yes. It uses three legendaries: Fisherman, Magic Archer 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.
Hey Clashers! It’s Krux here again with a new great meta deck based on Fisherman and Hog Rider, which you can use to beat the enemies down in the ladder this season.
Beach Battle has started and we are into the season one week. And now it is time for us to jump into the battle and push the ladder. We want to end up beating our personal best this season. Ain’t we?
As we got to know in the Season update that there are some unique balance changes this season in Clash Royale. Fisherman, the most underrated and niche legendary card in the game has been buffed. Zappies have also gotten a rework along with a Firecracker nerf. The Fisherman is not a new card but the blue-clothed guy never saw his golden days in Clash Royale. As it has been now buffed, the usage percentage of the card has been on the rise every day. We will look at some Fisherman decks that you should be mastering this season to make use of the buff.
Fisherman + Hog Rider Magical Deck
Fisherman is back in the game with a strong fish in his hand. This deck is for the players who love hog cycles and can’t do without a hog deck in any season whatever the meta is. So if you are one of them, here is your treat Hog master. This deck has Hog and Fisherman both along with Bats and Log being the low elixir cycle cards.
Deck Cards:
- The Hog rider is our win condition with this deck and we will try to cycle it as much as possible.
- It is also our punishment card. What I mean by punishment is that it can be used to punish your opponent when they use a big-elixir card at the back of their king tower. Just drop the hog and take damage, this works in this deck as we don’t have any big-elixir card ourselves.
- We have log and lightning as our spells. Lightning should be used as a pump response or destroy a group of troops gathering near their tower.
- Then we have our Ice golem which I know that you know how to use. Ice golem is our bait to avoid all damages to our towers and also bait for saving the Magic Archer.
- Mini Pekka in this deck is our tiny friend to finish off the enemy’s medium troops like Prince, Dark Prince, Valkyrie etc. It is a defense card as well as can counter push with Ice Golem.
Deck Strategy
Start with the magic archer as an investment in the back of the king tower. Or you can cycle the log on their tower.
Do not put the fisherman or the hog rider right away before knowing what cards your opponent is playing.
After they make a move, place the bats in support of the magic archer. When your opponent places a tank, let it come past the bridge.
You have to use the fisherman at the right time and the right place. Use it to pull their win conditions in the middle of the arena or near the king tower for an early activation.
After the investment, you have to use your mini Pekka as the defense. You can use it in combination with the fisherman. Fisherman pulls their giant skeleton in the middle and you place a mini Pekka to finish it off before it kills the fisherman.
Place Mini Pekka against Prince, Pekka, mega knights etc after pulling them. In between all this, count your opponent’s elixir and let the hog rider run into their tower with the hammer.
Send your Ice golem ahead of the hog rider to build up an offence. Or with the Mini Pekka. Two cards that you won’t be using without mindfulness in this deck are the Fisherman and the Lightning.
Try to guard your magic archer as much as possible throughout the match, by placing mini Pekka to protect or send the Ice Golem in front in the battleground. This will make your foe spend more elixir into taking him out or using a spell against him.
As the match advances and you learn what deck the opponent is playing, you have to make predictions when to log their goblin gang or barrel.
Your magic archer is your main air defence also, so better keep him alive. If the opponent is using a heavy deck like Lavaloon, put pressure by using Magic Archer and Bats in the opposite lane so that he doesn’t build up elixir for those.
I hope you would win some good matches using the deck and also the fisherman earns some respect that was long due.
Be sure to keep checking Clash World for the new guides regularly. Till then, Clash on!
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