Lumberjack Graveyard Deck: A 4.0 Elixir Executioner Plan

By Clash World · Deck Building · Oct 14, 2026 · Updated Oct 16, 2026

AI Overview: This Lumberjack Graveyard deck averages 4.0 elixir and plays on one trick: the skeletons pile up and the Lumberjack’s Rage speeds them. It was his fourth Graveyard guide. In 2026 the Graveyard has the top deck at 71.6% and its skeletons dropped from 13 to 12, though this exact list has no tracker sample. The full card-by-card check follows.

Last Updated: October 2026

Key Points:

• The deck costs 32 elixir, which is 4.0 on average, and the Graveyard, Inferno Tower and Executioner cost 5 each.
• Graveyard’s top deck wins 71.6%, but the skeletons it spawns fell from 13 to 12 on June 1.
• Lumberjack’s Evolution tower damage fell from 256 to 128 on June 1; its best list wins 72.3%, with only one of eight above 50%.
• Executioner’s projectile range fell from 7.5 to 7 tiles on August 4, and his best Evolution list wins 59.9%.
• Poison hits towers for 168, not 184, and Tornado had no change.

The Lumberjack Graveyard List, Priced Card by Card

Here’s the thing: the skeletons from the Graveyard build up and the Lumberjack runs in and rages them. The idea is simple. Make the opponent deal with two threats at once, the Graveyard and the Lumberjack.

The table lists all eight cards, their elixir costs and where each stands after the 2026 patches.

A two-threat deck needs the opponent to be low on answers. The negative effect: the Graveyard now spawns one fewer skeleton and the Lumberjack’s Evolution hits towers for half as much, so the combo pays out less per cast.

What Changed in 2026

The Graveyard spawns 12 skeletons, not 13. The Lumberjack’s Evolution chops towers for 128 instead of 256. The Executioner’s projectile reaches half a tile less. Poison hits towers for less. The Knight, Goblin Gang, Inferno Tower and Tornado are steady.

Claims, rechecked. The Goblin Gang has only 2 Spear Goblins now and is less reliable for air. That was true of his day. The Gang itself had no 2026 change, and its best list wins 62.9%.

The weak spots. Only one of eight printed Lumberjack lists is above 50%. The Knight’s best list wins 67.1% and the Inferno Tower’s 65.8%, both in LogBait shells. The Goblin Gang’s best list wins 62.9%. This exact shell has no sample.

Card pages: Lumberjack, Graveyard, Executioner and Inferno Tower.

The Executioner is the best counter to the Night Witch. The negative effect: his range was cut this year, so the same Executioner has to stand a little closer to the fight, and a Night Witch or Bats stack can reach him sooner.

How to Play It Today

He rushes the tower while the opponent deals with the spell. On defense he is squishy, so only use him where he will not die at once.

Tips. The Lumberjack drops Rage when he dies, buffing nearby troops, so even a dead Lumberjack near the Graveyard helps. The Knight is versatile on defense and tanks well for the combo. Use Tornado with the Executioner to group troops for splash.

Translation: let the Knight tank for the Graveyard and Lumberjack. Place the Inferno Tower only against a Hog or a tank; against a Miner deck it can sit as a passive building. Use Tornado to activate the King Tower, and save Poison for the Graveyard push, not for defense.

Elixir math: the Graveyard and Executioner take 10 of the 32 elixir. The other six cost 22, or 3.7 each.

Try it yourself: send Lumberjack Graveyard Deck to the Clash Royale Deck Builder and tweak it to fit your levels. The average cost is 4.0 elixir; as a classic list it carries no 2026 win rate.

The negative effect: that block does not match the deck in the picture, so the safe reading is the one tied to the eight cards shown, and a player who copies the extra list would end up with a different deck.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Lumberjack Graveyard deck good in 2026?

The Graveyard’s top deck wins 71.6% and the Lumberjack’s best list wins 72.3%, but this exact list has no tracker sample, so test the Knight slot first.

How heavy is this deck in elixir?

The eight cards add up to 32 elixir, so the average is 4.0.

How does the combo work?

The Graveyard drops skeletons by the tower, and the Lumberjack’s Rage speeds them up when he dies nearby.

What does the Inferno Tower do?

It stops a Hog or tank. Against a Miner deck it can sit as a passive building.

What is the Executioner for?

Crowd control against swarms, and an answer to the Night Witch.

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.

Wassup guys! It’s DabMaster2 and today I’ll be showing my LumberYard Deck! This deck has a surprising combo. With the skeletons accumulating from the graveyard, the lumberjack runs in and can rage them up.

This is probably my 4th graveyard deck guide already!

Let’s get into it!

LumberYard Deck

Cards Breakdown

Lumberjack – The lumberjack is an extremely underrated card.

In this deck, he’s mainly used on offense paired with the graveyard. He rushes the enemy tower while your opponent must deal with the graveyard.

On defense, the lumberjack is very squishy. Use him in situations where he won’t get killed instantly.

Graveyard – This is your tower killer and is what makes up the bulk of your monster push.

The graveyard can even get raged if the lumberjack dies near the tower, but the lumberjack’s main goal is to chop down the enemy tower with massive DPS.

The graveyard and lumberjack create a deadly double threat which your opponent much counter very quickly.

Knight – The knight is a great cheap tank for the graveyard.

He is very versatile on defense and can stop many troops. On offense, make sure to let him tank for the graveyard and the lumberjack to give you opponent a harder time defending.

Goblin Gang – These versatile goblins are great swarm cards. They can also be paired on offense with the lumberjack for a surprisingly powerful push.

Goblin gang will also be one of your main DPS units to help with the inferno tower.

Don’t be as reliant on these guys for air defense because they only have 2 spear gobs now.

Inferno Tower – This is your main defense. Always rely on this to stop the enemy pushes.

Only use it when the opponent has a hog or a tank as their win condition so that you will always be ready to counter it.

If your opponent has a miner deck or a deck which doesn’t utilize a tank, the inferno tower can be placed down as a passive building

Executioner – It’s the executioner’s time to shine!

With the new Night Witch released, the executioner is the best counter to her, completely shutting her down.

The executioner’s role in this deck is as a crowd control troops to take down large swarms.

Poison – The poison is the perfect support for the graveyard since it kills all squishy troops your opponent uses to counter the graveyard.

The poison isn’t used on defense often and is mostly only used on offense with the graveyard. Only use it on defense if you need the extra splash damage support.

Tornado – With the tornado and executioner, you can stop almost any type of push your opponent may use against you.

Use the tornado to also activate your king tower for a big advantage.

Replacements

Deck Composition

The key cards in the LumberYard Deck are:

1. Graveyard: This is your primary win condition. The Graveyard spell generates a swarm of skeletons over a wide area, creating constant pressure.
2. Lumberjack: The Lumberjack is the heart of this deck’s combo. When he dies, he drops a Rage spell, which boosts the attack and movement speed of nearby units.
3. Baby Dragon: Great for clearing out swarms and supporting your push with its splash damage.
4. Bowler: A sturdy unit that can handle ground troops and clear a path for your skeletons and Lumberjack.
5. Tornado: Synergizes well with Baby Dragon and Bowler, pulling enemy troops together for maximum damage.
6. Ice Golem: A cheap tank that can soak up damage and slow down enemy troops upon death.
7. Mega Minion: Provides air support and can deal with medium-sized threats efficiently.
8. Poison: Complements the Graveyard, dealing damage over time to both units and buildings in the area.

Strategy and Tips

Early Game

In the early stages, focus on defending and building up your elixir. Use your defensive units like Bowler and Baby Dragon to counter enemy pushes effectively. Don’t rush with the Graveyard; instead, wait for the right opportunity to deploy your combo.

Mid to Late Game

Once you’ve identified your opponent’s counters to the Graveyard, it’s time to set up your combo. Here’s how you do it:

1. Build a Push: Start with a Bowler or Baby Dragon at the back, allowing you to accumulate elixir as they move forward.
2. Deploy the Lumberjack: Place the Lumberjack strategically so he can reach the enemy’s side quickly.
3. Graveyard and Rage: As the Lumberjack dies, his dropped Rage spell will boost the skeletons from the Graveyard, creating a massive raged swarm that’s hard to stop.

Support and Control

Use Tornado to group enemy troops together, making them easier to deal with using your Baby Dragon or Bowler. The Poison spell can help control the area around the Graveyard, eliminating small troops and chipping away at enemy buildings.

General Gameplan

Best starting plays:

• Knight at the back
• Goblin Gang split at the back
• Executioner at the back
• Lumberjack at the bridge
• Goblin Gang

Start of Match (3:00 – 2:30)

At the beginning, look out for what your opponent’s cards are. Don’t play your graveyard yet until you find your opponent’s win condition is.

Make sure to count your opponent’s cards to know what cards they have.

If your opponent has only 7 cards played, that means they may have a surprising card they have not played yet.

Mid Game (2:29 – 1:01)

The graveyard is strongest when played from a counter push. Although it’s okay to go aggressive, it can be very punishing of you overcommit.

Consider whether if you are going to get substantial value when going for a push.

The defense is simple with this deck. Use the inferno tower to kill tanks, executioner to kill hordes, and goblin gang for extra swarm DPS. Never overcommit on either defense or offense.

Here are the best pushes:

• Knight + Graveyard
• Lumberjack + Graveyard
• Executioner + Graveyard
• Graveyard + Poison
• Knight + Lumberjack + Graveyard

Double Elixir and Overtime (1:00 – 0:00)

In double elixir time, your goal is to strike with as many pushes as possible. This deck doesn’t have a huge push to save up elixir for.

All you need to do is swift rushes with graveyard poison and another troop tanking for the graveyard.

You best push is Knight + Lumberjack + Graveyard + Poison + Executioner. This can normally only be pulled off in double elixir if you start a knight at the back.

If you have a strong graveyard poison push on one side and you see your opponent defend it with lots of elixir, rush the other lane with lumberjack + goblin gang. I call this move the Canadian Goblin juke (Lumberjack is Canadian).

Whenever you have a good counter push going with surviving troops, always play graveyard poison.

If you want to attack the enemy tower but don’t have a counter push built up, rush the enemy tower with lumberjack or knight + graveyard poison.

Dealing with Valkyrie

There are two ways to deal with the Valkyrie:

1. Wait for the enemy to use the Valkyrie. Once they’ve used their valkyrie, rush the tower with lumberjack + graveyard poison. Without the valkyrie, your opponent doesn’t have their best graveyard counter.
2. If you are attacking and you know your opponent has their valkyrie in rotation, place the graveyard so that a couple tiles are on the other side of the tower. This lets skeletons spawn on all sides of the enemy tower to minimize the valkyrie’s effectiveness.

Second Tower Take Down

Taking down a second tower can be irritating with the king tower up, but there is a way to distract both the enemy crown tower AND the king tower.

When attacking, place the graveyard directly in the center of the enemy tower with the poison ready to poison any graveyard counter your enemy has, Play the lumberjack directly at the bridge so that he takes the aggro of the crown tower.

Right as the lumberjack crosses the bridge, place the knight right at the pocket to take the aggro of the king tower and splits the damage of the king and crown tower. This makes sure that none of the enemy towers are shooting at the graveyard.

The knight doesn’t always have to be used as a distraction to the king tower. Goblin gang can be used to swarm the enemy and potentially deal massive damage.

Lumberjack Tips

The lumberjack is very underrated and not many people use him. I am an often lumberjack user and I’ve grown to know his strengths and weaknesses.

• Offense is where he shines – Unlike the mini-pekka, the lumberjack is much faster, faster hit speed, and drops the rage. The mini-pekka is better used on defense with higher health and more overall damage. On offense, if the lumberjack can get to the tower, he can get off an insane amount of hits because of his fast hit speed. Once he dies, his rage can help out any of your troops and also rage the graveyard’s skeletons. Sometimes, he can also be used to tank for the graveyard if you don’t have the knight ready.
• He is a squishy troop – The lumberjack is mainly a glass cannon. If you play him in the middle of all your opponent’s, he’s completely screwed. Know the right situations to play him in. Only play him to counter small troops or individual glass cannons, low DPS troops. If the lumberjack can be kept alive, he can make for a scary counter push.

Deck Matchups

Hog – The hog isn’t that much of a problem. The inferno tower, lumberjack, and goblin gang are all great counters.

Make sure you don’t go all out on a push because you can get destroyed by a hog rider counter push.

Always leave some elixir left for defense after you push in case your opponent counter attacks you.

Golem/Giant/PEKKA – Inferno tower can melt all these tanks.

The only issue is the lightning spell. The lightning will completely own your inferno tower. You will need the executioner and knight to take out the backline of troops and use the goblin gang or lumberjack for extra DPS once the backline has been taken out.

Sometimes, placing your inferno tower in the anti-lightning placement doesn’t help because your opponent will just lightning the lone inferno tower and potentially hit some of your other support troops.

Lavahound – Lavahound can be easily countered by inferno tower and executioner.

Place the inferno tower close your own tower with the executioner close by to help with splash damage.

Miner – Knight, goblin gang, and lumberjack are all good counters to the miner. This should be an easy matchup.

Have the executioner ready with splash damage against large swarms your opponent may have with the miner.

Bait Decks – The executioner is your only good swarms counter. The poison and zap can also provide some more splash protection.

On offense, graveyard poison will destroy all your opponent’s swarm cards and should give you graveyard some good damage.

3 Muskies – 3 muskies are a real pain. The poison will have to take time to kill them instead of the fireball doing instant damage.

If you see your opponent place an elixir collector, rush that same lane with knight or lumberjack + graveyard while also poisoning the pump and the tower.

If the pump is in front of the king tower, place the poison spell to hit the pump and the tower instead of placing the poison on top of the graveyard.

If your opponent is attacking both lanes, tornado all the troops together in the middle with your executioner splash damage. Place a knight in the middle of all the troops to tank damage from the executioner.

Royal Giant (cancer) – The cancerous Royal Giant is melted by this deck.

The inferno will tear it to shreds with the help of the goblin gang and executioner + tornado will kill all the support troops.

X-bow/Mortar – Place the knight in the center of your side of the arena to tank damage from the x-bow or mortar.

The inferno will melt it if can lock on to the enemy siege weapon. Executioner + tornado will destroy all the support and counter push with graveyard poison.

Hog Rider

Strategy:

The Hog Rider isn’t much of a problem for this deck. Here’s how you can effectively counter it:

• Inferno Tower: Place it to pull the Hog Rider and melt it down quickly.
• Lumberjack: Use him to chop down the Hog and provide a potential rage boost.
• Goblin Gang: Deploy it to swarm the Hog Rider and quickly eliminate it.

Tip: Always keep some elixir in reserve after a push to counter a Hog Rider counter-push. Don’t go all out offensively without maintaining a defensive elixir buffer.

Golem/Giant/PEKKA

Strategy:

These heavy tanks can be challenging, but your deck has the tools to deal with them:

• Inferno Tower: This is your main defense against these tanks. Place it to start melting their health.
• Executioner and Knight: Use them to deal with the support troops behind the tanks.
• Goblin Gang or Lumberjack: Add extra DPS once the backline is taken out.

Caution: Watch out for the Lightning spell. It can neutralize your Inferno Tower and hit support troops. Sometimes, anti-lightning placement doesn’t work if the opponent targets just the Inferno Tower. Be ready with alternative defenses.

Lavahound

Strategy:

Lavahound matchups can be managed with the following steps:

• Inferno Tower: Place it close to your own tower to start dealing with the Lavahound.
• Executioner: Position him nearby to handle the Lava Pups and other air units.

Tip: Support the Inferno Tower with the Executioner for effective splash damage.

Miner

Strategy:

Miners are relatively easy to counter:

• Knight, Goblin Gang, and Lumberjack: Use these to counter the Miner efficiently.
• Executioner: Have him ready to handle any large swarms accompanying the Miner.

Tip: Be prepared for swarms and counter them with the Executioner’s splash damage.

Bait Decks

Strategy:

Bait decks rely on overwhelming you with swarms:

• Executioner: Your primary counter to swarm units.
• Poison and Zap: Use these spells for additional splash damage and control.

Tip: Offensively, use Graveyard and Poison to destroy swarm cards and maximize damage.

Three Musketeers

Strategy:

Three Musketeers can be tricky due to their split push potential:

• Poison: Use it to deal with the Musketeers. It’s slower than Fireball but effective over time.
• Knight or Lumberjack + Graveyard: Rush the lane where they place their Elixir Collector, and poison the pump and tower if possible.

Tip: If your opponent is attacking both lanes, use Tornado to group their troops in the middle for Executioner’s splash damage. Place a Knight to tank for the Executioner.

Royal Giant

Strategy:

The Royal Giant can be handled effectively with this deck:

• Inferno Tower: Use it to tear down the Royal Giant.
• Goblin Gang and Executioner + Tornado: These will handle the support troops and set you up for a counter-push.

Tip: Focus on melting the Royal Giant quickly while using splash damage to handle the supporting units.

X-bow/Mortar

Strategy:

Siege decks can be challenging, but here’s how to counter them:

• Knight: Place him in the center of your side to tank damage.
• Inferno Tower: Use it to lock onto and melt the siege weapon.
• Executioner + Tornado: This combo will destroy the support troops and set you up for a counter-push.

Tip: After handling the siege weapon, push with Graveyard and Poison for a strong counter-attack.

By mastering these matchups and utilizing the strengths of the LumberYard Deck, you’ll be well-equipped to handle a variety of opponents in Clash Royale.

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