Hey everyone, it’s Inaros here (Frisk Dreemurr in the comments) with my first deck guide, a Battle Ram cycle deck!
Now, I know that you must be thinking that you’ll get a typical meta deck, but this baby is VERY off meta. This deck came to be when I won the Battle Ram from it’s challenge. I was so enthusiastic to use it that I just threw together the cards you’re about to see and jumped right in! The rest was history… jumping from Frozen Peak all the way to the old Legendary Arena (now known as Hog Mountain), then to the new Legendary Arena! Prepare yourselves, for things are about to get REALLY Frisky!
Lumberjack Battle Ram
Cards Breakdown
Bowler: This big blue (or purple?!) dude digs the simple things in life, and you’ll soon learn to dig him when you understand his true power in this deck!
The Bowler tosses a huge rock in a linear direction, hitting troops in it’s way for as long as the boulder lives.
He is a splash damage dealer against cards like Skarmy, but not against the likes of Minion Horde.
He also has the ability to knock back several non-tank cards, making him a life saver and a great push dissector (only exception is the dreaded Lavaloon, curse that push!!!!).
Battle Ram: Two Barbarians holding a large log, dealing significant damage if they connect it with a building. The fun doesn’t stop there, though…two Barbarians pop in to deal even more damage!
You’ll find that most of your pushes will be founded on this card, as you have several threat cards in this deck that an opponent with common sense will not let damage the tower.
Get creative with your ram combos, and remember to mix it up a bit so the opponent doesn’t know what to expect.
Ice Golem: For only two elixir, this guy offers insane value.
To see an extensive report on what this handsome devil can do, click here.
He’ll be an important figure in defense and push protection in this deck, and he’s a good cycle card when in a pinch.
Lumberjack: Chop chop! The Lumberjack is the best legendary in the game (of course in my opinion)!
For four elixir, you have an insanely fast, fast hitting speed, high damage dealer that can reduce a tower to about 20% of it’s HP!
As a bonus, a built in rage spell is dropped upon it’s death, making it a very great card when you just want a tower fast.
Elite Barbarians: These two muscle beaches are like regular Barbarians, only faster, tougher, and stronger!
Not much to say about these except that they’re a huge threat and that they’re excellent on defense…
Ice Spirit: This cute little ball of snow may look harmless, but will guaranteed be a life saver in many occasions!
It will freeze any opposing troop for roughly 1.5 seconds.
The best part? It’s almost always guaranteed to make it to the tower, giving you some free chip damage that your opponent won’t bother to pay attention too.
For a common and being 1 elixir, it’s pretty tanky.
Another cycle card in this deck.
Arrows: Not much to say. Clears swarms and helps out a lot against the pesky Minion Horde that wants to end your push.
The Log: I mean, do I even have to explain this one?! IT’S THE LOG!!! Let this guide do the explaining.
Replacements!!!
Bowler: Wizard, Witch, Baby Dragon
Battle Ram: Hog Rider
Ice Spirit: Ice Wizard (not recommended)
Lumberjack: Mini P.E.K.K.A, Musketeer, Valkyrie
Elite Barbs: Barbarians, Skeleton Army(not recommended), Minion Horde (not recommended)
Ice Golem: Knight
Arrows: None really except Fireball.
The Log: Zap
Tips and Advice
- It’s okay to let your Lumberjack die. It’s pretty squishy, so letting it die is worth the rage effect that will boost your defense or offense.
- Always pre-Log the lane your Battle Ram is going down, so your opponent can’t properly use their counter.
- Your Ice Golem is your best bet if you need to mitigate damage against the likes of Mega Minion or Inferno Dragon. Use him wisely!!
- It’s okay to take damage with this deck. Just because it has some extremely powerful stopping cards doesn’t mean you over commit.
- To block the annoying Hog Rider from ever reaching your tower: Place your Bowler directly in front of the tower, then when the Hog is about to make it, put the Ice Golem next to the Bowler. The Ice Golem sorta gets stuck in place, and the Hog Rider is stuck in pocket! The Bowler will just casually mow down the Hog along with help from the tower.
- Always, ALWAYS support your Ram with at least an Ice Spirit to increase it’s chances of dealing that juicy charge damage on the enemy tower.
General Gameplan
Single Elixir
Start with a lone Lumberjack or Battle Ram at the bridge to bait any important Glass Cannons or swarms (support them if you’re feeling bold!). If neither are available, just wait until the opponent drops their tank/glass cannon in the back and drop your Bowler in the same lane.
Always have your Bowler ready, because you never know when that raged Hog Rider or Elite Barbarians charge down a lane! Have your Bowler ready in general, because you’ll need it if you wanna stop most tank pushes
Predictive Log/Arrows are key here, so wait at least two seconds after dropping your Battle Ram to ensure safe travels.
Double Elixir (Things are gonna get FRISKY here!)
This is where you can get as aggressive as you like! This deck is extremely quick at cycling, so you don’t have to worry too much about defense (you’ll have a second or third Bowler if you cycle quickly; try to include Bowler in every push come Double Elixir time).
Build the most monstrous pushes you can imagine!
I’m talking E barbs+Lumberjack+Ice Golem+ Ram+ Ice Spirit, Bowler+Lumberjack+E-barbs+Ice Spirit, Ice Golem+E barbs+Ram+ Bowler, or even ALL the cards in this deck into ONE. GINORMOUS. PUSH!!!!
Matchups
Lava Hound: To quote a certain robot from a sci-fi movie: “WE’RE DOOMED!!”
Golem: Medium matchup.
You have E barbs and Lumberjack to shred through the big stone dude, Battle Ram to apply pressure, and Bowler to mow down the supports. Use Ice Golem and Ice Spirit to stall or even kite Inferno Dragon/Mega Minion. Watch out for Lightning.
3M Pump: Semi-hard matchup.
Use Bowler for the single Musketeer and support, Ice Golem and Lumberjack for double Musketeers. You should be able to out cycle them.
Bait: They’ll bow down to you if you use your Log/Arrows/Bowler correctly.
Hog Rider: Easiest matchup. Watch out for E barbs, Lightning, or E wiz. Use the tactic mentioned in the tips.
Siege: They’ll COMPLETELY bow down to you, as their defense is garbage. Just try not to get out cycled.
Graveyard: A medium matchup.
Try not, I repeat, TRY NOT to let their tank cross the bridge. You’ll have Lumberjack or E barbs to decimate it. You’ll need to save your Bowler a couple of times, though (see what I mean?), to deal with the skellies. Watch out for the Freeze Spell (though I haven’t seen it used with Graveyard in a while). Apply pressure so they have less time to use the Graveyard and even less to defend your push.
Deck Composition
The LumberRam deck is built around the synergy between the Lumberjack and the Battle Ram. Here’s the full deck composition:
- Lumberjack: The core of the deck, providing both offensive pressure and a Rage spell upon death.
- Battle Ram: The primary win condition, capable of delivering a devastating charge to enemy towers.
- Bandit: Adds versatility with her dash ability, capable of taking out squishy targets and putting pressure on the opponent.
- Electro Wizard: Provides crowd control and can reset Inferno Towers and Dragons, making it easier for your win conditions to connect.
- Baby Dragon: Offers splash damage and synergizes well with Tornado.
- Tornado: Used for grouping enemy troops, enabling Baby Dragon and Electro Wizard to maximize their damage output.
- Poison: A reliable spell for controlling swarms and damaging buildings over time.
- Ice Spirit: A cheap cycle card that can freeze enemy troops, giving your Lumberjack and Battle Ram more time to connect.
Strategy and Tips
Early Game
In the early game, focus on understanding your opponent’s deck and cycling your cards efficiently. Use Ice Spirit and Electro Wizard defensively to counter enemy pushes, and support your defensive units with Baby Dragon when necessary. Deploy the Lumberjack and Battle Ram combo to test your opponent’s defenses and apply pressure, but avoid overcommitting.
Mid Game
By the mid-game, you should have a good sense of your opponent’s deck. Start setting up for more significant pushes. Use Tornado to pull enemy troops into the range of your Baby Dragon and Electro Wizard, maximizing their splash damage. Deploy the Lumberjack to tank and provide a Rage boost for your Battle Ram and Bandit, increasing their damage output and speed.
Late Game
In the late game, double elixir time will allow you to execute more complex and powerful pushes. Use Poison to control swarms and chip away at buildings, creating opportunities for your win conditions to connect. Keep the pressure on with continuous Lumberjack and Battle Ram combos, supported by Electro Wizard and Baby Dragon. Be mindful of your opponent’s counter cards and cycle through your deck quickly to maintain pressure.
Matchups
Against Beatdown Decks
Against beatdown decks, use Tornado and Baby Dragon to control large pushes. The Electro Wizard can reset Inferno Dragons and Inferno Towers, crucial for stopping heavy tanks. Deploy the Lumberjack defensively to take advantage of his Rage drop, and counter-push with Battle Ram and Bandit.
Against Control Decks
Control decks can be tricky, as they often have strong defensive capabilities. Focus on cycling through your cards to keep up constant pressure. Use Poison to chip away at defensive buildings and support troops, and look for opportunities to break through with Lumberjack and Battle Ram.
Against Siege Decks
Siege decks require careful management of your defensive resources. Use Tornado to pull siege units out of range, and rely on Electro Wizard and Baby Dragon to clear supporting troops. Once you have a defensive stop, quickly counter-push with Lumberjack and Battle Ram to punish your opponent.
Conclusion
Well, this is it, the end of my first guide!
The LumberRam deck offers a unique and effective alternative to the traditional meta decks in Clash Royale. Its combination of aggressive pushes and versatile defensive capabilities can catch opponents off guard and provide a refreshing change of pace. By mastering the synergies and strategies of this frisky off-meta deck, you’ll be well on your way to climbing the ranks and surprising your foes. Give the LumberRam deck a try, and enjoy the thrill of off-meta success!
This is Frisk Dreemurr saying STAY DETERMINED!
