AI Overview: It has no Poison and wins with Miner plus Bats. Miner’s best list wins 66.0%, and Electro Wizard’s wins 72.1%, while Mega Knight reaches 51% in only two of 15 printed decks. The Balloon Hero was nerfed three times, so the second win condition needs care.
Last Updated: October 2026
Key Points:
- The deck costs 27 elixir, which is 3.4 on average.
- Miner lost Crown Tower damage on July 6 (49 to 39), and his best list wins 66.0% over 535 battles.
- Mega Knight reaches 51% in only two of 15 printed decks, and his Evolution changed on June 1 and August 4.
- Electro Wizard has a best list of 72.1% over about 1,100, with a new Hero in October 2026.
- Balloon Hero was nerfed three times in 2026, and LavaLoon lists with it win about 47.5%.
The Mega Looner List, Priced Card by Card
Here’s the thing: This is a Miner and Bats deck with a Mega Knight for defense. It has only a small spell, Zap, so the Miner is the main win condition and the Balloon is the second one. He did not use Poison on purpose.
| Card | Elixir | Job in the deck | 2026 status |
| Mega Knight | 7 | Defensive tank and counter-push starter | Only two of 15 printed decks won 51% or more; Evolution changes June 1 and August 4 |
| Balloon | 5 | Second win condition | Hero nerfed three times in 2026; LavaLoon lists won about 47.5% |
| Miner | 3 | Main win condition, chip | Crown Tower damage 49 to 39 on July 6; best list 66.0% over 535 |
| Goblin Gang | 3 | Bait and defense | No 2026 change; best list 62.9% over about 3,100 |
| Ice Spirit | 1 | Freeze and cheap cycle | Hitpoints 230 to 215 on August 4; every printed list 56.7% or more |
| Electro Wizard | 4 | Stun defense | Best list 72.1% over about 1,100; Hero added in October 2026 (small samples) |
| Bats | 2 | Fast air cycle, Miner partner | No 2026 change; none of eight printed lists above 50% |
| Zap | 2 | Cheap reset spell | Crown Tower damage 58 to 48 on June 1; Evo Zap 77.0% over about 1,000 |
The table prices the cards and shows how each looks in October 2026.
The Mega Knight and Balloon are the two cards with the weakest 2026 numbers. The negative effect: if the next patch trims either card again, the old plan of defending with the Mega Knight and countering with the Balloon would lose both of its big pieces, and the deck would rely on the Miner alone.
What Changed in 2026
The Miner hits towers for 39 now, not 49. His best list still wins 66.0%, but the chip adds up more slowly. The Electro Wizard is the star, with a best list of 72.1%.
Poison lost tower damage in June but still has a 68.6% best list, and the Inferno Dragon Evolution has a best list of 72.3% over 792 battles.
Mega Knight and Balloon are less stable. Only two of 15 Mega Knight decks win 51% or more. The Balloon Hero has lost value three times this year. Zap lost tower damage too (58 to 48), though it still stuns Inferno units.
Card pages: Mega Knight, Balloon and Miner.
A deck with two shaky big cards leans on its cheap ones. The negative effect: Bats, Ice Spirit and Goblin Gang are strong, but they do not take towers alone, and a long game without a Miner hit can end in a draw.
How to Play It Today
From 3:00 to 1:00, he used Miner plus Bats or Miner plus Gang, and relied on Electro Wizard, Gang and Bats to defend. From 1:00, he went all in: defend with the Mega Knight, then counter-push hard.
Matchups. Against Giant, Mega Knight, Royal Giant or Golem. Against Royal Ghost, the Mega Knight is one more answer, even at a 7 for 3 trade, because the counter-push pays it back.
Translation: Ice Spirit plus Electro Wizard or Zap kills Minions. Keep the Gang for the Goblin Barrel or Miner on a pump. Use Balloon when you need extra offense, or to split the push, and save the Miner for the pump or the Princess. In overtime, a tie is often the right call.
Elixir math: the Mega Knight and Balloon take 12 of the 27 elixir. The other six cards average 2.5, a very cheap spread for a deck with a 7-elixir card.
Try it yourself: open this deck in the Clash Royale Deck Builder and the cards for Mega Knight Balloon Deck are already loaded. The cost per card averages 3.4 elixir. Since it is not a tracker list, there is no win rate for 2026.
Cheap cards make a deck flexible, but not strong by themselves. The negative effect: if the opponent learns to ignore the Miner on the bridge and trade only with the Mega Knight, the deck loses its edge, and there is no big spell to finish towers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mega Knight Balloon good in 2026?
Miner’s best list wins 66.0% and Electro Wizard’s wins 72.1%, but Mega Knight wins 51% in only two of 15 decks, so the list is a base to tune, starting with the Mega Knight slot.
What is the average elixir cost?
Add the eight costs and you get 27; that is 3.4 per card.
Why no Poison?
Did the Miner get weaker?
His Crown Tower damage fell from 49 to 39 on July 6.
Should Zap or Arrows be used?
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! The Ice Lord with my 2nd guide!
Once I got to arena 10, I didn’t know what deck to use, but then I saw a Mega-Hog deck and used that to get to arena 11 (Electro Valley, not Legendary Arena). Once I got there, I faced a lot of hard matchups, so I had to find a better deck. And I found this deck, and used it to get to Arena 12!
I was a bit skeptical, but quickly found out this deck dominates after seeing Tag’s video on it.
Lastly, it was totally coincidental that the deck was Mega Looner, but its still amazing! With that, lets get into the guide!
| Deck | Cards | Avg elixir | Needs |
| Deck in this guide | 3.4 | Arena 11 (Miner) |
Mega Looner
Mega Knight – Obviously need him!
He provides enormous value, smacking Fireballies, (Exe, Witch, Wizard, Hunter, Ewiz, Night Witch, Ice Wiz, etc.) Ebarbs, and ground swarms.
Amazing to counter push with, and you can split push the other lane with a Gang to guarantee some damage.
With Ghost becoming more popular, he is one more counter for it. (I know, 7 for 3, but there is counter push opportunity with support units.)
Goblin Gang – provides value for only 3 Elixir!
This card was why I was skeptical, but, these destroy.
If you’re facing off against a opponent who is defending all you’re troops, you can split these in the back, with 1 Spear and 1 Stab going to the non defended Tower, and slowly chip at the other lane. (I have beaten numerous people with this strategy.)
These guys can also shut down Bandits, Lumberjacks, Battle Rams, and other quick cards.
Miner – Since you only have a mini spell, he is your main win condition.
What differs this deck from classic Miner Poison decks, is obviously, there is no Poison.
This deck was made like that, so you use my favorite combo in the whole game, Miner + Bats.
Bats have a insane DPS, so this does massive amounts of damage.
Even if they defend, this deck has a relatively fast cycle, of 10. (not including Miner or Bats, I’m including Ice Spirit, Zap, Gang, ewiz) considering most 3-4 average Elixir cost decks are 8-10, this is fine.
Anyways, you can also pair him up with a Gang, or any troops from a defense, like Ewiz, or Gang, in that regard.
Ice Spirit – Freezes everything, splashes troops, and makes cute running noises! All for just 1 elxir!
This guy can be paired with a damaged MK to provide a pretty good counter push.
He can be paired with split Gang for chip damage, he can be cycled at the bridge, he can do a lot of stuff.
You can almost stop a naked Hog with him and Bats, you can with him and a Gang.
He can stop a Bandit if you put him on the Bandit, he can kite a P.E.K.K.A, and more.
Ice Spirit + Ewiz/Zap = Minions.
Electro Wizard – ZZZZZZZZZZZZZAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPP!
He can take out most Fireballies (mentioned above). He can defend and counterattack, can also kill most swarms, including hordes.
If the opponent out cycles your Zap and plays a Barrel, Ewiz the left two, (or was it the right two?) whichever two your Tower targets last. (assuming they split the Barrel)
If I know my opponent has Giant, MK, RG, or Golem, I preemptively play him in the back.
Bats – Also, with incredible value!
These things do everything!
Push, defend, and simply look awesome!
These can take out Ram, ljack, and Hog if paired with a Ice Spirit, and dish out so much damage.
Along with Fireballies, Dragons, Flying Machine, and Mega Minon. Since you have Gang, you can play them at the bridge for bait, then rush the other side with Miner + Bats.
Also, they can take out Hound, Balloon, and pretty much every air card besides Baby Dragon, and Horde.
Zap – Stuns Hog, kills Gang, (if your 1 lvl above, it kills all, but if your equal, it only kills the Spear Goblins) and does work!
If your opponent uses a Inferno Tower/ Dragon for your MK, you can stun it to get massive damage. I prefer this over Arrows/ Log, because Arrows, 1 take to long to deploy, and 2 is 3 instead of 2. Log does take care of ground swarms, but with Balloon, Miner and MK weak to air, Zap + Ice Spirit is better.
Balloon, Inferno Dragon, or Poison – The flex spot of you’re deck!
Balloon is good if you need the extra offence, being paired up with a Miner or split pushing makes him amazing. A really good 2nd win condition if you have to save your Miner for their Pump/ Princess.
Poison is what I like to use the most. It completely shuts down Graveyard, and can lend a hand in big Golem pushes, this decks other weakness. Since this deck has Zap, and if the can catch your miners, this is good for direct damage.
Inferno Dragon is if you’re facing Golem/Mega P.E.K.K.A. Melts through these, and shockingly, not many Golem deck run ewiz, so your safe. This variant also makes the deck more defensive, as you can soak up hits with the ID.
General Gameplan
3:00 – 1:00
Right now its 1x elxir, so this is where you have the advantage over most of the more heavy decks.
You want to use Miner Bats, Miner Gang if they drop a Log, and maybe one MK for their Ebarbs.
You want to rely on the power of your defensive troops, such as Ewiz, Gang, and Bats.
Even if you have a half health Ewiz, or 3 Bats, send in a Miner to tank, the will either over defend or soak up the damage, so its a good way to get in damage.
1:00 – OT
This is the time when you go all in, defending their pushes with MK then going for the monster counter push.
Feel free to send in Miner Poison, unless they have GY.
If you are in OT, and you think you cannot tie, 5 times out of 6, you can go for the tie.
As I mentioned before, the deck is super defensive, using cards like Ewiz, Gang, and Bats which cost less but have more value.
Matchups
New Meta Royal Ghost Deck
You know this deck. You hate this deck. You think the Royal Ghost should be known as the RG, not the Royal Giant.
But still, it is a deck that I’ve been seeing a lot of it on ladder, and even more in challenges.
This deck does fairly well against the Royal Ghost one, as you have Gang and Bats for the Miner, Ewiz for the Ghost, Poison for there Hut, and Zap for there Inferno drag.
Unless they have a huge Elixir lead, you can pretty much overwhelm them with MK, or play for the tie.
Beatdown
Your hardest matchup. (unless your running Inferno drag)
You do have both Miner and Poison for there Pump, MK with E-wiz has a lot of Tank killing ability, you do have a lot of options to punish.
The only problem vs Beatdown is if they can form a 20 Elixir push behind a Golem, you are dead.
Graveyard
Straight off the bat, if your running Poison, you have either won or it was a tie.
Usual GY users send in a Poison as well, which, if your not running Poison, completely denys Bats, Gang, or ewiz, and if they have your Tower locked on to something else, there is little you can do to stop them.
Lavaloon
Even if this deck lacks a building, air gets shut down. Ice Spirit + Gang or ewiz stops Balloon, or just Bats.
Lava Hound isn’t really a problem, as its tiny damage output, its the Minons/Mega Minon that follows. Ewiz does a great job at stopping both of these.
Control
Since you are pretty much just counter pushing each other, the game could go either way.
Usually you have the advantage, because not many control decks have P.E.K.K.A, and with Bats behind your MK, a Knight doesn’t do much.
Use the MK to stop any big pushes, or Ewiz, Gang or Bats for the small ones.
On that note, that is the guide! I hope you guys enjoyed!
Have fun with the deck!
See you in the arena!
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