Hey guys Lolman here, today I want to share the ladder deck that I used this season to crack 5000 trophies in arguably one of the tougher Clash Royale seasons to date. Lots of people I know, that have broken 5000 trophies or higher, are finding it hard to crack 4900 trophies etc.
I’ve had a lot of success with this deck so I want to share it with you guys. It counters about every deck you might face on ladder VERY well. Also this deck guide is more ladder oriented, it may not perform as well in tourney cap.
Now enough blabbing and onto the actual deck.
SplashYard v3.0
Slight disclaimer. This deck is a bit legendary and epic heavy so keep that in mind. It’s just the deck that I’ve focussed on levelling up.
The Deck
Knight – The main tank for Graveyard.
It’s a common so can be overlevelled and is very solid vs a lot of cards like Graveyard, E-Barbarians, Miner etc. Has decent DPS but hardly a tank killer.
He’s your main rush card to be paired up with Graveyard, etc when you rush a Pump for an example. He’s only 3 Elixir so he’s far better to be used as the tank rather than say a Lumberjack, Mini P.E.K.K.A, Valkyrie, etc.
Graveyard – You can’t have a Graveyard deck without a Graveyard. This card cannot be replaced.
Try to play passively at the beginning rather than starting off with a Knight Graveyard rush.
You will want to figure out opponent’s counters first. This deck shines at counter pushing. For example, If you defend with a Night Witch, play Knight in front of her then drop Graveyard and try to get the value of Poison.
Typical Graveyard placement! This is my usual Graveyard placement because mostly in the 4700-5000 range people use ground troops like Knight, Barbarians etc to counter Graveyard. Even a Valk can be negated by this placement if RNG is on your side. I would start off with something like this, or if you prefer to play it safe, start with the corner and are getting countered easily then try switching your placements up.
Poison – This is a very important card because it’s what you will use to clear away Graveyard counters.
You won’t always need to use use Poison tho. For an example if a Valkyrie is used on your Graveyard, you’d find it easier to just Tornado her out of there rather than using Poison on her.
Poison kills the Goblin Gang, Archers, Minions or Minion Horde that are used to defend your Graveyard. Try and get value with your Poison.
Always try to get value from your Poisons!
Tornado (5) – Should be used wisely. Can be used on both offense and defense.
Can be used for pulling a Hog to the King’s Tower and also pulling a tank out of your Graveyard. You can even use it to group Barbarians and Minions so your Executioner can snipes all of them (while using Poison takes 4 Elixir and ages to kill those level 13 troops.
You can use Tornado to counter a Golem by pulling it to the King for a +5 trade. Or like said earlier to kill Barbarians and Minions for a + 5 trade. This is so because they still have to deal with say the Executioner that’s on the map.
Here the Executioner was able to kill the Musketeer, Barbarians and the Ewiz for only 3 extra Elixir! Drawing out a lot more Elixir from my opponent (Ps- This was my 5k game)
Here although a bit of an overcommitment and I am low on Elixir, I mitigated massive damage and have 9 Elixir on the board! Able to counterpush with a deadly Exe, NW, Graveyard push.
Night Witch – Now prior to Night Witch being released, my deck had issues dealing with Graveyard and had E-wiz at this slot.
You can change her into a Baby Dragon or E-wiz. Whichever you prefer. But I see her as far superior to those options right now in the meta because of just how insanely OP she is.
She helps a LOT at melting down tanks for me in order to clutch a victory in ladder. She’s also not that level dependent so that’s a plus for the ladder. Even if your Night Witch was level 2 I’d say it’s work just as well!
Skeletons- Why Skeletons over Goblins?
This deck is actually a lot like Splashyard and rather an expensive one. I prefer a faster cycle over more defensive capabilities. Plus Gobs might still get zapped on ladder.
Executioner – Main defense vs beatdown and Lava Hound decks. His splash is incredible. Especially when lining troops up for him to snipe out with the Tornado.
He synergies well with the Graveyard. Simple use Tornado to pull troops out of Graveyard, letting him to snipe troops+ tower.
He’s one of the most important cards in this deck. Not that level dependent just make sure his level is not more than 1 level below lightnings used by other players at your trophy range. So…. Level him up first.
Minion Horde! – Plot twist. A Graveyard deck with Minion Horde? Well… yes, Horde offers for a surprise Horde behind Knight or any tank really attack if your opponent wastes spells like Fireball on your Night Witch.
Also if your opponent overcommits with a heavy ground attack, simply place Minion Horde on top and relax.
Now these are level dependent, Zap +2 levels higher 1 shots the Minions so make sure to level them up as well. Level 12 is the safe level because no Zap will 1 shot them other than well… mirrored Zaps.
Don’t rely too much on this card, it’s really more of a punish and surprise defensive card in this deck. Not so much a major damage dealer.
Fireball Zap on Night Witch? Punish him!
General Gameplay
Early game
Now on ladder, being the initial aggressor is not good unless your opponent opts to Pump or say Golem/Giant in the back. Try not to overcommit, even a simple Knight Graveyard push.
Never go with something like an Exe Graveyard push because Executioner is a defensive card. You always want him (like the Bowler) on the same lane as the tank that is coming your way!
Get a feel for your opponents deck and figure out your opponent’s counters.
This deck is rather expensive so you won’t be getting a LOT of damage early on unless you get a lucky push in early.
It really shines in 2x Elixir, when you will be able to cycle twice as fast as normal and will try and do most the damage you can.
Try to get as much Poison chip damage and bat chip damage.
That being said don’t overcommit on a Graveyard push with a Poison. Try and play with a certain amount of control.
Mid game
Now that you know what you’re playing against. Try to figure out what cards you need to save for the enemy pushes.
Now, you don’t always have to use a tank for the Graveyard. A lone Graveyard can potentially take a Tower depending on its level and the Tower level!
Here in this situation, the only counter I had for his Inferno Dragon was my Exe. I did not want to use him on that side so I just used a Graveyard so he’d most likely leave the Night Witch be in taking care of the Royal Giant.
I used the Horde because once the Bomber kills my Night Witch, he could Zap the Bats and that’d do massive damage to my Tower which would be bad. So the Horde was to draw out Zap. Either way that Tower was mine.
So in a nutshell, this is when you should try to do as much damage as you can.
You don’t want to be the aggressor most the time unless you are in a situation like above. Instead, you want to counter a push then counterpush with a Graveyard and Poison.
Late game
Now I am comfortable using a quick Knight + Graveyard push because I can cycle back to the card easily.
Especially if your opponent still plays passively with say a Giant in the back, etc. Play a bit aggressively.
Try not to use your Horde carelessly and ended up losing a Tower.
It isn’t that hard to do, try to kill your opponents counter push with Poison. Defend with Exe Nado then Graveyard on counter.
Rinse and repeat.
Match-ups
Mortar cycles
Now these decks are reasonably common on the ladder. Mortar decks in my opinion are far more annoying than Royal Giant.
Now for this, try to save your Executioner for the Mortar, because they do defend it with Archers, Skeletons etc. Place your Knight to tank for the Exe and then the Graveyard.
This match-up can be tough as they can rather easily counter your Graveyard by cycling back to Archers. They also have 2 spells to clear out the Skeletons.
Do NOT give Rocket value like placing Exe behind the Tower. Always try to save it for Mortar.
For the most part Horde is useless because they have Arrows. Try to only use it once that’s out of cycle.
Giant/Golem beatdown
Executioner and Tornado. If possible you can also activate your King’s Tower early to help yourself. Keep in mind that the Golem can do significant damage to your King Tower.
Repeating this process can be deadly to you assuming the game somehow ends up in a 1-1 situation.
Vs Lightning your Exe level may matter depending on how high you are in trophies!
If you want to make a 5k push I do recommend at the very LEAST a level 5 Executioner. However quite a few players do have level 7 Lightnings around this trophy range.
Hog
Very easy match-up.
Activate your King asap, afterwards you ideally want to use say a Night Witch for an example in order to counterpush.
If no good counters are in hand then Tornado + Skeletons prevent any hits on Tower for a neutral trade and you’d have cycled 2 cards. Though +1 trade is good, might as well prevent damage because you would most likely end up cycling the Skeletons anyway later on.
Log bait
Can be a little tough if they have Inferno Tower so try to get value of Poisons.
Tornado Barrel to King’s Tower and afterwards Skeletons in front of Tower should be able to mitigate the damage done.
In 2x Elixir you will have the advantage. So play warily at the start, defend properly. Poison out like the Princess etc and then attack. Never get into a spell cycling race and don’t give Rocket value.
Royal Giant
Typically an easy match-up!
Executioner is important. Night Witch should be used on him. Kill the RG and counterpush.
Don’t overdefend because taking damage then using Graveyard on offense and doing massive damage are far more worth than mitigating as much damage as possible by overdefending.
3 Musketeers
Vs this, you ideally want to play for a draw. Poison level matters a LOT and usually when 3M used on ladder are usually overelevelled.
Poison isn’t a great 3M counter to begin with! So try to get some early damage on Tower when they Pump up. Hopefully take a Tower but once they start cycling 3M defend for your life! Get value Exe Nados etc.
Core Components of the Splashyard Deck The Splashyard deck is centered around the Graveyard spell, known for its ability to summon a horde of Skeletons anywhere on the battlefield. However, the deck’s success heavily relies on a supporting cast of cards capable of dealing splash damage, hence the name “Splashyard.” Here’s a breakdown of the essential cards:
- Graveyard: The cornerstone of the deck, Graveyard is a win condition that can quickly overwhelm opponents if left unchecked. When combined with a tanky unit, it becomes a nightmare to defend against.
- Baby Dragon: A versatile card with flying capabilities, Baby Dragon deals splash damage and synergizes perfectly with the Graveyard. Its ability to clear out swarms makes it invaluable in both offense and defense.
- Ice Wizard: Slowing down enemy troops while dealing consistent splash damage, the Ice Wizard is a key defensive card. It pairs well with Tornado, another common inclusion in the Splashyard deck, to control and eliminate enemy pushes.
- Tornado: Tornado’s synergy with both Baby Dragon and Ice Wizard cannot be overstated. It pulls enemy troops together, allowing these splash damage dealers to maximize their effectiveness. Additionally, Tornado can be used to activate the King Tower early, giving you a significant defensive advantage.
- Knight/Bowler: A reliable tank is necessary to absorb damage while the Graveyard spawns Skeletons. Knight is a popular choice due to its low cost and decent health. Bowler, on the other hand, provides additional splash damage and is particularly effective against ground-based swarm units.
- Poison: Poison is often paired with Graveyard to deal with defending troops that try to counter the Skeletons. Its damage over time and area coverage make it a perfect fit for the Splashyard strategy.
- Tombstone: Serving as a cheap distraction, Tombstone can help control enemy troops and buy time for your other units. Its Skeleton spawns also synergize well with the defensive playstyle of the deck.
- Electro Wizard: The Electro Wizard can provide a valuable stun effect, disrupting enemy pushes and supporting your defensive and offensive maneuvers.
Strategy and Gameplay The key to mastering Splashyard lies in understanding its balance between offense and defense. Here’s how you can effectively use the deck:
- Early Game: Focus on defending and managing your Elixir. Use Tornado, Ice Wizard, and Baby Dragon to control the battlefield. If an opportunity arises, consider a Graveyard push with Knight or Baby Dragon, but don’t overcommit.
- Mid-Game: This is when you should start chipping away at your opponent’s tower with Graveyard pushes. Combine Graveyard with Poison or Baby Dragon to maximize damage while minimizing the opponent’s defensive options.
- Late Game: By now, you should have a solid understanding of your opponent’s deck. Use your knowledge to predict their moves and execute well-timed Graveyard pushes. Defend carefully, using Tornado and splash damage units to maintain control.
- Countering Splashyard: Be aware of counters to the Splashyard deck, such as decks with strong defensive capabilities like Valkyrie, Archers, or other splash damage units. Adapt your strategy by focusing on chip damage and waiting for the perfect moment to unleash your Graveyard.
I believe this covers all I got for you guys today. This deck has been working very well for me.
Hopefully you guys also have success using it.
This is more of a ladder deck. I’ve never really played any challenges with the deck so I am unsure if it works but it does seem rather solid. I just made it to counter most ladder decks.
t’s in a nutshell a modified splash yard deck. Give it a try.
Lolman out.
