Clash Royale Hog Rider Guide

The mighty Hog Rider, arguably one of the most favorite cards of all time, is an iconic troop that arrives directly from Clash of Clans. Towers and buildings are his primary targets as he is relatively fast and can deal insane damage to the towers in a single hit with his hammer. In this Clash Royale Guide, we shall cover every minute detail about the Hog Rider along with some basic tips to master this formidable troop.

Is Hog Rider Good in Clash Royale?

The Hog Rider possesses several unique attributes that make it a popular choice among players. He runs fast, has relatively high health, and deals great damage. His deployment time is the same as most cards and therefore he can make a high impact for a small cost of just 4 Elixir.

Players who prefer inexpensive decks can comfortably run a Hog Rider deck. This is due to the fact that most Hog Rider decks are easy to cycle therefore giving the opposition a tough time in defending against it.

Best Hog Rider Deck in Clash Royale

Hog Rider can often be seen in decks that average 3.2 Elixr, and even lower in some cases. In order to build a deck around the Hog Rider, one needs to keep in mind the following:

• Playing card-to-building ratio.
• Average Elixir cost
• Sufficient and equivalent strength in all departments (offense, defense, and support).

Different Types of Hog Rider Decks

While ensuring the last point above can be quite challenging, a deck can satisfy all the needs if used the right way. Building a deck is completely based on the player’s playstyle and strategy. Below are some suggested deck-building strategies for Hog Rider depending on your preferred playstyle.

• Fast Decks – if you are a player that likes to keep rotating their cards for faster cycling then decks with an average Elixir of 2.6 to 3.2 will suit you best. The majority of the decks in this range contain cards such as the Skeletons, Ice Spirit, and Log.
• Heavy Decks – if you like to play using heavy cards, then can either consider making a cheap deck using a heavy card or create an explosive deck. Typically, Hog Riders and heavy decks don’t go well with each other, but an average of up to 4.0 Elixir would be recommended if you really want to go this way.
• Balanced Decks – if you like a balanced deck where each card serves a purpose, then cards such as the Valkyrie, Knight, Mini P.E.K.K.A., and so on, can be used in a deck alongside the mighty Hog Rider. Decks in this category would usually have an average Elixir of about 3.6.

Suggested Hog Rider Decks

Here are some popular decks that are partial/solely dependent on Hog Rider’s devastating attack:

• Executioner, Hog Rider, Lightning, Log, Valkyrie, Ice Spirit, Tornado, Skeletons.
• P.E.K.K.A., Arrows, Hog Rider, Goblins, Bats, Ice Golem, Electro Wizard, Lightning.
• Hog Rider, Musketeer, Skeletons, Ice Spirit, Ice Golem, Fireball, Cannon, Log.
• Mortar, Hog Rider, Rascals, Zap, Log, Spear Goblins, Goblin Gang, Bats.
• Hog Rider, Goblin Barrel, Princess, Inferno Tower, Knight, Zap, Minions, Log.

Best Clash Royale Hog Rider Strategy

Next in this Clash Royale Hog Rider Guide, we will take a look at some strategies that you can implement to maximize the potential of the Hog Rider. In particular, there are 3 key strategies that you should consider:

• Hog Cycle – these decks can be seen utilized by most leaderboard grinders, especially the popular 2.6 Hog Cycle deck. In a typical Hog Cycle deck, each card from the deck usually consumes 4-5 Elixir or less. This is maintained in order to cycle between the cards faster, allowing players to cycle the Hog Rider fast enough to tackle the opponent’s defense and maintain constant pressure on them.

• Hog Beatdown – these decks contain one to two heavy cards like Giant, P.E.K.K.A., Mega Knight, etc. The reason behind the usage of heavy cards here is for them to act as a cover for the Hog Rider. During a push, the heavy card absorbs all the damage while the Hog Rider goes straight toward the tower, with the chances of it being harmed being little to none.

• Hog Control – these decks include defensive cards that also assist the Hog Rider for a counter-attack. Tornado and Freeze are some cards that can be seen in such decks. Effective spell usage plays a key factor in the success rate of this strategy, hence it is vital for players to practice with friends before entering a game.

Clash Royale Hog Rider Tips

Mastering the Hog Rider requires players to focus on the tiny things while using him. This includes the right placement, timing, and Elixir advantage. Here is a guide to some simple tips and tricks that can be followed in order to make the most out of the Hog Rider.

• Placement – placing the Hog Rider rightly is essential in order to prevent him from targeting any other defensive building that is placed elsewhere. Placing him to the corner side of either bridge is the ideal spot, however, in the case of the opponent placing a defensive building at the center, players can follow one of the three strategies mentioned above in order to tackle it.

• Timing – this is everything in Clash Royale and applies to all cards, not just the Hog Rider. Once the opponent drains their elixir on one side, use the Hog Rider on the other end. This way, the opponent will be helpless and will be forced to wait until a card with sufficient elixir can be placed.

• Baiting – the best counter to the Hog Rider is the defensive buildings. Once they are placed in the center, the Hog Rider turns its focus from the tower to the building. To avoid this, players must use other cards that pressurize the opponent to use the defensive building. This can include heavy cards such as the Mega Knight, or a swarm of strong troops like the Valkyrie, Knight, etc.

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