Hog Rider
A fast, building-targeting win condition and one of the most iconic cards in Clash Royale, built around quick pressure and constant cycling.
Tracked Win Rate
Based on 642 tracked battles where Hog Rider appeared in the deck, pulled from RoyaleZone's tracked group of public players.
Recent Trend
Daily win rate from RoyaleZone's tracked Clash Royale battle data, updated as new battles come in.
Synergies
Based on the top performing decks in tracked matches, Hog Rider synergizes best with these cards:
What Does Hog Rider Do?
Hog Rider is a fast, single-target melee troop that ignores enemy troops completely and beelines straight for the nearest building. Once every building on that side of the arena is destroyed, he'll switch to attacking the King Tower directly.
His signature trait is jumping over the river: while mid-jump, he can't be hit by ground troops, and spells like The Log or Earthquake fail to damage him during that window. Air troops and Inferno-type buildings are the exception — they can still track and hit him through the jump.
Best Decks With Hog Rider
2.6 Hog Cycle
The most iconic Hog Rider deck in Clash Royale, named for its very low average Elixir cost. The entire plan is to defend as cheaply as possible, then cycle straight back to another Hog Rider before the opponent can reset.
- Hog Rider
- Ice Spirit
- Skeletons
- The Log
- Ice Golem
- Cannon
- Fireball
- Musketeer
Hog Mortar Chip
A slower, more control-oriented approach that pairs Hog Rider's direct pressure with Mortar's ranged chip damage, backed by swarms to handle the opponent's defenses.
- Hog Rider
- Mortar
- Rascals
- Zap
- The Log
- Spear Goblins
- Goblin Gang
- Bats
Looking for more options? Browse the full best decks list for other Hog Rider variants and non-Hog archetypes.
How to Counter Hog Rider
Since Hog Rider only targets buildings, a well-placed defensive building is usually the cleanest answer — cards like Cannon or Tesla can tank his hits and often kill him for a positive Elixir trade.
He also struggles against swarms, since he can't target troops directly and takes damage while walking past them. Barbarians in particular can shut him down almost completely without precise timing, and Skeleton Army works in a pinch too.
Hog Rider Synergies
Hog Rider's speed makes him a useful mini-tank for cheap support troops like Goblins, Skeletons, Spear Goblins, or Archers, since he can absorb hits while they deal damage from behind. He also works the other way around — placing him behind a slower mini-tank like Ice Golem or Valkyrie lets him push forward faster as part of a bigger attack.
Frequently Asked Questions
What rarity is Hog Rider?
Hog Rider is a Rare card, unlocked from the Builder's Workshop at Arena 5.
How much elixir does Hog Rider cost?
Hog Rider costs 4 Elixir to deploy.
What does Hog Rider target?
Hog Rider only targets buildings, ignoring enemy troops entirely until every building is destroyed.
What is the best deck for Hog Rider?
The 2.6 Hog Cycle is the most iconic Hog Rider deck, built around fast cycling back to Hog Rider while defending cheaply. See the full breakdown below.
What counters Hog Rider?
Defensive buildings like Cannon or Tesla, and swarm troops like Barbarians or Skeleton Army, are the most reliable counters.
Check the full card list or the card tier list to see how Hog Rider compares to other cards.
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