Best Arena 6 Deck for Clash Royale – Va-Ho-Witch Army (April 2026)

Stuck in P.E.K.K.A’s Playhouse and looking for a deck that actually works with the cards you have? Arena 6 in Clash Royale is where the difficulty curve steepens significantly. You’re facing Giants, P.E.K.K.As, Princes, and endless swarm spam from players who’ve mastered the early-game meta.

You don’t need legendary cards or maxed-out epics to climb. The Va-Ho-Witch Army deck remains one of the most practical and effective Arena 6 builds heading into April 2026 — and with some important adjustments to account for the Witch rework and recent balance changes, it continues to hold up well against the P.E.K.K.A’s Playhouse meta.

This guide has been fully updated for the April 2026 meta, incorporating the Witch rework, Skeleton nerfs, Minion changes, and the increasingly important role of the Inferno Tower in Arena 6 defense. Whether you’re a free-to-play player grinding your way up or just stuck at this trophy range, this guide gives you everything you need to escape Arena 6.

Let’s break through P.E.K.K.A’s Playhouse!

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April 2026 Meta Update: What’s Changed

Before diving into the deck, here’s a quick rundown of the balance changes since our March 2026 guide that directly affect the Va-Ho-Witch Army build:

• Witch reworked (major): Damage increased by 20% and Hitpoints increased by 15% — making her a meaningfully stronger individual unit. However, Skeleton Spawn Count was reduced, Skeleton Spawn Period increased to 6 seconds (from 5), and spawned skeletons now have only 20% of the Witch’s stats (down from 50%). Her secondary trait also changed to Superstar. Bottom line: the Witch herself is tougher and hits harder, but she produces fewer and weaker skeletons than before. Adjust your reliance on skeletons for distraction accordingly.
• Skeletons nerfed (affects Skeleton Army): Attack Period increased to 1.1 seconds (from 1 second) across all skeleton-type units. The Skeleton Army still counters single-target tanks, but it takes marginally longer to shred through them — a small but meaningful change in tight matchups.
• Minions nerfed: Hit speed reduced after a prior range buff pushed them over the edge. They remain solid for this deck but are no longer the dominant air card they briefly were.
• Evolved Valkyrie HP Boost Removed: Only relevant if you have access to the Evolution, but worth noting that the Evolved version is weaker than it used to be.
• Inferno Tower rising in priority: Multiple current Arena 6 meta guides now cite Inferno Tower as one of the strongest defensive buildings for this arena, particularly against Giants and P.E.K.K.As. We’ve added it as an optional substitution note where relevant.

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Va-Ho-Witch Army: The Complete Deck List

Deck Name: Va-Ho-Witch Army
Average Elixir Cost: 3.6
Arena: 6 (P.E.K.K.A’s Playhouse)

The 8 Cards:

1. Hog Rider (4 elixir) – Main win condition
2. Valkyrie (4 elixir) – Ground tank and splash defender
3. Witch (5 elixir) – Reworked support unit with stronger personal stats but fewer skeletons
4. Baby Dragon (4 elixir) – Flying splash support
5. Skeleton Army (3 elixir) – Tank killer and punish tool
6. Minions (3 elixir) – Cheap air DPS (slightly weaker than before after hit speed nerf)
7. Zap (2 elixir) – Small spell for swarms and resets
8. Fireball (4 elixir) – Medium spell for supports and tower finishing

Why This Deck Still Works in April 2026:

Current Arena 6 meta analysis consistently highlights Hog-Valk-Witch shells as among the most versatile and practical builds for P.E.K.K.A’s Playhouse. The Witch’s rework actually benefits this deck in some ways — her personal damage and HP boost make her a stronger individual defender — while the reduced skeleton generation means you need to lean more on Valkyrie, Baby Dragon, and Zap for swarm control. The deck’s fundamental structure remains sound and directly counters the Giant, P.E.K.K.A, Prince, and swarm spam meta you face constantly at this trophy range.

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Card-by-Card Breakdown: Roles and Synergies

Hog Rider – Your Win Condition

Primary Job: Deal direct tower damage and force defensive responses

Where It Shines:

• When opponents waste their main ground defense
• After they use their big spell on something else
• During counterpushes with surviving troops

Best Synergies:

• Hog + Valkyrie: Valk clears Skeleton Army and Goblin Gang so Hog connects with tower
• Hog + Witch: Witch’s buffed damage and splash help clean up support troops — note that post-rework her skeletons are less reliable distractions, so don’t count on them to fully block a charging Prince
• Hog + Baby Dragon: Dragon handles air and ground swarms during the push

Key Strategy: Only commit to all-in Hog pushes when you’re confident they can’t punish you with a massive counterpush. Patience wins games.

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Valkyrie – Defensive Core and Push Support

Main Roles:

• Counter ground swarms (Skeleton Army, Goblins, Barbarians)
• Tank in front of Witch/Baby Dragon on counterpushes
• Answer to Prince and Mini P.E.K.K.A with support

Defensive Uses:

• Drop in the middle to pull and splash multiple troops simultaneously
• Place early against Prince/Mini P.E.K.K.A pushes so she splashes both the tank and support troops
• Excellent kiting tool that buys time for tower damage

Offensive Uses:

• Frontline tank for Hog pushes
• Soak damage from mini-tanks while support troops clean up
• First card down in counterpushes after successful defenses

April 2026 Note: With the Witch producing fewer, weaker skeletons post-rework, Valkyrie has become even more important as your primary swarm answer. Prioritise her in matchups where you’d previously have leaned on Witch’s skeleton generation for distraction. Her 360-degree splash remains invaluable against the swarm-heavy meta in Arena 6 and she is worth upgrading early.

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Witch – Your Value Engine (Post-Rework)

What Changed in the Rework:

• Buffed: Damage +20%, Hitpoints +15% — she’s a notably stronger individual unit now
• Nerfed: Skeleton Spawn Count reduced, Spawn Period up to 6s (from 5s), spawned skeletons now have only 20% of Witch’s stats (down from 50%)

How She Plays Now:

• Lean into her improved direct damage and survivability — she’ll last longer in firefights and deal more damage per hit
• Don’t rely heavily on her skeleton generation to stall tanks or Prince charges — use Valkyrie, Skarmy, or Zap for that job instead
• Still excellent splash damage against Skeleton Army, Goblins, and Spear Goblins

How to Use Properly:

• Always play her behind your King Tower, never at the bridge
• Stack value by defending with Witch’s boosted damage output, then counterpushing with Hog in front of her
• Her stronger personal HP means she survives more often after defending — get more counterpush mileage out of her

Weakness: Still vulnerable to Fireball, Poison, and Lightning. Protect her by forcing opponents to use their spells on other threats first.

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Baby Dragon – Splash and Air Control

Primary Jobs:

• Clear grouped troops (Minion Horde, Goblin Gang, Skeleton Army)
• Air defense against Balloon and flying support units
• Splash damage during both offense and defense

Placement Tips:

Defensive: Place in the center of your side so it can cover both lanes if needed

Offensive: Position behind Valkyrie or Hog to clear swarms in the push path

April 2026 Note: With the Witch’s skeleton output reduced, Baby Dragon takes on additional importance as a swarm-clearing substitute. Treat it as your second splash option after Valkyrie and deploy it deliberately when Valkyrie isn’t available. Note that if you have access to Evolved Baby Dragon, the Cycle Cost was increased to 2 Cycles (from 1), making it more expensive to evolve repeatedly.

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Skeleton Army – Hard Punish and Tank Killer

Best Against:

• Giant, P.E.K.K.A, Mini P.E.K.K.A, Knight, Prince (when they don’t have spells in cycle)
• Any single-target high-damage unit without splash support

April 2026 Note: Skeleton Attack Period increased to 1.1 seconds (from 1 second) across all skeleton types, including the Skeleton Army. They are marginally slower to kill tanks than before — not game-breaking, but in close matchups against a Giant or P.E.K.K.A with heavy support, be aware that the DPS window is slightly narrower. Drop them even more deliberately onto the tank.

How to Use Properly:

• Drop late and directly on top of the tank so opponents have less time to react with spells
• Do not spam Skarmy at the bridge unless:
  • Opponent is at very low elixir, OR
  • You’re finishing a near-dead tower

Critical Risk: Dies instantly to Zap, Log, Arrows, Valkyrie, Baby Dragon, and Bomber. Learn what your opponent has in their deck before relying on Skarmy as your only tank answer.

Advanced Tip: Against Prince, place Skarmy slightly late so Prince is in range of all skeletons, maximizing damage before they get splashed.

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Minions – Cheap Flexible DPS

Use Cases:

• Clean up surviving support troops (Musketeer, Wizard, Witch)
• Extra DPS against tanks when Skarmy is a bad play
• Primary air defense against Balloon or Baby Dragon
• Cheap cycling option when you need specific cards

April 2026 Note: Minions received a hit speed nerf after previously receiving a range buff that made them overpowered. They are slightly less dominant on air defense than they were in early 2026 but remain a solid and efficient option at 3 elixir. Their role in this deck is unchanged — they’re a cycling and air DPS tool, not your primary answer to anything.

Pro Placement Tip: Place Minions away from your tower so a single splash unit doesn’t hit both tower and Minions together.

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Zap – Cheap Control Spell

Core Functions:

• Reset Prince, Sparky, and Inferno Tower/Dragon charges
• Instantly eliminate Bats, Spear Goblins, Skeletons, and Goblins
• Provide crucial stuns during Hog pushes

Common Winning Patterns:

• Hog hits tower → opponent defends with Skarmy → Zap instantly so Hog stays locked on tower
• Prince charging at your tower → Zap just before impact to reset charge and buy time
• Inferno Tower/Dragon targeting your tank → Zap to reset damage ramp-up

April 2026 note: With the Witch’s skeleton spawn less reliable for distraction, Zap becomes more frequently needed to handle Skeleton Army drops on your Hog. Keep it in cycle more deliberately than before. The brief stun it provides often gives Hog Rider one extra hit on the tower — that single extra hit wins many close games.

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Fireball – Main Damage Spell

Priority Targets:

• Musketeer, Wizard, Witch, Three Musketeers
• Heavy support troop clusters
• Defensive buildings + troops together (e.g., Musketeer + Cannon + Tower)

Endgame Role: Once the enemy tower drops below ~700 HP, you can switch to Fireball + Zap spell cycling while playing full defense.

Value Principle: Always try to hit at least troop + tower unless you’re finishing the tower. A Fireball that only hits a tank is usually poor value.

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Complete Gameplan by Match Phases

Early Game (0:00 – 2:00): Scout and Survive

Goal: Learn their deck composition and take safe chip damage

Safe Starting Plays:

• Witch behind King Tower (her 15% HP buff means she’s a better investment than ever as an opening card)
• Baby Dragon at the back
• Minions at the back to cycle cards

What to Avoid:

• Skarmy at the bridge (gets spelled immediately)
• Full all-in Hog pushes on the first play (too risky without information)

Scouting Checklist:

• Do they have a building (Cannon, Bomb Tower, Inferno Tower)?
• Which spell combo (Zap/Log/Arrows/Fireball)?
• Do they rely on swarms or tanks?
• What’s their Hog Rider counter?

Strategy: Play reactively, defend efficiently, and only counterpush with Hog when you have surplus troops surviving from defense.

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Mid Game (2:00 – 1:00, Before Double Elixir): Establish Advantage

Goal: Take the first serious tower lead

Adapting to Their Hog Counter:

If they use Skarmy/Goblins/Minion Horde:
Support your Hog with Valkyrie, Baby Dragon, or have Zap ready

If they use a building:
Consider Fireball + Hog combos when you can hit building + tower together. Against Inferno Tower specifically, keep Zap ready to reset the damage ramp-up before it melts your Hog.

Focus Points:

• Defend cheaply using high-value troops (Valkyrie, Witch, Baby Dragon)
• Add Hog in front of your surviving defensive troops for devastating counterpushes
• Aim to get at least one solid Hog connection plus chip damage before double elixir

Elixir Management: Try to maintain at least 3 elixir when they have their win condition in cycle. Going to 0 elixir often means losing your tower.

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Late Game (1:00 – Overtime): Lock Victory

Goal: Secure the tower without throwing the game

Double Elixir Advantages:

• Stacked pushes possible: Valkyrie + Witch + Baby Dragon + Hog in front
• Faster spell cycle when tower HP is low
• More elixir to defend and counter simultaneously

Two Main Win Routes:

1. Aggressive Counterpushes
Defend successfully, then immediately bridge Hog to stack overwhelming pressure

2. Spell Cycle + Safe Defense
If their tower is at 600-700 HP, consider switching to Fireball + Zap cycling instead of forcing risky Hog pushes

Critical Rule: Always keep 3-4 elixir ready for defense, especially against Hog Rider, Balloon, or bridge spam. Overcommitting on offense in double elixir loses games instantly.

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Matchup Guide: Common Arena 6 Deck Types

vs Giant Beatdown

Typical Support: Witch, Musketeer, Mini P.E.K.K.A, Bomber, swarms

Defensive Strategy:

When they drop Giant at the back:

• Mirror the lane with Witch or Valkyrie at your back to prepare defense
• Build elixir advantage while their Giant walks

At the bridge/near your tower:

• Use Valkyrie to handle ground support behind Giant
• Deploy Baby Dragon for swarm and extra splash
• Drop Skeleton Army on Giant after their spell is used or out of cycle — with the Skeleton Attack Period slightly slower in April 2026, timing is more important than ever

Offensive Counter:
After defending, you’ll often have Valkyrie + Witch/Baby Dragon alive. Immediately place Hog in front at the bridge. This can take a tower if they’re low on elixir.

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vs P.E.K.K.A / Mini P.E.K.K.A

Defensive Plan:

Against lone P.E.K.K.A/Mini P.E.K.K.A:

• Skeleton Army on top if they don’t have Zap/Arrows ready
• Otherwise, Valkyrie + Minions or Witch + Minions

With support troops:

• Place Valkyrie so she hits both support and tank together
• Baby Dragon from a safe angle to splash everything
• Minions for additional DPS once spells are baited

Offensive Strategy:
Do not push Hog directly into a fully-healthy P.E.K.K.A near their tower. Wait until P.E.K.K.A is used on defense, then attack the opposite lane with Hog so they can’t stack a massive push behind P.E.K.K.A.

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vs Hog + Goblin Barrel (Dual Win Condition)

This archetype has become one of the most commonly encountered decks in Arena 6 in early 2026, with Inferno Tower as the defensive backbone.

Defensive Strategy:

• Identify which win condition they lead with — Hog or Barrel — and respond accordingly
• If they have an Inferno Tower, keep Zap ready at all times during your Hog pushes to reset its charge
• Use Fireball to destroy their Inferno Tower when you can hit building + tower together
• Valkyrie handles Goblins from the Barrel landing on defense

Offensive Counter: Their dual win condition focus often means their deck is light on splash. Counterpush with Witch + Baby Dragon, as their swarm defenses will struggle against double splash.

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vs Swarm Spam (Witch, Skarmy, Goblin Gang, Minion Horde)

Defensive Tools:
Your entire deck counters swarms — Baby Dragon, Witch, Valkyrie, Fireball, Zap

Strategy:

• Don’t panic-spam cards into their swarms
• Let your splash units do the work
• Save elixir and counterpush hard

Offensive Approach:
Hog + Valkyrie or Hog + Baby Dragon usually breaks through swarm defenses. Keep Zap specifically ready for Skarmy on your Hog.

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vs Balloon

Balloon remains common in mid-Arena 6 and higher.

Defensive Plan:

Primary answers: Minions + Baby Dragon

• Minions alone kill Balloon quickly if level difference isn’t significant — note their hit speed nerf makes this slightly slower, so deploy them early
• If they support with Freeze or Fireball, spread your air troops (Minions one side, Baby Dragon from middle)
• In emergencies, Fireball the Balloon but prefer troops first

Offensive Counter: Pressure the opposite lane with Hog after a big Balloon investment. Many Balloon players are weak on ground defense.

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Rotation, Elixir Management & Micro Tips

Good Opening Hands

If you see:

• Witch, Baby Dragon, Minions, Valkyrie → Start slow from the back
• Hog + Zap and nothing else safe → Can send solo Hog for early info, but watch elixir carefully

Elixir Management Rules

1. Never go below 3 elixir when opponent has a win condition in cycle (Hog, Balloon, Giant)
2. If you spend 5+ elixir on offense, you should have either:
   • A good read that they’re low on elixir, OR
   • Solid defensive cards in hand to survive the counterpush

Micro Examples

Defending Prince:
Place Skarmy slightly late so Prince is in range of all skeletons, then Zap if needed. Note the slightly slower skeleton attack speed in April 2026 — don’t delay Skarmy too long or Prince will splash more before they engage.

Dealing with Musketeer/Wizard behind tank:
Fireball them and hit tower if possible, OR drop Valkyrie on support first, then clean tank with Skarmy/Minions

Maximizing Hog damage:
If they defend with low-HP swarms, Zap immediately — don’t wait for the swarm to fully surround Hog. With the Witch producing fewer skeletons post-rework, opponents may lean more on Skarmy; having Zap ready is more critical than ever.

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Common Mistakes That Cost Games

1. Witch at the Bridge for “Pressure”

Even with her buffed HP and damage post-rework, playing Witch at the bridge is still a losing move at 5 elixir. She gets focused and eliminated before recouping her cost. Always play her from the back unless finishing a low-HP tower.

2. Over-Relying on Witch’s Skeletons for Distraction

This is a new mistake for April 2026. Before the rework, Witch’s skeletons were a reliable way to stall tanks and intercept Prince charges. With fewer skeletons spawning less frequently (and at lower stats), don’t count on them to do that job. Use Valkyrie, Skarmy, or Zap instead.

3. Mindlessly Skarmy into Splash

If they have Valkyrie, Baby Dragon, Bomber, or Wizard ready, your Skarmy becomes 3 free elixir for them. Learn their deck before committing.

4. Overcommitting with Hog in Single Elixir

Pushing with Hog + Valk + Witch + Minions at 1:50 can leave you at 0 elixir against a full counterpush and lose the tower instantly.

5. Ignoring Opposite Lane Pushes

Overfocusing on your own push while forgetting their Hog/Balloon/Giant on the other side. Always glance at both lanes.

6. Bad Fireballs

Fireballing just a tank is usually poor value. Always aim for troop + tower or multiple troops together.

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Substitutions for Missing Cards

If You Lack Baby Dragon

Possible Replacements: Bomber or a second tank like Mini P.E.K.K.A

Trade-offs:

• You lose reliable air splash
• Must be more careful against air swarms
• Upgrade Minions and spells to compensate

If You Lack Witch

Possible Replacements: Musketeer (ranged DPS) or Wizard (heavier splash)

With Wizard:

• Stronger against swarms but more vulnerable to Fireball

With Musketeer:

• Better against Balloon and air threats
• Worse against wide ground swarms compared to Witch

If You Lack Valkyrie

Possible Replacements: Knight (budget option) or Mini P.E.K.K.A (more single-target DPS)

Trade-offs:

• Must rely harder on spells and Baby Dragon against swarms
• Knight provides less area control but costs less elixir

Optional: Adding Inferno Tower

Inferno Tower is the most recommended defensive building for Arena 6 in April 2026 meta guides. If you’re consistently struggling against Giant beatdown or P.E.K.K.A decks, consider replacing Baby Dragon with Inferno Tower. You gain an elite tank-killer on defense but lose reliable air splash — compensate by relying more heavily on Witch and Zap for air threats.

These swaps maintain the core strategy: defend efficiently, then counterpush with Hog Rider.

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Upgrade Priority for F2P Players

With limited gold and wild cards, focus upgrades in this order:

Priority 1: Hog Rider

Your win condition. Higher level = more hits on tower = more wins.

Priority 2: Valkyrie

Core defender against the entire Arena 6 meta. More important than ever in April 2026 now that the Witch’s skeleton output has been reduced — Valkyrie is your primary swarm answer.

Priority 3: Zap

Cheap universal spell. Overleveling Zap to one-shot common troops is huge value. In the post-Witch-rework meta, Zap is used more frequently to handle swarms your Witch’s skeletons previously handled passively.

Priority 4: Fireball

Essential for finishing towers and eliminating key support troops.

Priority 5: Witch / Baby Dragon

Both scale well. Witch’s buffed base HP and damage make leveling her more worthwhile than it used to be, even with the skeleton changes. Start with whichever you use more often.

Note: Skeleton Army and Minions matter too, but they’re commons and usually level naturally through chest openings.

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Alternative: True P.E.K.K.A Deck for Arena 6

Want to actually use P.E.K.K.A in P.E.K.K.A’s Playhouse? Here’s a beginner-friendly version:

Deck List:

• P.E.K.K.A
• Battle Ram
• Witch
• Musketeer
• Minions
• Skeleton Army
• Zap
• Fireball

Gameplan:

• Use P.E.K.K.A primarily on defense against Giants, tanks, and big pushes
• Once P.E.K.K.A survives defense, add Battle Ram behind her at the bridge for a strong counterpush — Battle Ram jumps over swarms and deals significant damage to buildings and towers
• In double elixir, split P.E.K.K.A and Battle Ram across lanes to overwhelm defenses

Note on the updated version: Current April 2026 Arena 6 meta guides favour the P.E.K.K.A + Battle Ram combination for counterpushes over the older Hog + P.E.K.K.A split, as Battle Ram’s jump mechanic bypasses swarm defenses and pairs naturally with P.E.K.K.A’s tank role. This deck runs heavier (higher average elixir) and mistakes get punished harder, which is why meta guides still recommend the Va-Ho-Witch Army variant as the best for efficient climbing through P.E.K.K.A’s Playhouse.

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FAQ: Arena 6 Deck Strategy

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The Va-Ho-Witch Army deck has earned its reputation as one of the best Arena 6 builds through proven results across the player base — and the April 2026 balance changes, while requiring some adjustments, don’t undermine its core strengths. The Witch rework makes her a stronger individual unit. Valkyrie takes on more of the swarm-control burden. Zap is needed more frequently. The fundamentals remain the same.

The key to success isn’t just having the right deck — it’s understanding why each card is included, when to use them, and how they synergize together. This guide has given you the complete blueprint updated for April 2026: card roles, post-balance-change adjustments, phase-by-phase strategies, matchup plans — including the increasingly common Hog + Goblin Barrel bait build — and common pitfalls to avoid.

Start by mastering the basics: defend efficiently, don’t overcommit on offense, and always keep enough elixir for emergencies. As you gain experience, you’ll recognize patterns — when opponents are low on elixir, which cards they’re likely to play next, and exactly when to commit to game-winning pushes.

Keep practicing, stay patient, and you’ll break through P.E.K.K.A’s Playhouse before you know it. For more Clash Royale deck guides and strategies, check out our complete Arena 6 decks guide covering alternative builds and advanced tactics.

Now get out there and ride that Hog to victory!