Deck coach · Clash Royale

Hog Cycle coach

Hog Cycle wins on speed: cheap cards, constant pressure and a Hog Rider back before the opponent's answer is.

Updated 14 October 2026

Hog Cycle decks pair Hog Rider with cheap defensive cards and a couple of spells. The deck rarely wins one big push. It wins by defending cheaply, cycling back to Hog faster than the opponent can cycle to their answer, and chipping the tower again and again.

That makes it a deck of small margins. One late defence or one Hog sent into a building in hand can swing the match.

What usually goes wrong

Sending Hog into their buildingIf their building hasn't been played, it's probably in hand. Cycle first, push after.
Over-defendingThe deck lives on positive trades. Spending big on defence slows the cycle down.
Ignoring the other lanePressure on one lane only makes your Hog predictable.

Playing against Hog Cycle

Keep a building or a quick, high-damage defender ready, and place it before Hog crosses the bridge.
Track their cheap cards: if they've just cycled, Hog is coming back soon.
Punish the opposite lane when they spend on a Hog push.

Mercina game breakdown with the match read, actions per minute, elixir leaked and three timestamped key moments

What Mercina looks for in your match

Hog pushes sent while the opponent's answer was in hand.
Defences that cost more than the push they stopped.
Your APM and elixir leaked, which tell you whether you're actually cycling.

Mercina action plan screen, Do this next, with three numbered steps for the next match

A plan for your next match

01Track the one card that stops your Hog cleanly.
02Defend with the cheapest card that works, then send Hog behind the survivor.
03Push the opposite lane after they commit on defence.

Mercina writes a plan like this from your own match, every time.

Questions

What's the best way to beat Hog Cycle?

Have a reliable answer ready and place it early, before Hog reaches the bridge, then counter-push the other lane. Mercina will timestamp any defence you placed too late.

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