How to counter Hog Rider: best counters and decks

Clash Royale counter guide · Last updated: November 2, 2026

4 elixirRareTroopWin condition

Hog Rider is a fast 4-elixir win condition that jumps over the river and runs straight at buildings. Most Hog decks cycle quickly, so he comes back again and again: you need a cheap, reliable answer that you always keep in hand.

Quick answer: the most efficient counters to Hog Rider are Cannon, Tesla, Mini P.E.K.K.A, Tornado.

Best counters to Hog Rider

These cards deal with it safely and for little elixir. Tap a card’s name to open its own guide.

Cannon 3 elixir +1 elixir trade
Cannon is cheap and pulls him to the middle of your side, where the Cannon and both towers kill him before he reaches the tower.
Tesla 4 elixir
Tesla stays hidden underground until he gets close, so spells can’t hit it first; placed in the middle, it pulls Hog Rider and kills him quickly.
Mini P.E.K.K.A 4 elixir
Mini P.E.K.K.A kills him in a couple of hits; place it in front of the tower so it meets him right after his jump.
Tornado 3 elixir +1 elixir trade
Tornado drags him away from the princess tower toward your King Tower, activating it so the King Tower helps you defend for the rest of the match.

How to defend

Place your building in the middle of your side, a little in front of the King Tower, so the Hog turns toward it instead of the princess tower.
Track the cycle: when the opponent plays Hog Rider, count the cards that follow and keep your answer ready for his return.
Hog decks often send Ice Golem, Ice Spirit or Skeletons with him. Let the tower handle the small support and save your answer for the Hog.
If the opponent carries Earthquake, a troop answer (Mini P.E.K.K.A, Knight with Skeletons) can be safer than a building.

Common mistakes

Placing the building too late: if Hog Rider is already past it, he ignores it and hits the tower.
Answering with a swarm like Skeleton Army while the opponent still has The Log or Zap in hand.
Spending your only building or tank killer on a less dangerous card and leaving nothing for the Hog.

After defending: the counterattack

Hog decks are light and struggle against big pushes. After a clean defense, counterattack in the same lane with the troops that survived, or play your own win condition in the opposite lane while the opponent cycles.

Which spells kill it on their own?

At equal levels, whether a single spell takes this troop out without help from towers or other cards:

Hog Rider (HP 1697): no single spell kills it

* Poison and Earthquake only kill it if the troop stays in the area for the whole duration. Values assume equal levels; level differences change the outcome.

Best decks against Hog Rider

Decks ElixirDeck’s deck builder makes against Hog Rider: each one is scored on both deck balance and its matchup against this card (all cards at the same level, evolutions and heroes unlocked). Every deck uses a different win condition; if your cards differ, you can adapt any deck to your collection.

X-Bow deck

Average elixir 3.5 · 4-card cycle 9

🛡️ Cards in this deck that answer it: Tornado, Tesla, Goblins, X-Bow · Great matchup

Open in game / copy Analyze and adapt to your cards

Golem deck

Average elixir 4.1 · 4-card cycle 10

🛡️ Cards in this deck that answer it: Tornado, Goblins · Good matchup

Open in game / copy Analyze and adapt to your cards

Electro Giant deck

Average elixir 4.1 · 4-card cycle 10

🛡️ Cards in this deck that answer it: Tornado, Goblins, Minion Horde · Good matchup

Open in game / copy Analyze and adapt to your cards

Classic decks with a good matchup against Hog Rider

Each guide explains step by step how the deck is played.

E-Giant Tornado · Good matchup
X-Bow 3.0 · Good matchup

Which decks use Hog Rider?

Guides to the classic decks that run this card; each one also explains what to play against that deck.

Hog 2.6 Cycle
Fast cycle

Hog Mega Minion EQ
Fast cycle

Build a counter deck from your own cards

Enter your player tag and ElixirDeck finds the best decks against Hog Rider with your cards and levels.

Build a deck against Hog Rider

Matchups are estimated from card roles and well-known counters; player skill and card levels change the result a lot.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best counter to Hog Rider?

The most efficient counters to Hog Rider are Cannon, Tesla, Mini P.E.K.K.A, Tornado. Cannon is cheap and pulls him to the middle of your side, where the Cannon and both towers kill him before he reaches the tower.

What deck is good against Hog Rider?

Among the classic decks, E-Giant Tornado, X-Bow 3.0 match up well against it. The best counter deck ElixirDeck builds is a X-Bow deck: Executioner, Goblins, Tesla, X-Bow, Ice Spirit, Tornado, Knight, Fireball.

How do you get a positive elixir trade against Hog Rider?

Stop Hog Rider (4 elixir) cleanly with Cannon (3 elixir) and you are 1 elixir ahead, enough to attack the other lane.

Hog Rider card guide: stats, decks and balance history →

How to counter Hog Rider: best counters and decks

Best counters to Hog Rider

How to defend

Common mistakes

After defending: the counterattack

Which spells kill it on their own?

Best decks against Hog Rider

X-Bow deck

Golem deck

Electro Giant deck

Classic decks with a good matchup against Hog Rider

Which decks use Hog Rider?

Build a counter deck from your own cards

Frequently asked questions

What is the best counter to Hog Rider?

What deck is good against Hog Rider?

How do you get a positive elixir trade against Hog Rider?

How to counter other cards