If you're looking to climb the ladder, secure those tournament dubs, or just flex on your clanmates, you’ll need the right tools, or in other words, you’ll need the best Clash Royale decks.
But which is the best?
In this post, we’ll let you know! We've scoured the leaderboards, analyzed the stats of top players, and broken down the essence of what's working right now. Let's get you set up to win every arena!
Understanding the July 2025 Meta
Supercell's recent balance changes are minor, focusing on meta stability. From analyzing recent reworks, most cards are seeing healthy usage, so there haven’t been too many buffs/nerfs. Anyhow, a few of the notable adjustments were:
Nerfs
Guards deal slightly less damage (-4%).
Evolved Cannon's barrage radius has been cut (-20%).
Evolved Witch nerfed healing per skeleton (-33%) and max HP (-4%).
These aim to tone down some of the strongest defensive Evolutions.
Buffs
Evolved P.E.K.K.A. now heals more per kill across all troop sizes
Royal Chef gets an 8% HP boost
Reworks
Cannon Cart now merges its shield and HP (total HP up 5%), becoming a building at 50% health.
Golden Knight's Dashing Dash gains backward movement.
Goblin Hut spawns Spear Goblins when enemies approach.
What does this mean? They’re not massive changes, so expect small shifts rather than a complete meta-overhaul.
Most notably, the Evo Cannon and Evo Witch nerfs might slightly reduce their efficiency, and the Evo P.E.K.K.A could see more play in games..
Beyond that, the reworks for Cannon Cart and Golden Knight will bring in some new strategies that players will need to adapt to or use for themselves.
Top Tier Clash Royale Decks Right Now
Ready for the main event? Here are some of the best Clash Royale decks proving their worth in July 2025.
1. Evo Mortar Miner Control
Cards: Mortar (Evolution), Skeleton King, Miner, Guards, Poison, The Log, Skeletons, Ice Wizard/or Cannon Cart.
Average Elixir: ~3.3
Strategy: This deck is all about control and chip damage.
You defend patiently using the synergy between Skeleton King and Ice Wizard's slow effect, Guards, and cheap cycle cards like Skeletons and Log.
The Evolved Mortar provides constant pressure and defensive value, whittling down towers. Miner is your offensive tool, chipping away while you defend, paired with Poison to deny counters or add tower damage.
Skeleton King offers a significant amount of defensive value and can turn into a threatening counter-push.
(The buffed Evolved Tesla could replace Ice Wizard or Cannon Cart in some variations for players looking to capitalise on the recent buff.)Why it Works: Strong defense, consistent chip damage, and the ability to out-cycle many opponents. The Evo Mortar Miner Control deck requires patience, but it offers excellent control in-game.
2. Royal Giant Monk Fisherman
Cards: Royal Giant (Evolution), Monk, Fisherman, Hunter, Royal Ghost, Electro Spirit, Barbarian Barrel, Lightning
Average Elixir: ~3.8
Strategy: This one is a powerful beatdown strategy.
Build elixir advantages and launch strong pushes led by the Evolved Royal Giant. The Monk is key, protecting your RG from spells with his ability. Fisherman pulls threats away from your RG or pulls units into the RG's range (or your King Tower for activation). Hunter provides massive close-range DPS, Royal Ghost offers splash and flanking pressure, and Lightning takes care of infernos and multi-unit defenses. Electro Spirit and Barb Barrel handle swarm defense and cycle.Why it Works: Strong offensive power is protected by the Monk, whereas the Fisherman offers unique positional control, punishing elixir mistakes hard. This archetype consistently performs well in high-level play.
3. LavaLoon Control
Cards: Lava Hound, Balloon, Skeleton Dragons, Mega Minion (or Inferno Dragon), Guards (or Barbarians), Zap (or Arrows), Fireball (or Lightning), Tombstone
Average Elixir: ~4.0
Strategy: This is a classic air assault deck.
The main goal is to build a slow push behind the tanky Lava Hound, then deploy the Balloon behind it to target the tower once the Hound draws aggro.
Skeleton Dragons and Mega Minions provide air support and defense. Ground defense relies on Guards/Barbs and Tombstone to distract. Spells are essential for clearing counters like Minion Hordes, Inferno Towers, or Wizards.
(Some variants might incorporate the Evolved Valkyrie or even the reworked Evolved Lumberjack for a surprise ground threat and rage boost.)Why it Works: Creates difficult-to-defend air pushes, forcing opponents into awkward defensive positions, making for a reliable win condition in the hands of a skilled player.
4. Hog EQ Cycle
Cards: Hog Rider, Earthquake, Valkyrie (often Evolution), The Log, Cannon (or Tesla), Ice Spirit, Skeletons, Fire Spirit (or Musketeer)
Average Elixir: ~2.8
Strategy: Lastly, we’ve got a fast tempo, offensive deck. The core idea for this one is to constantly pressure the opponent with Hog Rider pushes, using Earthquake to damage towers and buildings simultaneously.
Evolved Valkyrie provides excellent defense and counter-push potential, making it a favorite in the community. The rest of the card slots are filled with cheap cycle cards (Skeletons, Ice Spirit, Fire Spirit) and a defensive building (Cannon/Tesla, or potentially the buffed Evo Tesla) to defend easily and get back to your Hog Rider quickly. In contrast, the Log clears swarms and chips towers.Why it Works: The fast cycle allows for constant pressure, making it hard for slower decks to keep up, while the Earthquake punishes defensive buildings heavily. This is a simple yet effective strategy, which is also frequently seen in community tournaments and high-level ladder play.
Best Decks for 2v2 Chaos
Looking for the latest strategies and decks in the community? Best 2v2 decks? While any strong ladder deck can work, these combinations are the best right now:
PEKKA + Support: One player runs a PEKKA Bridge Spam variant (PEKKA, Battle Ram/Ram Rider, Bandit, Royal Ghost, E-Wiz, Zap/Arrows), while the duo brings splash control like Executioner-Nado or heavy air support, like Electro Dragon or Baby Dragon.
Double Bait: One player uses Log Bait (Goblin Barrel, Princess, Knight/Valk, Goblin Gang, Inferno Tower/Tesla, Rocket, Log) and the partner runs a different bait style like Skeleton Barrel or Royal Hogs bait. The goal is to overwhelm the opponent's minor spells.
Heavy Beatdown Combo: One player uses Golem or Lava Hound, the other brings support like Lumberjack, Night Witch, or Balloon, plus heavy spells like Lightning.
Picking Your Perfect Clash Royale Deck Strategy
Finding the "best" deck in Clash Royale isn't just about copying the best players and hoping for the best; instead, you’ll want to consider these three things:
Playstyle: Do you prefer aggressive beatdown decks, patient control decks, or tricky chip damage decks? Choose one that feels natural and enjoyable to use, since you’ll be playing with it for a lot of games.
Card Levels: More so with Evolutions, levels matter in Clash Royale, so focus on mastering a deck where your key cards are well-leveled.
The Meta: Are you facing lots of air decks? Pick something with strong anti-air. Seeing tons of swarms? You’ll always have to counter the trending decks, so build around them!
To sum things up, don't be afraid to experiment with new decks in Clash Royale. Watch replays, check out CR news, test out different decks, and adapt as you learn. After all, what works for other players might not work for you.
