How to Counter Hog Rider: Best Counters and Decks That Beat It
The most reliable way to stop Hog Rider is a cheap defence placed early: a building in the centre or a small troop that pulls or tanks it. In real ranked data, over the last 30 days of ranked battles, Hog Rider does worst against Goblin Drill, Bomb Tower and Archer Queen.
TL;DR
- Answer every Hog with something cheaper or equal to its 4 elixir.
- Buildings placed in the centre pull Hog away from your tower.
- In ranked data, over the last 30 days of ranked battles, Hog Rider does worst against Goblin Drill, Bomb Tower and Archer Queen.
What counters Hog Rider best?
Hog Rider costs 4 elixir, runs fast, jumps the river and only targets buildings. That last detail is the key to beating it: anything that pulls it away from your tower or deals heavy damage before it connects wins the trade.
The table below is not an opinion list. It shows the cards Hog Rider does worst against in real ranked battles over the last 30 days: the lower Hog's win rate, the better the counter.
| Card | Hog Rider win rate | Battles |
|---|---|---|
| Goblin Drill | 39.3% | 5,916 |
| Bomb Tower | 40.0% | 4,738 |
| Archer Queen | 41.0% | 8,084 |
| Goblin Demolisher | 41.1% | 4,031 |
| Goblin Cage | 42.0% | 10,672 |
| Fisherman | 42.2% | 4,809 |
The three ways to defend Hog Rider
1. Pull it with a building
A building placed in the middle of your side, about three to four tiles from the river, makes Hog turn towards it instead of your tower. Your tower then shoots it while it hits the building. Cheap buildings trade best:
- A Cannon (3 elixir) gains you a point of elixir every time.
- A Tesla hides underground and survives spells that would kill other buildings.
- An Inferno Tower melts Hog but costs more, so save it for decks that also carry a heavy tank.
Place the building before Hog reaches the river when you can. Late buildings get hit while they are still deploying.
2. Stop it with a cheap troop
High single-target damage stops Hog before it reaches your tower. A Mini P.E.K.K.A placed in front of the tower usually kills it in two or three hits. A Knight with a couple of Skeletons works too: the Skeletons reset and distract while the Knight tanks.
The cheaper the defence, the better your counter-push. Defending a 4-elixir Hog with 3 elixir puts you a point up every exchange, and those points win games.
3. Distract it
Swarms placed right in its path make Hog stop and hit them, buying time for your tower. Skeletons or Ice Spirit cost almost nothing and are often enough on their own against a lone Hog. They fail against Hog with a spell behind it, so do not rely on them alone against cycle decks with The Log or Zap.
How do Hog Rider decks play, and what does that mean for your defence?
Hog decks are usually cheap cycle decks. They send Hog again and again, often with a small spell to clear your defence. To see what you are up against right now:
| # | Deck | Cards | Elixir | Win rate | Usage | Battles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hog Rider Cycle with Hero Musketeer & Evo Cannon | Evo Cannon, Hero Musketeer, Evo Skeletons, Ice Golem, Hog Rider, Fireball, Ice Spirit, The Log | 2.6 | 51.2% | 2.6% | 16,788 |
| 2 | Hog Rider Cycle with Evo Tesla & Evo Firecracker | Evo Tesla, Evo Firecracker, Mighty Miner, Hog Rider, Earthquake, Skeletons, Electro Spirit, Barbarian Barrel | 2.8 | 50.1% | 1.7% | 11,055 |
| 3 | Hog Rider Cycle with Evo Tesla & Evo Firecracker | Evo Tesla, Evo Firecracker, Mighty Miner, Earthquake, Electro Spirit, Hog Rider, The Log, Skeletons | 2.8 | 48.7% | 0.9% | 5,938 |
| 4 | Hog Rider Control | Evo Valkyrie, Hero Goblins, Evo Executioner, Hog Rider, Rocket, Tornado, Ice Spirit, The Log | 3.4 | 51.0% | 0.8% | 4,956 |
| 5 | Boss Bandit Control | Evo Giant Snowball, Evo Wizard, Boss Bandit, Furnace, Guards, Ronin, Hog Rider, Freeze | 4.1 | 66.7% | 0.0% | 108 |
What this tells you:
- Low average elixir means they will cycle back to Hog fast. Keep a defence ready in your hand.
- Spells in the deck (Earthquake, The Log, Fireball) are there to break your building or kill your swarm. Mix your answers so one spell does not solve all of them.
- Some Hog decks pair it with a second threat. Track what they have just played to know whether Hog is coming back.
Which decks beat Hog Rider?
Decks with a cheap building and solid splash defence handle Hog well. You can find decks that beat any specific Hog deck, from real battles, on the counter deck page: pick the Hog deck you keep losing to and RoyaleDeck lists the meta decks with the best record against it.
Common mistakes when defending Hog Rider
- Defending too late. Wait until Hog is on your side and it will connect at least once. Place your building or troop as it crosses the river.
- Over-defending. A 7-elixir answer to a 4-elixir Hog loses you the next push. Use the cheapest card that does the job.
- Placing the building too close to the tower. Hog reaches it too fast and your tower barely shoots. Centre it, about three tiles from the river.
- Forgetting the spell. If they hold The Log, your Skeletons will not save you. Use a building or a Mini P.E.K.K.A instead.
Where to go next
- Hog Rider card stats: usage, win rate and stats by level.
- All Hog Rider decks: the full live list.
- Counter deck generator: decks that beat a specific deck.
- Best decks right now and the Deck Checker to test your defence.
RoyaleDeck Team
Written by the RoyaleDeck Team. The deck tables in this guide are filled live from ranked battles collected through the official Clash Royale API. About us · How we compute our stats