Dark-Balloon Cycle

Battle Decks List Random Deck

Introduction

Standard Balloon Cycle deck with a troop assortment created with defense in mind. The deck is primarily used for upper-mid ladder and if played effectively can score you some quick and decisive wins. The Balloon is your win condition and other cards can be used to support and defend. This deck is not expertly made but is fined tuned enough to cover each cards weakness and matched up well against almost any deck. Keep in mind this is my first time making a deck page so if you have questions or issues let me know, Id be happy to listen to feedback!

Deck Information

Deck Created by: BadMotivater66

Minimum Recommended King Level: 10

Maximum Recommended King Level: 13

Arena Required: Electro Valley (Wrong?)

Average Elixir Cost: 3.5 (Wrong?)

More Statistics: Go to Deck Builder

Card Roles

Skeletons: Skeletons are used for bait and taking out low health, close range, single target, ground troops. Note that skeletons should never be used for direct offense, but are great when placed so that another troop tanks while the skeletons deal damage, Mini P.E.K.K.A. and Dark Prince are exceptional examples, and probably your only option. Skeletons are also your quickest cycling card so if you are unsatisfactory with your starting line up, cycle to get a card more suited for the situation.

Arrows: Arrows are your only spell card so they should be used very cautiously. It is your choice wether to save them for defense or use offensively, however I recommend using them for either Balloon pushes or Goblin Barrel defense. Goblin Barrel is a dangerous card to this deck due to the few counters for Goblin Barrel this deck contains. Arrows is your primary card in that situation, while substitutes for the scenario could be Dark Prince or Electro Wizard.

Musketeer: Musketeer is your single target air defense troop, which should be reserved for Baby Dragon, Flying Machine, and almost any ranged Multi-target troop. Careful not to group her up with other medium health cards too avoid opponents spell value e.g. Fireball.

Mini P.E.K.K.A.: Mini P.E.K.K.A. is an extremely versatile and deadly troop, which can deal devastating damage if it connects to a tower. Note that it shouldn’t be used offensively unless the situation calls for it. Mini P.E.K.K.A is also your sole counter for Mega Knight and if your opponents deck contains said card, the Mini P.E.K.K.A should be reserved for only defense against him. He is extremely useful in a Balloon synergy if the opponent counters with Electro Wizard, Hunter, or Musketeer.

Skeleton Army: Skeleton Army is used for countering single target, ground troops, defensively (like almost every other card in this deck) and is advised against being placed offensively unless required. Should be relied upon when the opponent plays, P.E.K.K.A., Giant, or any other single target ground troops/building targeting ground troops.

Dark Prince: Dark Prince, one of the two cards I would recommend using offensively and occasionally defensively. Great for countering ground swarms and ranged ground troops. Also can be placed simultaneously with Balloon on separate bridges causing opponents to “choose” which tower to defend. If Arrows is out of cycle and the opponent plays Goblin Barrel this is one of your go to cards.

Balloon: Your win condition and main offensive card, Balloon moves at a medium speed targeting buildings and deals death damage via a bomb that is dropped once shot down. You will have to use it strategically to score a win, and certain synergies will allow for easy counters to opponents defense.

Electro Wizard: Electro Wizard, zap substitute that stuns charging or inferno troops. Excellent for taking down Ram Rider, Inferno Dragon, and either princes (if there is a tank troop to soak damage). Can also be placed to defend against Skeleton Army and Minion Horde via placement as well as to kill low health ranged troops.

Strategy

The basis of this decks structure is relatively easy to understand but I will go over it in depth here. The Ideal starting Card Combos are: Balloon, Mini P.E.K.K.A, Electro Wizard and Arrows or Balloon, Dark Prince, Musketeer, and Arrows. If neither of these are your starting card lineup, I recommend cycling through your skeletons or playing defensively until you are properly equipped. These setups allow for great offensive and defensive potential. To start a match off, you would first place an undefended Balloon and wait to see what your opponent has to counter it. After the Balloon is inevitably shot down, you know what you're opponents defensive strategy is for the remainder of the match. If they used Minion Horde, you counter with arrows, If they use Inferno Tower, you use E-wiz etc. The remainder of your cards should all be used defensively, as well as the Ballon to occasionally tank if you are in an uncomfortable situation. It is best to wait for your opponent to play a card first and then push opposite lane with Balloon to have a slight offensive advantage. Next I will go over Synergies that primarily cover Balloon disadvantages and solve troop drawbacks. Use cheap cycle cards for the card combos to show up.

Offensive Synergies

Balloon + Arrows

Probably the most obvious and cheap one, which, if used affectively, can result in a tower kill. Its a very simple combo but timing is crucial. Hold on to your Arrows until they counter with whatever small, weak, air defense troop they have (Bats, Minions, Minion Horde, etc.), let your Arrows fly, and watch as the Balloon takes the tower.

Balloon + Electro Wizard

Like the previous combo, its usability in a match depends on your opponents counter. Extremely effective for either Inferno Tower or Inferno Dragon, and occasionally Bats. If you know your opponent will counter with Inferno Dragon or Inferno Tower, this is the synergy to play. While the Electro Wizard resets the Inferno Tower or Dragons attack charge, the Balloon is given time to attack its target with minor resistance from the Princess Tower.

Balloon + Dark Prince/Balloon + Mini P.E.K.K.A

These two synergies are relatively similar regarding use and intent so I grouped them together. There are two ways to play this synergy. If your opponents counters your first Balloon with Electro Wizard or Hunter, than you would use both cards in the same lane (Scenario 1). This strategy is to allow your opponent to process that you are pushing with a lone Balloon, let them place their counter, and than immediately counter their counter with Mini P.E.K.K.A. or Dark Prince. Which has an extremely high payoff if played correctly. The second Scenario is to place each card in a separate lane so as to make your opponent choose which lane to defend, however there is always the possibility that the opponent will defend both lanes and result in a dangerous counter push.

The red highlighted tiles are for optimal Balloon placement, the blue highlighted tiles are where to place Mini P.E.K.K.A or Dark Prince to counter Hunter or Electro Wizard.

Defensive Synergies

Mini P.E.K.K.A + Dark Prince

They cover each other’s weakness all the while dealing massive damage, although this combo is highly susceptible to any air attack. For example if the opponent places a building targeting tank followed by a ground swarm this combo cleans up the entire push and gives a viable, and distracting counter push that provides an opposite lane Balloon push opportunity. To maximize efficiency place the Mini P.E.K.K.A. directly in front of the princess tower being attacked to intercept the tanks push, and the Dark Prince behind the tank so as to eliminate the support troops.

Either melee + Skeletons

Pretty simple combo that has the mini tank (Mini P.E.K.K.A. or Dark Prince) soak up damage to keep the skeletons alive and deal great damage. This combo has power equal to about a Skeleton Army that is spell proof. Works effectively against any single target tanks and building targeting troops.

Either melee + Skeleton Army

This combo is almost exactly the same as the one above except there a much much more skeletons.

Electro Wizard + Musketeer

Similar cards, when combined deal immense damage to a single target. Extremely effective for countering Balloon, Ram Rider, Lavahound, and Inferno Dragon. This combo though, is very weak to any melee ground troop like Mini P.E.K.K.A., or Knight.

Substitutions

Note that any substitutes for this deck have potential to drastically change the play style.

Skeletons

Skeletons substitutes can be, Ice Spirit, Electro Spirit, Goblins, or Bats. Minions may be viable but the cost is too far apart to be considered a substitute. Ice Spirit and Electro Spirit change the purpose of the troop from single target bait/kite defense to splash/multi target offense. Goblins and Bats keep there original role in the deck but bats cover air and cannot distract melee ground troops.

Arrows

Arrows has a few substitutes being Zap, Giant Snowball, and Tornado. Zap and Snowball are relatively similar and frankly I would've chosen Zap for this deck had it been able to take out minions of the same level, however that is not the case. Snowball is a better alternative anyways considering you already have Electro Wizard to reset Sparky and Inferno Cards, plus Snowball can buy the Balloon some time to deal extra damage via knock back. Tornado is similar to Snowball in that sense since its function would be to take troops away from the Balloon and stall for time. All that considered Arrows is the most optimal card here.

Musketeer

Musketeer has the most substitutes that can change the play style, they include, Firecracker, Mega Minion, Flying Machine, Wizard, Hunter, Executioner, and Magic Archer. Yep thats a lot. Splash damage troops only apply here because Electro Wizard is necessary for stunning and resetting, thus he has very few substitutes. Anyways I will break these down into two play style categories, (Single) and (Splash). Original contains Firecracker, Mega Minion, and Flying Machine. These cards are similar enough to the Musketeer so as not to impact the original play style. Firecracker does initial damage one one target as well as splash behind the first impact, plus it costs less to it is an extremely viable substitute. Mega minion is also viable and slightly similar, but cannot be targeted by ground troops, its range is also vastly shorter. Flying Machine is essentially a weaker flying Musketeer, with the exact same hitspeed. Moving on to the Splash which are can change the play style but improve it as well. Hunter, Executioner, Wizard, and Ice Wizard all have splash attacks, which remove the purpose of arrows allowing for a substitution of that card as well.

Mini P.E.K.K.A

Mini has two substitutes, Prince and Knight. Both are relatively similar to the original that serves a similar purpose. Knight has a faster hit speed, less elixir cost, more health, and less damage. Prince has his charge attack and much more health. Both cards are very viable and can be switched out regularly. I recommend using whatever card you have leveled highest.

Skeleton Army

Skarmy has the purpose to defend against single target ground tanks like P.E.K.K.A. or Prince so subs would be troops with the same qualifications. However only one is viable, Goblin Gang. Goblin gang is just a worse substitute of Skeleton Army in this deck. Both can be invalidated by almost any light spell but skarmy has more troops and better damage.

Dark Prince

Dark Prince only has one substitute. Mega Knight is the one of the three melee-splash ground troop that can also tank, However its unruly cost invalidates it. The only sub is Valkyrie. Valkyrie is a very good substitute for Dark Prince with similar health and damage, along with there capabilities of taking out ground swarms.

Balloon

Oh you actually read this? Yeah there’s no substitutes for Balloon, its your win condition after all.

Electro Wizard

E-wiz has two subs, Zappies and Electro Dragon. I would consider Lightning but its too expensive. Zappies a are great substitute because they cost the same and have the same purpose. Think as if an E-wiz was broken into thirds, thats zappies. Electro Dragon costs 1 elixir more and has a slightly lower hit speed but he makes up for it health wise.

Final Thoughts

This has been my deck for three years. Its gone through some rough patches but every change has been meaningful so if you have some advice, I am all ears.

Special Thanks to GrandWiz05 and Envy for the formatting ideas and the original deck inspiration!!