Quick answer: As of July 25, 2026, Hog Cycle posts the week's most extreme WR-use inversion — falling −1.24pp at 5,000–6,000 while holding the band's best win rate of 58.6% (n=2,360); Mega Knight retreats simultaneously at 4 trophy bands (under-5,000 through 7,000–8,000) while posting above-average win rates at three of those four bands; and Witch Wizard leads the full 114,004-battle dataset with 59.9% WR at 5,000–6,000 (n=294, 1.18% use).
This is the weekly data snapshot from 114,004 ranked ladder battles across all six trophy ranges over the 7-day window of July 18–25, 2026, in Season 85 "Honor & Exile." Movement figures are genuine week-over-week popularity shifts (July 18 baseline vs. July 25 snapshot); minimum 150-battle sample per archetype per band. Three developments define this window: Mega Knight's synchronized four-band retreat — losing share at every range from under-5,000 through 7,000–8,000 while posting above-average WRs at three of those four bands; Hog Cycle's sharpest single-band WR-use inversion of the week at 5,000–6,000 (−1.24pp, 58.6% WR — the band's best); and Witch Wizard's emergence as the dataset's peak-WR archetype at 59.9% (5,000–6,000, n=294). For last week's numbers, see the July 24 meta report.
What Is the Current State of the Clash Royale Meta on July 25, 2026?
Season 85 "Honor & Exile" enters its final weeks with Mega Knight and Hog Cycle both in broad use-share retreats — but for structurally opposite reasons. Mega Knight loses share while still outperforming the field at most bands. Hog Cycle's 5,000–6,000 WR-use inversion (58.6% WR, largest faller at that band) mirrors the pattern it showed at 6,000–7,000 last week, which resolved with a +0.76pp bounce in this dataset.
| Archetype | Under-5,000 | 5,000–6,000 | 6,000–7,000 | 7,000–8,000 | 8,000–9,000 | 9,000+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Mega Knight | −1.11pp (57.6% WR) | −0.85pp (53% WR) | −0.96pp (55.5% WR) | −0.53pp (54.9% WR) | 9.82% use (48.6% WR) | 11.80% use (51.9% WR) |
| Hog Cycle | stable (56.5% WR) | −1.24pp (58.6% WR) | stable (54.8% WR) | −0.56pp (53.4% WR) | −0.54pp (53.3% WR) | −0.47pp (53.9% WR) |
| Goblin Barrel Bait | −1.16pp (52% WR) | −0.36pp (55.7% WR) | −0.39pp (52.6% WR) | −0.51pp (51.9% WR) | stable (56% WR) | −0.77pp (54.1% WR) |
| Mega Knight Bait | −0.81pp (57.7% WR) | +1.34pp (54.8% WR) | −0.53pp (51.1% WR) | −0.71pp (53.6% WR) | +0.39pp (55.2% WR) | +0.35pp (54.9% WR) |
The table's core tension: Mega Knight posts WR-use inversions at under-5,000 (57.6%), 6,000–7,000 (55.5%), and 7,000–8,000 (54.9%) — all above-average WRs paired with declining adoption — while its 8,000–9,000 WR drops to 48.6%, below the competitive average. This two-tier pattern (outperforming at mid-trophy, underperforming at upper ladder) mirrors how dominant archetypes decay in late seasons: the most skilled pilots retain strong WRs as casual users rotate off, compressing the use base toward competent operators.
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What Is Mega Knight's Four-Band Retreat Signaling in the July 25 Data?
Mega Knight falls simultaneously at 4 trophy bands — under-5,000 (−1.11pp, 57.6% WR, n=726), 5,000–6,000 (−0.85pp, 53% WR, n=2,507), 6,000–7,000 (−0.96pp, 55.5% WR, n=1,991), and 7,000–8,000 (−0.53pp, 54.9% WR, n=2,508). At three of those four bands the WR remains above average — meaning the archetype is losing share while players who still run it win at meaningful rates. This is the week's most significant cross-band structural event in 114,004 battles.
The 5,000–6,000 picture is the most instructive. Mega Knight falls −0.85pp while posting 53% WR at 10.03% use (n=2,507). A 53% WR at 10% use is not a performance collapse — but it sits well below Hog Cycle (58.6%) and Goblin Barrel Bait (55.7%) at the same band. Players rotating off Mega Knight are responding to matchup difficulty, not a WR floor breach.
At 8,000–9,000 the signal changes character. Mega Knight posts 48.6% WR (9.82% use, n=1,719) — below the competitive average, the archetype's worst performance tier in this dataset. Season 85 "Honor & Exile" introduced Ronin in July 2026 — a Legendary that reflects melee attacks — which creates a specific anti-Mega Knight interaction that has accumulated matchup knowledge in the upper ladder. The combination of 48.6% WR and nearly 10% use means Mega Knight loses more battles than it wins at the band with the highest competitive density in this week's data.
What Is Happening with Hog Cycle's WR-Use Inversion at 5,000–6,000?
Hog Cycle falls −1.24pp at 5,000–6,000 while posting 58.6% WR (9.44% use, n=2,360) — the band's largest single-week use-rate decline and the band's highest win rate, in the same archetype, on the same day. This is the most extreme WR-use inversion at any band in this 114,004-battle dataset and the most significant tactical misread in the July 25 data.
Hog Cycle posted a similar WR-use inversion at 6,000–7,000 in last week's data, and this week's numbers show that band recovering: Hog Cycle at 6,000–7,000 is stable in the July 25 dataset (54.8% WR, 10.89% use) — the bounce resolved. Players rotating off a 58.6%-WR archetype at 5,000–6,000 are leaving a statistically winning option; the adoption math implies a correction toward equilibrium in next week's data.
Hog Cycle is simultaneously declining at three upper-ladder bands: 7,000–8,000 (−0.56pp, 53.4% WR, n=2,881), 8,000–9,000 (−0.54pp, 53.3% WR, n=2,149), and 9,000+ (−0.47pp, 53.9% WR, n=1,547). All three post above-average WRs, making these WR-use inversions as well — smaller in magnitude but consistent in direction. The archetype remains the most-played at 8,000–9,000 (12.28% use) and 9,000+ (12.37% use) despite the declines.
Which Archetypes Are Rising With Quality Results on July 25?
Mega Knight Bait is the strongest quality riser this week — gaining at two bands with above-average WRs while adding at 9,000+:
- 5,000–6,000: +1.34pp, 54.8% WR, n=1,875 — the band's largest use-rate gain, at an above-average WR
- 8,000–9,000: +0.39pp, 55.2% WR, n=1,184 — above-average at the week's most competitive upper-ladder band
- 9,000+: +0.35pp, 54.9% WR, n=834 — the band's second-best WR among archetypes with 750+ battles
MKB's two-band fall (under-5,000: −0.81pp; 7,000–8,000: −0.71pp) limits its cross-band case, but the 5K-6K rise (+1.34pp at 54.8% WR) is the week's cleanest combination of large use gain and above-average results at any single band.
Hog 2.6 at 9,000+ posts the strongest targeted riser signal: +0.48pp, 57.1% WR (n=245). The sample is smaller than ideal, but 57.1% WR at the top of the ladder is the band's best among archetypes with 200+ battles. Hog 2.6 at 57.1% gains share while the broader meta declines at 9,000+.
Balloon at 6,000–7,000: +0.37pp, 58.5% WR (n=735) — the band's best win rate and the most volume-weighted quality riser at 6K-7K. Balloon at 3.36% use with 735 battles at 58.5% WR is a real upward signal backed by a large sample.
What Is Happening at Under-5,000 Trophies on July 25?
Under-5,000 trophies covers 22,811 battles across 34 tracked archetypes. The dominant story is the simultaneous exit of the band's top-two WR archetypes: Mega Knight falls −1.11pp (2.90% use, 57.6% WR, n=726) and Mega Knight Bait falls −0.81pp (1.91% use, 57.7% WR, n=477) — both posting the band's top two win rates while losing share. Goblin Barrel Bait falls −1.16pp (7.30%, 52% WR, n=1,826) — the band's largest use-rate decline, at a below-average WR: a double-negative.
The week's risers at under-5,000 are all below-average or marginal WRs. E-Giant Tornado gains +0.82pp (2.12%, 49.9% WR, n=530); Log Bait +0.73pp (1.90%, 45.8% WR, n=474); LavaLoon +0.62pp (2.76%, 47.3% WR, n=689). All three rise with WRs under the band average — late-season experimental churn, not a performance signal.
Hog 2.6 posts 29.1% WR (4.13% use, n=1,033) — the lowest win rate of any archetype with 1,000+ battles at any of the six trophy ranges in this dataset. At 1,033 battles, this is not a small-sample artefact; Hog 2.6 is losing at an unusually high rate at under-5,000 in late Season 85. Players exploring Hog 2.6 without full card progression below 5,000 trophies are almost certainly running underleveled cards against overleveled opponents.
Most-played under-5,000: Hog Cycle 8.43% (56.5% WR, n=2,109), Goblin Barrel Bait 7.30% (52%, n=1,826), Royal Hogs 6.54% (47.8%, n=1,635), Golem Beatdown 5.53% (49.5%, n=1,382).
Best win rates under-5,000: Mega Knight Bait 57.7% (n=477), Mega Knight 57.6% (n=726), PEKKA Control 57.5% (n=329), Prince 57.4% (n=279), Ram Rider 56.6% (n=441), Hog Cycle 56.5% (n=2,109).
What Is Happening at 5,000–6,000 Trophies on July 25?
The 5,000–6,000 band (22,431 battles, 31 archetypes) hosts the three largest-magnitude events in this week's dataset. Hog Cycle falls −1.24pp at 58.6% WR (9.44% use, n=2,360) — the most extreme WR-use inversion in 114,004 battles. Mega Knight Bait rises +1.34pp at 54.8% WR (7.50%, n=1,875) — the week's strongest combination of large gain and above-average results at any single band. Mega Knight falls −0.85pp at 53% WR (10.03%, n=2,507) — declining use despite a winning record.
Witch Wizard posts 59.9% WR (1.18% use, n=294) — the highest win rate in the full 114,004-battle dataset across all six trophy ranges. Witch Wizard at under 1.2% use at this band is statistically invisible to opponents: fewer than 1 in 85 players at 5,000–6,000 faces it regularly, removing adaptive counter-prep. The 294-battle sample meets the minimum threshold for meaningful confidence in this analysis.
Goblin Barrel Bait leads use at 10.35% (55.7% WR, n=2,589) with a minor −0.36pp decline — the most defensible position GBB holds in this week's cross-band picture. Golem Beatdown rises +0.67pp but posts 37.7% WR (3.64%, n=911) — adoption far ahead of results. Hog 2.6 gains +0.46pp at 42.8% WR (2.32%, n=579) — similar profile, below-average WR.
Best win rates at 5,000–6,000: Witch Wizard 59.9% (n=294), Hog Cycle 58.6% (n=2,360), Wizard 57.6% (n=290), Balloon 57.2% (n=705), Goblin Barrel Bait 55.7% (n=2,589), PEKKA Control 55.2% (n=495).
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What Is Happening at 6,000–7,000 Trophies on July 25?
At 6,000–7,000 trophies (19,824 battles, 32 archetypes), Balloon is the standout riser: +0.37pp at 58.5% WR (3.36% use, n=735) — the band's best win rate and the strongest volume-backed quality signal at 6K-7K. X-Bow Siege gains +0.81pp at 53.5% WR (2.37%, n=518) with a +3.5pp WR improvement from last week — a second consecutive week of 6K-7K gains building toward a confirmed rebound.
Mega Knight is the band's largest faller at −0.96pp (9.10% use, 55.5% WR, n=1,991) — a WR-use inversion, the second-largest in this dataset behind Hog Cycle's 5K-6K move. Mega Knight Bait falls −0.53pp (7.44%, 51.1% WR, n=1,628) — the one band in this dataset where MKB posts a below-average WR.
Elixir Golem gains +0.53pp but posts 43.7% WR with a −12.7pp WR delta (1.64%, n=359) — the sharpest single-week WR collapse of any archetype at any band in this dataset. Rising adoption paired with a 12.7pp WR drop is the most concerning combined signal for any riser this week.
Best win rates at 6,000–7,000: Balloon 58.5% (n=735), Mortar Cycle 57.2% (n=243), Dark Prince 56.8% (n=199), Witch 56% (n=241), Royal Giant 55.6% (n=250), Skeleton Barrel 55.6% (n=268).
What Is Happening at 7,000–8,000 Trophies on July 25?
At 7,000–8,000 trophies (23,083 battles — the week's largest band by battle count), three of the four most-played archetypes decline simultaneously. Goblin Barrel Bait falls −0.51pp (11.71%, 51.9% WR, n=2,929), Hog Cycle −0.56pp (11.52%, 53.4% WR, n=2,881), and Mega Knight −0.53pp (10.03%, 54.9% WR, n=2,508). All three are above 10% use — the week's most concentrated simultaneous retreat among high-adoption archetypes at any band.
Skeleton Barrel posts 59.7% WR (1.14% use, n=285) — the band's best win rate, the dataset's joint-second highest behind Witch Wizard's 59.9%. Royal Giant posts 58.5% WR (1.20%, n=299) while falling −0.39pp. Prince gains +0.33pp at 56.7% WR (1.38%, n=344) — the band's only riser combining above-average WR with meaningful use-rate growth. All six of the band's WR leaders are under 2% use.
Best win rates at 7,000–8,000: Skeleton Barrel 59.7% (n=285), Royal Giant 58.5% (n=299), PEKKA Control 57.7% (n=359), Prince 56.7% (n=344), Sparky 55.8% (n=206), Balloon Freeze 55.8% (n=251).
What Is Happening at 8,000–9,000 Trophies on July 25?
At 8,000–9,000 trophies (16,149 battles, 33 archetypes), PEKKA Control is the band's cleanest quality riser: +0.36pp, 58.4% WR (1.63% use, n=286) — the band's best win rate and the only archetype at this band combining a top-2 WR with a positive use-rate gain this week. Ram Rider posts 57.6% WR (1.50%, n=262) — the second-best at this band at similar use rates.
Hog Cycle leads at 12.28% use (53.3% WR, n=2,149) despite falling −0.54pp — still the most-played archetype at this band by a significant margin. Goblin Barrel Bait holds at 9.91% use (56% WR, n=1,735) — the second-best WR among high-volume archetypes (1,000+ battles) at this band. Mega Knight sits at 9.82% use, 48.6% WR (n=1,719) — below-average WR, the archetype's worst performance tier in this dataset. Hog 2.6 gains +0.30pp (3.69%, 40.2% WR, n=645) — adoption without results at this band.
Best win rates at 8,000–9,000: PEKKA Control 58.4% (n=286), Royal Giant 57.6% (n=229), Ram Rider 57.6% (n=262), Goblin Barrel Bait 56% (n=1,735), Mega Knight Bait 55.2% (n=1,184), Balloon 54.1% (n=562).
What Is Happening at 9,000+ Trophies on July 25?
At 9,000+ trophies (9,706 battles, 20 archetypes), Hog 2.6 posts the band's best win rate: +0.48pp, 57.1% WR (1.96%, n=245) — the only top-band riser combining a positive adoption gain with a WR above 54%. Mega Knight Bait adds +0.35pp (6.67%, 54.9% WR, n=834) — the band's second-best WR among archetypes with 750+ battles.
Goblin Barrel Bait falls −0.77pp (7.96%, 54.1% WR, n=995) — the band's largest faller at a solid 54.1% WR; adoption rotation, not a performance signal. Balloon retreats −0.63pp (3.58%, 49.1% WR, n=448) — losing share at below-average WR. Hog Cycle leads use at 12.37% (53.9% WR, n=1,547), falling −0.47pp while maintaining above average. Mega Knight holds 11.80% use (51.9% WR, n=1,475) — stable at 9,000+, the one band where MK doesn't show a meaningful decline this week.
Best win rates at 9,000+: Hog 2.6 57.1% (n=245), Mega Knight Bait 54.9% (n=834), Lumberloon 54.2% (n=295), Goblin Barrel Bait 54.1% (n=995), Hog Cycle 53.9% (n=1,547), Mega Knight 51.9% (n=1,475).
What Are the Best Underplayed Decks in the July 25 Meta?
Four archetypes post top-tier win rates at well below their expected adoption in this week's dataset:
Witch Wizard — 59.9% WR at 5,000–6,000 (n=294, 1.18% use). The highest win rate in the full 114,004-battle dataset. At under 1.2% use, opponents at this band have nearly no specific counter-prep for the archetype — a preparation edge that compounds over a session. The 294-battle sample meets the minimum threshold for meaningful confidence.
Skeleton Barrel — 59.7% WR at 7,000–8,000 (n=285, 1.14% use). The band's best win rate and the dataset's second-highest. Skeleton Barrel at the week's largest band (23,083 battles) at 1.14% use is the most statistically robust underplayed signal at 7,000–8,000.
PEKKA Control — 58.4% WR at 8,000–9,000 (n=286, 1.63% use, +0.36pp) and 57.7% at 7,000–8,000 (n=359). PEKKA Control is gaining share at the harder band while maintaining its WR floor at the lower. The most consistently underplayed two-band performer in the July 25 dataset.
Balloon — 58.5% WR at 6,000–7,000 (n=735, 3.36% use, +0.37pp). Not as underplayed as the others by use rate, but the most volume-backed underplayed signal in this dataset: 735 battles at 58.5% WR with positive trend. The best-evidenced pick for players who want a high-confidence signal at 6,000–7,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best deck in Clash Royale on July 25, 2026?
Hog Cycle holds the broadest results case in the July 25 data: 58.6% WR at 5,000–6,000 (n=2,360 — the band's best), 53.9% at 9,000+ (n=1,547), and leads use at both 8,000–9,000 (12.28%) and 9,000+ (12.37%). No other archetype combines Hog Cycle's breadth of adoption with consistently above-average win rates in 114,004 battles. Its −1.24pp inversion at 5K-6K is a use-share rotation, not a WR signal.
Why is Mega Knight losing share across 4 trophy bands on July 25, 2026?
Mega Knight falls simultaneously at under-5,000 (−1.11pp), 5,000–6,000 (−0.85pp), 6,000–7,000 (−0.96pp), and 7,000–8,000 (−0.53pp) while posting WR-use inversions at three of those bands. In Season 85 "Honor & Exile," Ronin — introduced July 6, 2026 — reflects melee attacks, creating a direct anti-Mega Knight interaction that upper-ladder players have increasingly built around. Mega Knight at 8,000–9,000 has dropped to 48.6% WR (n=1,719), confirming the archetype's worst performance tier. Mid-trophy players are rotating off as counter-prep accumulates; the skilled operators remaining post above-average WRs (55–57.6%), compressing the use base upward.
Is Hog Cycle still good at 5,000–6,000 in July 2026?
Yes — Hog Cycle posts 58.6% WR at 5,000–6,000 (n=2,360) in the July 25 data, the band's best win rate and the second-highest of any high-volume archetype (1,000+ battles) in the full dataset. The −1.24pp decline is a rotation signal, not a performance signal. Hog Cycle posted a similar WR-use inversion at 6,000–7,000 last week; this week that band shows Hog Cycle stable with a 54.8% WR — the bounce resolved on schedule. Expect a similar recovery at 5K-6K in next week's data.
What is Witch Wizard and why does it have 59.9% win rate in July 2026?
Witch Wizard posts 59.9% WR at 5,000–6,000 (n=294, 1.18% use) — the highest win rate in the 114,004-battle July 25 dataset across all six trophy ranges. Witch Wizard typically combines Witch and/or Wizard as value area-control spellcasters alongside cycle cards, creating push-deflection pressure that most players at 5,000–6,000 haven't specifically prepared counters for. At 1.18% use, fewer than 1 in 85 opponents at this band faces Witch Wizard regularly. The 294-battle sample meets the minimum threshold for meaningful statistical weight; the 59.9% is not a small-sample artefact.
How many battles are in the July 25 meta report?
The July 25, 2026 TrophyCoach meta report covers 114,004 ranked ladder battles across 6 trophy ranges (under-5,000 through 9,000+) over the 7-day window of July 18–25. Each archetype requires a minimum 150-battle threshold to appear in the movement rankings. The 7,000–8,000 band is the week's largest at 23,083 battles; 9,000+ is the smallest at 9,706 battles across 20 tracked archetypes.
Is PEKKA Control worth playing at the upper ladder in Season 85?
PEKKA Control posts 58.4% WR at 8,000–9,000 (+0.36pp, n=286, 1.63% use) and 57.7% at 7,000–8,000 (n=359) in the July 25 data — both top-3 WRs across their respective trophy ranges, both at under 2% use. PEKKA Control is gaining share at 8,000–9,000 while maintaining its WR floor at 7,000–8,000. For players at the upper ladder willing to run a slower, technically demanding archetype, PEKKA Control is the July 25 dataset's most consistently undervalued two-band pick. The deck rewards experience: the matchup-preparation edge compounds when opponents face it less than 2% of games.
Is Elixir Golem good at 6,000–7,000 in July 2026?
No — Elixir Golem gains +0.53pp at 6,000–7,000 in the July 25 data but posts 43.7% WR with a −12.7pp WR collapse (n=359). A −12.7pp single-week WR drop is the sharpest win-rate decline of any archetype at any band in this dataset. Rising adoption paired with an accelerating WR collapse is the clearest avoid signal in the July 25 data; players picking up Elixir Golem at 6K-7K are losing at an accelerating rate in the late-Season 85 environment.
What happened to Goblin Barrel Bait in the July 25 meta?
Goblin Barrel Bait declines at 4 bands this week: under-5,000 (−1.16pp, 52% WR), 6,000–7,000 (−0.39pp, 52.6% WR), 7,000–8,000 (−0.51pp, 51.9% WR), and 9,000+ (−0.77pp, 54.1% WR). It holds at 8,000–9,000 (9.91% use, 56% WR, n=1,735 — the second-best WR at the band among high-volume archetypes). GBB's best position in this dataset is 8,000–9,000; its clearest avoid is under-5,000 (52% WR, −1.16pp) and 7,000–8,000 (51.9% WR, declining for multiple weeks).