Updated October 29, 2026 · applies to Season 88 (Shocktober), the October 6 balance patch and the October 19 balance update. Supercell says it won't introduce balance changes at the start of the November season (Season 89 starts November 2), so this list should hold into early November.
Quick answer: The best Log Bait deck right now is Goblin Barrel, Princess, Goblin Gang, Evo Knight, Ice Spirit, Inferno Tower, Rocket and The Log, at 3.3 average Elixir. RoyaleTracker's Log Bait page lists this build at 65.7% over 1,363 battles, the top result it shows. The idea is simple: Goblin Barrel, Princess and Goblin Gang all die to one small spell, so your opponent can't answer all three. If you own the Evolutions, the cheaper 2.9 version with Evo Dart Goblin, Evo Goblin Barrel and Hero Knight posts 64.5% over 2.7K battles. You need Arena 11 (Electro Valley, 3,400 trophies) for Princess and The Log.
Log Bait is the oldest trick in Clash Royale, and it still works in October 2026. Supercell even named the problem in its October 19 balance notes: "Dart Goblin is the common denominator among the stronger spell bait decks, so we're reducing his damage output and reducing the amount of Double Trouble gum allowed on him!" (official October balance changes). Nobody nerfs an archetype that isn't winning.
This guide covers the current list, which Evolution and Hero slots to fill, what the October patches did to bait, how to actually play it (not just spam Barrel), and how to beat it when you're on the other side.
What is a Log Bait deck in Clash Royale?
A Log Bait deck is built around one weakness: your opponent only has one small spell. Almost every competitive deck carries a single cheap spell such as The Log, Barbarian Barrel, Zap or Arrows. Log Bait packs three or four low-HP cards that all die to that spell, so whichever one your opponent spends it on, the next one gets through.
The core three are Goblin Barrel, Princess and Goblin Gang. The numbers show why they share one counter. At tournament standard (Level 11), from the Clash Royale wiki's card pages:
| Card | Elixir | Unit HP (L11) | Dies to The Log (268)? | Dies to Zap (192)? | Dies to Barbarian Barrel (215)? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goblin Barrel (3 Goblins) | 3 | 202 each | Yes | No | Yes |
| Princess | 3 | 261 | Yes | No | No |
| Goblin Gang (3 Goblins + 3 Spear Goblins) | 3 | 202 / 133 | Yes | Spear Goblins only | Yes |
| Dart Goblin | 3 | 261 | Yes | No | No |
The Log is the cheapest spell that kills everything in the bait package, which is how the deck got its name. Arrows (122 damage per wave, three waves) also gets there, but it costs 3 Elixir, so it trades evenly with each bait card instead of winning. Zap doesn't kill a single Goblin from the Barrel, and since the October 6 nerf Barbarian Barrel (now 215 damage) still kills the Goblins but leaves Princess and Dart Goblin alive.
The rest of the deck is defense. Knight tanks, Inferno Tower melts big win conditions, Ice Spirit freezes and cycles, and Rocket gives you a late-game finisher that can't be logged at all.
What is the best Log Bait deck right now (October 2026)?
These are seven of the lists on RoyaleTracker's Log Bait page, checked October 29, 2026. RoyaleTracker doesn't publish a date window or player range for that page, so read the win rates as a snapshot of its tracked games, not as a ladder-wide average.
| Deck (Evo / Hero picks first) | Other cards | Avg Elixir | Win rate | Battles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evo Knight | Princess, Ice Spirit, Goblin Gang, Inferno Tower, Rocket, Goblin Barrel, The Log | 3.3 | 65.7% | 1.4K |
| Evo Dart Goblin, Evo Goblin Barrel, Hero Knight | Princess, Ice Spirit, Goblin Gang, Inferno Tower, The Log | 2.9 | 64.5% | 2.7K |
| Evo Dart Goblin, Evo Goblin Barrel, Hero Knight | Princess, Ice Spirit, Goblin Gang, Cannon, The Log | 2.6 | 64.8% | 1.4K |
| Evo Princess, Evo Goblin Barrel | Knight, Ice Spirit, Goblin Gang, Inferno Tower, Rocket, The Log | 3.3 | 64.4% | 1.3K |
| Evo Knight, Evo Princess | Ice Spirit, Goblin Gang, Inferno Tower, Rocket, Goblin Barrel, The Log | 3.3 | 64.3% | 1.5K |
| Evo Knight, Evo Goblin Barrel | Princess, Ice Spirit, Goblin Gang, Inferno Tower, Rocket, The Log | 3.3 | 62.9% | 3.6K |
| Evo Goblin Barrel, Evo Ice Spirit, Hero Knight | Princess, Goblin Gang, Inferno Tower, Rocket, The Log | 3.3 | 60.3% | 4.1K |
Two things stand out. The most-played version (Evo Goblin Barrel, Evo Ice Spirit, Hero Knight, 4.1K battles) sits at the bottom of this table at 60.3%. RoyaleTracker's own read is that thousands of players are running a weaker build while the better one sits right above it. And the single-Evolution Evo Knight list tops the table, which is good news if you don't own every Evo.
Our pick for most players: the Evo Knight list at the top. It's the classic 3.3 deck with one Evolution, so it's cheap to build and easy to learn. If you have Evo Dart Goblin and Evo Goblin Barrel, the 2.9 Hero Knight list is the faster version. It sits just below at 64.5%, but with nearly twice as many battles behind it.
RoyaleTracker also ranks the individual Evolutions and Heroes across its Log Bait games: Evo Dart Goblin 64.6%, Evo Knight 63.8%, Evo Princess 62.9%, Hero Knight 62.5%, Evo Goblin Barrel 62.3% and Evo Valkyrie 61.1%.
Which Evolutions and Hero should you run in Log Bait?
Since the March 2026 update a deck has up to three special slots, unlocked as you climb: one Evolution slot, one Hero slot and one Wild slot. The Wild slot takes an Evolution, a Hero or a Champion. That's how the 2.9 list fits two Evolutions plus Hero Knight. Each of the Evolutions below costs 2 cycles to charge, per the Clash Royale wiki.
Evo Goblin Barrel. When you cast it, a second Decoy Barrel flies into the opposite lane and drops three Decoy Goblins with very low HP. Your opponent sees two identical barrels and has to guess. One bait player in this week's r/ClashRoyale thread on why bait runs it put it well: "The decoy barrel is the trojan horse. You use it to force opponent to overspend so you capitalize on the next offense." The same player added that it doubles as defense: "evo barrel is a free defensive skeleton army."
Evo Knight. Takes 60% less damage from every source whenever he isn't attacking (wiki). In bait that means a front-line tank that soaks Crown Tower shots while your Goblins stab.
Evo Dart Goblin. His darts leave a Poison zone that grows stronger the more he hits the same target, and the Poison stays until that target dies (wiki). It's the best-performing Evo in RoyaleTracker's bait data.
Evo Princess. Her shots slow enemies in a 3-tile radius, and she leaves a slowing zone when she dies (wiki). Since the August 4, 2026 balance update the slow lasts 5.5 seconds and triggers on every other shot (official August balance changes). Strong into beatdown, which is usually bait's hardest matchup.
Hero Knight. His ability, Triumphant Taunt, costs 2 Elixir and taunts nearby enemies, and Supercell's own description says it works on Crown Towers too. Drop the taunt next to a Princess Tower, then the Barrel, and the tower shoots the Knight instead of your Goblins. Remember that since the August 4, 2026 balance update, Hero and Champion abilities are single-use per deployment (Boss Bandit is the only exception), so time the taunt; you don't get it back. Our Hero Knight guide covers the timing in detail.
Hero Valkyrie shows up too (61.0% in the Evo Princess, Evo Goblin Barrel version), and one player summed up the choice between her and Hero Ice Wizard this week: "If ur gonna play around control then ice wiz. If ur gonna play around bait variations then valk."
What did the October 2026 balance changes do to Log Bait?
Both October passes touched the bait package, from the official October balance changes page:
- Goblin Barrel buffed (Oct 6): first hit speed 0.4s → 0.3s. Goblins now stab a fraction sooner after landing, so a late Log is more likely to arrive after the first hit.
- Barbarian Barrel nerfed (Oct 6): damage 232 → 215. It still kills Goblins (202 HP), but it's a weaker all-round answer than it was.
- Royal Ghost nerfed (Oct 6): HP 1,210 → 1,152. Supercell said he "had floated beyond his usual control and bridge spam homes and into bait and cycle decks."
- Dart Goblin nerfed (Oct 19): damage 151 → 143, plus less Double Trouble gum. This is the one aimed squarely at bait.
- Skeletons changed twice: a tighter spawn spread on October 6 (listed as a nerf), then a rework on October 19 to 0.4 → 0.5 tiles so they always split on middle tiles. Relevant if you cycle Skeletons in a Cannon variant.
Net effect: the Barrel itself got better, one of its best answers got worse, and Dart Goblin took a small hit. Bait is still a top archetype. For the full list of changes, see our October 2026 balance changes breakdown.
How do you play Log Bait (without just spamming Goblin Barrel)?
The most common bait mistake is throwing Goblin Barrel every time you have 3 Elixir. Good bait plays like a control deck. As the same player put it later in that thread: "Some bait players lose the game cuz they save the barrel for the perfect opportunity. Its a tool to create opportunity not opportunity itself."
1. Track their small spell. Your whole game plan depends on whether The Log (or Barbarian Barrel, or Arrows) is in their hand. If they just used it on Goblin Gang, you have roughly one full cycle to land a Barrel cleanly.
2. Bait with defense first. Play Princess at the back on defense and Goblin Gang to answer their push. If they spell those, the Barrel is free. If they don't, Princess chips away from across the river.
3. Pair the Barrel with a tank. Send Knight (or Hero Knight with the taunt ready) to the bridge, then Barrel the same tower. The tower locks onto the Knight and the Goblins connect.
4. Use Rocket late. Rocket does 342 Crown Tower damage at Level 11 since the June 1, 2026 spell nerf. In double Elixir, alternating Barrel and Rocket on a damaged tower closes games.
5. Defend big pushes with Inferno Tower. Inferno is your answer to Golem, Giant, Electro Giant and P.E.K.K.A. Pull with Knight first, then drop Inferno in the middle.
6. Don't count on Ice Spirit for chip. Since the August 2026 balance changes, Spirits no longer damage Crown Towers on their own. Ice Spirit is a 1-Elixir freeze and cycle card now, nothing more.
Can you play Log Bait before Arena 11?
Not the full deck. Princess and The Log both unlock in Electro Valley (Arena 11, 3,400–3,800 trophies). Goblin Barrel unlocks in Arena 6, Goblin Gang and Dart Goblin in Arena 9, Ice Spirit in Arena 8, Rocket in Arena 5 and Inferno Tower in Arena 4.
A workable pre-Arena 11 version (our substitution, not a tracked list) swaps Dart Goblin in for Princess and Barbarian Barrel in for The Log: Knight, Dart Goblin, Ice Spirit, Goblin Gang, Inferno Tower, Rocket, Goblin Barrel and Barbarian Barrel, still 3.3 Elixir. It plays the same way, just with less range. If you're stuck below Arena 11, our Arena 11 Electro Valley deck guide has more options.
How do you counter a Log Bait deck?
If you're facing bait, these are the answers that work right now:
- Keep your small spell for the Barrel. Answer Princess and Goblin Gang with troops where you can. If The Log is in hand when the Barrel lands, bait loses its main damage source.
- Run splash on the ground. Valkyrie, Bowler and Executioner clear Goblin Gang and Barrel Goblins without a spell.
- Pick Dagger Duchess. The wiki says her burst can handle the Decoy Goblins from Evo Goblin Barrel on her own, which Cannoneer and Tower Princess struggle to do, so you can spend your troops on the real Barrel.
- Answer Evo Goblin Barrel with troops, not guesses. Goblins placed a tile below the tower, plus Electro Spirit on the decoy side, is a neutral 3-for-3 trade (wiki). Guards work the same way but cost you 1 Elixir more.
- Run a second small spell. Two cheap spells (for example The Log plus Arrows) is the classic way to blunt the bait package.
- Overwhelm it. Heavy beatdown is usually bait's hardest matchup. Make them spend Inferno Tower, then punish the other lane.
Does Log Bait work in Clan Wars and Season 89?
The same core works in Clan Wars' River Race, but remember you need four different decks there, so plan your bait cards around the other three. Our best Clan Wars deck guide shows how to split cards across all four. For a broader view of the meta, see the best Clash Royale decks for October 2026.
Looking ahead, Season 89 (King vs King) starts November 2, and the official notes list Goblin Barrel in the Week 2 card group of the new King of Cards event, which runs from November 9. Our Season 89 guide has the full schedule.
More Clash Royale guides: decks, Heroes, Evolutions and every arena, all checked against the official patch notes.
- Best Clash Royale decks (October 2026)
- 2.6 Hog Cycle deck guide
- Hero Knight: Triumphant Taunt, best decks and counters
FAQ
What cards are in a Log Bait deck? The classic Log Bait deck is Goblin Barrel, Princess, Goblin Gang, Knight, Ice Spirit, Inferno Tower, Rocket and The Log, at 3.3 average Elixir. The October 2026 versions usually upgrade Knight to Evo Knight or add Evo Goblin Barrel, Evo Dart Goblin and Hero Knight.
Why is it called Log Bait? Because Goblin Barrel, Princess and Goblin Gang all die to The Log. The deck "baits" your opponent into spending their Log on one of them so the next one gets through.
Is Log Bait still good in October 2026? Yes. Supercell buffed Goblin Barrel's first hit on October 6 and called spell bait strong enough to nerf Dart Goblin on October 19. RoyaleTracker's top Log Bait lists sit between 60% and 66% in its tracked games.
Do I need Evolutions to play Log Bait? No. The top list on RoyaleTracker uses only one Evolution, Evo Knight, and you can run plain Knight instead. Evo Goblin Barrel and Evo Dart Goblin are popular upgrades but aren't required.
What beats Log Bait? Ground splash troops (Valkyrie, Bowler, Executioner), Dagger Duchess as your Tower Troop, two small spells, and heavy beatdown that forces out Inferno Tower. Saving your Log for the Barrel is the single biggest thing you can do.
Should I use Hero Knight or Hero Valkyrie in Log Bait? Hero Knight fits the faster 2.9 and 2.6 lists, because his taunt pulls Crown Tower fire off your Goblins. Hero Valkyrie fits the 3.4 Evo Princess version and adds splash defense.
