Overview
Skeleton King Cycle is a swarm-based control deck built around farming Skeleton King's soul ability. Currently dominating ladder with a 59.9% win rate, this deck generates relentless pressure through cheap cycling and massive Skeleton spawns. The core loop: defend with swarms, let them die to charge Skeleton King's ability, then counterpush with 20+ Skeletons behind your tank. The 2.6 average elixir cost means you cycle faster than almost any opponent, and Suspicious Bush plus Vines provide constant chip damage that adds up quickly.
Strategy
Opening Play
Start with Skeleton Barrel at the bridge or Ice Spirit at the back to cycle. If opponent opens passive, send Dart Goblin at the bridge for early chip. Your goal is to start farming souls immediately—even if Skeleton Army dies to a Log, those souls charge your King.
Single Elixir
Play reactively and farm souls. Defend pushes with Skeleton Army (14 souls when it dies), Ice Spirit, and Fire Spirit. Keep Skeleton King in hand until you have 10+ souls charged. Suspicious Bush and Vines provide constant passive pressure—place them when you have spare elixir. Dart Goblin behind the tower chips and forces spell responses.
Double Elixir
This is your power spike. With souls farmed, drop Skeleton King and immediately activate his ability as he crosses the bridge. 15-20 Skeletons spawn and overwhelm whatever defense they play. Follow with Skeleton Barrel for another wave. Cycle back to Skeleton Army to refarm souls for the next push. The pressure is endless—they can't keep up with your cycle speed.
Overtime
Triple elixir with this deck is absurd. You can cycle Skeleton King ability every 15-20 seconds. Keep spawning Skeletons, keep chipping with Vines and Suspicious Bush, and watch towers melt. Even if they have splash, you generate threats faster than they can respond.
Matchups
Favorable Matchups
- Single-target decks (P.E.K.K.A, Mini P.E.K.K.A): They can't handle swarms. Skeleton Army surrounds their tank while King walks to tower.
- Cycle decks: You out-cycle them AND out-swarm them. Hog gets buried in Skeletons.
- Beatdown without splash: Golem without Baby Dragon or Executioner gets shredded by Skeleton Army + King ability.
- Graveyard: Skeleton Army hard-counters Graveyard. Dart Goblin snipes their tank.
Unfavorable Matchups
- Splash-heavy decks: Valkyrie, Wizard, Executioner destroy your swarms before they deal damage. Tough matchup.
- Mother Witch: She converts your Skeletons into Hogs. Avoid giving her value—bait her with Skeleton Barrel first.
- Log + Arrows decks: Double small spells efficiently clear everything you play. Need to bait both before committing King.
Tips
Soul farming priority: Let Skeleton Army die to ANY damage—even tower shots. Each Skeleton death is 1 soul. 14 Skeletons = 14 souls = almost full ability charge.
Skeleton King ability timing: Activate the ability as King crosses the bridge, not at the river. This spawns Skeletons deeper in their territory where splash can't hit them and King together.
Suspicious Bush placement: Place at the bridge in the center. It spawns Goblins that split to both lanes, forcing responses from both Princess Towers.
Vines for chip: Vines deal constant tower damage and slow enemy troops. Place them defensively to slow pushes, offensively on weakened towers for chip.
Dart Goblin positioning: Place Dart Goblin at the river behind your push. His range lets him snipe from safety while Skeletons tank.
Bait their splash: If they have Valkyrie, send Skeleton Barrel first. They Valkyrie it, now your Skeleton Army survives to deal damage.
Cycle in dead time: Between waves, cycle Ice Spirit and Fire Spirit at the back. Each one that dies to tower is 1 more soul for King.
Common Mistakes
Activating King ability too early: Using the ability with only 5-6 souls spawns a weak wave. Wait for 12+ souls for overwhelming pressure.
Placing Skeleton Army into splash: Dropping Skarmy directly into a Valkyrie or Wizard wastes 3 elixir and gives them a counterpush. Bait the splash first.
Ignoring chip damage: Suspicious Bush and Vines seem weak individually, but they add 500+ damage per game. Don't forget to place them.
Over-defending with Skeleton King: King is your win condition, not a defender. Use spirits and Skarmy to defend; save King for counterpushes.
Not tracking their spells: If they have Log AND Arrows, you need to bait both before a big Skeleton King push. Send Skeleton Barrel, wait for Log, then commit.