Welcome to Arena 6: Builder's Workshop

You've entered Arena 6: Builder's Workshop, the 1600-2000 trophy range where strategic complexity reaches new heights. This construction-themed arena introduces game-changing cards like Elixir Collector and Inferno Tower that fundamentally alter how matches are played. Breaking 1600 trophies means you're now competing with experienced players who understand advanced concepts like elixir pumping, building management, and defensive positioning.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll cover everything needed to dominate Builder's Workshop: powerful economic and defensive card unlocks, optimized deck archetypes featuring Elixir Collector strategies, advanced gameplay concepts including pump timing and building placement, detailed matchup analysis against meta decks, and efficient progression tactics. Whether you struggled to reach 1600 or climbed smoothly, this guide will help you master the 1600-2000 range and prepare for Royal Arena.

New Cards Unlocked in Arena 6

Arena 6 unlocks four strategically profound cards that introduce economic gameplay and powerful defensive options. These cards enable entirely new deck archetypes and strategies.

Rare Cards

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  Elixir Collector (6 elixir): Revolutionary economic building that generates +2 elixir over 70 seconds (8 total return on 6 elixir investment). Changes the fundamental game economy. Place behind King Tower to safely generate elixir advantage. Opponents must either destroy it (wasting elixir/spells) or accept your growing elixir lead. Essential in beatdown and three musketeers decks. Vulnerable to Fireball, Rocket, and Miner. Timing is everything—pumping early builds huge elixir advantages for devastating late-game pushes. The defining card of Arena 6 meta.
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  Furnace (4 elixir): Spawner building that generates Fire Spirits over 50 seconds. Each Fire Spirit deals splash damage and reaches enemy tower if not countered. Creates constant chip pressure. Place behind King Tower in single elixir, or bridge-spam style in double elixir for aggressive pressure. Forces opponents to constantly address spawned spirits or take 100+ chip damage per spirit. Works well with beatdown decks as supplementary pressure.

Epic Cards

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  Inferno Tower (5 elixir): Defensive building that targets one troop and ramps damage exponentially, melting any tank in seconds. The ultimate tank counter—kills Giant, Golem, P.E.K.K.A, Lava Hound effortlessly. 40-second lifetime. Weak to swarms (reset damage), Zap/Lightning (reset damage), and being ignored on opposite lane. Place in center to pull tanks. The defining defensive building at competitive levels. Completely shuts down beatdown decks when played correctly. Reset mechanics (Zap, Lightning, Ewiz) counter it, creating mind games around timing.
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  Tesla (4 elixir): Defensive building targeting air and ground that hides underground when not attacking (avoiding spells!). 35-second lifetime. Cheaper alternative to Inferno Tower with spell immunity. Excellent against Hog Rider, Balloon, and medium tanks. Place in center to pull and kill win conditions. The spell immunity makes Tesla incredibly elixir-efficient—opponents can't Fireball or Lightning it effectively. Popular in fast cycle decks due to low cost and defensive reliability.

Best Decks for Arena 6 (1600-2000 Trophies)

1. Golem Elixir Collector Beatdown

Deck: Golem, Elixir Collector, Baby Dragon, Musketeer, Mega Minion, Tombstone, Arrows, Lightning

Average Elixir: 4.4

The quintessential pump beatdown deck. Use Elixir Collectors to build massive elixir advantages, then deploy Golem with overwhelming support. When executed properly, this deck creates unstoppable 25+ elixir pushes that three-crown opponents.

How to Play:

• Opening (0-1 min): Place Elixir Collector behind King Tower at 10 elixir. If opponent doesn't pressure hard, place second Collector. Your goal: get 2 Collectors running simultaneously for massive elixir advantage.
• Defense Phase (1-2 min): Defend efficiently with Tombstone, Baby Dragon, and Musketeer. Don't commit to offense yet. Your Collectors are generating +2-4 elixir per cycle. Bank this advantage.
• Double Elixir Push: Drop Golem at back when you have 15+ elixir and Collector advantage. As Golem walks, place Baby Dragon behind, then Musketeer, then Mega Minion. This 20+ elixir push with your accumulated advantage is unstoppable.
• Lightning Support: When they drop Inferno Tower or clustered defenders, immediately Lightning them. Your push survives and takes towers. Save Arrows for Minions or Skeleton Army.
• Economic Warfare: If opponent spells your Collectors, you've won the elixir trade (their 4-elixir Fireball on your 6-elixir Collector that already generated 2 elixir = neutral at worst). Keep pumping.

Strengths: Massive elixir advantages, unstoppable late-game, teaches economic gameplay, dominates when ahead.

Weaknesses: Weak early game, vulnerable to Miner chip, loses to aggressive rush decks, requires patience and discipline.

2. Hog Tesla Cycle

Deck: Hog Rider, Tesla, Musketeer, Ice Spirit, Skeletons, Cannon, Fireball, Log

Average Elixir: 2.6

The legendary Hog 2.6 Cycle—the most skill-intensive and rewarding deck in Clash Royale. Fast cycling allows repeated Hog attacks while Tesla handles all defensive threats. Used by professional players at 8000+ trophies. Difficult to master but dominates when played correctly.

How to Play:

• Hog Attacks: Send Hog Rider at bridge whenever opponent is low on elixir or just used their building. The 2.6 average means you can send Hog every 12-15 seconds with proper cycling. Each hit is 200-400 damage.
• Cycle Speed: Use Skeletons, Ice Spirit, and Cannon to cycle back to Hog Rider. Never sit on elixir. Constant cycling is the deck's core strength.
• Tesla Defense: Place Tesla in center to fully counter Hog Rider, Balloon, Giant, and all win conditions. Perfect placement = 0 tower damage taken. Tesla's spell immunity makes it incredibly reliable.
• Fireball Chip: In final minute, if their tower is under 600 HP, cycle Fireballs for the win. 2.6 average means you can Fireball 3-4 times in 60 seconds.
• Kiting and Positioning: Use Musketeer, Ice Spirit, and Skeletons to kite tanks deep into your territory. Maximize tower damage on enemy troops while minimizing elixir spent.

Strengths: Extremely fast cycle, outcycles any deck, teaches fundamentals, viable at all trophy levels, cheap deck to upgrade.

Weaknesses: High skill floor, punishing if you make mistakes, weak to heavy spell decks, requires perfect placement and timing.

3. X-Bow Tesla Siege

Deck: X-Bow, Tesla, Archers, Ice Spirit, Skeletons, Knight, Fireball, Log

Average Elixir: 3.0

The ultimate siege deck. Place X-Bow at bridge, defend it with fast cycle cards and Tesla, win by chipping towers from your side. Requires advanced defensive skills and game sense. When mastered, this deck wins without taking damage.

How to Play:

• X-Bow Placement: When you have elixir advantage and opponent used their tank, place X-Bow 2 tiles from river aimed at tower. Immediately place Tesla and cycle troops to defend it.
• Defense: Knight tanks incoming troops. Archers and Skeletons provide DPS. Ice Spirit freezes and stalls. Tesla handles tanks. Your goal: defend X-Bow long enough to get 3-4 shots (500-800 damage).
• Cycling: If X-Bow gets destroyed, immediately cycle back to it. Fast 3.0 average means second X-Bow comes quickly. Constant X-Bow pressure overwhelms opponents.
• Defensive X-Bow: Against heavy beatdown pushes (Golem, Giant), place X-Bow defensively on your side to kill their tank. Then counter-push opposite lane with cycle troops.
• Spell Cycling: If opponent turtles too hard, win by cycling Fireballs on tower. X-Bow Siege often wins 1-0 via chip damage and defensive gameplay.

Strengths: Unique playstyle, dominates beatdown, teaches advanced defense, wins without taking damage, skill-intensive.

Weaknesses: Very high skill cap, weak to Rocket cycling, struggles against experienced players, punishing if X-Bow is countered.

4. Giant Three Musketeers Pump

Deck: Giant, Three Musketeers, Elixir Collector, Baby Dragon, Minions, Ice Spirit, Zap, Fireball

Average Elixir: 4.3

An economic powerhouse combining Elixir Collector with Three Musketeers split push. Pump early, defend mid-game, then deploy Three Musketeers split across lanes for overwhelming dual-lane pressure. Nearly impossible to defend both lanes simultaneously.

How to Play:

• Pump Phase: Place Elixir Collector behind King Tower in first minute. Get 1-2 Collectors running. Build massive elixir advantage.
• Three Musketeer Deployment: Place Three Musketeers behind King Tower, then immediately split them (2 on one lane, 1 on opposite). Add Giant in front of the 2 Musketeers lane. Now both lanes have dangerous threats.
• Split Lane Power: Opponent must choose which lane to defend. If they defend the 2-Musketeer lane, your single Musketeer + support takes opposite tower. If they split defense, both pushes deal significant damage.
• Spell Protection: Save Fireball and Zap to protect your Musketeers from swarms. Time spells perfectly to ensure Musketeers survive and connect.
• Economic Snowball: With 2 Collectors running, you can afford the 9-elixir Three Musketeers deployment plus support. Your economic advantage makes expensive plays viable.

Strengths: Overwhelming split-lane pressure, economic advantage, difficult to defend, teaches resource management.

Weaknesses: Weak to Lightning, Fireball, and Rocket (kills all three Musketeers), vulnerable early game, expensive deck requires perfect elixir management.

5. Miner Control

Deck: Miner, Inferno Tower, Musketeer, Mega Minion, Ice Spirit, Skeletons, Zap, Fireball

Average Elixir: 3.1

A chip-damage control deck using Miner for consistent tower damage and Inferno Tower for impenetrable defense. Defend everything efficiently, then chip away with Miner attacks. Wins via slow, consistent damage accumulation.

How to Play:

• Miner Chip: Send Miner to enemy tower every cycle. Vary placement (top corner, bottom corner, center) to avoid prediction counters. Each Miner connection deals 200+ damage.
• Inferno Defense: Place Inferno Tower in center to melt any tank (Giant, Golem, P.E.K.K.A, Lava Hound). Perfect placement fully counters tank pushes with 0 tower damage taken.
• Supporting Defense: Musketeer handles air and ranged threats. Mega Minion provides flying DPS. Ice Spirit freezes and stalls. Skeletons distract and cycle. This defensive core stops everything.
• Miner + Support: After defending, send Miner with surviving troops (Musketeer, Mega Minion). Combined damage significantly increases Miner's value.
• Spell Cycling: In late game, if tower is low HP, cycle Fireballs plus Miner attacks for guaranteed wins. Don't overcommit—chip damage is the win condition.

Strengths: Impenetrable defense with Inferno Tower, consistent chip damage, controls tempo, good against beatdown, fast cycle.

Weaknesses: Slow to three-crown, vulnerable to Zap/Lightning resetting Inferno, weak to swarm spam, requires patience and discipline.

Key Strategies for Arena 6 Success

1. Elixir Collector Timing and Protection

Mastering pump timing determines success in Arena 6:

• First Pump Timing: Place first Collector at 10 elixir within first 30 seconds. This maximizes generation time while you still have elixir to defend counter-pushes.
• Second Pump Decision: If opponent doesn't pressure aggressively after first Collector, immediately place second. Two Collectors = +4 elixir advantage every cycle = game-winning economy.
• Placement: Always place Collector behind King Tower, centered. This maximizes distance from river, making it harder to Fireball the Collector plus tower for value.
• Against Spell Users: If opponent Fireballs/Rockets your first Collector, you've made a neutral/positive trade (their spell cost vs. your Collector plus elixir generated). Keep pumping—they can't spell them all profitably.
• Against Miner: If they have Miner, expect it on your Collector. Place support troops (Musketeer, Baby Dragon) nearby to kill Miner quickly. Don't let Miner destroy Collectors for free.
• When Not to Pump: Don't pump when opponent has huge elixir advantage or is about to rush. Defend first, pump during elixir advantage.

2. Inferno Tower Placement and Reset Awareness

Inferno Tower defines defensive play in Arena 6:

• Center Placement: Place Inferno Tower 4 tiles from river, centered between lanes. This pulls tanks to middle where both Princess Towers assist, maximizing damage.
• Ramp Time: Inferno Tower needs 5 seconds to fully ramp damage. Protect it during ramp-up with supporting troops or spells that clear swarm distractions.
• Reset Mechanics: Zap, Lightning, Electro Wizard, and Electro Dragon reset Inferno Tower's damage, forcing it to ramp again. Anticipate resets and use supporting DPS to compensate.
• Target Priority: Inferno locks onto first troop in range. If opponent sends cheap cycle card first, Inferno wastes time killing it while tank advances. Use supporting troops to kill distractions.
• Against Swarms: Inferno Tower targets one unit at a time. Skeleton Army surrounds and kills Inferno without taking damage. Always have splash support (Baby Dragon, Valkyrie) when using Inferno.

3. Tesla's Spell Immunity and Cycling

Tesla's unique mechanics make it the best cycle building:

• Underground Hiding: Tesla hides underground when not attacking, making it invisible and invulnerable to spells. Opponents can't Fireball or Lightning it effectively. This spell immunity creates huge elixir advantages.
• 4-Second Attack Window: Tesla appears and attacks when enemy troops enter range. It stays visible for 4 seconds after attacking. Time enemy spells during these windows (rare at Arena 6).
• Center Pull: Place Tesla in center to pull Hog Rider, Giant, and all ground troops. Perfect placement = full counter with 0-1 tower hits maximum.
• Air Defense: Unlike Cannon, Tesla targets air units. Use it to defend Balloon, Lava Hound pups, and flying troops. Versatility makes Tesla superior to Cannon in many matchups.
• Cycle Integration: At 4 elixir, Tesla is perfect for fast cycle decks (Hog 2.6, X-Bow 3.0). Use it defensively, then cycle back to win condition quickly.

4. Economic Warfare and Elixir Advantage

Arena 6 introduces economic gameplay beyond simple counting:

• Pump Economics: Each Collector generates +2 elixir profit. Two Collectors running = +4 per cycle. This compounds over time—by minute 2, you might have +15 total elixir advantage.
• Spell Economics: Fireballing a Collector that generated 0-2 elixir is good trade. Fireballing one that generated 6-8 elixir is bad trade. Opponents must spell Collectors early or accept your advantage.
• Building Elixir Leads: Defend efficiently (spending 5 to counter their 8 = +3), pump safely (+2), pressure opposite lane when they commit (forcing inefficient defense). These small advantages accumulate.
• Capitalizing Advantages: When you have +8-10 elixir advantage, make your massive push. Don't waste advantages on small attacks. One overwhelming push wins games.
• Economic Discipline: Don't pump when behind on elixir or tower HP. Pump when even or ahead. Economic strategies require leading or neutral positions to work safely.

Common Opponents and How to Beat Them

Vs. Golem Beatdown

Counter Strategy: Inferno Tower melts Golem in 5 seconds. Place it center when Golem crosses bridge. Kill support troops (Baby Dragon, Night Witch) with Musketeer or Mega Minion. If they Lightning your Inferno, immediately cycle to second Inferno Tower. Pressure opposite lane when they commit Golem at back—force them to defend instead of supporting their tank.

Key Tip: Golem costs 8 elixir. When they drop it at back, you have 10-15 seconds before it reaches bridge. Rush opposite lane with Hog Rider or Miner, dealing 1000+ damage before they can defend. Trade towers if necessary—your defense is stronger.

Vs. Hog Rider Cycle

Counter Strategy: Tesla or Tombstone in center fully counters Hog Rider. Perfect placement = 0 hits. Against fast cycle decks, keep your building in rotation constantly. They cycle Hog fast, you cycle building faster. Outcycle them—if your deck is cheaper, you get more defensive buildings per minute than they get Hog Riders.

Key Tip: In Hog mirror matches, whoever places building faster wins. Practice instant-response building placement. Half-second delays mean 1-2 Hog hits = 400+ damage.

Vs. X-Bow Siege

Counter Strategy: Giant, Golem, or any tank rush opposite lane when X-Bow is placed. Force them to defend instead of defending their X-Bow. Alternatively, use tank to destroy X-Bow directly—Giant absorbs X-Bow shots while your support troops destroy it. Don't send swarms—X-Bow shreds them. Use tanky troops only.

Key Tip: X-Bow requires 4 seconds deploy time. When you see it placement animation, immediately rush opposite lane. This timing prevents them from defending both their X-Bow and your counter-push simultaneously.

Vs. Elixir Collector Pump Decks

Counter Strategy: Either spell their Collectors (Fireball, Rocket) or rush them aggressively so they can't pump safely. Miner directly on Collector is perfect counter. Lightning destroys Collector plus supporting troops. Don't let them establish 2+ Collectors—you lose the economic war. Aggressive chip damage forces them to defend instead of pump.

Key Tip: If they pump twice, immediately build your biggest push. Don't wait—attack before their elixir advantage becomes unstoppable. Pressure now or lose later.

Vs. Miner Chip Decks

Counter Strategy: Predict Miner placement (usually tower corners) and preemptively place counters (Goblins, Skeletons). Minimizing Miner damage is crucial—each uncountered Miner is 200-300 damage. Against Miner on your Collector, immediately deploy DPS troops (Musketeer) to kill Miner before he destroys Collector. Don't ignore Miner—400 chip damage per minute = lost tower in 2 minutes.

Key Tip: Good Miner players vary placement to avoid predictions. Watch where they placed last time—if they're predictable, pre-place counters for massive value.

Progression Tips: Moving to Arena 7

Upgrade Priority for Arena 6

• Elixir Collector: Priority #1 if using it. Rare card levels up reasonably fast. Get to Level 7-8 for survivability against higher-level Fireballs.
• Inferno Tower or Tesla: Priority #2. Defensive buildings must survive longer and deal more damage at higher levels. Level 7-8 minimum.
• Win Condition (Hog, Miner, X-Bow, Golem): Max your chosen win condition first. This card determines your damage output.
• Cycle Cards (Ice Spirit, Skeletons): Level 9-10. Fast-leveling Commons that appear in every cycle deck.
• Spells: Fireball and Zap to 9-10. Spell interactions depend heavily on levels.

Dealing with the 1900 Trophy Wall

Many players struggle around 1900 trophies (50 from Arena 7). Solutions:

• Perfect One Archetype: Master either pump beatdown, fast cycle, or siege. Don't switch decks—commit fully.
• Learn Matchups: Understand your deck's strengths and weaknesses vs. every meta archetype. Play accordingly.
• Upgrade Consistency: Ensure all 8 cards in your deck are evenly leveled. One under-leveled card loses matches.
• Mental Game: Take breaks after 2 losses. Trophy tilting costs hundreds of trophies. Play when calm and focused.
• Watch Replays: Every loss, watch the replay. Identify the exact moment you lost—misplaced building? Wasted spell? Poor timing? Fix that specific mistake.

When You're Ready for Arena 7

Push to Arena 7 (2000 trophies) when:

• Commons at Level 8-9, Rares at Level 6-7, Epics at Level 4-5
• Win rate consistently 65%+ at 1900 trophies
• Can execute perfect Inferno/Tesla placement under pressure
• Understand pump timing and economic warfare
• Master your deck's specific matchup strategy vs. all meta archetypes
• Can count elixir accurately and capitalize on advantages

Common Arena 6 Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Pumping Under Pressure

Placing Elixir Collector when opponent has huge push ready wastes 6 elixir and costs your tower.

Solution: Only pump when you have elixir to defend subsequent pressure. If opponent just played expensive card and you have 10 elixir, pump safely. If they're building push, defend first, pump later.

Mistake 2: Misplacing Inferno Tower

Placing Inferno too close to river allows tanks to bypass it. Too far back means tank reaches tower before Inferno kills it.

Solution: Practice the "4-tile rule"—always place Inferno exactly 4 tiles from river, centered between lanes. This guarantees optimal pull and burn time.

Mistake 3: Not Cycling Tesla

Waiting at 10 elixir in cycle decks instead of using Tesla and cycle cards wastes regeneration.

Solution: Constantly cycle. Use Tesla defensively even against small threats. Use Ice Spirit and Skeletons on offense for chip. Never sit at max elixir—cycling faster than opponent wins matches.

Mistake 4: Spelling Collectors Too Late

Fireballing Collector after it generated 6+ elixir makes it profitable for opponent.

Solution: If you're going to spell Collectors, do it immediately when placed (0-2 elixir generated). Late spells are bad trades. Either spell early or ignore and pressure instead.

Mistake 5: Not Protecting Pumps Against Miner

Letting Miner destroy Collectors without defense wastes 6 elixir repeatedly.

Solution: Against Miner players, always place support troops (Musketeer, Mega Minion) near your Collectors. When Miner appears, troops immediately kill him, saving your pump.

Conclusion: Master the Workshop, Conquer Royal Arena

Arena 6: Builder's Workshop introduces economic gameplay and defensive mastery that define competitive Clash Royale. The cards you unlock—Elixir Collector, Inferno Tower, Tesla, Furnace—remain staples in professional decks at 8000+ trophies. More importantly, the skills you develop (pump timing, building placement, economic warfare, defensive cycling) become essential for all future success.

Don't rush through Arena 6. Master economic fundamentals here. Whether you choose the unstoppable Golem Pump Beatdown, the skill-intensive Hog 2.6 Cycle, the defensive X-Bow Siege, the overwhelming Three Musketeers Pump, or the controlling Miner deck, perfect your chosen archetype completely. Practice pump timing until automatic, master building placement under pressure, and develop the economic game sense that separates good players from great ones.

The Builder's Workshop tests your ability to manage resources, execute long-term strategies, and capitalize on economic advantages. Win here by outthinking opponents, not just out-leveling them. When you can consistently build elixir advantages, defend perfectly with buildings, and execute devastating late-game pushes, you're ready for Arena 7 and the Royal challenges ahead. The path to Legendary Arena requires mastering the economy—start here in the Workshop.