Pairing the massive hitpoints of the Lava Hound with the devastating burst damage of the Balloon creates an aerial synergy that has dominated the competitive meta for years.
However, playing LavaLoon effectively requires an incredibly specific mindset; you are abandoning the ground war entirely, which leaves your towers highly vulnerable to fast rushes.
The Mechanics of the Air Push
Because the opponent’s Musketeer or Wizard is already locked onto the massive 7-elixir Lava Hound, they completely ignore the 5-elixir Balloon flying right past them.
If the opponent has already used their Zap or Arrows, these Pups will deal massive swarm damage to the tower, perfectly complementing the Balloon’s heavy single hits.
- You must place the Balloon so it physically pushes the slow-moving Lava Hound forward, accelerating the entire push.
- Never play the Lava Hound if you are down on elixir in the first two minutes.
- The single biggest counter to LavaLoon is the Minion Horde; Arrows will instantly clear the sky for your Balloon.
Sacrificing the Ground
You must rely entirely on cheap ‘distraction’ units, like the Tombstone or Guards, to kite and stall enemy ground threats.
The Tombstone is the unsung hero of the LavaLoon deck; placed centrally, it pulls all ground-targeting units (like Hog Riders and Giants) into the middle of the map.
| The Threat | The Solution |
|---|---|
| Inferno Tower (Melts the Lava Hound instantly) | Use a Zap spell to reset the damage beam, or use Lightning to severely damage the building and stun it |
| Executioner + Tornado Combo | Do not clump your Balloon directly behind the Hound; space them out significantly so the Tornado cannot group them |
Ruling the Skies
You are trading early ground vulnerability for late-game aerial invincibility.
The air belongs to the Hound.
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