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Introduction to Clash of Clans Lava Hound Detailed Guide
The Lava Hound is a powerful air troop in Clash of Clans that specializes in absorbing damage while supporting air-based attack strategies. It is unlocked when you upgrade your Dark Barracks to level 6 in Townhall 9. As a flying tank, it targets Air Defenses first, making it a valuable asset in aerial assaults. Though its individual damage output is low, its primary role is to protect high-damage troops like Balloons by drawing fire away from them.
Strengths
Exceptional Air Tank for Defenses
The Lava Hound has extremely high hitpoints and is specialized for soaking up damage from air-targeting defenses, especially Air Defenses. It flies directly toward these defenses and tanks hits while your damage-dealing troops, like Balloons or Dragons, clean up behind.
Lava Pups on Death Provide Swarm Damage
When the Lava Hound is destroyed, it explodes into a group of Lava Pups—small, fast-firing air units that can help finish off defenses, clean up buildings, or distract Archer Towers and other defenses temporarily. This makes the Hound dangerous even after death.
Strong Support in LavaLoon and Air Attacks
Lava Hounds are a core part of LavaLoon strategies, where they tank for Balloons while spells like Haste and Rage are used to speed up the attack. Their durability ensures your Balloons survive longer and push deeper into enemy bases.
Weaknesses
Very Low Offensive Damage
Despite its size, the Lava Hound deals minimal damage per hit. It poses almost no offensive threat on its own and relies entirely on support troops like Balloons or Minions to destroy buildings.
Vulnerable to Traps and Splash After Death
While the Lava Hound is tanky, its Lava Pups are fragile and easily countered by Wizard Towers, Air Bombs, and Red Air Mines. If splash defenses aren’t neutralized, the pups may contribute little after the Hound dies.
Only Targets Air Defenses Until Destroyed
Lava Hounds prioritize Air Defenses only, ignoring other threats like Archer Towers or Inferno Towers until their target is gone. This can lead to inefficient pathing or missed threats if not planned for in the attack strategy.
Synergies
Balloons:
Lava Hounds are highly effective at tanking for Balloons, drawing fire away from Air Defenses, and allowing Balloons to reach their targets safely. Since Air Defenses prioritize the closest air unit, the Lava Hound takes the initial damage while Balloons advance.
In strategies like Lavaloon, deploying Lava Hounds first ensures that Balloons remain protected long enough to destroy defenses. Supporting this combination with Haste or Rage Spells accelerates Balloon movement and increases their damage output, making the attack more effective.
Additionally, Lava Hounds can tank for Battle Blimps carrying Balloons, Super Archers, or Sneaky Goblins. This tactic is especially useful in Town Hall attacks where the Blimp needs to survive long enough to deliver its payload to the core of the base. Properly timing a Freeze or Invisibility Spell can further increase the chances of a successful drop.
Dragons:
While Lava Hounds are excellent at tanking for air troops, be cautious of Seeking Air Mines, as they can quickly eliminate Dragons. These traps deal massive damage to single air units, making them especially dangerous for high-hitpoint troops like Dragons and Electro Dragons.
When using Dragons alongside Lava Hounds, consider using a Coco Loon strategy—deploying a single Balloon ahead of your main force to trigger Seeking Air Mines. This can prevent unexpected losses and ensure your Dragons survive longer in battle. Additionally, using a Freeze Spell on Air Defenses or multi-target Inferno Towers can help reduce the overall damage your Dragons take.
Minions:
The Lava Hound can protect Minions by absorbing damage from Air Defenses, Archer Towers, and Wizard Towers, allowing them to deal significant damage to the base. Since Minions are fragile and easily wiped out by splash damage, the Lava Hound’s tanking ability ensures they can survive longer and clear defenses effectively.
This synergy is particularly useful in Lavaloon and mass Minion strategies, where Minions clean up buildings after Balloons destroy defenses. However, be cautious of Air Bombs and multi-target Inferno Towers, as they can quickly eliminate large groups of Minions. Spacing out Minions and deploying them strategically can help mitigate these threats.
Healers:
Lava Hounds can protect Healers by drawing fire away from Air Defenses, ensuring the Healers survive longer and continue to support ground troops. However, avoid using Lava Hounds with Giants, as Giants have lower hitpoints compared to other tanks and lack a hero ability, making them less effective in high-damage situations.
Additionally, since Healers prioritize ground troops, they will not heal Lava Hounds, reducing overall synergy. Instead, pairing Healers with high-hitpoint heroes or ground-based tanks like P.E.K.K.As or Bowlers is more effective.
Super Archers and Sneaky Goblins:
The Lava Hound is an excellent tank for a Battle Blimp, especially when the Blimp is filled with Super Archers or Sneaky Goblins. By absorbing damage from Air Defenses, the Lava Hound ensures that the Battle Blimp can reach its target without being destroyed too early. Super Archers and Sneaky Goblins, with their high damage and ability to target key structures like Storages or the Clan Castle, can make the most of this protection, allowing for more precise and effective raids.
This synergy works particularly well when paired with other offensive support, such as Rage or Haste Spells, to increase the speed and effectiveness of both the Lava Hound and the troops inside the Battle Blimp.
LavaLoon Strategy
Core Concept:
LavaLoon is a powerful air attack strategy that uses Lava Hounds and Balloons in synergy. In this strategy, Lava Hounds serve as tanks, drawing the fire of Air Defenses like Air Defenses, seeking Air Mines, and Wizard Towers. This allows the Balloons, which deal high damage, to target and destroy key defensive structures such as Archer Towers, Mortars, and Bomb Towers with minimal interference.
The Lava Hounds protect the Balloons until most of the Air Defenses are neutralized, after which the Balloons can continue their destructive path through the base, targeting remaining defenses and critical buildings. Support spells such as Rage and Haste can accelerate the attack, increasing the speed and damage output of the Balloons.
Using LavaLoon requires careful troop deployment and timing to maximize the effectiveness of both Lava Hounds and Balloons, ensuring that the Lava Hounds take the brunt of the damage while the Balloons focus on clearing key targets.
Offensive roles:
The Lava Hound functions as the aerial counterpart to the Golem, offering high health and serving as a tank in the LavaLoon strategy. Its primary role is to absorb damage from Air Defenses, such as Air Defenses, Seeking Air Mines, and Wizard Towers, allowing the Balloons to focus on eliminating key defensive structures like Archer Towers and Bomb Towers without being targeted.
In this strategy, Balloons act as the main damage dealers, dealing significant damage to defensive buildings. The Lava Hound’s tanking ability ensures that the Balloons can reach their targets, especially Air Defenses, which could otherwise wipe out the Balloons. By drawing fire and soaking up damage, the Lava Hound creates a safer path for the Balloons to clear out the base, allowing the attack to progress smoothly.
How to execute
In the LavaLoon strategy, deploy Lava Hounds first to target and absorb damage from Air Defenses, such as Archer Towers, Wizard Towers, and Air Defenses. The Lava Hounds will draw the fire away from the Balloons, providing them with a clear path.
Once the Lava Hounds are in position and targeting the Air Defenses, follow up with Balloons to destroy key defensive structures. Balloons are the primary damage dealers in this strategy, taking down buildings like Archer Towers, Bomb Towers, and other high-priority defenses.
Additionally, Lava Hounds can effectively tank for Battle Blimps, especially when filled with Balloons. The Lava Hound’s tanking ability helps ensure the Battle Blimp reaches its destination, allowing the Balloons to deploy and deal significant damage while staying protected from defenses.
LavaLoonion Strategy
Core Concept:
LavaLoonion is an air attack strategy in Clash of Clans that combines Lava Hounds, Balloons, and Minions. The Lava Hounds act as tanks, drawing fire from Air Defenses, while the Balloons target and destroy defensive structures, and the Minions provide additional damage and cleanup.
Lava Hounds are deployed first to absorb damage from Air Defenses such as Archer Towers, Wizard Towers, and Air Defenses. Their high health ensures they can withstand heavy fire while protecting other units.
Balloons are deployed behind the Lava Hounds to target and destroy key defensive structures, including defenses, storages, and other buildings. Balloons are the primary damage dealers in this strategy, clearing the path for the other units.
Minions are used for additional cleanup and damage, especially once the main defenses are down. They provide a cost-effective way to deal with remaining buildings and can help secure the 3-star win by picking off lower-priority buildings.
How to execute
Deploy Lava Hounds first to target and absorb damage from Air Defenses, ensuring protection for the rest of the troops. Follow with Balloons to destroy key defensive structures like Air Defenses, defenses, and high-value buildings. Deploy Minions to help clear out any remaining defenses or buildings after the Lava Hounds and Balloons have made their way through the base.
Important Considerations
Lava Hounds prioritize Air Defenses above all other targets, bypassing buildings and troops as long as Air Defenses remain on the battlefield. They deal minimal damage on their own and almost always need support from other troops, like Balloons or Minions, to effectively contribute to the attack.
Battle Strategy
Offensive Role:
The Lava Hound’s primary offensive role is to absorb damage while protecting key attacking troops. Similar to the Golem on the ground, the Lava Hound boasts high hitpoints, allowing it to shield aerial troops from dangerous defenses.
Its primary target is Air Defenses, making it crucial for air-based attack strategies like LavaLoon. By drawing fire from Air Defenses, it enables Balloons to destroy key defensive structures without being immediately taken down.
The Lava Hound can also serve as a tank for Dragons, Minions, Healers, or Battle Blimps. When paired with a Battle Blimp carrying Super Archers, Sneaky Goblins, or Balloons, the Lava Hound ensures the Blimp reaches its destination without taking too much damage from air-targeting defenses.
Despite its durability, the Lava Hound deals very little damage, making it dependent on supporting troops to clear bases efficiently. Without proper backup, it may survive the battle but fail to destroy key buildings in time.
Defensive Targeting:
Lava Hounds are hardwired to prioritize Air Defenses above all else, making them highly effective in air-based attack strategies. They will bypass all other structures, ignoring even enemy troops, Heroes, and Skeleton Trap skeletons, as long as Air Defenses remain on the battlefield.
Once all Air Defenses are destroyed, Lava Hounds switch to attacking other defensive buildings. Like other defense-targeting troops, they do not consider the Clan Castle a defense, even if enemy troops are inside. However, they do recognize the activated Town Hall weapon (such as the Giga Tesla or Giga Inferno) as a defensive structure and will target it accordingly.
After all defenses are eliminated, Lava Hounds transition into attacking the nearest building. If enemy troops come within their range at this stage, they will retaliate, but their low damage output makes them ineffective at eliminating enemy units quickly.
Weaknesses and Counters:
🔹Single-target Inferno Towers pose a significant threat to Lava Hounds, as their damage ramps up over time, quickly eliminating even the tankiest of Hounds. To counter this, Freeze Spells or early distraction with other air units can help delay or neutralize the Inferno Tower’s effect.
🔹Multi-target Inferno Towers are dangerous for the Lava Pups spawned upon the Lava Hound’s defeat. They can wipe out multiple Pups at once, reducing their ability to deal cleanup damage. Protecting them with Freeze Spells or overwhelming the defense with other air units can help mitigate this risk.
🔹Seeking Air Mines can be particularly dangerous when placed away from Air Defenses. Since Lava Hounds often serve as tanks for Battle Blimps, a well-placed Seeking Air Mine can heavily damage or destroy the Blimp before it reaches its target. This can compromise attack strategies that rely on the Blimp to deliver Super Archers, Sneaky Goblins, or other payloads to the core of the base.
Spells:
🔹A Freeze Spell is highly effective in countering single-target Inferno Towers that quickly melt through Lava Hounds. By freezing the Inferno Tower at the right moment, you can reset its damage ramp-up and give your troops more time to destroy it. This works best when combined with Balloons, Dragons, or other high-damage air troops.
🔹A Clone Spell can enhance the effectiveness of Lava Hound-based attacks by duplicating supporting troops rather than the Lava Hound itself. Cloning Balloons, Minions, or other high-damage units near defenses can provide an overwhelming advantage, allowing them to deal significant damage while the Lava Hound continues to tank.
🔹Rage and Haste Spells are valuable in Lava Hound strategies due to the slow movement speed of troops that pair well with it, such as Balloons. A Rage Spell boosts both movement speed and attack power, making it ideal for clearing high-hitpoint defenses quickly. Haste Spells, while lacking the damage boost of Rage, are cheaper and accelerate Balloons significantly, helping them keep pace with the Lava Hound and take down defenses faster.
Defensive Use:
🔹Spreading out Air Defenses forces attackers to deploy their air troops strategically, often keeping Balloons and other damage-dealing units near the Lava Hound. This positioning makes them more vulnerable to splash defenses like Air Bombs and Wizard Towers, which can wipe out clustered units quickly.
🔹Seeking Air Mines is highly effective when placed near Air Defenses, as they are more likely to be triggered by Lava Hounds, dealing substantial damage and weakening them early in the attack. This can force attackers to invest in extra spells, such as Heals or Freezes, to keep their Lava Hounds alive.
🔹Single-target Inferno Towers are one of the best counters to Lava Hounds due to their ramp-up damage. Without a Freeze Spell or a distraction, an Inferno Tower can quickly eliminate a Lava Hound, leaving supporting troops exposed.
🔹Lava Hounds can serve as strong Clan Castle troops at higher levels because of their high hitpoints, which allow them to stall enemy attacks. When they are finally defeated, the Lava Pups that spawn can scatter and deal extra damage, making it difficult for attackers to clear them quickly.
🔹Since Lava Pups spread out upon the Lava Hound’s death, they are harder to eliminate with a single Poison Spell. This scattering effect grants the Lava Hound additional stalling potential, as attackers must rely on splash damage or multiple units to take down the Lava Pups.
🔹When defending in a Clan Castle, the Lava Hound will only deploy if an enemy ground unit enters its trigger range, as it cannot target air troops. This mechanic can be used strategically, ensuring the Lava Hound soaks up damage against enemy ground troops while the defending base’s air-targeting defenses focus on the attacking air units.
Things to Avoid:
🔹Using too many Lava Hounds in an attack can reduce overall damage output, as they deal minimal damage themselves. Instead, balance your army composition with high-damage units like Balloons or Dragons to maximize efficiency.
🔹Pairing Lava Hounds with high-level Giant-Healer strategies is ineffective because Giants have lower hitpoints than other tanks and lack a hero ability to sustain themselves. Additionally, Healers will not prioritize Lava Hounds, making this combination weak in most cases.
🔹When using Lava Hounds alongside Dragons, be mindful of Seeking Air Mines. These traps can significantly damage or even eliminate Dragons, which are essential for dealing heavy damage to defenses. Consider using a Lava Hound to trigger these mines first or bringing a Grand Warden with his ability to protect key troops.
🔹A defensive strategy that involves spreading out Air Defenses can be effective in countering air attacks, but it has limitations. If an attacker successfully destroys multiple Air Defenses early in the raid, the remaining defenses may become too weak to stop an air-based army.
🔹Avoid pairing Baby Dragons with Lava Hounds, as Baby Dragons rely on their Tantrum ability, which activates when no other air units are nearby. Since Lava Hounds are typically deployed alongside air troops, Baby Dragons will not benefit from their increased damage and attack speed, making them far less effective.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
❓What does the Lava Hound target first in Clash of Clans?
The Lava Hound specifically targets Air Defenses first. It ignores all other buildings until every Air Defense is destroyed. This makes it ideal for air attack strategies, where it tanks damage from the most dangerous threats to flying troops.
❓What is the Lava Hound used for in attacks?
Lava Hounds are primarily used as air tanks in strategies like LavaLoon, where they soak up hits from air-targeting defenses while Balloons destroy the base. Their high health and ability to spawn Lava Pups on death give them value both during and after their lifespan.
❓What happens when the Lava Hound dies?
When a Lava Hound is destroyed, it bursts into Lava Pups—fast, low-health flying troops that attack any nearby structure. These pups can help clean up remaining buildings, deal extra chip damage, and distract defenses, especially if splash damage threats have already been eliminated.
❓How do you counter a Lava Hound on defense?
The best counters to a Lava Hound are Multi-Target Inferno Towers, Wizard Towers, and Air Bombs, which can quickly eliminate Lava Pups after the Hound dies. Since the Hound itself deals low damage, focus on taking out the supporting Balloons to stop the main threat in a LavaLoon attack.
❓When is the Lava Hound unlocked, and how much does it cost to train?
The Lava Hound is unlocked at Town Hall 9 when you upgrade the Dark Barracks to level 6. Training one costs 610 Dark Elixir at level 1, with the cost rising at higher levels. Though expensive, it plays a key role in advanced air strategies and war attacks.
