However, one of the most fatal deck-building errors is neglecting to include a robust, reliable suite of anti-air defenses.
Flying units completely ignore the river, bypass all ground-targeting defensive buildings, and are immune to crucial spells like The Log or Earthquake.

Because the Lava Hound has an absurdly high hitpoint pool, it demands the immediate attention of all your air-targeting defenders.
You use the defensive building to pull the Lava Hound into the center of the map, absorbing its damage and distracting it.
For swarm control, the Flying Machine or Dart Goblin provides excellent rapid-fire capabilities while staying safely behind your own tanks.
Furthermore, you must consider air-to-air combat; including your own flying units (like Mega Minion or Phoenix) provides a mobile defense that ground units cannot touch.
| Defense Role | Primary Choice | Strengths |
|---|---|---|
| The Shooter | Musketeer / Dart Goblin | Can hit air units from far away while remaining protected behind your Princess tower or ground tanks |
| The Air Assassin | Mega Minion / Phoenix | Flies directly to the enemy air threat and shreds it without being distracted by ground swarms |
When you build a deck, test it specifically against a heavy air composition in friendly battles.
If your towers fall to the Balloon every time, you must redesign your support structure.