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Jolfer
09-17-2006, 04:38 PM
I actually went a tourney today; it was the first time in about a year. I didn't know what to play because it was a totally unknown meta so I just decided to try out my zoo deck. Anyway, this the current version of the deck:

Beats [21]
3 Isamaru, Hound of Konda
2 Savanah Lions
2 Skyshroud Elite
4 Kird Ape
4 Watchwolf
2 Jotun Grunt
4 Troll Ascetic

Spells [15]
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Magma Jet
4 Rancor
3 Jitte

Mana [24]
4 Elvish Spirit Guides
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Windswept Heath
4 Savannah
3 Taiga
2 Plateau
1 Forest
1 Mountain
1 Plains

SB [15]
4 Pyrostatic Pillar
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Naturalize
3 Pithing Needle

However that is the version of the deck that I would play now, I played that deck but with these changes for the tournament:
MD:
+1 Skyrshoud Elite
+1 Swords to Plowshares
+2 Anruid Brushhopper
-2 Savannah Lions
-2 Jotun Grunt

SB:
+2 Jotun Grunt
-1 Swords to Plowshares
-1 Naturalize

I'll try to do a little tourney report but I didn't take any notes so it will probably be quite lacking.

Match 1: UWG - Random Aggro-Control
This guy definately made up this deck himself. It had some expected card choices like swords to plowshares, meddling mages, brainstorms ect... but was more revolved around gaining life from auriok champions, armadillo cloaks and Loxodon Hierarch.
Game 1 - I won the dice roll and started off with a kird ape. He brainstormed I think. I rancor my ape and swing for 4 and play another ape. He plays an auriok champion. At this point I could've ended the game but I made a huge play mistak and I play a Jitte, removed an ESG to equip it, but I put it on the non-rancored ape. When I attack I didn't gain counters on the Jitte because it did not deal damage to the pro-red champion. Because of this mistake he ends up with that 2/3 flyer that destroys artifacts/enchantments when it deals damage to me and I can't kill it in time. He ends up armadillo cloaking it and kills my Jitte. He stalls for like 4 or 5 turns from blocking with his cloaked guy and gaining life. I end up running him over with a doubled rancored troll, some apes and a brushhopper.
Game 2 - I make these SB changes:
-4 Magma Jet
-1 Brushopper
+3 Swords to Plowshares
+2 Jotun Grunt
He starts off playing a flooded strand. I start follow with the a skyshroud elite, he fetchs an island and brainstorms at my EOT. He then fetchs a plains and plays a meddling mage naming lightning bolt, I think. I swords his mage and rancor my elite, I swing for 3 and let him go. I think he played a champion and a nonbasic land. From here on I don't remember the rest the game, I think I played a watchwolf and swords a thing or two. I won the game with ease.

Games: 2-0, Matches: 1-0

Match 2: GWU - Confinement Loam
I actually watched the kid play his 1st match so I knew exactly what he was playing. He trys to get the confinement loam lock and win like full english breakfast with a shapershifter/phage via survival of the fittest.
Game 1: I won the dice roll and but have to mulligan down to 6 because I only drew one land. I keep my 6 card hand and start off with a Kird Ape or Iamaru, I don't remember which. In fact, I honestly don't remember much the game other than that I knew I had to outrace a confinement because I can't beat one pre-board. I think I got a 4th, maybe 5th, turn kill via some creatures with a rancor and some burn.
Game 2: I make these SB changes:
-3 Jitte
-1 Swords to Plowshares
-3 Magma Jet
-1 Brushopper
+3 Naturalize
+3 Pithing Needle
+2 Juton Grunt
I have mulligan again due to drawing 0 land but keep my 6 card hand. He plays a forest and lets me go. I start off with a kird ape and let him go, he cycles a land at the end of my turn. Then he wastelands my taiga, which i'm happy about, and lets me go. I fetch another taiga, remove an ESG to rancor my ape, swing for 4 and then cast another ape. I don't remember what he does after this but it wasn't that much. I think he casted an eternal witness as a chump blocker but I run over it and end up winning 2 turns later.

Games: 4-0, Matches: 2-0

Match 3: UGB - Aluren
Game 1: He wins the dice roll and plays a land to later brainstorm at the end of my turn. I play a skyshroud elite I think. He cabal therapied for lightning bolt, hitting one and let me go I think. I honestly don't really remember the rest of the game, I think I got him to 7, with enough stuff on the board and in my hand to get him next turn, but he combo-ed off on his 4th turn.
Game 2: I make these SB changes:
-3 Jitte
-1 Swords to Plowshares
-4 Magma Jet
-2 Anruid Brushopper
-2 Troll Asectic
+4 Pyrostatic Pillar
+3 Naturalize
+3 Pithing Needle
+2 Juton Grunt
I don't remember the game that well. I think I had a first turn isamru followed by a 2nd turn watchwolf. He intutioned 3rd turn for aluren and I rancored my wolf leaving 2 mana open. He casted aluren 4th turn but I naturalized it in response to his raven familiar and he couldn't find anything to keep it alive. I also dumped my hand to aluren before it was gone and swung for the win the next turn.
Game 3: I really thought I had this game. He first turn land grants showing my 2 brainstorm, 3 living wish and a raven familar, he grabbed a tropical island and brainstormed. I had a hand of all land but an ESG, Kird Ape and Pillar. I knew I basically won the game if he didn't draw a Force on his brainstorm so I casted my first turn pillar but he did indeed draw his force. I didn't draw into enough threats and he had comb-ed out on 5th turn I believe.

Games: 5-2, Matches: 2-1

Match 4: BRU - Totally Random Aggro-Control
I saw this deck earlier and I knew I had the game in the bag. It was basically just a poorly made aggro control deck with VERY little mana fixing for 3 colors.
Game 1: I have a hand of skyshroud elite, ismaru, rancor, 2 bolts and a savannah. I figure that the hand is fine that i'll definatly run into some mana and didn't really care because I knew I had a huge advantage on the deck. 7 turns later both creatures are dead and I never drew another land. He ends up beating me with a plague spitter and something else while I have an entire hand full of burn and kird apes and a rancor.
Game 2: Make these SB changes:
-3 Skyshroud Elite
+2 Juton Grunt
+1 Swords to Plowshares
I drew land this game and steamrolled him. I think I had him 4th turn and he never dealt me damage.
Game 3: The same thing as the 2nd game but I think it was a 5th turn kill rather than 4th.
Game 4 (just for fun): The same things as game 3 and 4. It was clear that the only reason I lost game 1 was stupidly keeping a 1 land hand and not drawing a single land afterwards.

Games: 7-3, Matches: 3-1

The guy with aluren ended up winning the tournament so I finished in 2nd place. I got a flooded strand, chain lightning and artifact mutation with my store credit. Overall I'm pleased with 2nd considering it's my fist time playing in about a year. I was really surprised to see such a scruby meta though, the only teir decks that I spotted were vial goblins, aluren and affinity (however I didn't see everyone's deck and I heard a few people say that there were going to bring threshold but didn't have time to put it together as well as some talk about BW Disruption and Solidarity). I was hoping to actually test it against some decks that I could expect to see again, but oh well, maybe next time.

Evil Roopey
09-17-2006, 04:43 PM
Where's the Jotun Grunts?

Jolfer
09-17-2006, 04:47 PM
They were SBed but I've moved them to the MD now.

Honestly I built the deck before the card was released and just never really considered maindecking them until I, at the last minute, threw them into the SB and sided them in everygame.

edgewalker
09-17-2006, 04:59 PM
Boros Swiftblade is awsome with any kind of pump. Idk if rancor and jitte is enough, I know people usually play berserks with him too.

Jolfer
09-17-2006, 05:12 PM
I orginally thought about swiftblade but the problem is that there is really no room for him. Watchwolves are currently it its slot and they're typically better because they not rely on pump to make them good.

erdjinn
09-18-2006, 08:05 AM
Hi,
The deck looks similar to Zilla Stompy. I like this deck.
With white you gain access to faster (but smaller) critters and StP.

I haven't tested your version but I think you should have problems facing decks with CotV (Chalice of the Void) like Faerie Stompy and Angel Stax.
I don't know if they are prevalent in your area (I guess no from your report), but a CotV for 1 will shut half your deck and a CotV for 2 will shut the other half.
Should you bump into many artifact decks I suggest running Viridian Shaman or Rack and Ruin in your side. They both cost 3 and they can't be Misdirected.

Another option for your side is Engineered Explosives. I run a couple of them in my side and I often find them very useful. You have access to 3 colours so it is even better in your side since you can charge up to 3 counters.
Just my 2 cents.
Bye.

fearphage
09-18-2006, 03:06 PM
Have you considered Goblin Legionnaire (http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?id=26760)? He can 2 for 1 all day long and can put in the last few points without an attack phase.

Troll seems mana-intensive and slow for the way this deck is looking. It seems to play very aggressively and troll doesn't fit that strategy. Especially not as a 4-of. I know they are good in the controll matchup but I think 2 or maybe 3 would be more fitting main deck.

Have you considered Lightning Helix (http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?id=87908)? I think as a 2-of (replacing stp) this would fit the strategy. I personally don't like stp in aggressive decks. Although stp removes the threat, those extra points of life can sometimes change the way the game turns out. I would even choose Incenerate over stp.

P.S. Swiftblade is stupid with a jitte.

Jolfer
09-18-2006, 03:39 PM
@ erdjinn: I haven't had to play against it yet, but yeah chalice would most likely kill me if it was played early enough. Luckily I haven't heard or seen anything about stax or faerie stompy so I don't expect to run into them and hopefully I won't. As for engineered explosives I don't see them worth SBing at all because they will most likely hurt me as well. I also don't know of any matchups when I would actually really want explovies in anyway; it's true that a worhip + 'goose sucks but I have naturalizes in the board anyway.

I'm running naturalize for artifact and enchantment hate because I think both are needed; I don't really have room to cut slots for cards for either or. If you were just suggesting those to hate out chalice I dont' think they are worth running because even with them I would probably still lose the matchup due to an early game chalice; plus I don't expect to run into too many of them. I am however, thinking of making room for 2 winter orbs in my SB though.

@ fearphage: I have considered Goblin Legionnaire and Swiftwblade but the problem is that there are no room for them. Watchwolf and grunts are currently taking up their slots. Swiftblade definately won't make the cut because it relies on pump to really function and if that pump is only a rancor then it is only slightly better than a watchwolf. I've actaully been really wanting to make room for Goblin Legionnaire because it is so versatile but I just don't think that it is as good as watchwolf because it is more mana-intensive; despite card draw this deck still taps out basically everyturn and will often not be able to use a legionaire's ability, plus a legionaire will not block/be blocked and live to as many things as watchwolf.

I cannot disagree with you more about trolls; they're just too good not to run. Their untargetablity isn't only good against control; it's good against anything that runs any sort of removal (which is basically everything outside of combo). Most decks simply cannot get rid of a troll and it, alone, wins me a lot of games, espeically when I can throw a rancor/jitte on him. I am also not going for the fastest kill possible, it can win on turn 4 to try and outrace combo but it is actually more of an aggro control deck that will typically win on turn 6 or 7.


Lightning Helix really isn't a good card. I would run lightning bolt, magma jet and chain lightning over it; which is why running bolts and jets over it. All 4 swords are currently in SB (this may change, but I think it's much more of a metagame call) and are for matchups when burn really doesn't do the job in terms of removal. For example, burn isn't good against angel stompy or threshold, but swords are. So helix is not a replacement for swords at all.

erdjinn
09-19-2006, 09:48 AM
Let's say your opponent is very lucky and his first 2 turns are:
- Land + Mox Chrome/Diamond + CotV for 1
- Ancient Tomb + CotV for 2
If you have the Explosives you simply drop and blow the Chalices (+ the Mox) and you are still in the game.
The Explosives are the best anti-Chalice card but this is not their only use. They are a good weapon for facing some troublesome cards like untargettable creatures or creatures with pro-Red (ok, you can StP these).
They may hurt you too, but you choose the number of counters on them so you may often trade 3-4 for 1-2 cards.
Anyway I think they can be randomly useful so I put them in the side when I don't know the field. If you need your meta well you can choose better cards.

Comments on the other cards:
- Troll is a bomb. Just count how many burn spells, Jittes and plowshares are around. Untargettability (by opponent) is solid gold
- Goblin Legionnaire and Boros Swiftblade are good creatures, but with green you have better options + pro-Red creatures are common while pro-Green ones are not
- Lighting Helix is good, but not here
If you want to run Legionnaire, Swiftblade and Helix, then why don't you play Boros deck?

Kenderleech
09-19-2006, 10:49 AM
May I suggest reading the san deigo zoo, RGW aggro, multi-color aggro, and three deuce threads... I am certain you will find the discussions and evolution over time to be interesting.

Jolfer
09-19-2006, 05:03 PM
Let's say your opponent is very lucky and his first 2 turns are:
- Land + Mox Chrome/Diamond + CotV for 1
- Ancient Tomb + CotV for 2

In that highly unlikely situation I'll take the loss. I mean pretty much chalice is a bad card for this deck to see but it isn't that heavily played so I don't think it is worth SBing cards to, basically, solely deal with it. Like I think cutting current SB slots that help multiplie matchups that I expect to run into would hurt me more than having an answer to chalice. I think you have to cut your losses at some point and accept that some matchups are bad. For example I, luckily, haven't seen any faerie stompy in my meta but if I did then I would try and metatune the deck which would probably include SBed answers to chalice/MDing swords ect... but at this point I don't see the need to.

@Kenderleech: I haven't seen any of those threads in a really long time otherwise I would've just posted this on them.

laststepdown
09-20-2006, 12:37 AM
Here's the build that won me a GPT for 3 byes @ GP: Philly. Maybe it can help pin out key cards.

4 Kird Ape
4 Goblin Legionarre
4 Nimble Mongoose
3 Werebear
4 Blastoderm

4 Lightning Bolt
4 Lightning Helix
4 Swords to Plowshares
3 Fire/Ice
4 Isochron Scepter
2 Armageddon

4 Wooded Foothills
4 Windswept Heath
4 Taiga
4 Plateau
4 Savannah

Sideboard(Completely Negotiable):
4 Pithing Needle
3 Oxidize
3 Sirocco
2 Gaea's Blessing
3 Red Elemental Blast


Also, for your research, the other forum to San Diego Zoo:
http://mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2638

Kenderleech
09-20-2006, 10:41 AM
And heres the repost for 2nds to last place at GP philly, with a similar deck.


http://mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1735&highlight=Duece