[Primer/Deck] Zoo

[Ricardio]

Can confirm, Ghor-Clan is sick. Ability can't be countered, trample is extremely relevant with Mentor tokens everywhere, and he's surprisingly castable against a lot of decks. A 4/4 trample for 4 sounds pretty underwhelming on paper, but he doesn't die to Bolt or Decay, and is hard to hit with Counterbalance, all features that are pretty rare in Zoo.

NOTE: you can needle/revoker bloodrush which can be awkward.

Collected company is not for this deck. 4/5 mana is clinical death. when you company, you are going for a combo(melira, anafenza, etc) or trying to net mana(2 three drops)/advantage(2 goyfs).

[Megadeus]

Went 4-0 tonight with Oath of Nissa. Card was solid all night long. Price of Progress continues to be an extremely great card to give reach. Beat Merfolk, MUD, Deathblade, and Grixis (ID but I won 2-0 in games for fun).

[ESG]

Went 4-0 tonight with Oath of Nissa. Card was solid all night long. Price of Progress continues to be an extremely great card to give reach. Beat Merfolk, MUD, Deathblade, and Grixis (ID but I won 2-0 in games for fun).

Nice finish, Megadeus. Not to take away from your victory, but those seem like favorable matchups, and I'm not really seeing how Oath of Nissa would play a role in them. I like Oath of Nissa and its card selection, but Zoo isn't the first deck I would've thought to test it in. I don't see it solving any of the deck's problems, which are Miracles and combo decks. Do you agree?

Personally, the two directions I've been looking to are more of a burn focus (Eidolon of the Great Revel and Scab-Clan Berserker along with Price of Progress) or a midrange focus with Warping Wail (which would take up some removal slots). The latter would require a major retooling of the mana base, but Warping Wail answers a wide array of problem cards while being less situational than some of the hatebear builds people have tried.

[Xod]

Can you share your current decklist Deus?

So far I like your list, getting into Zoo as a noob. :-)

Oh and would Lightning Helix or Boros Charm be a good replacement for Chain Lightning? I think they can do more for this deck.

[cherson]

nice finish indeed but I also more into the burn direction. my current list looks like that.

creatures (28):
4x wild nacatl
3x kird ape
3x vexing devil
3x eidolon of the great reveal
3x qasali pridemage
3x thalia
1x phyrexian revoker
2x scavenging ooze
3x scab-clan berserker
3x bloodbraid

instants (12):
4x bolt
3x helix
2x path to exile
1x swords
2x price of progress

lands (20):
4x foothills
4x windswept
3x plateau
3x taiga
2x savannah
2x mountain
1x forest
1x plains

[Megadeus]

Oath of Nissa doesn't necessarily shore up any specific match up. It just gives you more consistency which I think is a larger weakness of the deck. I'm really not sure how to feel about the miracles match up. Last 2-3 times I've played it I've won. Scab-Clan Berserker has been kind of underwhelming for me, but it's one of the better haste guys which is really what I'm going for. Also the extra forest and plains should be arid mesa, and in a larger event I don't think the sideboard is exactly what I'd play starting with cutting grudges for Sony silence. I also believe Chain Lightning to be important for its ability to kill a death rite on the draw

4 Oath of Nissa
4 Wild Nacatl
2 Kird Ape
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Qasali Pridemage
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
2 Scab-Clan Berserker
3 Bloodbraid Elf
3 Ghor-Clan Rampager
1 Hooting Mandrills

4 Lightning Bolt
2 Chain Lightning
3 Path to Exile
2 Price of Progress

2 Domri Rade

4 Wooded Foothills
4 Windswept Heath
2 Plateau
2 Taiga
2 Savannah
2 Forest
2 Plains
1 Mountain
1 Skarrg, the Rage Pits

SB:
4 Pyroblast
2 Faerie Macabre
2 Choke
1 Krosan Grip
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Kor Firewalker
2 Electrickery

[Xod]

Mmmm, Oath of Nissa feels like a onetime Top effect or a brainstorm. It replaces itself. Sometimes you need a Path, Bolt or Burn spell, with Oath you will push the even further down. I think you can better put in 2 or 3 tops. Or even Sylvan Library. With top you can at least shuffle it away with fetches.

[Ralf]

Mmmm, Oath of Nissa feels like a onetime Top effect or a brainstorm. It replaces itself. Sometimes you need a Path, Bolt or Burn spell, with Oath you will push the even further down. I think you can better put in 2 or 3 tops. Or even Sylvan Library. With top you can at least shuffle it away with fetches.

Actually, you put them back on THE BOTTOM of your library in any order. This is more like "Scry 3 and draw 1".

[Megadeus]

Actually, you put them back on THE BOTTOM of your library in any order. This is more like "Scry 3 and draw 1".

Right. It's a miniature impulse. It increases consistency. I don't think I need to explain why ponder is a good card, and this is a ponder that we get to play

[Xod]

That's the whole problem with the card. As it is no ponder, you can draw 1 card of the 3 (no instant or sorcery) and you MUST put the other cards on the bottom. Even if they are good.
So when in search of a removal spell, this is a bad card to play. Well it digs deeper but you might see that needed path to exile go in front of your eyes :-) I might be complety wrong here.

[apocolyps6]

If you need a removal spell, why are you casting Oath? That just isn't what the card does.

[Megadeus]

In my list at least, it does find Domri Rade which is "removal". Sure it doesn't find a bolt or something, but it increases the likelihood of being able to keep hands even if they may be land light or threat light. I mean otherwise you simply play more dudes or more removal, but there's a reason that decks with ponder/BS are generally better than those without. Consistency.

[Hopo]

The issue with Oath is that it's a cantrip that can't find removal, Domri or many of your sideboard cards.

[Megadeus]

Except it does find Domri, and the board can be, and already has been, altered to help there. Faerie Macabre over surgical. You can play Revoker over something like stony silence. You can play Ingot Chewer over grudge I if you'd like. I mean would you rather simply play Mirris Guile?

[Hopo]

Except it does find Domri

I stand corrected :) I was too busy bashing Oath, as planewalkers are the whole point of Oath cards.

How about Sylvan Library, if you absolutely want to play library manipulation? Or, you know, Tarmogoyf?

[Megadeus]

Library doesn't happen until turn 3. Goyf is just a vanilla man. By playing hate guys you increase percentages against unfair and control decks. You reduce your percentages against the fair decks, but I'd rather have the tools to beat unfair and miracles and try to out play people in the fair matchup

[Ralf]

Library doesn't happen until turn 3. Goyf is just a vanilla man. By playing hate guys you increase percentages against unfair and control decks. You reduce your percentages against the fair decks, but I'd rather have the tools to beat unfair and miracles and try to out play people in the fair matchup

Goyf vs Nacatl/Kird Ape.

Both are vanilla and I can see Goyf a bit better "overall" since you are playing Oath.

But well, this would look more and more Big Zoo...

I have tested your list a couple of games against RUG Delver (4 spell pierce 2 dismember). Opposite Goyf is a problem.

I'll try Oath in my list instead of N.Hierarch to assess whether or not the card is good.

For those interested, here is my updated list as I made a couple of tweaks:

Zizibear by Ralf

1 Arid Mesa
1 Forest
1 Karakas
1 Plains
1 Savannah
2 Horizon Canopy
3 Plateau
3 Wooded Foothills
4 Taiga
4 Windswept Heath

2 Gaddock Teeg
3 Bloodbraid Elf
3 Knight of the Reliquary
3 Qasali Pridemage
3 Scab-Clan Berserker
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben

2 Domri Rade

4 Oath of Nissa

2 Price of Progress
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Path to Exile

1 Chain Lightning

SB: 1 Krosan Grip
SB: 2 Sulfur Elemental
SB: 3 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 2 Containment Priest
SB: 2 Eidolon of the Great Revel
SB: 2 Surgical Extraction
SB: 2 Armageddon
SB: 1 Qasali Pridemage

Noble Hierarch are replaced by Oath for testing purposes. N.H is great & weak:
- It provides accel unlike Oath
- It provides Exaltation
- But Oath is a far better topdeck

Wild Nacatl were replaced by Goyf. Both are "vanilla" but in a more midrange perspective (like my list), Goyf > Nacatl. I have lost too many battles to opposite Goyf.

SB is still a pile as I didn't have any spare time to improve it.

[Megadeus]

Finished 2-2 tonight. Played like poop on cam against a death and taxes opponent who had it all. Also lost to BUG Delver. His goyf got huge. It is difficult to beat. Also true name is a beating. I beat deadguy who drew garbage, and beat esper mentor. Domri hasn't really been too amazing as of late. Dunno. Might pick up hierachs and go a bit bigger. Also may run some smiters because hymn has surprisingly been a beating

[Xod]

Was also thinking about putting Smither in, but the room in the deck is cramped already. (btw, is it possible that you play 61 cards in your deck?) With nic-fit I don't mind, but with zoo? Maybe I'm not seeing it.

I will be playing this deck next week Friday (hopefully getting all the cards in by then) and I think I will replace 1 chain lightning with 1 path to exile. The Chain might be handier against combo decks and to race the other deck. But path can solve our bigger creature matchup easier. (against BUG they still got counterspells)

[Xod]

Sorry for reposting.

Would the Smithers fit in the side? Because you will 'mainly' use them for the BUG matchup (they will help against Miracles and such) But if you are going to put them in the side and mainly against the discard, wouldn't Obstinate Baloth be better?

Ok, counterable, and 1 mana extra, but on the other side, you can side them in against Burn also. (on the other hand, you have no real mana acceleration, and turn 4 might be late) Nevermind that I suggested Baloth :-D The Firewalkers are better on that part.