[Primer/Deck] Zoo

[Ziveeman]

Here is the list I'll be messing with on MTGO soon.

4 Experiment One
3 Ghor-Clan Rampager
4 Goblin Guide
3 Grim Lavamancer
2 Hooting Mandrills
2 Qasali Pridemage
4 Spirit of the Labyrinth
4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
4 Wild Nacatl

4 Chain Lightning
2 Fireblast
4 Lightning Bolt

4 Arid Mesa
1 Forest
1 Mountain
2 Plateau
1 Savannah
3 Taiga
4 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills

/SB
3 Ancient Grudge
3 Choke
2 Price of Progress
4 Pyroblast
3 Rest in Peace

Also looking to build it in paper, and might be at SCG DC and Eternal Weekend. If this deck doesn't perform, I still have the People's Cannon to fire.

Any merit for Canonist in the maindeck or SB? I've felt that Canonist is very strong versus OmniTell and also gets actual free wins if in the maindeck against Storm.

I've also been working on Zoo for a little bit and happy to see other people on the same page as me - playing a little bit like a hatebear aggro deck, which is how I feel Zoo needs to be to compete with all of these unfair decks running around.

This is what I've settled on for now but haven't had a chance to test it:

Creatures
4 Wild Nacatl
4 Kird Ape
4 Goblin Guide
4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Ghor-Clan Rampager
3 Eidolon of the Great Revel
3 Gaddock Teeg
2 Grim Lavamancer
2 Qasali Pridemage
1 Ethersworn Canonist

Spells
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Path to Exile
2 Sylvan Library

Lands
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Windswept Heath
3 Arid Mesa
4 Taiga
4 Plateau
1 Savannah

Sideboard
3 Ethersworn Canonist
3 Pyroblast
3 Choke
2 Umezawa's Jitte
2 Krosan Grip
1 Sulfuric Vortex
1 Containment Priest

[Megadeus]

Anybody currently Zooing? I'mgiving this deck another shot after going 3-1 at a weekly with just an absolutely random assortment of Zoo cards. Is main board Thalia probably best? I can dig it. I've also always been very very happy with 3-4 pridemage. Teeg main seems nice too. Maybe something like:

4 Nacatl
4 Hierarch
3 Pridemage
4 Thalia
2 Teeg
4 Knight of the Reliquary (Karakas being his only special target)

For starters any way. Also Eidelon is still interesting to me.

[Pellefant]

Anybody currently Zooing? I'mgiving this deck another shot after going 3-1 at a weekly with just an absolutely random assortment of Zoo cards. Is main board Thalia probably best? I can dig it. I've also always been very very happy with 3-4 pridemage. Teeg main seems nice too. Maybe something like:

4 Nacatl
4 Hierarch
3 Pridemage
4 Thalia
2 Teeg
4 Knight of the Reliquary (Karakas being his only special target)

For starters any way. Also Eidelon is still interesting to me.

Almost everyone has given up on zoo it seems, me included. The present meta is incredibly hostile and I don't feel there are any real advantages running zoo over something like maverick.

Anyway, I wish you good luck with your zoo endeavours. I hope you manage to put together a successful list and sorry I couldn't be of any help.

[Seraphix]

Anyone have thoughts on this pile?

http://www.starcitygames.com/article...ntrolgerr.html

[Seraphix]

Seems interesting. Seems like what I was brewing up about a month or so ago. I don't think I'd leave home without a couple Teeg though. I'd also like to play Green Sun but it's not great with Thalia or Bloodbraid Elf. Also I don't know how much I like PFire right now. I feel decently favored against most of the current fair match ups already. I think that list probably is better off being more of a Punishing Maverick shell. My current list:

...

I'm fascinated by the idea of Big Zoo in Legacy. I always feel you need GSZ to find G. Teeg against combo though, and at that point you might as well just play Maverick since GSZ and BBE are pretty awkward together. This list actually has decent velocity with BBE, 3 Libraries and Domri but I don't know if that's good enough. I have played Domri in Maverick before (lol) and can confirm he is a house in tandem with Library, however.

[Megadeus]

Fwiw Ifound my big zoo list that I played in 2013 to some decent results:

4 Nacatl
3 Pridemage
2 Goyf
4 Noble Hierarch
4 KOTR
2 Teeg
3 Lavamancer
3 Loxodon Smiter

4 Bolt
3 Pfire
4 Path
2 Library
2 GSZ

2 Taiga
2 Plateau
2 Savannah
1 each basic
2 Grove
4 Foothills
2 Windswept
4 Mesa

SB:
3 REB
3 Destructive Revelry
3 Thalia
1 Karakas
3 RIP
1 Sulfur Elemental
1 KGrip

Note that this was pre omnitell/true name. And Delver was pretty rampant so smiter was nuts.

[astormbrewing]

I've tweaked my list into something faster. The list I posted earlier was too wonky with Spirit of the Labyrinth and Hooting Mandrills. Below is what I will be playing at SCG DC in a few weeks:

3 Ghor-Clan Rampager
4 Goblin Guide
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Kird Ape
4 Loam Lion
3 Qasali Pridemage
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
4 Wild Nacatl

1 Become Immense
4 Chain Lightning
2 Fireblast
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Price of Progress

4 Arid Mesa
1 Forest
1 Mountain
2 Plateau
1 Savannah
3 Taiga
4 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills

2 Ethersworn Canonist
2 Gaddock Teeg
1 Null Rod
3 Path to Exile
2 Pithing Needle
3 Pyroblast
1 Umezawa's Jitte

[Ziveeman]

Friend played my Zoo deck to a Top 4 finish at our monthly Legacy event:

Creatures
4 Wild Nacatl
4 Kird Ape
4 Goblin Guide
4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Eidolon of the Great Revel
3 Gaddock Teeg
3 Ghor-Clan Rampager
2 Grim Lavamancer
2 Qasali Pridemage
1 Ethersworn Canonist

Spells
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Path to Exile
1 Sylvan Library
1 Chain Lightning

Lands
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Windswept Heath
3 Arid Mesa
4 Taiga
4 Plateau
1 Savannah

Sideboard
3 Red Elemental Blast
2 Choke
2 Krosan Grip
2 Umezawa’s Jitte
3 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Rest in Peace
1 Containment Priest
1 Sulfuric Vortex

I watched most of his games. When you don't draw any hatebears, the deck feels pretty underpowered so I'm wondering if a Big Zoo version that can play a few GSZs and some more maindeck hatebears would be better.

[Megadeus]

Been on this list the past few weeks. Went 4-0 tonight after a disappointing 1-2 last week which felt like an outlier more than anything. Deck seems very fine. Mandrills helped me beat a true name in the first round just trampling right over. The conglomeration of hate bears helped me 2-0 High Tide. Pridemages and the bigger things helped me beat MUD. The only card that has been underperforming is the Bloodbraid elves, but they are mainly there for the Miracles MU, which I haven't had to play against yet. I can't imagine it being an overly positive MU, but I think with completely optimal play I can at least be 50/50 with decent miracles pilots.

4 Noble Hierarch
4 Wild Nacatl
4 Knight of the Reliquary
3 Qasali Pridemage
2 Gaddock Teeg
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Path to Exile
2 Taiga
2 Savannah
2 Plateau
2 Arid Mesa
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Windswept Heath
1 Plains
1 Forest
1 Mountain
3 Bloodbraid Elf
2 Domri Rade
4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
2 Price of Progress
3 Hooting Mandrills
1 Karakas
1 Chain Lightning

SB:
1 Krosan Grip
2 Eidelon of the Great Revel
1 Qasali Pridemage
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Collected Company
2 Sulfur Elemental
2 Containment Priest
2 Pyroblast
1 Red Elemental Blast

The Mandrills are a concession to the fact that I really don't have many ways to beat True Name other than swarming around or trampling over him. I may try out Ghor Clan Rampagers next week over the Bloodbraids though.

[lavafrogg]

Friend played my Zoo deck to a Top 4 finish at our monthly Legacy event:

Creatures
4 Wild Nacatl
4 Kird Ape
4 Goblin Guide
4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Eidolon of the Great Revel
3 Gaddock Teeg
3 Ghor-Clan Rampager
2 Grim Lavamancer
2 Qasali Pridemage
1 Ethersworn Canonist

Spells
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Path to Exile
1 Sylvan Library
1 Chain Lightning

Lands
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Windswept Heath
3 Arid Mesa
4 Taiga
4 Plateau
1 Savannah

Sideboard
3 Red Elemental Blast
2 Choke
2 Krosan Grip
2 Umezawa’s Jitte
3 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Rest in Peace
1 Containment Priest
1 Sulfuric Vortex

I watched most of his games. When you don't draw any hatebears, the deck feels pretty underpowered so I'm wondering if a Big Zoo version that can play a few GSZs and some more maindeck hatebears would be better.

What is the logic behind no tarmogoyf?

Also, why heirarch over deathrite shaman? More aggressive?

[lordofthepit]

Been on this list the past few weeks. Went 4-0 tonight after a disappointing 1-2 last week which felt like an outlier more than anything. Deck seems very fine. Mandrills helped me beat a true name in the first round just trampling right over. The conglomeration of hate bears helped me 2-0 High Tide. Pridemages and the bigger things helped me beat MUD. The only card that has been underperforming is the Bloodbraid elves, but they are mainly there for the Miracles MU, which I haven't had to play against yet. I can't imagine it being an overly positive MU, but I think with completely optimal play I can at least be 50/50 with decent miracles pilots.

4 Noble Hierarch
4 Wild Nacatl
4 Knight of the Reliquary
3 Qasali Pridemage
2 Gaddock Teeg
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Path to Exile
2 Taiga
2 Savannah
2 Plateau
2 Arid Mesa
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Windswept Heath
1 Plains
1 Forest
1 Mountain
3 Bloodbraid Elf
2 Domri Rade
4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
2 Price of Progress
3 Hooting Mandrills
1 Karakas
1 Chain Lightning

SB:
1 Krosan Grip
2 Eidelon of the Great Revel
1 Qasali Pridemage
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Collected Company
2 Sulfur Elemental
2 Containment Priest
2 Pyroblast
1 Red Elemental Blast

The Mandrills are a concession to the fact that I really don't have many ways to beat True Name other than swarming around or trampling over him. I may try out Ghor Clan Rampagers next week over the Bloodbraids though.

Congrats! I saw you on stream for part of round 3, although I suspect that may have just been a friendly!

[Megadeus]

Yeah Icrushed a UW Blade deck in my game 3 on camera because he mulled to 5. And yeah that was a friendly. I think I'm pretty poorly positioned against the fair non blue decks that just go bigger than me like that maverick deck. Those are somewhat common at my store. I may need to figure out some sort of board plan. Anyone play Electrickery? I want to play Bonfire, but it seems like it might be mediocre. I just want a huge trump card in those types of match ups

[lordofthepit]

Yeah Icrushed a UW Blade deck in my game 3 on camera because he mulled to 5. And yeah that was a friendly. I think I'm pretty poorly positioned against the fair non blue decks that just go bigger than me like that maverick deck. Those are somewhat common at my store. I may need to figure out some sort of board plan. Anyone play Electrickery? I want to play Bonfire, but it seems like it might be mediocre. I just want a huge trump card in those types of match ups

Punishing Fire

[iGrok]

Punishing Fire

Please stop destroying me with Gaddock Teeg lol. Brutal to play against. This deck's a sweet pile of hate, I'm glad its doing well, just don't Teeg me bro!

[Ziveeman]

What is the logic behind no tarmogoyf?

Also, why heirarch over deathrite shaman? More aggressive?

The idea behind the deck is to try and play a t1 aggressive creature -> t2 hatebear. Tarmogoyf is good (and I had it in previous iterations), but I felt I needed more room to play cards that interacted with the opponent in a more meaningful way. Ghor-Clan Rampager helps fight opposing Tarmogoyfs (as does Path to Exile) awhile making the deck more aggressive.

[Megadeus]

Agreed. Maybe in a meta where there was more midrange Goyf would be fine again, but when the format looks like Miracles, Omni, and such I'd rather have the hate effects. Plus like has been said, when you have things like Path and Rampager, you can win the battle against opposing Goyfs. Hoping to try out Ghor Clans this week if I'm not on commentary for the stream. Probably will be cutting the Bloodbraids since the main MU I put them in for (miracles) I haven't seen much of at our local lately. Probably cut 3 Blood Braids and a Mandrills for like 2-3 Rampagers and something else

[Seraphix]

Yeah Icrushed a UW Blade deck in my game 3 on camera because he mulled to 5. And yeah that was a friendly. I think I'm pretty poorly positioned against the fair non blue decks that just go bigger than me like that maverick deck. Those are somewhat common at my store. I may need to figure out some sort of board plan. Anyone play Electrickery? I want to play Bonfire, but it seems like it might be mediocre. I just want a huge trump card in those types of match ups

I've played both Electrickery and even Bonfire in Maverick before but I don't think I ever drew either in a game so I can't say how good they are. My main beef with Bonfire is that you can't cast it though your own G. Teeg against Elves, which is super relevant because with NO shut down they are probably Glimpse killing you with an army of dudes.

[Richard Cheese]

Agreed. Maybe in a meta where there was more midrange Goyf would be fine again, but when the format looks like Miracles, Omni, and such I'd rather have the hate effects. Plus like has been said, when you have things like Path and Rampager, you can win the battle against opposing Goyfs. Hoping to try out Ghor Clans this week if I'm not on commentary for the stream. Probably will be cutting the Bloodbraids since the main MU I put them in for (miracles) I haven't seen much of at our local lately. Probably cut 3 Blood Braids and a Mandrills for like 2-3 Rampagers and something else

I'd play Goyfs over Mandrills though, especially in a list where you're running Thalia main and cutting back on burn. I agree that trample is relevant, but I really hated those guys when I tested with them. Just uncastable early or in multiples, and I felt like I was always tempted to run my burn spells out early just to fill the yard. You've got some ramp going though so YMMV.

[Megadeus]

Punted around to a not so hot 1-2 this week after a 4-0 and my buddy playing my deck to a 3-1-1 loss in top 8 (both losses to the same dredge player). I still can't decide if I want Bloodbraid Elf or Ghor Clan Rampager. Both have their uses. I think I might cut a path or two for another chain lightning or so. Path on the draw against deathrite feels soooo bad

[lavafrogg]

No love for nimble mongoose? He was a mainstay in the old San Diego Zoo lists.