GP Chicago. Does Aggro have a chance?

[Frank The Tank]

I am going to GP Chicago and from what I heard if you want a good chance of winning you either have to play blue or combo but lately I have been playing, and loving, my WGR Zoo deck and was thinking of bringing that instead.

Would I be better off playing my Stiflenaught, or some other thresh, landstill, etc variant or do you think a pure aggro deck like WGR Zoo would have a chance.

[rockout]

Play what you're most comfortable with. That helps your odds.

[Fossil4182]

^^I agree^^

I think some of the slower control decks like Landstill/ITF have the best odds going into the GP, or maybe some form of ANT will have a good showing, or even Natural Order :-), but I would still play UGw thresh if I were going because I've played it the most.

If you read any articles that would prep you for large events, they will say that even if certain decks are going to have better match ups, you need to play with what you're the most comfortable with.

Additionally, its a lot easier and a much better idea to make adjustments to your deck so that it will have a better meta game match ups rather than try and pick up a new deck with this much time left.

As to a WGR Aggro deck, if you want to play it post it in the new and developmental decks forum and explain that you'd like to take it to Chicago and ask for any changes that would improve some of your match ups. I would also look at the Decks to Beat Forum and figure out what you're strategy would be. Specifically, I would have thought about strategies for Merfolk, Threshold, Landstill variants, Dreadstill, Affinity, other aggro decks (Specifically Elves Combo, Ichorid and Goblins) and Combo.

[mercenarybdu]

Possibily.

Everyone assumes so far (according to the average viewer looking in from outside), that Legacy is all about Control and Combo (as heard from what happened at previous events that featured Legacy).

It would be a shocker if Zoo or a deck no one expected came out on top of the pack.

But all in all possibily for a pure Aggro deck.

[kicks_422]

Out of all the archetypes, Aggro is the one which is the easiest to steal wins with. Aggro is always a solid choice, and it doesn't burn you out early in the tournament.

[SpikeyMikey]

The biggest problem with going into a tournament like Chicago with Zoo is that you don't have game against everything. Obviously, there is no one deck that beats everything else, this isn't GP: Flash, but you can only tune aggro in so many directions, it's flexibility is limited. The flexibility of counterspells is also limited, but much less so. Storm combo doesn't need to be flexible; the plan is to win before your opponent can do anything.

Now as far as aggro goes, Zoo is a very flexible deck. It was always one of my favorite creations because of that. It's not an explosive deck, however, and I think that you need to have a certain quotient of flexible and explosive to do well. If you're really explosive, a la storm, you don't need to be flexible. If you're really flexible, a la Landstill, you don't need to be explosive. If you're somewhere inbetween, you need to be a bit of both (a la aggro Loam). I think BGW aggro is a better choice for Chicago because while burn is flexible (removal/reach), good, surgical discard ('seize/duress) is flexible too and better able to combat the explosive decks and buy you enough time to win through the flexible decks.

[thefreakaccident]

The biggest problem with going into a tournament like Chicago with Zoo is that you don't have game against everything. Obviously, there is no one deck that beats everything else, this isn't GP: Flash, but you can only tune aggro in so many directions, it's flexibility is limited. The flexibility of counterspells is also limited, but much less so. Storm combo doesn't need to be flexible; the plan is to win before your opponent can do anything.

Now as far as aggro goes, Zoo is a very flexible deck. It was always one of my favorite creations because of that. It's not an explosive deck, however, and I think that you need to have a certain quotient of flexible and explosive to do well. If you're really explosive, a la storm, you don't need to be flexible. If you're really flexible, a la Landstill, you don't need to be explosive. If you're somewhere inbetween, you need to be a bit of both (a la aggro Loam). I think BGW aggro is a better choice for Chicago because while burn is flexible (removal/reach), good, surgical discard ('seize/duress) is flexible too and better able to combat the explosive decks and buy you enough time to win through the flexible decks.

I agree... you should play Funk Brew... nobody will expect it and you will most definitely win the tournament

[Shugyosha]

but lately I have been playing, and loving, my WGR Zoo deck and was thinking of bringing that instead.

Play the archetype you are most fond of but it you might perform better with a highly tuned and well proven list like this one. I looks a bit like it has problems against Landstill or Counterbalance but it hasn't. Mayor problem is combo but you can occasionally steal games with your fast clock and Gaddock Teeg. I consider it an acceptable drawback in the face of otherwise good all around matchups.