[Deck] Zoo

[kiwi]

Today I played in a local tournament (60 Participants) with the Hatfield version with treeptop village, Lynx, etc... I did top 8, only losing in round 4 againts goblins, and in top 8 againts counterbalance-natural order deck.

I really love to have swords to plowshares in side board, and sylvan libraries did their job, in round 5 I drew 5 extra cards againts bant:)

Zoo is a solid option with a tons of very good match ups in the metagame.

[Eldariel]

1. Why? The other non-basics do not come into play tapped.

2. You don't keep hands with one land anyway. But now you can also not keep a two land hand with Treetop.

I was referring to the Moon/Magus/Waste-list. You can often "sneak" it into the play tapped without costing you much tempo. A 2-lander with Treetop is a fine keep if you didn't have a 1-drop anyways (those hands can be keepable in some circumstances). And yeah, it'll occasionally be problematic, but we have a pretty damn good manabase; hell, we even run basics in the deck specifically 'cause we can afford few single-colored mana sources.

[Kird Ape]

1. Why? The other non-basics do not come into play tapped.

2. You don't keep hands with one land anyway. But now you can also not keep a two land hand with Treetop.

Technically the Treetops aren't counted as lands, we cut spells for them. The reality is that you're adding more lands (24 in my build) and you might start to flood mid-game, this is exactly why Knight shines, he can turn extra lands into cards or manlands. So, I guess if you want to split hairs you aren't tossing out a 2 land hand. It's still a one lander.

Sunday night is testing night and I'm going to play as many games as I can with the new configuration and we'll see if it impacts any matchups. I'll try to post up any results I remember when I get home.

[Nelis]

Technically the Treetops aren't counted as lands, we cut spells for them. The reality is that you're adding more lands (24 in my build) and you might start to flood mid-game, this is exactly why Knight shines, he can turn extra lands into cards or manlands. So, I guess if you want to split hairs you aren't tossing out a 2 land hand. It's still a one lander.

Sunday night is testing night and I'm going to play as many games as I can with the new configuration and we'll see if it impacts any matchups. I'll try to post up any results I remember when I get home.

Ok agreed, if you treat them as we talked about Wastelands then I can agree.

I was referring to the Moon/Magus/Waste-list. You can often "sneak" it into the play tapped without costing you much tempo. A 2-lander with Treetop is a fine keep if you didn't have a 1-drop anyways (those hands can be keepable in some circumstances). And yeah, it'll occasionally be problematic, but we have a pretty damn good manabase; hell, we even run basics in the deck specifically 'cause we can afford few single-colored mana sources.

Oh sorry. I wasn't paying attention.

I was referring to the Moon/Magus/Waste-list. You can often "sneak" it into the play tapped without costing you much tempo. A 2-lander with Treetop is a fine keep if you didn't have a 1-drop anyways (those hands can be keepable in some circumstances). And yeah, it'll occasionally be problematic, but we have a pretty damn good manabase; hell, we even run basics in the deck specifically 'cause we can afford few single-colored mana sources.

Oh sorry. I wasn't paying attention.

[JamesTheSmoker]

Where I can find the Hatfield version and the list with magus + wastelands?

[sauce]

That argument applies to all non-basics. Simply though, Treetop is the most effective manland in print and simply means you don't keep hands where it's your only source. Extended Zoo has been running it to great effect. When you try to win the game by beats, adding an extra threat that doubles as a land and can be found via. Knight is a great way to ensure you have enough gas to take the removal and get in there.

not all extended zoo runs the treetop, tribal zoo for example doesnt.
fast zoo should never run slow come into play "spells"

[Eldariel]

Where I can find the Hatfield version and the list with magus + wastelands?

E.g. here or by scrolling few pages back in this thread. Or searching for "Hatfield" in this thread, probably.

Magus-version, eh? Haven't seen well-finishing lists with MoM yet. As for Waste, Sven Dijt's list is nice as is Brain Six's; though Six's is more Sligh-style.

[Nelis]

Yeah I like his list but I'm more comfortable playing my 'own' list. He said he would definitely play a 4th Wasteland main next time and he would cut another burn spell for it. As well add the 4th Knight of the Reliquary. ( http://www.kvdeckmasters.org/Forum/i...?topic=13070.0 [dutch] )

I also like he did the opposite of what a lot of people in this thread agree on (even though I don't). He plays a 5th 'Kird Ape' (2 Kird Ape & 3 Loam Lion) instead of cutting a few Apes (and not replace them with Loam Lions).

BTW when it comes to Madrid and StarCityGames.com $5,000 Legacy Open tournament in Richmond decklists it appears that it doesn't matter that much what version of zoo you play if you want to make top 8. see: http://sales.starcitygames.com//deck...p?DeckID=31518 (compare decklists at the bottom of the page)

So we might as well stop posting in this thread.

[sauce]

i mean if you want to destroy lands and such, why not also run terravore alongside knight of reliquary and some life from the loam, tranquil thickets and some seismic assaults...

oh wait thats a deck called aggro loam.
its going to be the new big thing Aggro Zoo Loam.

[Eldariel]

i mean if you want to destroy lands and such, why not also run terravore alongside knight of reliquary and some life from the loam, tranquil thickets and some seismic assaults...

oh wait thats a deck called aggro loam.
its going to be the new big thing Aggro Zoo Loam.

Waste as a tempo card in a deck topping out with 2-3 3-drops and Waste as a gameplan in a deck built around 3-drops are two very different things; Waste just happens to be a card that suits both.

[JamesTheSmoker]

BTW when it comes to Madrid and StarCityGames.com $5,000 Legacy Open tournament in Richmond decklists it appears that it doesn't matter that much what version of zoo you play if you want to make top 8. see: http://sales.starcitygames.com//deck...p?DeckID=31518 (compare decklists at the bottom of the page)

So we might as well stop posting in this thread.

I know...At GP Madrid I was 8-1 the in Day1 losing only by Marcio Carvalho and then I did a beautiful 0-4 in Day2, and my decklist was totally different from those in top8.

I posted my last results and decklists 2 pages ago, but nobody of you seems interested to talk about these, and I'm so afraid of that, 'cause I wish to learn something from your different opinions 'bout the deck.

[sauce]

I know...At GP Madrid I was 8-1 the in Day1 losing only by Marcio Carvalho and then I did a beautiful 0-4 in Day2, and my decklist was totally different from those in top8.

I posted my last results and decklists 2 pages ago, but nobody of you seems interested to talk about these, and I'm so afraid of that, 'cause I wish to learn something from your different opinions 'bout the deck.

The things that stand out about your deck to me is the lack of PtE and the inclusion of 3 main deck PoP (which is not bad but random)...
also why the singleton jotun grunt?

I dunno if 3 teegs is needed main, I mean i guess its techy vs AnT/Belcher, but I run 2 myself main.

I'd prolly go to 2 PoP and 2 Teeg and run 2 PtE main...

[DCTopTeam]

How about running a singleton of Natural Order and Progen? Anyone tried this? Well, if it sounds stupid then forget it. Anyways, havent played this deck for a while since I T4'ed a year-end tournament last December. Its been almost 3 months now, LOL. Im planning to attend another big tournament this weekend with practically the same list except that im changing 3 Firespouts in the SB to 3 Teegs due to my STUPID loss to ANT and dropping 1 Chain and 1 Bolt in favor of 2 Fireblasts. Heres the list below. Id like you guys to comment if its still the optimal build for Zoo. Predicted meta is Goblins, ProBant and Merfolk.

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

Spells
4 Path to Exile
2 Knight of the Reliquary
3 Chain Lightning
4 Kird Ape
3 Figure of Destiny
2 Lightning Helix
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Quasali Pridemage
4 Wild Nacatl
3 Lightning Bolt
2 Sylvan Library
3 Grim Lavamancer
2 Fireblast

SB/
3 Firespout (WILL CHANGE TO 3 Teegs!!!!!!!!!)
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Tormod's Crypt
2 Ravenous Trap
3 Red Elemental Blast
2 Swords to Plowshares
3 Krosan Grip

[sauce]

I like 2 Wing shards in my board, maybe 3 is the right number though if you're playing vs Reanimator/Progenitus, its just a house.

[JamesTheSmoker]

The things that stand out about your deck to me is the lack of PtE and the inclusion of 3 main deck PoP (which is not bad but random)...
also why the singleton jotun grunt?

I dunno if 3 teegs is needed main, I mean i guess its techy vs AnT/Belcher, but I run 2 myself main.

I'd prolly go to 2 PoP and 2 Teeg and run 2 PtE main...

I run 4 PtE maindeck, maybe tou didn't saw them in the lists...
However, now I play always 3 Gaddock but no more PoP cause MU are changing. I can't side out Gaddock 'cause ANT here is a tier1 very played, like Naturale Order in bant.

[kiwi]

Id like you guys to comment if its still the optimal build for Zoo. Predicted meta is Goblins, ProBant and Merfolk.

You have to auto include 4 Grim Lavamancer in main, mvp vs tribal decks.

[DCTopTeam]

You have to auto include 4 Grim Lavamancer in main, mvp vs tribal decks.

And I was thinking of putting in Goblin Guides instead of Mancers, LOL!

[Eldariel]

And I was thinking of putting in Goblin Guides instead of Mancers, LOL!

Honestly, the only time I've ever been sad to see Grim Lavamancer has been against ANT; and those matches you generally win or lose based on other cards anyways. I'd never play any less than 4.

[sauce]

Honestly, the only time I've ever been sad to see Grim Lavamancer has been against ANT; and those matches you generally win or lose based on other cards anyways. I'd never play any less than 4.

I agree, I love lavamancer, he makes combat so unfair

[miko]

Lavamancer is one of the most important cards of the deck. I agree with that, but sometimes it might be to slow especially if you are running a tempo-oriented list. I tend to play 3 Lavamancer and 1 in SB for tribal matchups.