Alright, this updated versions been solid as a rock for me. Gaddock was that last key I needed to sure up a couple matches. Guest and that path could be something else non creature like Explosives or clasm. Up to you really. But this has been over preforming for me.
Township wouldnt be awesome in here. All my mana goes to making big creatures. I dont need a land to do it. Wolfrun lets me attack through chumps, which is more important.
Well 7-0( cockatrice) with my gruul list above. Only ruff matches was thropter control when he EE half my board. I burned him with 2x Boros. Next game that went to game 3 was coco chord with spikefeeder and some vampire looking dude. Won by luck and paths. Big zoo has been good as well. So happy with my decks and mtg in general atm
You sometimes run into that issue (same thing with company) but generally I side the walkers out when I need him, like against stuff like scapeshift.
Don't know if he's really that good in those matchups. Scapeshift runs 4 Bolts and some Electrolyzes (I think), control decks with red have Bolt, Path, Helix, Terminate and Kommand (Jeskai and Grixis colors) to deal with him. And with all that stuff plus Snapcaster Mages, it's just too much that kills him for it to really shine.
In theory, at least, I much rather have Thalia out than him. At least she makes their spells cost more mana to deal with her and, if they can't, the slowed pace might be what we needed to end the game.
I love gaddock in sides, and was thinking about running it myself. Its pretty good against a field of combo (if one or more key cards is 4 cmc) and control, since with gaddock on the board you aint wiping anytime soon. I think its VERY good right now come to think of it, with all this scapeshift Ive been seeing. Bring to light is stupid strong, espeicially now that scapeshift is 4 colors, running black for damnation and stuff. They are basically running 5ish anger of the gods, 5ish damanations, 5ish scapeshift, meaning they can wipe youre board in a ton of ways, or just flat out win. Gaddock stops ALL of that.
Unfortunately Teeg scoops it up to Anger, which is his biggest problem in the scapeshift lists. It's seems to me I may be running Blood Moon just for scapeshift now. He's also not great against thopter lists since both pieces are only 2 CMC.
Usually it's not a problem since the walkers are the first one's being boarded out against combo decks. You really only have to worry about the control matchups, and to be fair I'll take holding a walker I can't play to making my opponent hold on to the wrath effects they can't play.
Here's my personal updated list, I don't have Arlinn Kord so I'll make due without it for the time being.
Is there a reason not to play the fourth Oath of nissa? I think it makes the goyf better when one goes to the GY (Legendary rule interactions)
Also
Could you explain a litle bit the 1 Voice, 2 Ooze, 2 Qasali and 3 Smiter? I don't get why those numbers. Is it a meta call?
Thanks
Just time tested numbers. Hate bears in zoo lists are usually are around 3/2/1 or 2/2/2. 3 cmc usually are 7 total, so 4 knight because shes the strongest card, and you then follow it with 3 of another 3 dude. Smiters are the best for that role now (unless you have geist.), but ive used other stuff depending on the meta
3 oaths because 4 is too many. You cant chain them like ponders or preordains, and I'm not running things like flickerwisp, so its less good and more just utility. If it were sorcery, Id likely run 4 for the tarmo interaction, but its not.
You sometimes run into that issue (same thing with company) but generally I side the walkers out when I need him, like against stuff like scapeshift.
Don't know if he's really that good in those matchups. Scapeshift runs 4 Bolts and some Electrolyzes (I think), control decks with red have Bolt, Path, Helix, Terminate and Kommand (Jeskai and Grixis colors) to deal with him. And with all that stuff plus Snapcaster Mages, it's just too much that kills him for it to really shine.
In theory, at least, I much rather have Thalia out than him. At least she makes their spells cost more mana to deal with her and, if they can't, the slowed pace might be what we needed to end the game.
Right. But that never stopped me from running pridemage against twin. They have to spend mana to kill it, and thats mana not spent on ramping to 7 lands to win, and its a turn I get to hit for damage. Can they answer it? totally. But they cant answer it (or buy time for themselves) by cryptic commanding, and they cant damnation for the decks that run black, and they cant bring to light an anger of the gods. Dont sell him short. In the most recent SCG top winning deck which was scapeshift, it ran no angers main or side, and the only way it killed it was the 4 bolts main, 2 sudden shocks side, or valkut, and it killed off 4 cryptic and 4 scapeshift. In the 7th placed 4 color scapeshift, it dies to 1 anger main, 1 side, 1 helix, 1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar, and 2 izzet charm, while shutting off 1 verdict, 3 bring to light, 3 scapeshift, and 4 cryptic.
Don't snuff on a dude who shuts off either 8 or 11 cards and dies to 6 cards. If it messes up with more cards than it dies to, its a good card to have. And if its protecting youre team from a turn 3/4 wipe, giving you 1-2 more turns to bash with a knight, you'll win that game.
I went 3-1 with big zoo yesterday. Lost to martyr proc 0-2. Won against 4c gifts (2-1), BW tokens (2-0) and Nacatl Burn (2-0). Domri Rade overperformed. Couldn't figure out how to use Arlinn Kord in the only matchup i saw her (martyr). I need more practice with the card.
Match 1: RW Prison (2-0)
He had Chalice for 1 early and Trinisphere, but I played Knight and he found no answer. Wall of Omens gave him some time, he player Kiki to copy the wall trying to find the Angel but he died without seeing it.
G2 again with Trinishpere and when he tried to flash an Angel I had Voice out, which gave me a token and I Pathed the Angel before blocks.
Match 2: UW Control with Thopter Sword (2-1)
G1 I removed his Sowrd from the grave with Ooze and played Elspeth right after he tapped out for Veredict. Elspeth carried the game alone.
G2 lost to Crucible + GQ when I found no way to destroy Crucible.
G3 resolved Chandra and when he tapped out for Veredict, Choke made him only untap Academy Ruins. Still had Thrun and Stony Silence to make him concede.
Match 3: UR Storm (1-2)
G1 Lost with lethal on board. Had no Pridemage to kill his Ascension.
G2 Kept a hand with 3 Nacatl and 2 lands, he couldn't keep up with the pressure. He tried to Echoing Truth one of them but I had bolt to keep the other 2 on the board.
G3 Had Cage, he was at a low life after I attacked and when I +1'd Domri I saw Bolt on top. My EOT he Echoing Truth on the Cage and combo'd off. He almost didn't find the grapeshot and, as he was playing fast he had his hand open, so I saw that he had found 2 Empty and could play them for a lot of Goblins. If he went for it instead of keep on digging I would have won with Bolt from the top =[
Match 4: Ad Nauseam (0-2)
G1 Slow hand, he had t1 lotus, t3 combo and I had nothing.
G2, Thalia hand, he Echoing Truth'd Thalia at the end of my turn 4 and combo'd on his turn 4 =[
I hate these combo decks =[
That aside, deck felt great. 21 lands with 3 Oaths worked fine. Never got flooded and only got low on lands on 1 game. Planeswalkers were the main reason of my victories, overall. My Arlinns haven't arived yet, so I was playing the list above. When I get them, I'll run 2 Arlinn, 1 Elspeth, 1 Chandra.
Sideboard working fine, despite the combo losses. Not that much we can do about EOT Echoing Truth, unless I decide do play Ricochet Trap (with AV going on, that can be fun, lol)
Arlinn is a tough cookie. But I think I've finally gotten good with her, so Ill share what I know in as much detail as I can.
First think about elspeth. Shes good because she has 2 abilities, and you could call her pump her "sword" and her token her "shield" as in one is offensive and the other defensive.
Arlinn has this too, but her abilites actually are a bit of both, and can play either aggressively defensive or defensively offensive. The hard part is combining knowing when to flip with knowing which you of those 2 you need.
Usually if you can default with 0,-1, since thats the safest route that gives you value. 4 mana for a wolf, bolt and fog is pretty fine value. But against most red decks you dont want to 0 her because paying four mana for a 2/2 and a discard isnt good value.
If you need her card advantage to win the game like against a control deck with red, you'll probably +1 her Haste vigilance pump nonstop. Trample will only matter with chump blockers, and the haste pump is huge against 1 for 1 decks. Playing her on turn four expecting a whip, keep her on the front side, so you can haste and start winning a tempo game.
I pretty much never play her if i have no creatures against a red deck, or if im facing 2 attackers with no creatures out. Its better to play a tarmo or something, then her to seal up games.
Against a combo deck, ill likely 0 flip her, since unlike temporary pump, that adds 2 to the board forever, and +1 her will provide the same damage as her bolt (wolf plus pump) and likely more with 1-2 more creatures out.
Against aggro, vigilance is good if you need to race, against stuff like burn or naya allies/humans this is good. But if you know you cant win that way because affinity flies or something is unblockable then start trying to bolt stuff out so you can build a wall with casted creatures, then swing when you have critical mass.
If a game is going to go long no matter what, +1 constantly, on either side, then ulti while just constantly playing casted threat.
I went 4-2 and made my way into Top 8 last weekend at a big event here in my city, awarding tickets to GP Chile for the first place. The decklist and the results are at the link below:
Round 1 (2-1)
Played against Elves (the link says it was 2-0, but it was 2-1). G1 I've got a really good hand, 3 creatures on T2, he wasn't able to race it.
G2 brought him down to 3, but 2 Burrenton Forge-Tender hold me back until he found Finks, and I couldn't come back from it. G3 got another explosive hand, manage to kill his mana elf early on and close the game before he could cast things like Ezuri.
Round 2 (2-1)
Mirror match. It was a friend of mine, and our lists are very simmilar (he uses goyf, I dont). In this kind of match, whoever is on the play gets a HUGE advantage. G1 I was on the draw, and wasn't able to held back his agressive opening hand. He T2 3 drops and ghor-clanned his way through my creatures.
G2 was the other way around, I managed to finish it before he could. G3 was really intense. He played T1 Kird Ape and Eidolon T2. With only a goblin guide on the battlefield, T2 I've attacked him , played a Wild Nacatl taking 2 from the eidolon and crack a fetch for a tapped Sacred Foundry, holding back my second drop 1. I've got lucky from here, because his draws were not very good. He attacked with Eidolon, blocked with Nacatl and casted Searing blaze with no landfall to kill it, and that 1 for 2 put me ahead on the race. By the end, we were both at 7 in my turn, attacked with everything (5 damage on board), he didn't block because he would have lethal at his turn, and hoped that I did not have Attarka's Command... Wich I did. 2-1
Round 3 (1-2)
Played agains Mardu Midrange. Really awful match for zoo. Plays just like Jund/Abzan, only it uses Lighting Helix, Finks and Kalitas, wich makes it even stronger against aggro. Won G1 because he lost a lot of life with bob and shocklands, and I've draw 3 Commands and a couple of bolts, burning him to death.
Sideboard - In: 3 Thalia, 2 Ooze, 1 Path to Exile (after G2, because of finks). Out: 3 Flintroof, 1 Atarka's Command, 2 Ghor-Clan
However, G2 and G3 I've barely had any chance. Removals, discards, life gain, Damnation.... GG.
Round 4 (2-1)
Played agains boggles. G1 He was stucked at 1 land and I've manage to outrun him.
G2 was a close one, but he played Daybreak and I just couldn't come back. G3 we both mulliganed to 4, and I've got the better luck. I've kept a hand with thalia, a 1-drop, a fetchland and other random card. Drawed the second land, played thalia T2, he didn't got the second land drop or any bogle, so he just conceded.
Round 5 (0-2)
Played against Affinity. He started both games really agressive, dumped his entire hand T2 on both games. G1 he killed me with inkmoth + Plating.
G2 Had to mulligan to 6 and had to spent my only hate card to kill his T1 overseer. My inicial manabase was weird, and I could't generate Red-Red to cast Searing blood I've draw. Immediately regreted not bringin in the fourth Path instead. So he just beated me down sacking a buch of artifacts to Ravager and thowing them on vault skirge. GG
Round 6 (2-0)
Played against burn. G1 I was on the draw, but he started with a suspended rift bolt. Dumped a bunch of creatures and managed to race him.
G2 he started with rift bolt again, this time killing my experiment one with it. On T3 he dropped a blood moon. I was not expecting it, and my Kird Ape and Loam Lion became 1/1 creatures. However, he said he made a sideboard mistake forgetting to side out the multicolored cards. So he started drawing helix and charms without being able to cast it. Luckily I had 2 bolts in my hand, and manage to beat him down hitting for 2 every turn before he draw anything that could turn the race into his favor.
Top 8 (1-2)
Last game for me. Played against Abzan. G1 kept a good 1 land hand on the draw with a mulligan to 6. Never found the second land. GG.
Sideboard - In: 3 Thalia, 2 Ooze, 1 Path. Out: (G2 on the Play) 3 Flinthoof, 1 Eidolon, 1 Ghor-Clan, 1 Atarka's Command, (G2 on the Draw) 3 Flinthoof, 3 Eidolon
Won G2 droping 3 creatures by T2. He startet a little slow, with no plays on T1 or T2, so it ended pretty fast. G3 my inicial hand was not that explosive, and he kept a hand with a lot of hate and sideboard. He inquisitioned me on T4, and I had a bolt and a Command. Didn't cast any of them in response, he took the command and played Timely Reinforcements. At that moment I've knew I had misplayed and that the game was pretty much over. Then he casted 2 Siege Rhinos the next two turns. GG
Well, that's all! Hope this will be usefull! It was a fun event. Plus, Willy Edel was there, played the Standard tournament and gave a nice one-hour lecture about professional Magic career.
And Titanshift was the tournament champion. I've realized it's a really though match for smallzoo. Any sugestions on how to sideboard against it? My LGS is starting to get full of them.
3 oaths because 4 is too many. You cant chain them like ponders or preordains, and I'm not running things like flickerwisp, so its less good and more just utility. If it were sorcery, Id likely run 4 for the tarmo interaction, but its not.
3 oaths because 4 is too many. You cant chain them like ponders or preordains, and I'm not running things like flickerwisp, so its less good and more just utility. If it were sorcery, Id likely run 4 for the tarmo interaction, but its not.
This makes no sense. Care to explain?
I dunno what doesnt make sense. I cant chain them, meaning should I see a second oath, it cant go to my hand, meaning that should I hit an oath and 2 cards I dont need I have to take a card I dont need rather than keep digging. I'm also not getting any use out of its enchantment typing. Does it hit the grave? Yes. Often? Not at all, even when running 4. So the fact is stays on the board is if anything, a downside because it doesnt feed goyf. If chain lighting was legal, Id use it because of the power AND that it feeds goyf. This can feed goyf but won't likely. And since I'm not getting value out of it past its one use, ala flicker or sky walker or something, Its not so stupidly good I need to run 4 copies.
Its good value, so I run 3, since I run walkers and a toolbox selection of hatebears. Its good= 2-3 copies. Its brokenly good = 4 copies.
The deck really wants a 23 land but doesn't want to flood. I'm pretty sure it's right to play one oath that's essentially a land the first couple of turns that turns into a threat later on. More feels kinda clunky.
In my experience, I've never had trouble getting to at least 4 lands by turn 5 in 90% of the games i play with 22 lands while also running 5 mana dorks.
I think 22 lands has been the sweet spot for most big zoo players. Although I can see going up to 23 if you have mana sinks like an additional man-land or utility land like township.
Guys please opinions on japanese cards. Lost a 3/3 creature against Japan celestial colonade. This guy played all creatures and spells in english cards, but some cards in his manabase was japanese. I dont registrated this really ( my brain say its all fine and all english to me lets attack his empty board)...and i am sure it is a Kind of legal cheating. It is not ok, but i know legal. I Hate such people. I never forget colonade normally, but with this Tricks it can happen one time in 3 years and such people take advantage of this
If I am a customer spending premium amount of dollars, I expect a premium service. Jund falls into the category of a premium deck costing more dollars than a majority of the rest of the format. I'm not getting the desired performance ratio per dollars spent out of the Jund deck because WOTC decided to make the format more diverse.
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WGUBR 5c Humans
GWR Naya Zoo
Legacy:
GW GW Maverick
R Goblins
I like the look of this list but no Gavony Township?
—Barrin, Principia
Now trading on deckbox.org as well.
Is there a reason not to play the fourth Oath of nissa? I think it makes the goyf better when one goes to the GY (Legendary rule interactions)
Also
Could you explain a litle bit the 1 Voice, 2 Ooze, 2 Qasali and 3 Smiter? I don't get why those numbers. Is it a meta call?
Thanks
Modern Project AnafenzaBGW
Modern KnightfallGRUW
Recently bought 4x tarmogoyf. Considering what to play next.
-Proud Selesnyan Guildmage and Dromoka's Follower.
-Level 1 Judge
Don't know if he's really that good in those matchups. Scapeshift runs 4 Bolts and some Electrolyzes (I think), control decks with red have Bolt, Path, Helix, Terminate and Kommand (Jeskai and Grixis colors) to deal with him. And with all that stuff plus Snapcaster Mages, it's just too much that kills him for it to really shine.
In theory, at least, I much rather have Thalia out than him. At least she makes their spells cost more mana to deal with her and, if they can't, the slowed pace might be what we needed to end the game.
WGUBR 5c Humans
GWR Naya Zoo
Legacy:
GW GW Maverick
R Goblins
Unfortunately Teeg scoops it up to Anger, which is his biggest problem in the scapeshift lists. It's seems to me I may be running Blood Moon just for scapeshift now. He's also not great against thopter lists since both pieces are only 2 CMC.
Usually it's not a problem since the walkers are the first one's being boarded out against combo decks. You really only have to worry about the control matchups, and to be fair I'll take holding a walker I can't play to making my opponent hold on to the wrath effects they can't play.
Here's my personal updated list, I don't have Arlinn Kord so I'll make due without it for the time being.
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Arid Mesa
4 Windswept Heath
3 Stomping Ground
2 Temple Garden
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Forest
1 Plains
1 Horizon Canopy
1 Kessig Wolf Run
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Wild Nacatl
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Loxodon Smiter
3 Scavenging Ooze
2 Qasali Pridemage
2 Voice of Resurgence
//spells
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Path to Exile
3 Collected Company
2 Kitchen Finks
2 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
2 Gaddock Teeg
1 Grim Lavamancer
2 Crumble to Dust
1 Blood Moon
1 Kozilek's Return
1 Valorous Stance
2 Natural State
1 Stony Silence
Need a collection tracker? Use EchoMTG here: https://www.echomtg.com/r/7bb6961d/
Join the Zoo Discord: https://discord.gg/Yu6eTSTrzA
Need a collection tracker? Use EchoMTG here: https://www.echomtg.com/r/7bb6961d/
Join the Zoo Discord: https://discord.gg/Yu6eTSTrzA
Just time tested numbers. Hate bears in zoo lists are usually are around 3/2/1 or 2/2/2. 3 cmc usually are 7 total, so 4 knight because shes the strongest card, and you then follow it with 3 of another 3 dude. Smiters are the best for that role now (unless you have geist.), but ive used other stuff depending on the meta
3 oaths because 4 is too many. You cant chain them like ponders or preordains, and I'm not running things like flickerwisp, so its less good and more just utility. If it were sorcery, Id likely run 4 for the tarmo interaction, but its not.
Right. But that never stopped me from running pridemage against twin. They have to spend mana to kill it, and thats mana not spent on ramping to 7 lands to win, and its a turn I get to hit for damage. Can they answer it? totally. But they cant answer it (or buy time for themselves) by cryptic commanding, and they cant damnation for the decks that run black, and they cant bring to light an anger of the gods. Dont sell him short. In the most recent SCG top winning deck which was scapeshift, it ran no angers main or side, and the only way it killed it was the 4 bolts main, 2 sudden shocks side, or valkut, and it killed off 4 cryptic and 4 scapeshift. In the 7th placed 4 color scapeshift, it dies to 1 anger main, 1 side, 1 helix, 1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar, and 2 izzet charm, while shutting off 1 verdict, 3 bring to light, 3 scapeshift, and 4 cryptic.
Don't snuff on a dude who shuts off either 8 or 11 cards and dies to 6 cards. If it messes up with more cards than it dies to, its a good card to have. And if its protecting youre team from a turn 3/4 wipe, giving you 1-2 more turns to bash with a knight, you'll win that game.
Sad day
WGUBR 5c Humans
GWR Naya Zoo
Legacy:
GW GW Maverick
R Goblins
2-2 yesterday with the following list:
4 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills
3 Arid Mesa
3 Stomping Ground
2 Temple Garden
1 Sacred Foundry
2 Forest
1 Plains
1 Kessig Wolf Run
Creatures (25)
4 Wild Nacatl
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Voice of Resurgence
3 Qasali Pridemage
3 Scavenging Ooze
4 Knight of the Reliquary
3 Loxodon Smiter
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Path to Exile
3 Oath of Nissa
2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Domri Rade
1 Chandra, Pyromaster
2 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
2 Stony Silence
1 Hushwing Gryff
1 Natural State
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Choke
1 Pyroclasm
1 Sigarda, Host of Herons
1 Dromoka's Command
2 Kitchen Finks
1 Pulse of Murasa
1 Grafdigger's Cage
Match 1: RW Prison (2-0)
He had Chalice for 1 early and Trinisphere, but I played Knight and he found no answer. Wall of Omens gave him some time, he player Kiki to copy the wall trying to find the Angel but he died without seeing it.
G2 again with Trinishpere and when he tried to flash an Angel I had Voice out, which gave me a token and I Pathed the Angel before blocks.
Match 2: UW Control with Thopter Sword (2-1)
G1 I removed his Sowrd from the grave with Ooze and played Elspeth right after he tapped out for Veredict. Elspeth carried the game alone.
G2 lost to Crucible + GQ when I found no way to destroy Crucible.
G3 resolved Chandra and when he tapped out for Veredict, Choke made him only untap Academy Ruins. Still had Thrun and Stony Silence to make him concede.
Match 3: UR Storm (1-2)
G1 Lost with lethal on board. Had no Pridemage to kill his Ascension.
G2 Kept a hand with 3 Nacatl and 2 lands, he couldn't keep up with the pressure. He tried to Echoing Truth one of them but I had bolt to keep the other 2 on the board.
G3 Had Cage, he was at a low life after I attacked and when I +1'd Domri I saw Bolt on top. My EOT he Echoing Truth on the Cage and combo'd off. He almost didn't find the grapeshot and, as he was playing fast he had his hand open, so I saw that he had found 2 Empty and could play them for a lot of Goblins. If he went for it instead of keep on digging I would have won with Bolt from the top =[
Match 4: Ad Nauseam (0-2)
G1 Slow hand, he had t1 lotus, t3 combo and I had nothing.
G2, Thalia hand, he Echoing Truth'd Thalia at the end of my turn 4 and combo'd on his turn 4 =[
I hate these combo decks =[
That aside, deck felt great. 21 lands with 3 Oaths worked fine. Never got flooded and only got low on lands on 1 game. Planeswalkers were the main reason of my victories, overall. My Arlinns haven't arived yet, so I was playing the list above. When I get them, I'll run 2 Arlinn, 1 Elspeth, 1 Chandra.
Sideboard working fine, despite the combo losses. Not that much we can do about EOT Echoing Truth, unless I decide do play Ricochet Trap (with AV going on, that can be fun, lol)
WGUBR 5c Humans
GWR Naya Zoo
Legacy:
GW GW Maverick
R Goblins
First think about elspeth. Shes good because she has 2 abilities, and you could call her pump her "sword" and her token her "shield" as in one is offensive and the other defensive.
Arlinn has this too, but her abilites actually are a bit of both, and can play either aggressively defensive or defensively offensive. The hard part is combining knowing when to flip with knowing which you of those 2 you need.
Usually if you can default with 0,-1, since thats the safest route that gives you value. 4 mana for a wolf, bolt and fog is pretty fine value. But against most red decks you dont want to 0 her because paying four mana for a 2/2 and a discard isnt good value.
If you need her card advantage to win the game like against a control deck with red, you'll probably +1 her Haste vigilance pump nonstop. Trample will only matter with chump blockers, and the haste pump is huge against 1 for 1 decks. Playing her on turn four expecting a whip, keep her on the front side, so you can haste and start winning a tempo game.
I pretty much never play her if i have no creatures against a red deck, or if im facing 2 attackers with no creatures out. Its better to play a tarmo or something, then her to seal up games.
Against a combo deck, ill likely 0 flip her, since unlike temporary pump, that adds 2 to the board forever, and +1 her will provide the same damage as her bolt (wolf plus pump) and likely more with 1-2 more creatures out.
Against aggro, vigilance is good if you need to race, against stuff like burn or naya allies/humans this is good. But if you know you cant win that way because affinity flies or something is unblockable then start trying to bolt stuff out so you can build a wall with casted creatures, then swing when you have critical mass.
If a game is going to go long no matter what, +1 constantly, on either side, then ulti while just constantly playing casted threat.
http://insidegamestore.com.br/publico/publicacao.xhtml?pid=2373563
Round 1 (2-1)
Played against Elves (the link says it was 2-0, but it was 2-1). G1 I've got a really good hand, 3 creatures on T2, he wasn't able to race it.
Sideboard - In: 2 Searing Bloods, 1 Path to Exile. Out: 3 Flintroof Boar
G2 brought him down to 3, but 2 Burrenton Forge-Tender hold me back until he found Finks, and I couldn't come back from it. G3 got another explosive hand, manage to kill his mana elf early on and close the game before he could cast things like Ezuri.
Round 2 (2-1)
Mirror match. It was a friend of mine, and our lists are very simmilar (he uses goyf, I dont). In this kind of match, whoever is on the play gets a HUGE advantage. G1 I was on the draw, and wasn't able to held back his agressive opening hand. He T2 3 drops and ghor-clanned his way through my creatures.
Sideboard - in: 2 Lighning Helix, 1 Path to Exile. Out: 3 Eidolon
G2 was the other way around, I managed to finish it before he could. G3 was really intense. He played T1 Kird Ape and Eidolon T2. With only a goblin guide on the battlefield, T2 I've attacked him , played a Wild Nacatl taking 2 from the eidolon and crack a fetch for a tapped Sacred Foundry, holding back my second drop 1. I've got lucky from here, because his draws were not very good. He attacked with Eidolon, blocked with Nacatl and casted Searing blaze with no landfall to kill it, and that 1 for 2 put me ahead on the race. By the end, we were both at 7 in my turn, attacked with everything (5 damage on board), he didn't block because he would have lethal at his turn, and hoped that I did not have Attarka's Command... Wich I did. 2-1
Round 3 (1-2)
Played agains Mardu Midrange. Really awful match for zoo. Plays just like Jund/Abzan, only it uses Lighting Helix, Finks and Kalitas, wich makes it even stronger against aggro. Won G1 because he lost a lot of life with bob and shocklands, and I've draw 3 Commands and a couple of bolts, burning him to death.
Sideboard - In: 3 Thalia, 2 Ooze, 1 Path to Exile (after G2, because of finks). Out: 3 Flintroof, 1 Atarka's Command, 2 Ghor-Clan
However, G2 and G3 I've barely had any chance. Removals, discards, life gain, Damnation.... GG.
Round 4 (2-1)
Played agains boggles. G1 He was stucked at 1 land and I've manage to outrun him.
Sideboard - In: 3 Thalia, 2 Destructive Revelry. Out: 3 Paths, 2 Flintroof
G2 was a close one, but he played Daybreak and I just couldn't come back. G3 we both mulliganed to 4, and I've got the better luck. I've kept a hand with thalia, a 1-drop, a fetchland and other random card. Drawed the second land, played thalia T2, he didn't got the second land drop or any bogle, so he just conceded.
Round 5 (0-2)
Played against Affinity. He started both games really agressive, dumped his entire hand T2 on both games. G1 he killed me with inkmoth + Plating.
Sideboard - In: 2 Destructive Revelry, 2 Stony Silence, 1 Ancient Grudge, 1 Searing Blood. Out: 3 Eidolon, 3 Flintroof
G2 Had to mulligan to 6 and had to spent my only hate card to kill his T1 overseer. My inicial manabase was weird, and I could't generate Red-Red to cast Searing blood I've draw. Immediately regreted not bringin in the fourth Path instead. So he just beated me down sacking a buch of artifacts to Ravager and thowing them on vault skirge. GG
Round 6 (2-0)
Played against burn. G1 I was on the draw, but he started with a suspended rift bolt. Dumped a bunch of creatures and managed to race him.
Sideboard - In: 2 Lightning Helix, 2 Searing Blood. Out: 3 Eidolon, 1 Flintroof
G2 he started with rift bolt again, this time killing my experiment one with it. On T3 he dropped a blood moon. I was not expecting it, and my Kird Ape and Loam Lion became 1/1 creatures. However, he said he made a sideboard mistake forgetting to side out the multicolored cards. So he started drawing helix and charms without being able to cast it. Luckily I had 2 bolts in my hand, and manage to beat him down hitting for 2 every turn before he draw anything that could turn the race into his favor.
Top 8 (1-2)
Last game for me. Played against Abzan. G1 kept a good 1 land hand on the draw with a mulligan to 6. Never found the second land. GG.
Sideboard - In: 3 Thalia, 2 Ooze, 1 Path. Out: (G2 on the Play) 3 Flinthoof, 1 Eidolon, 1 Ghor-Clan, 1 Atarka's Command, (G2 on the Draw) 3 Flinthoof, 3 Eidolon
Won G2 droping 3 creatures by T2. He startet a little slow, with no plays on T1 or T2, so it ended pretty fast. G3 my inicial hand was not that explosive, and he kept a hand with a lot of hate and sideboard. He inquisitioned me on T4, and I had a bolt and a Command. Didn't cast any of them in response, he took the command and played Timely Reinforcements. At that moment I've knew I had misplayed and that the game was pretty much over. Then he casted 2 Siege Rhinos the next two turns. GG
Well, that's all! Hope this will be usefull! It was a fun event. Plus, Willy Edel was there, played the Standard tournament and gave a nice one-hour lecture about professional Magic career.
And Titanshift was the tournament champion. I've realized it's a really though match for smallzoo. Any sugestions on how to sideboard against it? My LGS is starting to get full of them.
This makes no sense. Care to explain?
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Its good value, so I run 3, since I run walkers and a toolbox selection of hatebears. Its good= 2-3 copies. Its brokenly good = 4 copies.
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I think 22 lands has been the sweet spot for most big zoo players. Although I can see going up to 23 if you have mana sinks like an additional man-land or utility land like township.