Powerless R/G Zoo

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone,
This is my first time posting anything. I have been reading many articles from here for quite a while and have searched for different decklists for R/G zoo. Looking at the different builds, comments and how well they have been doing, I decided to build my own. I am only 14 and my parents do not want me spending tons of money on cards meaning all my decks are powerless.

Here is my R/G zoo build. Please tell me what you think. Any comments and/or questions will be grately appreciated.

Creatures:
4x Kird Ape
4x River Boa
4x Skyshrous Elite
4x Wild Mongrel
4x Basking Rootwalla
Enchantments:
4x Rancor
1x Sylvain Library
Other:
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Incinerate
1x Berserk
1x Regrowth
1x Wheel of Fortune
Artifacts:
3x Cursed Scroll
Land/Mana:
4x Mishra’s Factory
4x Taiga
4x Wooded Foothills
2x Forest
1x Mountain
3x Wasteland
1x Stripmine
1x Lotus Petal
1x Mox Diamond

Sideboard
4x Red Elemental Blast
4x Hidden Gibbons
4x Naturalize
3x Null Rod

And if any of you are interested or think it could help for my deck, my metagame is Carta Magica. So there is alto of fully powered stuff. Pretty varied

Thank you for your time and patience,
                Jamino

Added your sideboard and meta and deleted the surplus posts\n\n

[Anonymous]

Hey, I like the deck.  It already seems to be really good.  Typically tho, Zoo relies on Twister/Regrowth and brokenness to fuel extremely cheap aggro and burn.  I would try and run the deck on as few lands as possible, maximize creature quality, and try and achieve some sort of card recursion/reuse.

I'd cut the Lotus Petal for a Wasteland.  Denying them a land is always worth 1 mana of any color at the cost of one card.

Since you are using Wastelands, you gotta add Gorilla Shaman.  These two together wreak havoc on mana bases.

Quirion Dryad, Blurred Mongoose, Nimble Mongeese could replace Mongrel, Rootwalla, and Skyshroud Elite.  Skyshroud Elite isn't that bad, but if you are using 3+ Wastelands you could maybe find a better substitute.

Have you tried Reckless Charge, Hull Breach, or Chain Lightning?

Good Luck!

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your help Methuselahn. I was thinking of taking out Wild Mongrel/Basking Rootwalla, but I have always been alot more happy of getting a Mongrel and Pitching Rootwallas to it then getting a Mongeese. The problem with the mongeese is that they cant be targted. Granted, its great against some decks but I do not feel that the for the few decks they are good against to take out mongrel/rootwalla.
On the 4th wasteland I have long thought about it and can still not make a descision. Mostly the wastelands are other Mishra's Factorys or workshops or if my opponent is mana/colour short. However I disagree with you on the fact that if i play wastelands I have to play gorilla shamans. I have tested it and I do admit that it did damage to other peoepls mana basess but then again I have always prefered to beat down then destroy mana.
I have personally never tested chain lightning but I have seen it being tested. I was not to impressed. That takes away 4 more creatures which i personally like. However Reckless charge I find would be fantastic in this deck. However I do not know what to take out for it. Thank you very much Methuselahn, and if anyone else has comments/questions please post them.
           Jamino

[Malus]

Take out Wheel of Fortune.  It is a disadvantage since your opponent will have a better chance to abuse their new hand then you will have to abuse yours.  You will probably be better off with another Sylvan Library.

I used to run Null Rod is my Zoo deck, but I find that Mox Monkeys are better suited for the task.  While you can't deal with big artifact fatties, you can take out their mana sources and mana screw them.  Also, they can be Rancored and made into 3/1 beatsticks.  The negative synergy between Cursed Scroll and Null Rod doesn't help either.

I would take out the Lotus Petal and the Mox Diamond for two more lands, since your basic land count is low enough as it is.  You want more lands, seeing as how Cursed Scroll and the factories are very mana intensive.

I don't really see the usefulness of having the Mongrel/Rootwalla combo since it is kind of situational and erratic.  You also have nothing else to discard to to the Mongrels.  Most of the time, you'll probably cast the Rootwalla on the first turn anyway.

[Anonymous]

Hi Malus,
I agree with you on the Mox Monkeys replacing the null rods in the sideboard however:
Quote:I don't really see the usefulness of having the Mongrel/Rootwalla combo since it is kind of situational and erratic.  You also have nothing else to discard to to the Mongrels.  Most of the time, you'll probably cast the Rootwalla on the first turn anyway.
I disagree with this because Racoring a mongrel then pitching rootwalas is always fun. Rootwalla is a 1/1 that can get pumped, nothing wrong with that IMHO.and I like wheel to fill my hand, or just use it and pump my Mongrel.
Thank you for your help,
              Jamino

[Anonymous]

Tusas in the hizzouse  

[Anonymous]

The deck looks pretty solid. Maybe Chain Lightning instead of the Incinerates unless you face alot of regenerating creatures.

If your going to keep running Wheel I'd try and work a Fastbond in if possible. It can function like a poor man's Mox at worst. At best it blows a Mox away when you drop 3 land after a Wheel and bolt for 9 or rancor up a couple creatures your opponent wasn't expecting. It also gets around the downside of Wheel in that you can abuse your new cards immediately if it's in play or you play it on the turn you Wheel.

And yes I wish Fastbond was un-restricted Used to run a variation of this with 4 Fastbonds. Usually had no clue what the other guy was even playing since it killed on turn 3 most times