Most people see Zoo as a mindless aggro deck, but it doesn’t have to be that way. After all, Lighting Bolt is just as good of a control card as it is an aggressive one.
If you start the game with a Wild Nacatl or Noble Hierarch, you’ll be the aggressor from the very start. At that point, you can try to clear their blockers and burn them out, or settle in for a longer game as your cards start trading off. Some Zoo decks can’t play that type of game, but this deck is well-equipped to grind out even the grindiest B/G/X decks.
Cards like Stoneforge Mystic and Punishing Fire provide the endgame by giving you useful ways to spend your excess mana. Sylvan Library is a card advantage machine that is especially potent against Swords to Plowshares.
I could see cards like Wasteland, Deathrite Shaman, and/or Green Suns’ Zenith in this deck, but then it starts looking more and more like Maverick. Overall, I like the heavy red aspect of this deck because it gives you access to things that Maverick really can’t do. Plus, on average, you’re more aggressive, so you’ll have more free wins when your opponent stumbles.
Creatures (24)
- 1 Birds of Paradise
- 4 Tarmogoyf
- 4 Wild Nacatl
- 4 Noble Hierarch
- 4 Bloodbraid Elf
- 3 Stoneforge Mystic
- 4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
Planeswalkers (2)
Lands (18)
Spells (16)
