Bant Survival Zoo`

[yankeedave]

Hey Ya'll

So, this is one of the new decks I am testing at the moment and I would like your help with it, if you would all be so kind! I also don't really have a sideboard, so would also like ideas and suggestions for that!

The idea for this deck came about from a tournament report by Der_Imaginaire_Freund on the Source, regarding the new Team SPOD Survival Zoo list. I was looking for something that would give me some late game, but didn't like the Steppe Lynxes in SPOD's list, so swapped them out for Noble Hierarchs and added a couple of Rhox War Monks to see if I could speed up the early game of Zoo, using Exalted triggers and giving myself life gain with the Monks. The deck isn't as blazingly fast as you might find normal Zoo, but the Survivals help make up for this in the late game.

Anyways, here's my list!

Land (21)
4x Arid Mesa
2x Forest
1x Mountain
1x Plains
1x Plateau
1x Savannah
2x Taiga
1x Tropical Island
4x Windswept Heath
4x Wooded Foothills

Enchantment (4)
4x Survival of the Fittest

Sorcery (4)
4x Chain Lightning

Creature (23)
1x Anger
1x Genesis
3x Grim Lavamancer
4x Noble Hierarch
3x Qasali Pridemage
2x Rhox War Monk
1x Squee, Goblin Nabob
4x Tarmogoyf
4x Wild Nacatl

Instant (8)
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Path to Exile

Sideboard (15)

3x Mindbreak Trap
3x Null Rod
4x Faerie Macabre
2x Krosan Grip
3x Pyroblast

I have found that LD decks can really put a hurt on my day, such as New Horizons and Rik's disgusting take on Deadguy Ale! But I am yet to test against decks like Merfolk and Storm, but that is the purpose of the Traps and Rods and Blasts in the SB, but can you lot think of anything else I could use? What about a couple of Magus of the Moon for the Lands! matchup?

[Jim]

That is a very interesting idea, Dave! It seems that the deck is slower than Zoo, like you said, but the options are much broader. I still don't like the interaction of Grim Lavamancer with Tarmogoyf and Survival, but that's up to you really. You have 12 fetch lands. Probably, that's enought to compensate. I've seen other people play like that anyway.
PS: I can bring Merfolk next time to test this against them.

[JamSpot]

I don't like Lavamancer in here either actually.

I think you need more reach and I'd actually go for -3 Lavamancer +3 StP so allowing you to clear the path for your dudes or +1 StP +2 Jitte.

[yankeedave]

Thanks for the input guys!

I have had a bit of a think, taken on your advice and done some further testing and Grim Lavamancer isn't working alongside 'Goyf or Survival too well, so I have decided to drop both him and the Genesis as I very rarely have time to return cards to my hand from the GY. In their places, I have put 2 Gaddock Teeg, and 2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant, in order to help get around Moat and to help shore up the Combo matchup, as well as turn off annoying artifacts such as Engineered Explosives.

What do you think of the changes?

Dave

[Wagz]

You could try Loyal Retainer + Iona somewhere? Also possibly a Humilty or better a Stingscourger to help with reanimated Fatties? If you're not using your Lavamancers please may I borrow them in Manchester this Saturday?

[yankeedave]

Yeah, I would love to play Loyal Retainers, but I don't have one and I can't see me getting one any time soon, as I would rather spend that £100 on a Library of Anexandria for Vintage

You are more than welcome to borrow then, but I am away on holiday for 4 days starting tomorrow, so I don't know how to get them to you!

[Wagz]

Ah not to worry, I'll find some somehow. Have a great time on holiday . Also, you could try 1 Lodestone Golem. Could be a bit slow but it's tutorable and pumps Goyf 1 more as a side-effect.

[Rikkumon]

Have you thought about using Stoneforge Mystic instead of Survival as your card advantage engine? Then replace Anger, Genesis and Squee with SoFI, SoLS and Jitte?

I love the StoneForge...

[Wagz]

@Rik, where's the Like button on this thing

[JamSpot]

Haha Rob you Facebook slut.