Retro Zoo Standard

[Damien 1,514]

This thread is for comments about our Retro Zoo Standard deck.

[Guest Mirko]

what a joke LOL,  Wrathguards getting shield slammed, fireballed not to mention you getting 2 wrathguards on board just so your opponent can use auch+circle or flamestrike etc. Nothing like taking a 10-20 dmg shield slam to the face or up to 8 dmg to the face from board clear...  AND not including the op PO so big taunts need 2-3 cards to be taken care of since no alchemist is included... Haven't played this deck much, I gave up after 2 wins and 6 losses. In current meta there is no place for taking face dmg from removals. I mean really, opponents are like do I go face or do I fight for board? Oh, he runs wrathgurads, i guess i can do both at he same time LOL 

I'm not saying the deck is UTTER SHIT,  just... good luck using it  

[positiv2 953]

If your opponent uses Fireball on your Wrathguard, you won. I wouldn't be really worried about priest combos when nobody is actually playing priest (tempostorm even called the lowest tier "priest tier"). Any zoo will have problems with big taunts, but only decks playing big taunts are C'thun decks (with only Twin Emperor Vek'lor and possibly Twin Emperor Vek'nilash, which means 2 big taunts total) and ramp druid, who stands no chance if you are able to gain board. Any why would you even play Crazed Alchemist? It is pretty much useless card, which doesn't help in any way with intended aggression.
Also, when you draw them, you aren't forced to play them. It's like when you draw Acolyte of Pain - you won't play him with full hand. And finally, this card is like a better Heroic Strike, and that card is rather popular among aggro warrior decks.

[Paracel 165]

I would really put this deck under the now empty " Unique Standard Decks" tag. 

It features...unortodox choices, let's say. Getting Shield Slammed for 20 with Wraithguard is not exactly a great feeling. I also miss Shieldbearers.

28 minutes ago, positiv2 said:

If your opponent uses Fireball on your Wrathguard, you won.

Any zoo will have problems with big taunts, but only decks playing big taunts are C'thun decks (with only Twin Emperor Vek'lor and possibly Twin Emperor Vek'nilash, which means 2 big taunts total) and ramp druid, who stands no chance if you are able to gain board.

Any why would you even play Crazed Alchemist? It is pretty much useless card, which doesn't help in any way with intended aggression.

First point is incorrect for obvious reasons. Tempo (that you don't even get) is nothing when your life total is 0.

Second point is incorrect. Chillmaw, Dark Arakkoa and even Twilight Guardian or Enraged Bloodhoof Brave are all formidable and popular Taunt inclusions. With any normal iteration of Zoo they aren't problematic, that's right - but that's by virtues of Power Overwhelming exactly.

Crazed Alchemist beats Doomsayer, Twilight Guardian and Bloodhoof Brave. It's a reasonable inclusion in any creature-based strategy, up to the point of being a staple tech card.

 

[positiv2 953]

2 minutes ago, Paracel said:

First point is incorrect for obvious reasons. Tempo (that you don't even get) is nothing when your life total is 0.

Second point is incorrect. Chillmaw, Dark Arakkoa and even Twilight Guardian or Enraged Bloodhoof Brave are all formidable and popular Taunt inclusions. With any normal iteration of Zoo they aren't problematic, that's right - but that's by virtues of Power Overwhelming exactly.

Crazed Alchemist beats Doomsayer, Twilight Guardian and Bloodhoof Brave. It's a reasonable inclusion in any creature-based strategy, up to the point of being a staple tech card.

Then why would Flame Imp see play, or why would warlocks play low curve to be forced to tap and lose health, or why does handlock want to drop to low health to drop Molten Giants? It doesn't matter if you win on 1 health or 30, you should use health as a resource.

The amount of dragon decks, let alone dragon decks with Chillmaw is rather low (talking from today's experience). There is only one viable (or played) dragon deck on ladder, and that's dragon warrior (not sure about SEA server though). So, I wouldn't worry about Twilight Guardian, and especially not about Chillmaw. And I don't think I would call a 5-health taunt a big taunt, but that is purely subjective. Also, I should have said that any zoo -that didn't draw Power Overwhelming- has problems with big taunts.

As said previously, Twilight Guardian is a rare sight (around ranks 12-10, at least). If the Bloodhoof Brave is enrages, then Crazed Alchemist won't help at all. Now, it does beat Doomsayer, but is it worth including a card to deal with it? Especially when you have less situational Ironbeak Owl?
I would call Ramp druid a minion-based strategy deck, but I see no reason to include Crazed Alchemist. Most of the minions have the health/attack distribution better than it would be after Crazed Alchemist (except for Darnassus Aspirant).

28 minutes ago, Paracel said:

Getting Shield Slammed for 20 with Wraithguard is not exactly a great feeling

Opponent having 20 armour when playing an aggro deck is bad by itself. In most cases the aggro deck player loses, so the 20 damage is just to make the game faster. Also, playing Wrathguard against warrior with 10+ armor who hasn't used his Shield Slam(s) is like playing Deathwing against priest who hasn't used his Entombs or Shadow Word: Death.

[Paracel 165]

1 hour ago, positiv2 said:

Then why would Flame Imp see play, or why would warlocks play low curve to be forced to tap and lose health, or why does handlock want to drop to low health to drop Molten Giants? It doesn't matter if you win on 1 health or 30, you should use health as a resource.

My point here is just the fact Wraithguard makes you play a very steep cost while not really lining up well against format's common threats and answers. You simply can not capltalize on its high stats efficiently enough. Wraithguard also does not stack well with Flame Imp - and that card actually beats a vast majority of its opposition. 

1 hour ago, positiv2 said:

The amount of dragon decks, let alone dragon decks with Chillmaw is rather low (talking from today's experience). There is only one viable (or played) dragon deck on ladder, and that's dragon warrior (not sure about SEA server though). So, I wouldn't worry about Twilight Guardian, and especially not about Chillmaw. And I don't think I would call a 5-health taunt a big taunt, but that is purely subjective. Also, I should have said that any zoo -that didn't draw Power Overwhelming- has problems with big taunts.

I've faced a ton of Dragon Warrior rank 19,15,10 and 5 alike. Tempo Storm placed it Tier 1 in their most recent meta snapshot, and those guys are pretty credible. Also just opened up Twitch and Sjow was playing it, as well as some other 1k+ streamers.  Personally I think this deck is one of the strongest choices right now, I'd play it myself if not 450\500 golden Warlock progress.  Chillmaw is a situational card there, but N'Zoth Rogue is also a formidable deck, and they can often discover it with Journey From Below or even maindeck it. But that's not really important to the case. 

You see, 5 and 6 health is that magical territory where Zoo starts to struggle, because simple +2 pumps fail to carry you through. That's where your Power Overwhelmings - that Retro Zoo does not play - come to the rescue. 

1 hour ago, positiv2 said:

As said previously, Twilight Guardian is a rare sight (around ranks 12-10, at least). If the Bloodhoof Brave is enrages, then Crazed Alchemist won't help at all. Now, it does beat Doomsayer, but is it worth including a card to deal with it? Especially when you have less situational Ironbeak Owl?

I would call Ramp druid a minion-based strategy deck, but I see no reason to include Crazed Alchemist. Most of the minions have the health/attack distribution better than it would be after Crazed Alchemist (except for Darnassus Aspirant).

Doomsayer is an actual problem for Zoo decks. It's really hard to handle because it forces pumps and it's still pretty much 7 life gained for them. Thank god it lost its popularity. 

Now, you say that Ironbeak Owl is a less situational card, but are you really sure? 

There is a reason our favorite bird is not common on ladder, Reddit, Twitter and in guides, while Alchemist runs rampant with his recipies. An elusive but simple thing - Silence is not as good as it used to be. Buffs and cards with powerful deathrattles like Sludge Belcher, Mad Scientist, Tirion Fordring or Ancient of War are on decline - when you silence something, you probably just getting rid of Taunt. That does not contribute to combat math, as you are a Zoo deck - fightning for board control. A 2\6 is just as problematic for you as a 2\6 Taunt, except you do slightly more damage - which is not your highest priority. 

Alchemist is cheaper, instantly affects combat math, ultimately has more targets, does not suck when it's blank and still works as a pinpoint answer to corner cases like Doomsayer. It's The Utility Card you want to play on ladder. 

I admit overgeneralizing on "any creature-based strategy", though.  All other aggresive decks have plentifuls of removal, so I guess Alchemist is relegated to Zoo for good.

[positiv2 953]

11 hours ago, Paracel said:

My point here is just the fact Wraithguard makes you play a very steep cost while not really lining up well against format's common threats and answers. You simply can not capltalize on its high stats efficiently enough. Wraithguard also does not stack well with Flame Imp - and that card actually beats a vast majority of its opposition. 

Hearthstats' archetype usage says that zoo is most common deck in past 2 hours. It doesn't have that many ways to deal high damage in one attack - Power Overwhelming, huge Darkshire Councilman and Doomguard. However, you can look at it this way: Darkshire Councilman or Doomguard basically went face, but you paid 2 mana to deal 4 damage to them (and possibly extra face damage if you managed to go face with Wrathguard).
Vast majority except for Disciple of C'Thun, Arcane Missiles (50%), Arcane Blast, any 2/1 1-drop and so on. With tempo mage and C'thun decks taking 2nd and 3rd place in the aforementioned archetype usage, I probably wouldn't call it "vast majority".

11 hours ago, Paracel said:

I've faced a ton of Dragon Warrior rank 19,15,10 and 5 alike. Tempo Storm placed it Tier 1 in their most recent meta snapshot, and those guys are pretty credible. Also just opened up Twitch and Sjow was playing it, as well as some other 1k+ streamers.  Personally I think this deck is one of the strongest choices right now, I'd play it myself if not 450\500 golden Warlock progress.  Chillmaw is a situational card there, but N'Zoth Rogue is also a formidable deck, and they can often discover it with Journey From Below or even maindeck it. But that's not really important to the case. 

You see, 5 and 6 health is that magical territory where Zoo starts to struggle, because simple +2 pumps fail to carry you through. That's where your Power Overwhelmings - that Retro Zoo does not play - come to the rescue. 

I wouldn't call tempostorm "pretty credible". "Somewhat credible" seems more accurate - they had their missteps, and not only a few of them.
Strength of deck isn't defined by its popularity, as seen with pre-nerf patron. For example, Thijs is playing Astral Communion druid right now, and I doubt that it is tier 1 deck.
This deck plays Soulfire in place of Power Overwhelming. Now that is something I wouldn't do, but it is still viable choice in case your board dies or opponent plays big taunt while on 4 or less health.

11 hours ago, Paracel said:

Now, you say that Ironbeak Owl is a less situational card, but are you really sure? 

There is a reason our favorite bird is not common on ladder, Reddit, Twitter and in guides, while Alchemist runs rampant with his recipies. An elusive but simple thing - Silence is not as good as it used to be. Buffs and cards with powerful deathrattles like Sludge Belcher, Mad Scientist, Tirion Fordring or Ancient of War are on decline - when you silence something, you probably just getting rid of Taunt. That does not contribute to combat math, as you are a Zoo deck - fightning for board control. A 2\6 is just as problematic for you as a 2\6 Taunt, except you do slightly more damage - which is not your highest priority. 

Alchemist is cheaper, instantly affects combat math, ultimately has more targets, does not suck when it's blank and still works as a pinpoint answer to corner cases like Doomsayer. It's The Utility Card you want to play on ladder. 

Crazed Alchemist is currently in no IV decks (apart from adventure decks). Ironbeak Owl is in low amount of updated decks, but is still used. It is a rare sight, but is used more than Crazed Alchemist. I don't use twitter, and read only shitpost at reddit, so I can't compare Alchemist with Owl over there. Alchemist might be used in some zoo builds, and can be better than Owl in some cases, but genereally I believe that Owl is superior in zoo.
This deck is more aggressive than regular zoo, and you want those extra 4 damage. Also, if the warrior enrages the Bloodhoof (if that's the card you had in mind), you would rather deal with 2/5 without taunt, than 5/5 with taunt. Though it probably is too specific and probably rare-ish situation.
Alchemist is cheaper - he basically has extra three stats, that is true. Owl does affect the board instantly as well (enrages, buffs, taunts...). Has more targets, but does less to those extra targets than to those "common target" with owl (like 2/3 - 3/2 swap). There are situations where it is better to keep him in hand than to swap stats of a minion as he always has to target a minion (if there is one on the board). Owl deals with Doomsayer as well, except for opponent coining Doomsayer on turn 1, but that isn't that common. Alchemist does deal with him better, but you rarely include a card to deal with one specific card of the opponent (such as running Eater of Secrets to deal with MC).

 

I personally don't run either. Neither are good enough to be included imo.

[singthebody 0]

Wellllll I for one am having a lot of success with this deck lol XD.