Yes, it‘s funny until chalice of the void… -a hurt Naya-Zoo-Player

i hear you Magicus... gotta have those 0 or 2 MV/CMC artifact removal ready... Engineered Explosives, Qasali Pridemage and Destructive Revelry can answer Chalice of the Void but sometimes we just get hosed... it just be like that sometimes lol.

Yes, you are absolutely right. But then there are situations were you sideboard ideally to counter chalice and some eldrazi,karn,urza bullshit still breaks your neck. Feels like sideboarding to have a chance to play the game, not like sideboarding to increase your odds. Maybe its not about Zoo but my hatred for Tron :D

Anyways, here is a little sugar from my zoo-experience: - Hex Parasite as another chalice counter in the aggro theme - Revenge of the Hunted as a funny random one-of surprise (Blessings of Nature for a similar style)

Down with tron and titan I say lol thanks for the tips I'll alit to the primer!

I totally forgot to say, nice primer! Sorry about the missing hyperlinks. I tried to link the cards, but it did not work. Last try: Revenge of the Hunted Hex Parasite

Collected company!

@magwaaf I think Collected Company has a lot of potential however; I don't think it is suitable for the low mana curve gameplan that Drop Zoo is going for... this deck doesn't see or even want to see 4 lands very often. Other Zoo builds with a higher land count and more MV/CMC though I think would be an outstanding inclusion.

I love low to the ground aggro. May you make control players weep. My only suggestion is more Qasali Pridemage.

Definitely could opt for more pridemage! Because this is a primer I have ratios and tech choices that can easily be swapped out to run more of them... definitely feels good having mainboard answers for Ensnaring Bridge though!

I realize this is more of a 'just for fun' deck, but it still really should have 4 Pelt Collector in it, ESPECIALLY if you're playing Vexing Devil already. I mean, those cards are bff's so you just gotta do it.

also unsure why Guttural Response... Is being able to cast it off a basic mountain worth using it over Veil of Summer?

also unsure why Guttural Response? Is being able to cast it off a basic mountain (and I guess protection from something like an overloaded Cyclonic Rift or an Aetherspouts..) worth using it over Veil of Summer?

@Dragaan Great card choices!

Guttural Response vs Veil of Summer is a meta decision for people that contend with nonsense like Gifts Ungiven/Cryptic Command/Archmage's Charm... its more narrow of a card choice but because its a sideboard card when its brought in the hybrid mana of can enable the deck to still make aggressive plays while still having appropriate mana available to cast if applicable. I think for a lot of people Veil of summer is probably a better/more rounded choice though and I should definitely mention it and explain this in the primer.

Pelt Collector is another great option that I neglected to mention in my deck description which I will update later on. It feels so so so good to open with and would probably say it is generally a better choice than Kytheon, Hero of Akros  ^Flip; which frankly is a "win more" card when not just being a fancy Elite Vanguard. My only complaint about the card is that it can feel bad to topdeck but otherwise its outstanding!

Yea, I realize there are some cases where a straight counter (for instants, at least) will protect/prevent things Veil won't. The two things you mentioned are still prevented by Veil, though, I'm pretty sure (?) Veil blocks Cryptic from countering any of your spells, tapping any of your permanents, or bouncing any of your permanents. Doesn't prevent opponent from drawing a card, though (but you get to draw a card as well). I'm pretty sure Veil will stop Gifts Ungiven, as it says "target opponent" and veil gives both your permanents and YOU hexproof from black/blue (again, also drawing you a card). I've never run into this specific interaction online, though, so I'm not positive (correct me if I'm wrong).

At first glance it can be tough to see just how crazy Veil is, but that card feels pretty busted, lol. Again, I understand it doesn't do everything an actual counterspell does, tho.

Nice catch with gifts! I forgot about the "target" opponent part lol... I'm so used to the first half and then just having the joy of "choosing" lol. No doubt about it is one heck of a card!

Yeah, man.. I mean, at least for me, I really have to sit there for a minute each time I think of using it in any specific scenario, because it works in such a strange way. Even if it didn't cantrip, it would still probably see a decent amt of sideboard play. That's why it's one of those damn $5+ uncommons, lol

I'd cut the qasali for knight if autumn

rampager and viper for ragavan

Vines for violent outburst

Baubles for 2 more boros charm

Pridemage has to be sacrificed and you don't wanna lose pressure to kill something when you can have for 1 more mana a utility guy that can be bigger and is good vs multiple decks.

Ragavan.... it's f'ing ragavan....

Outburst because it gets anything else into play from your deck while boosting your attack

Boros charm utility will win games

Y'know I've spent a lot of time reading up on Zoo and talking to other Zoo players... I think that's a first I've heard someone suggest Violent Outburst... that just seems like something fun to try out and build the deck around it more that's very neat to think about thanks.

I can get behind your other suggestions/reasonings too (This is just a working list I run at my LGS)... I'd love me a playset of ragavan just haven't bought them... I do wanna stick up for Pridemage though; when played on curve T1 Wild Nacatl and T2 Qasali Pridemage swinging for 4 damage due to exalted is pretty big and can unassumingly be impactful for games where "swinging with the team" just isn't the answer. He is also just a mainboard answer for Chalice of the Void/Ensnaring Bridge which are just both prevalent in my meta; where he is pressure/boost normally but also sacrificing him so I can keep attacking/casting is just worth it.

oops i forgot to say you cut pridemage for knight of autumn lol. got distracted