Zoo Algorithm
- Last updated Aug 11, 2014 (Naxx Launch)
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Wild
- 26 Minions
- 4 Spells
- Deck Type: Ranked Deck
- Deck Archetype: Unknown
- Crafting Cost: 1280
- Dust Needed: Loading Collection
- Created: 7/11/2014 (Live Patch 5506)
- Pyrolistical
- Registered User
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- 3
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- 12
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Battle Tag:
N/A
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Total Deck Rating
293
Zoo is easy to play, but it is often poorly explained to new players on how to actually play it. While climbing ladder I've repeatedly seen misplays when my opponent is playing Zoo.
There are very few decisions that need to made when playing Zoo. There is generally a single correct play. While I cannot describe all situations you will encounter, I have attempted to write down the general Zoo algorithm.
I use this deck to rush to Rank 5 every season. I believe anybody following this algorithm will be able to do the same.
While the algorithm applies to any Zoo variant, the details below will be talking about my Zoo variant (which includes double Hellfire).
Good luck, and see you at Rank 5
Strategy
Snowball your board to lethal by keeping their board clear with smart trades. Surprise your opponent by buffing your minions into trading range.
Deck Breakdown
Primary One Drops
Buff Minions
Charge Minions
Direct Damage
Indirect Damage
Mulligan
With Coin
If at least 2 Primary One Drops
then keep Dire Wolf Alpha
otherwise throw everything away except for Primary One Drops.
Without Coin
Throw everything away except for Primary One Drops.
Tapping
Tap if you can play you entire hand and still have 2 mana remaining. Tap first. You need to be careful not to tap below certain health levels against some match ups. For example never tap 14 HP against a Druid who is running the combo at 9 mana.
Main Algorithm
- Lethal check incrementally using
- direct damage
- played minions
- charge minions
- buff minions
- indirect damage with additional minions
- Clear the board best you can
- Use Hellfire if their board is way better than yours
- Almost always use Soulfire to clear 3+ health minions
- Use Buff Minions to bring played minions into range
- Try to match damage to enemy minion health exactly if possible
- When trading, favour keeping few strong/undamaged minions over many weak ones to avoid AoE clears
- Keep in mind of the increased damage with Dire Wolf Alpha when trading
- Consider order of play when Knife Juggler is in play
- Doomguard is typically used for trading, definitely use when discarding some 1 drops. Consider carefully when discarding 4+ mana minions.
- Avoid trading Young Priestess and Dire Wolf Alpha
- Build the board
- Place weaker minions in the middle with strong ones on both sides to maximize Defender of Argus and Dire Wolf Alpha options
- Buff weaker minions such as Shieldbearer and Argent Squire to realize their true value
- Avoid buffing Young Priestess and Dire Wolf Alpha
- If the opponents board is empty, play non-taunts first
- Avoid playing Buff Minions if the buffed target cannot attack this turn
- Play taunts and Defender of Argus if opponent is likely to have a lethal next turn
- Otherwise, maximize mana usage
- Attack the face with board
- Goto step 1
Naxxramas Update
Where are the Naxxramas cards? I tried replacing Shieldbearer and Young Priestess with Nerubian Egg and Haunted Creeper, but I really didn't like it. Losing two Primary One Drops is a huge problem. You need early 1 drops so you can snowball the game. If you are dropping a single minion at 2 mana as your first minion, you've lost the game.
What do you mean by "the capability to clear Leroy"? He's a 6 damage for 4 mana finisher that has insane synergy with buffing minions. So what if the opponent can clear it? You have already dealt at least 1/5 th of your opponents health with him, who cares if he gets killed on the next turn?
leroy has two health besides using him as a finisher he has low use in this deck the 5/7 will help you alot more for clearing there taunts and having board presence/control but if you really want to give up 5 health for 1 more attack and giving your opponent 2 monsters (which can be game ending against a druid combo deck) go ahead but then your limiting yourself to only using power overwhelming for your leroy finisher and not for smart field trading
Good guide.
is one of the quickest too. fast win or fast lose
Thank you so much for the breakdown of how to play a zoo deck. I had the quest today to win 2 games as a lock and used this deck with two card modifications (because I don't own two suggested).
I dislike zoo decks on principle, yet this deck got me my two wins straight away.
Thank you for the "play by play" behind a zoo deck.
I replaced one dark iron dwarf with Leeroy Jenkins, it has been working out really well
I have only lost to 3 things so far. Have gone from rank 20 - 12 on a new account in two hours.
1: Rush Priest
2: Paladin
3: Other zoo decks when they get to go 2nd
Hellfire should be in every Warlock deck.
...Not in zoo. The damage hits the zoo player's own minions too.
With zoo if you don't have your opponent against the wall by turn 3......and almost/completely dead by turn 5-6......you are in trouble.
this deck is pretty easy to climb ranks sadly its too simple and makes hearthstone worse
Hellfire is a really, really, bad choice in zoo. Especially when you're running two of it. When playing zoo, you should be in complete control of the board from turn 1, there is no time for you to 'reset' the board as the longer the game drags on, the closer you are to losing. TL;DR Hellfire is bad.
when facin control decks that coul be true but against other aggro decks sometimes a reset can help u , if u smart enough u can even wait one turn onc eu realize u lost the board so u save ur minions in hand and let oponent spend their minions
I disagree. Sometimes you need that extra DPS to kill your opponent.
Tried this deck out, and have have won 4 times straight with no losses at the moment. Hellfire is often, like Soulfire and Doomguard, just damage I can deal straight in my opponents face, giving me a fast lethal. Genius.
No offense, but you guys probably haven't played zoo all the way up to higher ranks (rank 5 and below) zoo (imo at least) is all about efficient minion trading to maintain board control. Hellfire against other aggro decks often backfires as 1. Yes you clear the board, but end up dealing 3 damage to yourself 2. You wasted a turn playing Hellfire and now reset the board for your opponent to fill the board again. So you end up losing board control instead of gaining it which Hellfire is supposed to help you achieve. The only match-up which Hellfire would even be remotely useful would be mirror matchups but it's still bad overall. Very.
I don't know if it its me or the deck but I tried to this deck 10 matches in casual mode and went 2 wins 8 losses. My only 2 wins were against priest. I have played many variations of zoo and I have had the worst luck with this one. Hands down.
Great guide for new players. Some might not agree with some part of algorithm or some may say the guide is incomplete, but it is not that easy to present a perfect flowchart or a pseudo code of a perfect play, else everyone will be able to play like a pro-players. I believe it would be better to guide the main idea and mindset and let the experience from the real match do the rest.
I've tried one Shadowflame and one Hellfire and Shadowflame works wonder if you have a buffed up monster and you really need the board clear, more safer then 2x Hellfire as most of the monsters are pretty low
Do you think this will work past rank 5?
I've played against people running decks like this who are higher than rank 5. The deck certainly has the potential to reach legend, it just takes skill and time. Maybe switch out some cards to better handle the decks you find yourself getting matched against often.