Oct 19, 20222 min read

Deck of the Week: Modern Domain Zoo

Updated: Aug 23, 2023

Deck Overview

Wild Nacatl is back in Modern after a long hiatus! It has been a long time since Naya Zoo dominated the Modern format, and several recent printings have brought five-color zoo back from the ashes! This decklist, piloted by MisterT1980, got second place in the most recent Modern Challenge on MTGO, losing only to Azorius Control in the finals.

This deck combines the new with the old, and the mana base allows you to play some of Modern’s most powerful spells. Back from the ashes, of course, is Wild Nacatl, which used to be a Modern staple until the power creep eventually pushed it into the ‘nonplayable’ category. Alongside it is good-old Tribal Flames, allowing you to Lava Axe your opponent out of nowhere in most games. It’s also refreshing to see Remand back in a Modern deck since the printing of Counterspell and Archmage’s Charm have replaced it.

Most of the deck is filled with new creatures and spells that push it into tier-one playability. Modern Horizons 2 provided the deck with its best turn-one-play, Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer, and two of the deck’s best Midrange beaters, Territorial Kavu and Scion of Draco. The Triomes have provided Zoo with the ability to have all five land types on turn two, which make a turn two Scion of Draco or Leyline Binding a viable option. And speaking of Leyline Binding, the deck now has a potential one-drop that can remove any nonland permanent at instant speed.

I love everything about this deck; the game plan is simple, but the gameplay is complicated. The hardest part of learning this deck is figuring out which lands you should be fetching for, but as soon as you master that, I think the rest of the gameplay falls into place. I have seen many different builds of this specific deck, so there is always something new you can try. I have seen this deck play Shardless Agent, Qasali Ambusher, and even Kira, Great Glass-Spinner. Whatever type of game you want to play, there is a version of this deck for you!