Some sort of Sap play would be super punishing if you coin DoC. Could be game losing. Like Drake/Prep/Sap or Sap/Si

Also having Coin for Emperor or Boom is nice.

An interesting spot today, I am Zoolock at 20ish HP, against Mage at 14 HP.
He just played Dr. Boom.

Board:

[1/1 boom bot] [7/7 boom] [1/1 boom bot]

[1/1 imp] [1/1 haunted] [3/2 juggler] [5/4 loatheb] [2/2 peddler]

Your hand: Doomguard, Doomguard, Nerubian Egg

Tell me your play!

all go face play doomguard hit face for lethal

Yep, I'm punished for dropping Doomguard first :'(
Other cuter play would be suiciding the juggler into boom

Wait... I don't get why this is an interesting spot. What am I missing?

Some really bad RNG punish me for dropping doomguard first. Juggler ~> boom bots ~> Loatheb.

Ahh, I feel dumb lol

Lol, for a second I thought you were looking for BM advice with the obv lethal. Do I emote thanks or oops?

a) coin hero power
b) coin innervate keeper
c) pass

A > B > C, IMO. Gotta keep your health high in this matchup because they have so much burst, so I want to take the gnome out asap.

I'm sure coin innervate keeper is the worst option. It just ****s your curve so badly. I lean toward C. I think golem is his most likely play on 2, and this way you can innervate keeper on 2 and coin keeper on 3 which will deal with both the leper gnome and golem. Yeah, the more I think about it I like C, because you're taking 4 damage from that gnome regardless, might as well smooth the curve. You get punished by abusive a bit, but that downside isnt worse than being unable to deal with a golem for 2 turns and hero powering on 3.

Passing is the worst option imo. I really don't want to see two 1 drops played on turn two if he has them with the gnome still in action.

I feel innervating and coining out a keeper is better than passing because it at least leave you with board presence and you suffer the least amount of damage in a match up where it matterrs, and limits his turn 2 options to some degree.

I would hero power it down with the coin myself.

Btw, you're not always taking 4. You only take 3 because armor.

Id just pass

BrokeBack not autopilot! i think id coin the hero power and hope for no totem golem

kolento went with a keeper

That play isn't without merit. Did his chat give him grief?

In that matchup, I'd be pretty terrified to pass. A big factor for me is that the Druid hasn't (yet) drawn a taunt/Loatheb/weapon-removal.

no, and I think its perfectly reasonable too

I also think the other two options are as well which is why its a good discussion

A>>B>>>>>C vs aggro shammy.

Turn 1 coin HP
Turn 2 innervate keeper
Turn 3 two chances to topdeck something here and HP isn't bad as a resort
Turn 4 keeper
Turn 5 you've prob drawn loatheb/belcher/DotC by now

Shammy has run out of steam by now and you've got 23+ hp and are in good shape to keep board control.

The reason I don't like option B is that you are just crippling your curve in a matchup where you need to heavily contest board presence turns 1-5.

I dont see anyway you are at 23+ hp on 5. just the leper gnome puts you to 27. hes going to juggler/golem on two that youll take 3 from and then charge the 2/1 or put up feral spirits that we dont even have an answer for

maybe we have to look at it as already being far behind (lol hstone) and needing to get lucky with draws after the keeper play in order to have a chance to win. maybe the only chance is passing and hoping to draw claw taunt

In picking C, I'm basically in denial that the above is true. But in reality it probably is true. Lol hearthstone indeed if Druid is probably way behind when it can innervate out a 4 drop on turn 1. Blizz pls

Lol it is true. Game is basically over on turn 2 sometimes if aggro decks can spew out 3+ minions by then.

coijn heropower has to be the worst play here. either pass and go for the great curve or play the keeper i think i play the keeper ans cross my fingers he doesnt have a totem golem

No. It isn't the worst play. Keeping the board clean against aggro > passing. If the shaman has another leper gnome and picks up a trogg or finley and plays them on turn two you pretty much shot yourself in the foot by passing.

well in a nutshell i would agree. the thing is when you go coin heropower turn 1 you innervate keeper on turn 2 .
if you go innervate, coin keeper on turn 1 you go heropower turn 2 most of the time unless you draw into a wrath or maybe a wild growth.
so 90+% of the time you use the exact same cards on turn 1 and 2 only when you play keeper turn 1 you take 2 less damage, have a minnion to fight for the board 1 turn earlier and you have a bit of flexibility on turn 2 if you happen to draw into a wrath. so the keeper play is clearly better than heropower. if you pass and innervate a keeper on turn 2 you take 4 damage of the lepergnome and have a much better curve. if you heropower you take 3 damage from the lepergnome.
i dont like coin heropower at all it does close to nothing and messes with our curve for allmost no reason.

What is the optimal strategy for zoo?

Take a starting hand like this:



I can coin out creeper. I can coin out juggler. I can coin out peddler. I can just play flame imp. I just get overwhelmed by the number of choices.

I mean I know how zoo works in general but what are some general tips and strategies that separate the good zoo players from the bad?