"Avatar is really good now.." That comment is so silly. When was that card bad ever? Even without +1/+1 counters its is a strong value card for its mana.

Shame to hear your deck didn't end out doing better, but at least it didn't do horrible. Wish you the best with your future games.

I actually constructed this deck because I loved your previous iteration of it. Had some questions.

The deck is meant to be played a bit controlly yes? I've found in many of my matchups I have trouble against flying. How do you deal with that?

I have to admit, I was definitely playing this wrong to begin with. Your explanation makes a lot more sense. My assumption is that on the Den Protector flip you return Deathmist Raptor face up most times? If you've got one Deathmist Raptor in play already, it might make sense to return the other face down to evade Declaration in Stone.

The deck does play a bit like a control deck in the sense that your playing reactively. I think of it as an anti-control deck.

Against game one aggro flyers (if that's a thing somewhere?) You will probably lose. From the side board you can go up to 8 2-drop removal spells and add the 4x Avatar of the Resolute. Along with some of your own threats you should stand a chance of holding off a lot of flyers. I'd likely side in all the aggro creatures to keep the pressure on.

This deck is never a true aggro deck, it's aggro enough to beat decks vulnerable to that but it's more a mid range deck that's just big enough to stop most aggro.

The deck is well positioned against the flyers people seem to be commonly playing today. This deck has enough answers to Archangel Avacyn  ^Flip in the main deck, 6 removal spells plus the Ulvenwald Hydra eats Angels, and fetches Westvale Abbey  ^Flip which also eats Angels.

I've actually never played a face down Deathmist Raptor. There are times like you say where it would be the best play, but ideally you'd spend that mana just sac'ing both Raptors to Evolutionary Leap in response to Declaration in Stone.

As a side note: I'm thinking I'll go back to 4 main deck Evo Leaps and only one Hydra, but that Hydra seemed to overpreform every time I cast it.

Ahhh, I didn't see your recent addition of Ulvenwald Hydra. Yeah, I like that!

I know the trick you have working with Evolutionary Leap and the small number of creature cards, but have you considered Archangel Avacyn  ^Flip? Her hype is deserved.

Also, Dragonlord Dromoka out of the sideboard has been amazing for me! It dodges a lot of the common played removal and outclasses all other flyers being played. Stasis Snare, Declaration in Stone, and Anguished Unmaking are the only "kill spells" being played that hits short of a board wipe and those are often spent on earlier played creatures. some decks simply cannot beat it.

I can't bring myself to play a card that kills almost everything in my own deck even if it saved everything the turn before. Archangel Avacyn  ^Flip is also which would compromise the mana base. Gideon is easier to cast with 4 Oath of Nissa. If I already owned a set of Avacyn's I would probably find a way to justify it though or maybe just play the GW tokens list that's winning all the recent tournaments.

Dragonlord Dromoka would be my first choice of big threat after Arashin Sovereign and Ulvenwald Hydra which suit the decks strategy better and can defend against everything. Dromaka doesn't survive Westvale Abbey  ^Flip or Dragonlord Atarka, but ya it beats everything else.

While it is true that the card can kill your own things, I have found this to be a rare case as you control when she enters. Also, Gideon emblems and Nissa counters can quickly get your creatures out of range anyways. If you use her wisely, her upside far outways the few times it may bite you. I am not talking about taking out Gideon but running it alongside. Double white is a real deal but it is normally a late game play.

Point is, if you get the chance, at least try it out once. Even playing a singleton copy changes things up when your playing Den Protector.

Forgot about those two flyers! Oops!