So I took this to the first FNM since rotation to give it a run. We only had 14 signed up for Standard constructed, but I am guessing that it may have to do with people still getting their decks together, so we had a cut to top 4 after 4 rounds.
Round 1: My opponent is running a W/G Hardened Scales deck with Hangarback Walker, Managorger Hydra, and Avatar of the Resolute. First game he doesn't hit a hardened scales and just throws out the creatures that he is able to find as we both hit a lot of lands and get stuck top-decking. I end up having to race him using goblin tokens to attack and block a good sized hangarback and a couple other creatures, finally getting in the final push to finish him. Game 2 he drops 2 Hardened Scales to start and then Hangarback and a couple Hydras. I was able to remove the growing hydras before they dealt too much damage and dance around the Hangarback long enough with planeswalkers and chump blockers to get flying on board and finish him. Win 2-0 - Overall 1-0 I brought in my extra removal here, dropping some toke generators due to trample, hoping to draw Utter End to deal with his Hangarbacks but never got them. Thankfully it didn't matter as I drew removal for his tramplers and chumped the Hangarbacks. He may have spent a little too much resources going after a couple of my walkers when he should have just gone face with some good sized tramplers.
Round 2: My opponent was running the new Atarka red Landfall deck. He was fast and bursty and he punished loss of tempo hard. Game 1 I am able to hold him for a bit but don't get my fourth land for my walkers until a couple turns too late and can't bring it back against pumps and trample. Game 2 I hit my curve, get my removal and a walker or two to slow him down and drop a couple of Butchers to finish him. Game 3 I once again do not hit land #4 until a few turns too late and it is game 1 all over again. Lose 1-2 - Overall 1-1 I felt that this was a fine match-up for me, as I have a decent bit of life gain and removal to deal with this sort of deck, I just didn't hit the lands. I brought in my Wild Slashes, Ultimate Price, and Surge of Righteousnesses but never drew them to help me early.
Round 3: My opponent is one of my friends that rides with us to FNM. He was running the updated Abzan midrange deck. Game 1 he mulls to 5 and still draws poor lands for an easy win for me. Game 2 is back and forth early with him getting out a couple of hangarbacks and then playing an Anafenza, the Foremost. I then made a mistake that cost me the game, waiting until his turn, letting him up his counters on a Hangarback to 3 on my turn, to play Crackling Doom. I knew it as soon as I passed turn but it was too late and he upped the walker to 4 and sacked it instead of Anafenza and I lost all momentum and the game was effectively over. Game 3 we both played out 2 hangarbacks a piece and kind of faced down each other removing the threats and slowly poking each other down with flyers, walkers and Siege Rhinos. As it came down to the end we both made pretty major mistakes and both a shot at the game but my friend got a bit more tilted from his mistakes and pretty well threw the game. Win 2-1 - Overall 2-1 Once again I brought in my Utter Ends but once again never saw them. This seems an alright match-up, I just need to play it really smart.
Round 4: My opponent is playing R/W pump aggro trying to make use of Zada, Hedron Grinder and running Chandra, Fire of Kaladesh
Flip, and Seeker of the Ways for life-gain. Game 1 I have a rather slow hand and he rushes me down to 6 life while being at 30 himself. However, he did not have trample to finish through my chump blockers and I hit all of my lands and stabilized with some life-gain of my own and got my walkers going and attritioned him out with removal tokens and Drana, Liberator of Malakir . Game 2 happens almost exactly the same except I don't lose as much life to start. I win 2-0 - Overall - 3-1 While quick his lack of trample, unlike atarka red, limited his late game burst and allowed me to stabilize and turn the tide. I brought in the same stuff I brought in against the Atarka red guy but finally drew some of it this time. Also, I finally, for the first time, drew Ob NIxilis against this guy and did got to play him in both games.
Finished 3-1 and placed in the top 4 and we split.
Overall, had a lot of fun playing this deck. I had a few issues with mana in one match but overall it seemed okay but not great. I loved getting to use all of the walkers and they were all really good. One card that I did not seem to ever like having in my hand was Mardu Charm. It seems like fine card and I liked the idea but it never seemed to do much and I wished it was something else, so I decided to switch them out for a couple Nantuko Husks to test out with all of the tokens and Hangerbacks to see if I can get a little more reach. I am also considering trying out Secure the Wastes as a growable token generator but I am not sure where or how yet.
