I understand if you just want to play five color, but it isn't optimal in the hatebear strategy.

Birthing pod should be in here, probably put in melira infinite or something, and survival of the fittest is probably worth it in this list if you're going to be running lots of hate.

I'd say if you want to go on the hate plan, look at hatebear style decks in as many formats as you can to have a creature toolbox to blow situations open.

This was from a quick skim, I might be able to look more into the specific choices later.

Yeah, he original plan was four colour control, basically abzan hatebears(ish) with counterspells, however it has definitely morphed into a five colour midrange deck which I think is the only direction which will work (short of combo).

My issue with using survival or pod is that they're both points, and quite substantial points at that. I don't know if it's worth cutting recall though. The card is amazing but five points is steep for one card.

Sounds sweet! if you just plan on midranging people out rather than a toolbox those aren't really necessary anyway.

There are some more value creatures you can play for midrange for sure, but the list looks sweet.

The rough part about ancestral is that it's 5 points and it isn't a tutor, or a card you tutor for (generally). It is a card that is sweet if you draw it, but there are no plans to make use of it unless it just happens to show up.

But when you get it it's so sweet, so I definitely get it. ;P.

There have been times where I have EoT Mystical Teachings for it and I think once when I did Bring to Light for it, but yeah, it's definitely a "draw into" kind of thing.

I'm thinking of long term cutting Dark Confidant (even though I love that guy so much) for other draw. This also means I'm able to run higher CMC cards without the fear of killing myself. Speaking of, I think I'm going to drop Mind Twist for Treasure Cruise as well, there are too many times where I couldn't get enough mana for twist or they only had one card in hand or it generaly just wasn't good value.