Murder Investigation isn't a replacement for the walker it's an "also" - turn your Managorger into a pseudo hangarback for example. It's a lot more mileage a few turns in than you would get out of a late play Servant for example.

You're right on Bone Splinters not being the best force-sac (to spawn tokens on demand, say if your hangarback was going to be exiled or otherwise disabled instead of killed).

Celestial Flare (staying white but limits to combat phases) or Altar's Reap (splashing black) are instant speed choices.

It's a utility option that may not really pan out in practice but may be worth a look. YMMV, I'm just working on theory

Thanks Trynthlas, I've been thinking about Murder Investigation since you suggested it, I've come up with something that seems to work. 4xBlisterpod, 4xMurder Investigation, and the 4xHangarback Walker's give a LOT of tokens. I've been testing it and it seems to work best with a very low mana curve, the only 3 drop can be Managorger Hydra so you can fetch a lot of creatures with Evolutionary Leap and play 2-3 of them in a turn.

Blisterpod is awesome in this deck, except it doesn't combo with counters. This is such a great turn 1, opponents will so often not attack or block it for an extra turn or two because they think you want it for mana ramp. This one-drop can buy 3-4 turns itself. Later you sac it to draw two creatures.

Here's what I'm thinking now, You can't fire me because I quit - G/W Count copy

The sideboard is weird, you can play this original mainboard with the sideboard. Or the Murder Investigation deck could be this decks sideboard. Either way, the idea is that you can switch between lots of tokens and big flying creatures while leaving enough spots for some good removal.

Let me know how it does if you play it! I like the ability to really switch up the deck's threat matrix with the sideboard configuration you have. I do wonder if Blisterpod has the same "won't attack" effect after the first game? (you tell me!)

A few other 'food for thought' cards... (which you may have already considered)Retreat to Kazandu for additional counters that goes really well with Hardened Scales, especially with fetch lands (it's a reason to put even more of them in the deck, too!). Play fetch land, 1 counter + 1 for each Scales, crack it and play another land, doubled the counter. Option 2 on the enchant is also good for some life in a pinch.

Picture the magical Christmas land early-game scenario: Turn 1 or 2 get a Scales out; Turn 3 Managorger; Turn 4 play Retreat (+2 counters on Hydra), play fetch land (+2 counters on Hydra), crack fetch land (+2 counters on Hydra), play another 1 mana spell (+2 counters on Hydra)... 7/7 or 9/9 trample critter on Turn 4. Or split the landfall counters up if you did a T1 or T2 creature drop.

Inspiring Call for indestructible at a key moment, and/or hand-refill, which comes in handy when you have all cheap stuff and can empty out your hand pretty easily. Great sideboard card with a counters deck IMO.

Scale Blessing which just gets retarded between Managorgers and Hardened Scales. Only really good if you're able to keep 3+ creatures on the board though (that's my super-scientific analysis) due to the mana cost and more of an anthem effect.

I don't think the Murder Investigation deck could support even one more non-creature spell.

Inspiring Call could replace Evolutionary Leap if you wanted to take the deck in a different direction, I don't think they make sense together.

I'm exaggerating the strength of Blisterpod a bit, but even if you just chump block with it twice, it should buy enough time to stabilize the game. I've played many games where I fall behind and can only keep one creature on the table, I've run myself out of creatures in my library twice now, if I had blister pods, or Murder Investigation, I think I could have gained an advantage and made a come back.

I only play with friends who know every card in my deck and FNM at my local card shop with a small group of regulars, there isn't much chance of really surprising anyone, often by the second match everyone knows generally what everyone else is up to. The switch sideboard could still work though, the opponent will still likely make bad decisions by guessing what I'll side in. I should get to test out the new list next week.

have you thought of Gleam of Authority and Feat of Resistance

musiclover, ya I ran 4xGleam of Authority along with Den Protector. That was great, but going with Evolutionary Leap now it doesn't work as well. Basically I'm sacrificing creatures to protect them rather then relying on cards like Feat of Resistance to actually protect them and so Aura's are likely to just get lost 2 for 1.

Murder Investigation is different, because you want that creature to die.

PlagueRats how much trouble have you had with Enchantment hate, or creature exile via enchants (Silkwrap, etc)

Enchantment hate hasn't been much trouble, people usually only have 2-4 cards enchantment removal cards in their side board, I have 4 of each, plus 4 Silkwrap that I'd likely side in against Dromoka's Command to outnumber it 12-4.

My buddy plays about 12 exile removal spells in one new deck and it doesn't hurt that much. He's pressured to kill my death benefit creatures right away, so usually he's spending his best removal on my 1-drop Servant of the Scale or a 2-drop Hangarback Walker. Once I play Evolutionary Leap I can usually come back from anything and beat him.

With the new Murder Investigation version, the idea is I'll just outnumber any opponent's exile spells by a lot plus still have 4 Evolutionary Leap's.

Ah, someone else who believes in Evolutionary Leap. Stubborn Scales is my list. I've only been running 2 because the first one is sufficient, and Stubborn Denial serves as additional defense against removal.

Yes. You should only run 2 Evolutionary Leaps. Having multiple copies in hand/on the board does you no good.

Evolutionary Leap won't work in every deck, but my deck and play style are all about it, I would run 5 of them! If the game goes long enough Evolutionary Leap draws every creature in the library. It's endless creature fetching that scales perfectly with every games board state. 'Protecting' Hangarback Walker's is just a free upside. This deck is usually more about stalling the game then winning fast.

Sorry if this was already a suggestion, but have you considered Undergrowth Champion? Obviously you'd need to use more fetchlands but it might be worth a test. He's a resilient combatant at the very least.

JakeHarlow, I figured Undergrowth Champion wasn't good enough for the top of the decks curve. Last time I really considered it they were selling for $25 though... In some situations it would be much better then an Endless One. I'm going to think about it for a while, thanks

I see no use for the fetches except for the windswept

Congrats on the FNM wins, PlagueRats!

Have you had any matchups vs control-heavy decks? Jeskai-black type of thing or any or mono-? Or anything that plays a lot of sweepers? To me those seem to be the biggest obstacles. Creature-control-by-exile or board sweepers that wipe your tokens (or Languish and/or Virulent Plague).

ZKnite, 6 fetches is great! You realize all three can fetch Canopy Vista? The alternative is a dual tap land or basic Plains. If anything I'd add a 7th fetch land. The Flooded Strand isn't ideal, two Wooded Foothills would be better. I bought one of each with the intention of using them in commander decks later.

Trynthlas, I haven't played this list, but Evolutionary Leap is rough on control players. You cast a creature, they try to kill it, but that's just card advantage for you when you draw another. Control-heavy decks don't have that many sweepers either so they will just run out of removal, and get exhausted trying to remove tokens one by one.

Thanks Trynthlas, I haven't got to play a whole lot since adding Murder Investigation. Languish beats Murder Investigation, but it's sometimes less of a threat than an Abzan Charm. Hardened Scales + Managorger Hydra is a fun matchup against Languish, you just need to play one card after the Hydra to make it a 3/3 that becomes a 5/5 when the opponent casts their Languish. Actually most of these creatures can get bigger then 4/4 on their own.

Virulent Plague obviously beats all my tokens. I would just side out all the token making cards in that case. It makes Murder Investigation a dead card, but I do have 4x Dromoka's Command's? It may not be that much of a problem.

What likely happens against sweepers is the opponent will waste turns trying to set it up so they can destroy the creature with spot removal and clean up the tokens next turn with their sweeper. Against control decks or whenever I suspect sweepers, I just try not to play more creatures then I need. The more removal a deck has, the fewer creatures, so often you only really want two or three creatures in play to defend yourself and keep up the pressure. Once I have enough creatures in play, I can just keep all my lands untapped for Evolutionary Leap if I want. There are 23 green lands so you can sacrifice most/all of your creatures in response to anything. With Evolutionary Leap your ideally always leaving enough untapped land to 'protect' your creatures from any expected threat. They play a sweeper, next turn you can cast a couple creatures and leave one land untapped to maintain your advantage.

I love this type of game, I beat a control deck with 4x Jace, Vryn's Prodigy  ^Flip and nothing but card draw, removal, and counter spells. Game 1, I conceded after activating Evolutionary Leap and not finding a creature left in my library. It was a good game though, I always felt like I could win within a couple turns, right up to the end.

Why did you take out Hooded Hydra? It seems to me like it was made for this deck

Tried a couple games against control, and wow, if you have Leap you almost can't lose.

Thinking about tokens, Valor in Akros can be nutty. I would only play 1 or 2 because of its cost, but with Hangarback tokens and Murder Investigation tokens you can just any turn (or their turn) go "everybody gets +5/+5. War Horn is another cheaper option. If you go this way, Secure the Wastes might be an idea. Hypothetically you drop Hardened Scales for creatures that naturally get high power. Not saying this is the way to go, but there's lots of room to experiment here.

Seem to fold to Aristocrats. They do the same thing kind of but Cutthroat means they drain life when their creatures die.

jubale, it's tempting to add stuff to buff tokens, but I don't think it's worth the cards. Typically when ever I get lots of tokens it's enough to win anyways. I like Hardened Scales better here over cards like Valor in Akros because this deck is really about big creatures, the tokens just help you get there.

Murder Investigation is also very often sided out, so there's less reason to bother buffing tokens.