This week, I continue tuning Rubin's G/W Tokens deck. John Stern and Doug Potter both made Top 8 at Grand Prix Toronto, and each had their own innovations with the deck. Specifically, Stern had four Lambholt Pacifists in the main, cutting four Oath of Nissa, and Potter had four Den Protectors, cutting four Thraben Inspectors. Stern also added one Westvale Abbey, going up to twenty-six lands, and Potter had two Angelic Purges in his sideboard, which I think are actually good enough for the main. I take some of these innovations and give them a spin to learn more about how they function in the deck.

[Editor's Note: Andrew went 11-4 at Grand Prix New York this past weekend with this build! Well done, Andrew! - Evan]

G/W Tokens ? Shadows over Innistrad Standard | Andrew Boswell

• Creatures (18)
• 1 Den Protector
• 2 Lambholt Pacifist
• 3 Tireless Tracker
• 4 Sylvan Advocate
• 4 Hangarback Walker
• 4 Archangel Avacyn

• Planeswalkers (8)
• 4 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
• 4 Nissa, Voice of Zendikar

• Spells (9)
• 4 Dromoka's Command
• 2 Angelic Purge
• 3 Oath of Nissa

• Lands (25)
• 7 Plains
• 8 Forest
• 2 Westvale Abbey
• 4 Canopy Vista
• 4 Fortified Village

• Sideboard (15)
• 2 Clip Wings
• 1 Angelic Purge
• 2 Tragic Arrogance
• 2 Lambholt Pacifist
• 4 Deathmist Raptor
• 2 Den Protector
• 2 Secure the Wastes

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Match 1: Naya Tokens

Match 2: Grixis Control

Match 3: Mono-White Aggro

Match 4: Part the Waterveil

Match 5: The Mirror Match

During my Grand Prix New York testing, the following list rose to the top. The reasons I like the list below are as follows: Playing twenty-six lands is great in this deck because if you don't hit your land drops, you can't execute your most powerful sequences. The third Abbey helps ensure that not only do you have the mana, but an additional copy of a key card. The addition of Den Protector is perfect to attack Planeswalkers and dodge random blockers that clog up the board in the B/G and four-color Aristocrats deck. Den Protector also helps ensure that despite having more lands, you have access to more two-for-ones ensuring that you don't flood out. Den Protector also has the added benefit of giving you access to extra copies of cards that you would play more than four of if you could. For example, many control decks are set up to beat four Gideon, Ally of Zendikar, but if you start recurring them with Den Protector, your control opponent will run out of answers. Cards like Ruinous Path, Anguished Unmaking, and Silumgar's Command appear in very small numbers.

G/W Tokens ? Shadows over Innistrad Standard | Andrew Boswell

• Creatures (15)
• 3 Den Protector
• 4 Sylvan Advocate
• 4 Hangarback Walker
• 4 Archangel Avacyn

• Planeswalkers (8)
• 4 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
• 4 Nissa, Voice of Zendikar

• Spells (11)
• 2 Secure the Wastes
• 4 Dromoka's Command
• 1 Angelic Purge
• 4 Oath of Nissa

• Lands (26)
• 7 Plains
• 8 Forest
• 3 Westvale Abbey
• 4 Canopy Vista
• 4 Fortified Village

• Sideboard (15)
• 2 Clip Wings
• 2 Angelic Purge
• 2 Tragic Arrogance
• 3 Lambholt Pacifist
• 4 Deathmist Raptor
• 2 Tireless Tracker

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GLHF, friends. May you smite your foes with a Golden Axe!

- Andrew Boswell