I'm fairly agnostic to my creatures dying in the early game when I can chain together enough draw spells
Low mana-cost cards like Golbez, Crystal Collector can be helpful because they are a good early-game defense, while also scaling alongside your strategy of dumping cards into the graveyard with Surveil or looting effects
You can also use it politically to save an opponent from attacks, if the mood strikes you
Contraband Livestock is a fine replacement, and probably displaces Fateful Absence and the like, and a great budget option too
Stalwart Pathlighter might be the card of the year for the deck, though
Hanweir, the Writhing Township You have to meld Hanweir Battlements and Hanweir Garrison to get to this legendary ooze, but Hanweir, the Writhing Township gets to attack as a hasted 7/4 trampler that brings a pair of Eldrazi Horror tokens along for the ride