General Overview
A deck that started out on MTGA for fun in the unranked queue, that somehow brought me from being stuck at gold 4 to maintaining diamond 2. The general idea is to keep the knight tribal formula while still being competitive in ranked. Looking for suggestions on cards to include or take out in the mainboard or sideboard as well as general playstyle tips.
Creatures:
Knight of Grace
One of the two most important creatures in the deck. This thing is a house flavor-wise and performance-wise. Has protection from
Cast Down
,
Vraska's Contempt
,
Mortify
,
Tyrant's Scorn
,
Bedevil
,
Hostage Taker
and
Assassin's Trophy
as well as the various black aligned planeswalkers, this card is sticky. First strike is incredible when you have even just two of them out blocking which can allow you to stall and control the board until you set up a proper board state.
Knight of Malice
The other powerhouse knight of the deck. Performs much like the Knight of Grace, but avoids a different kind of removal. This also dodges
Mortify
and but where this card is nice is despite getting hit by the vast list of removal above, it does perform very well vs white decks that utilize
Teferi, Time Raveler
,
Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
,
Deputy of Detention
,
Gideon Blackblade
,
Conclave Tribunal
, and
Ixalan's Binding
. You want to have at least one of each out if you can.
Midnight Reaper
I was really excited when I realized this card was a knight because the deck could definitely use the card draw. It's a nice card to have but I like to keep it at 3 since it can become a bit of a double edged sword when you have two out.
Dauntless Bodyguard
I'm pretty surprised in how this card has performed. Most of it's usefulness is in getting a turn 1 2/1, as I don't find much use for it's ability as much as I'd like. I do however enjoy using it alongside the midnight reaper for situational card draw. I usually sideboard this card out unless I'm playing against aggro or RDW.
Utility
History of Benalia
This card synergizes very well when even just one other knight is out, let alone a few of them or when you're lucky enough to pop two of these. It usually get countered, removed, or the knights get burned but when it sticks it's usually good for some nice tempo.
Ajani, Adversary of Tyrants
This is usually the card that is automatically picked to be thought erasured, so you know it has it's use. It's a great card when you have even just one of either the Knight of Malice or Grace and use the +1 as a growing first striker with partial hexproof is a great threat to have. The -2 is also great to have around as 3/4 of the creatures in the deck are 2cmc, and often come down to protect him long enough to allow him to beef back up. If I'm lucky enough to have two of them out, after just a few turns of them protecting him I find myself ulting him more often that I would expect, which is a very powerful effect and has actually won me games after an opponent has actually wiped my lands and other creatures. The downside is that the ult itself is not much of a flavor win.
Memorial to Folly
This card is alright in the mid game if you're lacking on knights or want a specific utility to be brought back, but it is a bit slow and often times the card doesn't get played in the same turn. Considering lowering it from 4.
Revitalize
I rarely dislike drawing this card, at any point in the game. When I'm lacking on reapers or card draw in general, it's nice to have and the 3 extra life is nothing to scoff at. I always sideboard the other 2 in vs aggro or RDW.
Radiant Destiny
This card does some very nice work in the early game due to the +1/+1 anthem, and from the vigilance in the late game. It does have a bit of diminishing return when you play more than one but I'd be lying if I haven't won game from having 2 or more out.
Removal
Ixalan's Binding
An obvious 4-of, I usually save this for annoying planeswalkers, beaters, or combo pieces.
Mortify
Just a really tight kill card. Usually kept around for pesky creatures but the added bonus of enchantment targeting is very nice, especially against white aligned removal.
Prison Realm
Recently added this in, I really like using it early game against low costed combo pieces and getting the scry 1 for the added tempo, but the ability to hit planeswalkers is just gravy.
Vraska's Contempt
I usually try and save this for win-con planeswalkers like Teferi or Bolas. I prefer to use this over prison realm or Ixalan's Binding in certain scenarios where I'm afraid the enchantment won't stick or if they have graveyard recursion.
Sideboard
Benalish Marshal
I was initially pretty excited for this card but I think my want for a flavorful deck got ahead of me as it doesn't always immediately do much when played, and it can sometimes be a dead card due to it's mana cost. Considering even taking it out of the sideboard.
Kaya's Wrath
Great card to have around in the sideboard vs more decks than I would have thought, it's definitely given me the upper hand I needed in certain wins.
Liliana, Dreadhorde General
Not much of a flavor win at all, and it often was just thought erasure bait when it was in the mainboard. Considering taking it out in favor of
Sorin, Vengeful Bloodlord
when I have the wildcards to spare.
Mortify
I usually include this in vs creature or enchantment heavy decks, surprise surpise.
Revitalize
An auto include vs RDW but I sometimes add one or two vs slower decks as well.
The Elderspell
Probably the most satisfying card in the deck when it combos off correctly. It saw a bit more use when Liliana was in the maindeck, but after siding her I sided this along with it. Sometimes I might side this in for the sole purpose of taking out a Bolas or Teferi that gave me too much grief in the previous game. But man is it satisfying to target even just one planeswalker while you have Ajani out.
