The threat of Sejiri stepping a removal spell any time I have an untapped knight won me a lot of games. Only did it once. But it doesn't take long before no one will cast a removal spell if you have an untapped knight. Which is awesome.
Playing both mana dorks and one drops that you want to cast on curve leads you to awkward keeps and hands that play out awkwardly. Playing 6+ dorks makes you want to overload at the 3 spot which is awkward when combined with low land count and one drops.
Adding: If you look at decks that have been successful playing dorks in modern, they have things in common:
1) They don't overload at the 3-drop spot (see Abzan coco combo)
2) They don't play a lot of 1-drops that aren't also win conditions (see elves with dorks being part of the wincon, Abzan coco with viscera seer)
3) They typically have many strong mana sinks
Well, if you're splashing red there's Boros Charm. heh.
Biggest thing is to take the Jundy approach to sweepers: Play one dude at a time and make them 1-for-1 you with them. Problem is when you play dorks you can't do that
Gavony Township is important in altering this dynamic. It doesn't take long for your pair of mana dorks to be beating down for 6+ damage. This is also why I think it is important to run 2x Townships - Knight often won't live to fetch one, so naturally drawing one is often key.
Township often makes the sweeper even worse for you since you spent tempo jamming counters on your dorks and now they die to sweepers
Well, if you're splashing red there's Boros Charm. heh.
Biggest thing is to take the Jundy approach to sweepers: Play one dude at a time and make them 1-for-1 you with them. Problem is when you play dorks you can't do that
If someone removes a creature out from under an aura while it is on the stack, you get 2-for-1'd. Auras are generally bad if the target isn't hexproof.
Yep, I agree with that direction CP. I couldn't quite get the balance right, but Thougth Scour+Commune are really solid fuel for Knight, and work great with both Snapcasters and Flipjace if you decide to go that route.
Note: all the digging stuff goes really well with Courser of Kruphix as well.
Really nice thing about Commune: Great at digging for hate cards. Reallllly good.
So, one issue I had with running the 1-mana counterspells was the amount they increased your desire to fetch blue early and leave it untapped in many matchups--which conflicts with our desire to run out our threats. I think a deck running maindeck counterspells probably ought to just skip mana dorks and play control and filtering spells - but I could totally be wrong there.
I played some really close games with soul sisters. Engineered Explosives is the MVP for me.
I don't think the aggro zoo version can beat soul sisters, even with the combo. Just not enough removal to deal with their card advantage and not enough speed to deal with their lifegain.
It should be Serum Visions but I have Sleight of hand already so I was going to use that as a stopgap until I get around to buying Serum Visions. Bad reason I know, but I do think SoH is almost as good in certain situations, just not in that deck.
I would consider trying thought scour over either, since they pump knight and synergize with snapcaster by being instant and filling the yard with targets.
Eh, can't you just pay for any of the pacts except slaughter pact? Seems to close that avenue of victory down some if you ramp at all.
You can try Swan Songs in the board for bloom, as they stop everything except amulets and titan (and you can path titan). Aven Mindcensor is pretty good at stopping a lot of their game too. Disdainful stroke can be OK.
Knight up a ghost quarter can be OK.
Seems like a really bad matchup overall to me though.
Two pieces of tech I wonder if anyone's tried yet:
Fauna Shaman
Evolutionary Leap
I saw a dude with leaps in the board and they looked pretty strong. Fauna Shaman seems like it could combo on its own with Retreat and a variety of tech (Sun titan/Knight, Phantasmal image/Sun titan, etc.).
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
Adding: If you look at decks that have been successful playing dorks in modern, they have things in common:
1) They don't overload at the 3-drop spot (see Abzan coco combo)
2) They don't play a lot of 1-drops that aren't also win conditions (see elves with dorks being part of the wincon, Abzan coco with viscera seer)
3) They typically have many strong mana sinks
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
Township often makes the sweeper even worse for you since you spent tempo jamming counters on your dorks and now they die to sweepers
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
Biggest thing is to take the Jundy approach to sweepers: Play one dude at a time and make them 1-for-1 you with them. Problem is when you play dorks you can't do that
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
Note: all the digging stuff goes really well with Courser of Kruphix as well.
Really nice thing about Commune: Great at digging for hate cards. Reallllly good.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
I don't think the aggro zoo version can beat soul sisters, even with the combo. Just not enough removal to deal with their card advantage and not enough speed to deal with their lifegain.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
Gets less demanding as you've dealt any beats at all, and if you have exalted or your opponent has shocked themselves with lands, it's easier.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
I would consider trying thought scour over either, since they pump knight and synergize with snapcaster by being instant and filling the yard with targets.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
You can try Swan Songs in the board for bloom, as they stop everything except amulets and titan (and you can path titan). Aven Mindcensor is pretty good at stopping a lot of their game too. Disdainful stroke can be OK.
Knight up a ghost quarter can be OK.
Seems like a really bad matchup overall to me though.
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
Fauna Shaman
Evolutionary Leap
I saw a dude with leaps in the board and they looked pretty strong. Fauna Shaman seems like it could combo on its own with Retreat and a variety of tech (Sun titan/Knight, Phantasmal image/Sun titan, etc.).
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall