I think you're misrepresenting the Orchid Knight flow chart. When it was in standard Back in the zendikar days it did a lot of work, setting you up for double spells or accelerating you straight into powerful 4 drops.
If you're on the draw: you can play it starting T3 letting you cast it and leave up two mana for either another knight or a utility spell.
On the play it's less important but you already have the advantage and playing it as a 2/2 before a Lord on the next turn is fine. Or you can hold it and fix your mana if you need to. If you don't need to fix your mana just play it.
It's a solid card and is only stronger when a plains can be off-color mana or a castle. Which I still need to acquire :/
KotWO is a good little man, but he's unreliable especially on the play. He may let you get by with so few lands but it will often be several turns before he can get you a land. Do you hold him until he can come through?
What makes it unreliable?
The deck only runs 22 lands, so I'm not too worried about flood. If I'm in the play I'll just hold him, and play the other stuff in my hand. The way you get punished is when it's the only card left in your hand, and if it is, you probably have the lands you need anyways.
I think this deck has a lot of potential especially because brave the elements is so good. And I'm surprised no one mentioned knight of the white orchid yet it fixes Mana, is a knight, ECT.
Anyways, here's my current list that seems to be doing well:
You are running R just for Inspiring Veteran? Unless you have some good R side-board cards, I'd ditch the Veteran and the R and play Metallic Mimic - or something else altogether - in that slot.
And shield breaker in the side, also all the red sources are white sources so the cost of going three colors is pretty low when you get 8 tri lands
Sorry: I also forgot the 1/2 make-a-token flyer, and truefire paladin which I keep rotating in and out
I think this deck has a lot of potential especially because brave the elements is so good. And I'm surprised no one mentioned knight of the white orchid yet it fixes Mana, is a knight, ECT.
Anyways, here's my current list that seems to be doing well:
Another 5-0 showing using the same 75 Spike used. Is Zombies real now?
https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/mtgo-standings/modern-league-2020-10-13
Top of the list
If you're on the draw: you can play it starting T3 letting you cast it and leave up two mana for either another knight or a utility spell.
On the play it's less important but you already have the advantage and playing it as a 2/2 before a Lord on the next turn is fine. Or you can hold it and fix your mana if you need to. If you don't need to fix your mana just play it.
It's a solid card and is only stronger when a plains can be off-color mana or a castle. Which I still need to acquire :/
What makes it unreliable?
The deck only runs 22 lands, so I'm not too worried about flood. If I'm in the play I'll just hold him, and play the other stuff in my hand. The way you get punished is when it's the only card left in your hand, and if it is, you probably have the lands you need anyways.
And shield breaker in the side, also all the red sources are white sources so the cost of going three colors is pretty low when you get 8 tri lands
Sorry: I also forgot the 1/2 make-a-token flyer, and truefire paladin which I keep rotating in and out
Anyways, here's my current list that seems to be doing well:
2x Blacklance Paragon
4x Brave the Elements
3x Concealed Courtyard
4x Dauntless Bodyguard
4x Fatal Push
3x Godless Shrine
3x Inspiring Vantage
4x Inspiring Veteran
4x Knight of the White Orchid
1x Knights' Charge
2x Midnight Reaper
1x Mountain
1x Plains
2x Sacred Foundry
2x Smitten Swordmaster
1x Swamp
4x Tournament Grounds
4x Unclaimed Territory
4x Venerable Knight
3x Worthy Knight