Extended: Out to Lunch.




Article By: Ben Seigel
Online Extended Metagame Analysis By: Morgan_Coke
Extended Metagame Analysis By: Ben Seigel
After "The First," much of what was coherently Standard is no longer... well, Standard. Extended, being the nice, legitimate, and all-around solid format, agreed to speak with me. A few calls and bribes got us a table at Magiano's. This is the conversation that followed:


Hey, Extended! What's up man?

"Oh... fine... I guess."

Really, I think you're a bit down. Care to share your thoughts?

"Its just that ever since Standard got a huge facelift... that's all the media talks about."

I see... Kind of like when your little brother gets into Harvard, while you sit at home and remain an uninspired writer. Or like when your best friend wins a PTQ and all you get is a stupid shirt. Or...

"I get the Idea, Druid..."

Oh.. sorry. So, what's up?

"Well, Life's numbers are growing... and my longtime companion Rock is kinda getting old... you know... prostate problems."

Did not need to know that, man.

"Sorry. So like I was saying, aggro is becoming more and more... well, aggressive. While at the same time control and combo decks are becoming more... dare I say, efficient?"

Wow... I see what you mean. Not much of a format when every deck can Top 8, huh? Well what about Affinity... at least you don't have that problem.


Not Again!
"Oh, we do! 6 First Place finishes out of 12 actual placings is quite relevant, taking into account that they make up roughly less than 10 percent of the meta. Hell, of RDW's 26 Top 8 appearances, it has only taken the top prize once. And on top of that, there isn't a worthy green deck around to keep it under wraps. Its only a matter of time, Druid, a matter of..."

Snap out of it! Sheesh. It's that line of thinking that will get you revamped. Look at it this way: if you are willing to keep Ravager under wraps it will stay under wraps. No need to worry when you have decks like RDW and Scepter and Aluren rearing their ugly heads. The only reason T2 got out of control was that damn lack of control. The format was so focused on aggro that it forgot about its ability to go rogue. You, man you got it made! You're at your peak, you have the biggest card pool in three years and you have one of the most diverse metagames of any format.

"Ok... lets talk about something else."

Like what? Oh, I know: I hear Standard is really starting to show signs of some really cool...

"Stop it! I'm not Standard, I don't know about Standard, stop asking me about Standard! Now, if I hear the word 'Standard' one more time, I'll... I'll ban Chrome Mox! So shut your mouth."

Eek! Sorry.... Ok, ok... So what do you see in the future of Extended? Any big changes, any decks that seem to be taking a plunge?

"Well, like I said earlier, The Rock seems to be really weak right now, what with the diversity of the decks here, Rock just can't seem to pull it together. It aims to pull decks apart, but with 10+ archetypes around it just can't get focused enough. However, Scepter and Aluren are really starting to get a jump on the format. I think Aluren is the underdog for now..."

Cool, cool. What about Life and Desire? Both of these high-end combo decks have been making quite the impact. You see any chance of a real dominant archetype coming out of either?

"No, not that likely. You see, a dominant archetype in Extended is a bit different compared to other formats. In Extended a deck needs to be prepared for whatever comes at it. Combo decks just aren't as flexible as the others... RDW and Madness in particular are what I'm talking about. When you can see 3-5 different matchups in the Sideboard alone you should not be that focused on 'going off' or winning in one fell swoop. The flexibility of aggro and aggro/control give it a the upper hand in games two and three vs. combo, whereas combo really only sides in reset buttons and maybe some hate here and there."

So, Its the Year of Diversity is it? Well what about this Upcoming Rotation? What exactly is going on? I've not heard.

"Yeah, this October will see the next 3-year rotation of Extended. Basically, when October 20, 2005, rolls around, Tempest through to Prophecy and 6th Edition will rotate out of Extended. This is part of the DCI's desire to keep formats fresh and exciting. Saying that there will be a few changes is an understatement. This Is a format defining change... and it should not be approached lightly."

So what decks do you think will survive the rotation? Madness, Tog, and Affinity are pretty much givens and Rift will probably make a strong comeback... but what decks, of those currently viable, do you see staying strong throughout the rotation?

"Well, Madness, Tog, The Rock, Desire, and Goblins are all decks that will really only see a shift in the card pool as a slight... 'slowing down' of the deck. Decks that will really loose focus include Reanimator, Life , Trinity, Teen Titan, Sneak Attack... basically anything that had a main section of deck in the ousted sets will really be crippled. Other decks that relied heavily on cards from these rotating sets, like RDW, will really see complete renovation."

Well that will mean a lot of changes in tiers. Any speculation as to what will be big?


Control much?
"Oh definitely! A lot of the current tier 2 control decks will really have a boost in terms of playability. Most of what makes up Extended now is aggressive. But once the rotation becomes effective, the card pool concentration will shift to control and combo. If you take a look at the current Online Extended Metagame, you can get a good idea as to what we will see post rotation. We'll see a lot of Block and older T2 decks make a direct shift to Extended with limited change. Decks like Domain, R/G aggro, Rock variations (white and red), Tog, Death Cloud, Affinity, Tooth and Nail, Slide, and ONS Reanimator will really be worth trying out. However, like I said earlier, it's only a matter of time before Ravager Affinity becomes another dominating deck. I am thoroughly excited by this change, and yet somewhat disappointed. It will open up a completely new format in my eyes... At least to us paper-players."

You mentioned the Online Extended Metagame, what's going on there that would effect the current Extended?

"Well I mentioned the Online meta for a few reasons. First, their card-pool now resembles exactly what will be seen post rotation. Second, that metagame has had time to really work itself out to a 'happy family' in the words of my favorite Chinese take-out. And, third, because that will be the best testing ground for decks that are speculated to make a splash. But on the flip side of that, the Online Extended Metagame is somewhat skewed if favor of cheaper, more modern decks. Currently, what's seen in the Online format is hinting at possible problems in the future. For now, that metagame is being ruled by aggro... Forget control, most of what makes up those Tier 1 decks are in the newer sets which means they are readily available and relatively cheap, whereas some cards like Meddling Mage and Orim's Chant fetch upwards of up to 60 dollars. Of course, the real life metagame will be slightly influenced by this, but it's just too early to tell.

So before we wrap this interview up I'd like to ask you about what you'll be playing at PTQs for Philly?

"Well, I'll be out of town, pleasure not business, but I'm hoping Desire or Aluren makes a good showing... We'll just have to wait, I guess.

I see... well that's all the time we have today, I'll catch up with you later Extended.

"All right. See ya Druid. And remember, Standard isn't the only format around."

So there you have it directly from the source: an Extended analysis, for Extended players, by Extended. Like most of you, I too am excited for the rotation and what it will bring. I'm glad to hear that Extended isn't as stale as I thought. This is Urban Druid, signing off.

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