Does Extended Have a Problem?

[Zadok001]

We all know that a format, given a large enough card pool and time to evolve, eventually turns towards blue. But this just seems odd. Now, Extended is the format of non-basic lands. So basics will no doubt be few and far between in the metagame.

But...

272 Island
21 Swamp
66 Mountain
64 Forest
14 Plains

Huh?

What's the most played card? Force of Will, of course, with 132 copies in Day 2 (that's 33 decks worth), with Counterspell following it up with a meagre 123 copies.

Does this warrant some kind of DCI action? Does FoW need to be banned? Counterspell? Island?

 

[olwen]

But if you looked at the top 8, there were no islands at all!

I played at Grand Prix Las Vegas and the PTQ on Sunday, 13 rounds total and did not meet the same deck type twice. Granted this was not at the top tables:

Dumbo Drop (i.e., Tomi Wallamies deck)
Wild Zombies
Sliver
UR Squee Control
Enchantress
Miracle Growth
Green Swarm (Call of the Herd, Beast Attack, Overrun)
Battle of Wits
Tinker
GW Land Destruction
Oath
Three Deuce
Life

 

[FoundationOfRancor]

Whats the decktype entitled "Life"?

 

[Zadok001]

It's a En-Kor creature, Task Force/Angelic Protector, Worthy Cause deck.

Olwen - I did notice that little discrepency. Had the top eight been mostly Islands, the thread would have been entitled "Extended Has a Problem." Under the circumstances, I'm not sure how much that changes things, though - Every deck in the T8 consisted of cards that are designed to BEAT counterspells. Which makes the metagame seem like Blue vs. Other, which is still a problem in my book.

 

[Gizmo]

Ban dual lands.

Extended is a vibrant a valid format. Unfortunately it is a vibrant and valid format that only 20% of people can be truly competitive in. Its like holding Sealed Deck tournaments where only the best 20% of players get two additional boosters to build their decks out of.

 

[olwen]

A well defined metagame is easier to play in. I don't have a problem playing in a blue dominant format. It's easier to figure out sideboards.

I've never wanted to win a Grand Prix or a PTQ, merely to do well enough to win some product. This allows me to try to play decks that (hopefully) give me a winning records and have some fun.

There are now at least three things to consider at Extended:

1) Donate
2) Non basic lands
3) Graveyard recursion

Check out Jeff Auer's deck -- Winter Orb Sligh. He was in contention for top 8 until he lost his last two matches. I take credit for influencing his deck choice and most of the card changes

Also Mons Johnson with his Goblins managed to make top 8 in the PTQ!

 

[Spiderman]

Are the cards that mess with non-basics not good in Extended? I can only think of Blood Moon (I'm not even sure that's legal), Price of Progress, and Primal Order...

 

[olwen]

The other good ones might be:

Back to Basics
Ruination
Dwarven Miner

Blood Moon is not extended legal.

 

[Zadok001]

And Wasteland, which is just too obvious to mention.

I think I agree with Gizmo, here. The Duals can go. We have a full set of perfectly good painlands.

 

[Spiderman]

I was trying to think of permanents (which I guess Price of Progress doesn't really fall under, but it was only what I could think of then) that would continuously punish your opponent for playing with non-basics.

 

[Istanbul]

I used to run Back to Basics in my control blue deck to VERY great effect. There were many games where I didn't have to counter anything, because my opponent couldn't CAST anything...because whenever he tried, I'd counter, and his precious dual lands would stay tapped down. A very Winter Orb-ish effect.