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		The Extended Environment After January 1, 2004 by Tim Bachmann
		So, as all of you know, I am very sad to see tinker and grim monolith leave the extended scene after such a great run.  This needed to happen though, and I have come to terms with it.  Because now, my first-born brain child is again in the tier 1 bracket.  That's right folks, just like last year's type 2 season, 'Tog is back in!  Along with it's mean Odyssey-Block-in-type-two brother, Madness.  Also, our other favorites are in the room.  Everybody, welcome back RDW (now known as the RDW2K4 variant, and for those of you who hate anagrams, thats RedDeckWins2004) and The Rockless Rock.  This article is meant to see what you people think will be the top tier1 deck.  Let's go into an in depth analysis of these decks: The Rock         A deck known for the ability to blow up the world on command, this deck is meant to control the early game and wait-out the opponent then slap a beat stick on the field and kill their enemy until he dies from it (Hotshots: part deux).  Ever since the arrival of Apocalypse, The Rock has left The Rock.  By this, I mean the original "Rock," the Phyrexian Plaguelord, has been removed from the decklist for Pernicious Deed.  A much better substitute, the Deed can be mass genocide for a platoon of hording elves and goblins, and a decimating blow to the face for combo decks and slower artifact decks.  The deck also has the ability to regenerate itself through Genesis.  This deck keeps coming back to haunt you.  It's one big utility belt. Pros:                                             Cons: Uber Control                                  Pretty slow compared to rest of field Mana accel.                                   Dies to counterspell without duress in hand Sac-able fatties Just a good deck Psychatog        What a deck.  Super control before Mirrodon.  Super-Duper control after Mirrodon.  With deck thinning and card draw along with a utility sideboard accessable to cunning wish, and a library packed with Isochron scepters to hold the two-mana instants wished for from the board, this deck can be devastating.  Along with the power of chrome moxen, a first turn counterspell or mana leak can hurt, or even a first turn scepter-rang.  And the late game with this deck, sheesh.  Fire/Ice is murder under a scepter or two.  Spot removal or an icy with card advantage.  Its nasty with a capital A.  Sideboards for this deck can kill anything in even the first game.  Cunning wish is a beotch.  "I am the Alpha and the Omega.  I am the control deck from beggining to end." Pros:                                           Cons: Uber control                                 Not always packin' Duress in the MD Mana accel.                                  No real mass removal Isochron scepter w/ util. SB Deck thinning/card drawing RDW2K4         What do the mountain magi do the best?  Get angry.  Get real angry.  This deck was sick three years ago, but now with even MORE acceleration thanks to Chrome Mox, this deck is rockin'.  A first turn 1/1 that grows when he hits a player is very hard to kill.  A turn two or three 7/1 with trample is disgusting.  With cards like cursed scroll in the MD, this deck can get anything going ASAP.  And thats how the Red Deck Wins. Pros:                                       Cons: Super Fast                                A LOT of hand disadvantage Mana Accel.                              Easily disrupted Super Fast...                             Errupts too early, could get screwed U/G Madness         In my mind, this is a very stable deck.  Sometimes.  I have played this deck, and I have played with this deck.  It can be inconsistent at times.  Although it falls to mass destruction and counterspell, it has its own tricks.  With circular logic and daze MD, this deck has found itself to hold out.  Although there's not much to say about this deck, there is one thing, its ca-razy. Pros:                                      Cons: Fast                                        Finds itself failing to have fodder for Hound Hand advantage                        Once the hand runs outta cards, bye-bye madness disruption of its own                 Losses long games And here is the "circle of life for the new extended"  Tell me what you think in the Feloran Outpost: Top decks in order 1.Psychatog 2. RDW 3. Madness 3. The Rock (tied) Psychatog beats:  The Rock, Madness, RDW, mirror is hard RDW beats:  Psychatog, mirror, madness is hard, The Rock is difficult Madness beats:  The Rock, RDW, Mirror is a race, Psychatog wins long games The Rock Beats:  RDW is tough, Madness is tough, Mirror is tough, Psychatog gets pwned. Final note:  With tht results of a lot of PTQs and Grand Prixs in, Madness is the only "tier 1" deck that has not made at least a top 16 finish.