The five best decks to play in the Standard Qualifier Play-in

On July, 12, 2025, Arena will host the first Qualifier Play-in of the month. The format will be Best of One Standard. The entry cost is:

- Gold - 20000
- Gems - 4000
- Play-in points - 20

The player may either reach 7 wins or 2 losses in order to complete the event. Seven wins guarantee an entry in the Arena Qualifier day-one (July, 18, 2025 - Best of Three - Standard) and Gems. In my opinion, the Bo1 play-in is the best one to grind. The Bo3 format ends at 1 loss making the impact of variance way bigger than the Bo1 counterpart. Let's see the Top 5 decks to play this saturday in order to earn access to the Qualifier! (You can click on the top-right corner on every list to copy it - Every list is already in the MTGA format)

Mono Black Midrange

About
Name [S1] MonoB Midrange

Deck
22 Swamp (UST) 214
2 Cut Down (DMU) 89
3 Duress (STA) 29
3 Go for the Throat (BRO) 102
1 Liliana of the Veil (DMU) 97
2 Mishra's Foundry (BRO) 265
2 Anoint with Affliction (ONE) 81
2 Archfiend of the Dross (ONE) 82
2 Strategic Betrayal (TDM) 94
4 Bloodletter of Aclazotz (LCI) 92
4 Deep-Cavern Bat (LCI) 102
2 Nowhere to Run (DSK) 111
4 Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber (DSK) 118
4 Unstoppable Slasher (DSK) 119
3 Demon Wall (FIN) 97

One of the best performing decks in the Bo1 Standard Meta. There are some flex slots (removals can be managed in a lot of ways), this version is very well set against aggro and has some tech against Graveyard based decks. I definitely wouldn't change Slasher + Bloodletter + Annex, the rest is really up to you. I think that this is going to be the best version of the deck anyway.

Gruul Delirium

About
Name [S1] Gruul Delirium

Deck
7 Forest
1 Mountain
4 Karplusan Forest
4 Copperline Gorge
4 Bushwhack
4 Seed of Hope
2 Commercial District
4 Break Out
3 Keen-Eyed Curator
4 Overprotect
4 Fear of Missing Out
4 Violent Urge
4 Patchwork Beastie
4 Wildfire Wickerfolk
3 Thornspire Verge
4 Tersa Lightshatter

The best aggro deck of the format. It is very fast and very hard to interact with. The only downside is the variance depending on the mills and on the speed you manage to get the "Delirium" mechanic online. The very straight forward game plan is a great plus.

Azorius Control

About
Name [S1] Azorius Control

Deck
3 Plains (UST) 212
3 Island (UST) 213
2 Day of Judgment (FDN) 140
3 Seachrome Coast (ONE) 258
2 Temporary Lockdown (DMU) 36
2 Soul Partition (BRO) 26
3 Demolition Field (BRO) 260
3 Jace, the Perfected Mind (ONE) 57
3 Elspeth's Smite (MOM) 13
1 Horned Loch-Whale (WOE) 53
3 Get Lost (LCI) 14
2 Kutzil's Flanker (LCI) 20
4 Restless Anchorage (LCI) 280
3 No More Lies (MKM) 221
4 Meticulous Archive (MKM) 264
4 Three Steps Ahead (OTJ) 75
1 Beza, the Bounding Spring (BLB) 2
2 Fountainport (BLB) 253
4 Floodfarm Verge (DSK) 259
4 Stock Up (DFT) 67
3 Marang River Regent (TDM) 51
1 Ultima (FIN) 38

The only Bo1 Control deck worth playing. Great set up against every popular deck, solid counters, solid anti-aggro and great finishers. Jace is a flex finisher, Elspeth is a viable alternative, i just think that Jace is better against delirium - Yuna - Mono B (Mill a lot / Draw a lot)

Mono R Goblins

About
Name [S1] Goblins

Deck
18 Mountain (UST) 215
4 Burst Lightning (FDN) 192
3 Krenko, Mob Boss (JMP) 339
1 Krenko, Mob Boss (FDN) 204
4 Fanatical Firebrand (FDN) 195
4 Rundvelt Hordemaster (DMU) 142
2 Agatha's Soul Cauldron (WOE) 242
1 Three Tree City (BLB) 260
4 Searslicer Goblin (FDN) 93
4 Burnout Bashtronaut (DFT) 115
4 Draconautics Engineer (DFT) 121
4 Greasewrench Goblin (DFT) 132
4 Howlsquad Heavy (DFT) 134
3 Amonkhet Raceway (DFT) 248

The second best aggro of the format. Very solid go-wide plan and it's capable of very explosive turns. Whenever the first goblins are left unchecked, disaster is right around the corner. The deck is super fun and really strong.

Yuna Enchantments

About
Name [S1] Yuna Enchantments

Deck
4 Yuna, Hope of Spira (FIN) 250
4 Dredger's Insight (DFT) 159
4 Elegant Parlor (MKM) 260
4 Esper Origins (FIN) 185
4 Thornspire Verge (DSK) 270
1 Plains (UST) 212
1 Mountain (UST) 215
4 Hushwood Verge (DSK) 261
2 Ride's End (DFT) 25
3 Lush Portico (MKM) 263
4 Get Lost (LCI) 14
4 Overlord of the Boilerbilges (DSK) 146
2 Overlord of the Mistmoors (DSK) 23
1 Forest (UST) 216
3 Starting Town (FIN) 289
2 Sunbillow Verge (DFT) 264
2 Terra, Magical Adept (FIN) 245
4 Fear of Missing Out (DSK) 136
4 Torch the Tower (WOE) 153
2 Cavern of Souls (LCI) 269
1 Day of Judgment (FDN) 140

This is the deck i will be playing in the Play-in. The game plan is not very simple and there are a lot of "hard" decision to be made. Well set against aggro, extremely strong against any midrange deck. The worst matchup is control, but it is definitely winnable. I'm having a lot of fun (and good results) playing the deck.

Final thoughts

Saturday's play-in is definitely worth grinding, even if you do not manage to earn access to the Qualifier, a decent win-rate provides great returns on investment.

Good luck and mayb the top-deck be with you!