Another upcoming event I’ve scheduled to play into is the 2013 World Magic Cup Qualifiers. The first leg will be this coming weekend, April 6th the date. It is a Standard format, in which I am most familiar with unlike last PTQ wherein it was a Modern event.

So for this tournament I’ve decided to run Naya Midrange. The current bogeyman or deck to beat in the meta is Junk Reanimator, wherein it is in the third week of topping various events and on Magic Online. I haven’t playtested yet my updated build against that deck but I’m hoping it will be enough to suffice against the powerful spells like Angel of Serenity and Craterhoof Behemoth.

Here is my list:

Naya Midrange by Mark Ian Alloso
Standard

Maindeck
4 Avacyn’s Pilgrim
3 Loxodon Smiter
4 Restoration Angel
4 Thragtusk
2 Thundermaw Hellkite
2 Aurelia, the Warleader
3 Boros Reckoner
3 Huntmaster of the Fells/Ravager of the Fells

1 Aurelia’s Fury
4 Farseek
1 Domri Rade
1 Garruk Relentless/Garruk, the Veil-Cursed
4 Mizzium Mortars

1 Cavern of Souls
1 Clifftop Retreat
2 Kessig Wolf Run
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Temple Garden
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Stomping Ground
4 Sunpetal Grove

I’ve upgraded to a playset of Mizzium Mortars as it is the most suited mass/spot removal for Naya, replacing Bonfire of the Damned. Most of the current critters have four or more toughness to deal with so Bonfire is ineffective if drawn early or at your starting hand.

Aurelia’s Fury is another trick card & removal that can help you win board stalled games.

Domri Rade has not seen effectiveness in gameplay versus creature decks & he is mostly sided out so I decided to cut it down to one copy. Garruk Relentless is the replacement, which I see has more potential halting aggro decks.

The sideboard is not yet finalized but I’m definitely including graveyard hate against Reanimator. My other concern is on beating the new version of American Control with the Aurelia angel. It packs lots of countermagic which maybe effective against my big creature spells. I guess I’ll be needing more Cavern in the main.

We’ll see what we can come up with in the remaining days before the WMCQ. Until next post and thanks for reading.