Share Bookmark
COMMANDER(S)
Child of Alara
QR Code
B G R U W
- Five-Color
OVERVIEW
Average CMC Average CMC
Info
Calculating...
Cost Cost
Info
Calculating...
Salt Score Salt Score
Info
Calculating...
Calculating...
Upgrade to a subscription to remove ads and more!
ANALYSIS

Overview:

This is a Gates-focused combo deck that uses Child of Alara as a board wipe deterrent while pursuing multiple win conditions through Maze's End, Dark Depths, or value-based gameplay. The deck employs extensive land tutoring and manipulation to achieve its goals.

Primer:

The deck's primary strategy revolves around accelerating land drops and specifically finding Gates through various tutors and land-search effects. It uses cards like Exploration, Burgeoning, and Oracle of Mul Daya to play multiple lands per turn, while cards like Amulet of Vigor help mitigate the drawback of Gates entering tapped. The deck can win through Maze's End's alternate win condition, create a 20/20 Marit Lage with Dark Depths, or generate overwhelming card advantage through Guild Summit and various value engines.

The deck should be piloted by establishing early ramp and card draw engines while setting up either the Gates win condition or Dark Depths combo. Child of Alara serves as a deterrent and reset button when needed. The deck includes several tutors and recursion effects to ensure consistency and resilience. The extensive suite of interaction pieces allows the deck to protect its key pieces while disrupting opponents' strategies.

Weaknesses:

  • Vulnerable to land destruction and cards like Blood Moon or Back to Basics
  • Relatively slow setup time required to assemble winning combinations
  • Heavy reliance on lands entering the battlefield makes it susceptible to effects like Confounding Conundrum
  • Can struggle against aggressive strategies due to Gates entering tapped

Most Important Cards:

  1. Maze's End
  2. Amulet of Vigor
  3. Dark Depths
  4. Guild Summit
  5. Exploration
  6. Oracle of Mul Daya
  7. Scapeshift
  8. Demonic Tutor
  9. Reshape the Earth
  10. Nine-Fingers Keene

Attribute Ratings:

  • Speed: 6/10
  • Resilience: 7/10
  • Consistency: 8/10
  • Interaction: 7/10

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at a power level between 6.5 and 7.0. While it includes powerful tutors and card advantage engines, its reliance on lands entering the battlefield and Gates entering tapped naturally limits its speed. The deck has multiple viable paths to victory and strong resilience through recursion, but it typically can't threaten wins before turn 6-7 without perfect draws. It's more powerful than typical focused decks (6.0) due to its consistency and interaction suite, but doesn't quite reach the speed of true high-power decks (7.5+).

Final power level rating: 6.5 - 7.0

The deck shows clear optimization with its mana base (36 lands plus numerous ramp effects), strong interaction package, and multiple win conditions, but its inherent speed limitations from the Gates strategy keep it from reaching higher power levels. The inclusion of cards like Mana Drain, Vampiric Tutor, and Smothering Tithe elevates its power level above casual builds, while maintaining a fair and interactive gameplay pattern.

DECK LIST
Child of Alara
Creature: 17
($58.88)
1
Arboreal Grazer
G
1
Athreos, Shroud-Veiled
4 W B
1
Avacyn, Angel of Hope
5 W W W
1
Azusa, Lost but Seeking
2 G
1
Coiling Oracle
G U
1
District Guide
2 G
1
Eternal Witness
1 G G
1
Gatecreeper Vine
1 G
1
Kiora's Follower
G U
1
Krosan Wayfarer
G
1
Nine-Fingers Keene
1 B G U
1
Oracle of Mul Daya
3 G
1
Ramunap Excavator
2 G
1
Skyshroud Ranger
G
1
Tatyova, Benthic Druid
3 G U
1
Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath
1 G U
1
Vizier of Tumbling Sands
2 U
Artifact: 8
($676.0)
1
Amulet of Vigor
1
1
Arcane Signet
2
1
Expedition Map
1
1
Glaive of the Guildpact
2
1
Mox Diamond
0
1
Navigation Orb
3
1
Sol Ring
1
1
The One Ring
4
Enchantment: 7
($115.48)
1
Burgeoning
G
1
Crackling Perimeter
1 R
1
Exploration
G
1
Guild Summit
2 U
1
Rhystic Study
2 U
1
Smothering Tithe
3 W
1
Spelunking
2 G
Instant: 13
($62.29)
1
Beast Within
2 G
1
Corrupted Conviction
B
1
Counterspell
U U
1
Deadly Dispute
1 B
1
Frantic Search
2 U
1
Growth Spiral
G U
1
Mana Drain
U U
1
Nasty End
1 B
1
Naya Charm
R G W
1
Swords to Plowshares
W
1
Unwind
2 U
1
Vampiric Tutor
B
1
Village Rites
B
Sorcery: 19
($223.88)
1
Blasphemous Act
8 R
1
Broken Bond
1 G
1
Circuitous Route
3 G
1
Demonic Tutor
1 B
1
Diabolic Tutor
2 B B
1
Explore
1 G
1
Explore the Underdark
4 G
1
Footsteps of the Goryo
2 B
1
Harmonize
2 G G
1
Open the Gates
G
1
Recollect
2 G
1
Regrowth
1 G
1
Reshape the Earth
6 G G G
1
Scapeshift
2 G G
1
Summer Bloom
1 G
1
Sylvan Scrying
1 G
1
Tariff
1 W
1
Virtus's Maneuver
2 B
1
Wheel of Fortune
2 R
Land: 35
($18.4)
1
Azorius Guildgate
1
Baldur's Gate
1
Basilisk Gate
1
Black Dragon Gate
1
Boros Guildgate
1
Citadel Gate
1
Cliffgate
1
Command Tower
1
Dark Depths
1
Dimir Guildgate
1
Exotic Orchard
1
Forest
1
Gateway Plaza
1
Golgari Guildgate
1
Gond Gate
1
Gruul Guildgate
1
Heap Gate
1
Island
1
Izzet Guildgate
1
Keldon Necropolis
1
Manor Gate
1
Maze's End
1
Mountain
1
Mystic Monastery
1
Orzhov Guildgate
1
Plains
1
Plaza of Harmony
1
Rakdos Guildgate
1
Sea Gate
1
Selesnya Guildgate
1
Simic Guildgate
1
Swamp
1
Thespian's Stage
1
Thran Portal
1
Urza's Cave

Enhance Your Gameplay

With premium accessories trusted by MTG players

Most Popular
DragonShield Sleeves
Dragon Shield Sleeves

Premium protection with industry-leading durability and shuffle feel

Use code DECKCHECK5 for 5% off any product on Dragon Shield's website. Click here.
Ultimate Guard Deck Box
Ultimate Guard Deck Boxes

Protect your deck with rugged storage solutions

Premium Playmat
TCG Playmats

Elevate your gameplay with premium playmats

Support DeckCheck by using our affiliate links - we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.