pie chart

Child of Alara — Rebirth Through Ruin (Primer)

Commander / EDH Cycling Gate Lands Primer Sacrifice

Trick130o

Upvote 0
0

Ramp or Land Fetches (28)

Mana Payoffs (8)

Honorary Gates (5)

Gates (23)

Tutors (10)

Removal (8)

Commander (1)

Commander: Child of Alara

Utility Lands (16)

Card Advantage (9)

Recursion (5)

Welcome to a five-color landfall control deck led by Child of Alara, the most apocalyptic toddler ever printed. This list turns the battlefield itself into a weapon—ramping explosively, rebuilding faster than anyone else, and ending the game through sheer inevitability. You win by assembling Maze's End or overwhelming the table with powerful X-spells, all while maintaining absolute control of the board.

In my experience, the deck tends to win around turns 6-7, depending on how interactive the table is. It scales easily between higher-power pods and slower, value-based games—especially when Horde of Notions is swapped in for a more relaxed playstyle.

And remember, this list is layered. Each section—ramp, recursion, card draw, tutors, and removal—has multiple interchangeable pieces that reinforce each other. To fully understand how the deck functions, take a look through the entire list. Every card supports the larger land-based engine.

"Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds" - Oppenheimer.

Maze’s End
This is the deck’s signature victory. You’ll assemble all ten uniquely named Gates, then activate Maze's End for an instant win. Spells like Circuitous Route, Explore the Underdark, Tempt with Discovery, and Reshape the Earth accelerate your progress. Cards such as Thespian's Stage and Vesuva can copy Maze’s End for multiple activations, while Basilisk Gate, Baldur's Gate, and Gond Gate support both mana production and combat pressure.

X-Spells and Mana Overload
Once the mana engine hits critical mass, your X-spells take over. Torment of Hailfire, Sphinx's Revelation, Pull from Tomorrow, and Finale of Revelation turn excess resources into raw advantage or direct victory. With Azusa, Lost but Seeking, Burgeoning, and Amulet of Vigor fueling explosive ramp, these spells often end games outright.

Land Ramp and Explosive Growth
This deck plays lands at an unmatched rate thanks to Exploration, Azusa, Lost but Seeking, and Burgeoning. Ramp and fetch spells like Hour of Promise, Archdruid's Charm, Titania's Command, and Open the Way keep your board developing every turn. Amulet of Vigor ensures your mana base stays efficient and untapped as it grows.

Tutors for Anything
With Demonic Tutor, Vampiric Tutor, Wargate, Gifts Ungiven, and Lim-Dul's Vault, you can find exactly what you need at any moment—whether it’s a specific Gate, Maze's End, or recursion to rebuild after a board wipe.

Board Control and Removal
Child of Alara is the heart of your control plan, wiping the board of all nonland permanents whenever needed. Sac outlets like High Market and Phyrexian Tower ensure you can trigger this reset on your own terms.

Exile-Based Removal
For anything Child can’t handle—or for when you don’t want to blow up the world—you’ve got efficient exile tools. Farewell, Anguished Unmaking, Utter End, Swords to Plowshares, and Path to Exile remove nearly any threat permanently. This combination ensures nothing lingers long enough to cause trouble.

Card Advantage and Recursion
The deck rarely runs out of gas. Guild Summit, Horn of Greed, Diviner's Portent, Realms Uncharted, and Finale of Revelation keep your hand full, while Life from the Loam, Aftermath Analyst, Splendid Reclamation, Vengeful Regrowth, and Worldsoul's Rage let you recover everything you’ve used—and often come back stronger than before.

This deck rewards tight play and resource management. Some of its strongest interactions include:

• Maze's End + Thespian's Stage or Vesuva allows double activations or copying opponent’s Gates for faster wins.
• Crop Rotation can fetch Talon Gates of Madara to progress your win, Bojuka Bog for graveyard hate, or High Market / Phyrexian Tower for instant control triggers.
• Scapeshift into Maze's End and nine unique Gates wins immediately, and Splendid Reclamation can repeat the process after a wipe.
• Life from the Loam + cycling lands (Barren Moor, Tranquil Thicket, Forgotten Cave, and others) form a draw engine that digs through your library. Baldur's Gate sustains the mana to keep this loop running.
• Child of Alara + Phyrexian Tower or High Market gives you full control over when to wipe the board, denying opponents any opportunity to recover.

• Every card has purpose—no filler, no wasted slots.
• You can destroy, rebuild, and win entirely on your own terms.
• The deck rewards patience, sequencing, and smart land play.
• It adapts easily to both competitive and casual pods.
• Every match plays out differently, yet every path leads to inevitability.

If you enjoy precise, deliberate gameplay where every land drop matters, Child of Alara delivers a uniquely satisfying experience. It doesn’t rush to victory—it builds it, one world-ending turn at a time.

Suggestions

Updates Add

Comments

Attention! Complete Comment Tutorial! This annoying message will go away once you do!

Become a supporter of TappedOut and hide ads for only $3/month!

Important! Formatting tips — Comment Tutorial — markdown syntax

Please login to comment

94% Casual

Competitive