Child of Alara MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Avatar
Abilities Trample
Power 6
Toughness 6

Key Takeaways

  1. Child of Alara offers board-clearing advantage, reshaping the game by eliminating multiple threats simultaneously.
  2. Resource race benefits post-wipe, as opponents struggle to rebuild against your accelerating board presence.
  3. Instant speed sacrifice interactions afford control over Child of Alara’s destructive trigger, flipping games in your favor.

Text of card

Trample When Child of Alara is put into a graveyard from play, destroy all nonland permanents. They can't be regenerated.

The progeny of the Maelstrom shows no allegiance—and no mercy—to any of the five shards.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When Child of Alara is utilized effectively in a deck, its power can wipe the board clean, leading to significant card advantage. By orchestrating the demise of multiple threats at once, you pave the way for drawing into more valuable resources without the pressure of opposing threats.

Resource Acceleration: Though not directly providing mana or treasures, the aftermath of Child of Alara’s death trigger can indirectly accelerate your resources. Post-wipe, with opponents’ resources depleted, you’re free to deploy lands and mana-producing artifacts at a pace that can outstrip rebuilding opponents, propelling you ahead in the resource race.

Instant Speed: While Child of Alara doesn’t operate at instant speed itself, it synergizes with cards that can sacrifice it at instant speed. This allows you to respond to imminent threats or crucial plays by your opponent, ensuring that you have full control over when the cataclysmic death trigger occurs, turning the tide of the game in your favor.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Child of Alara comes with a significant caveat – upon its death, it requires you to send it to the graveyard to unleash its board-clearing ability. This mandates careful planning since you might not always be ready to sacrifice this powerful asset, which can leave you at a strategic disadvantage.

Specific Mana Cost: The card’s demand for a diverse spectrum of mana can be a tricky endeavor. Child of Alara’s cost encompasses one of each color, making it a challenging fit for multicolor decks that must consistently produce five different types of mana to cast it.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The sheer investment needed to summon Child of Alara is hefty. With a converted mana cost of five, spanning all five colors, it competes for a slot in your deck against other cards that could potentially provide more immediate impact or synergy with your game plan.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Child of Alara brings a level of adaptability that few other cards can match. As a powerhouse in Commander format, it can be a daunting threat in any multicolor deck, especially those that revolve around five colors and have a high density of lands to trigger its formidable board wipe ability upon death.

Combo Potential: The combo potential with Child of Alara is immense. By using cards that can easily retrieve it from the graveyard or repeatedly sacrifice it, you can set up a recursion system that keeps your opponents’ boards clear, whilst you establish controlling or game-ending synergies.

Meta-Relevance: Given the diverse nature of the Commander metagame, Child of Alara maintains relevancy as a versatile mass removal option. No matter the evolving strategies and deck types, a well-timed wipe effect from this powerful elemental avatar can reset the playing field, making it a valuable asset in many high-stakes matches.


How to beat

Child of Alara is a compelling force within the Magic: The Gathering universe, boasting a destructive ability that can clear the board once it dies, taking out all nonland permanents. To outplay this formidable creature, one must adopt strategic countermeasures. Focusing on exile effects or containment spells, such as Path to Exile or Oblivion Ring, can neutralize Child of Alara without triggering its devastating ability.

Additionally, utilizing cards that grant indestructibility or regeneration to your key permanents could skirt around the cataclysmic effect Child of Alara brings upon its death. Lean on spells like Heroic Intervention or creatures with natural resilience to reinforce your battlefield presence. Moreover, dodge the widespread destruction by playing an instant-speed removal spell in response to the Child of Alara’s trigger, keeping your game plan on track while the board gets wiped.

Ultimately, it’s a dance of patience and precision—by carefully timing your removal, shielding your essential pieces, or pressuring your opponent to prevent the lethal demise of Child of Alara, the path to victory becomes more attainable. Strategic foresight is key to triumph over the multicolored destroyer and retain control of the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG involves a deep understanding of each card’s strengths and weaknesses. Child of Alara is no exception with its potent board-clearing ability; it’s a card that can define the ebb and flow of battle. As keepers of MTG wisdom, we’re here to guide you through strategies that harness the full potential of this formidable creature. Whether you’re rebuilding after a wipe or seeking to showcase the recursive nature of this five-color titan, each game is an opportunity for growth. Dive deeper with us into the strategic possibilities and refine your gameplay. Let’s explore together how to weave Child of Alara into your victories. Join BurnMana, where every card counts and every player has the potential to shine.


Cards like Child of Alara

Child of Alara holds a unique place within MTG as a powerful force of board control, often clearing the board when it dies, something we see echoed in cards like Supreme Verdict. Supreme Verdict is uncounterable and clears all creatures but lacks the recursive nature of Child of Alara, which can be brought back from the graveyard, given the commitment to a five-color mana base.

Doomsday is another card that drastically alters the game’s state, not by wiping out creatures but by sculpting a player’s library for a potential game-winning combination, which can be a strategy in a deck featuring Child of Alara. However, while Doomsday influences future plays, Child of Alara directly impacts the board the moment it perishes. Then there’s Wrath of God, a cornerstone of creature removal; it’s similar with its all-encompassing destruction but doesn’t require the same diversity in mana sources as Child of Alara does for its activation.

While each of these cards serve a different strategic purpose, they reflect the idea that sometimes resetting the board is the key to gaining the upper hand in a match. Child of Alara stands out by offering a repeatable and intimidating presence that requires opponents to play around its explosive potential.

Supreme Verdict - MTG Card versions
Doomsday - MTG Card versions
Wrath of God - MTG Card versions
Supreme Verdict - Return to Ravnica Promos (PRTR)
Doomsday - Weatherlight (WTH)
Wrath of God - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)

Cards similar to Child of Alara by color, type and mana cost

Sliver Queen - MTG Card versions
Cromat - MTG Card versions
Atogatog - MTG Card versions
Tazri, Beacon of Unity - MTG Card versions
Jegantha, the Wellspring - MTG Card versions
The First Sliver - MTG Card versions
Sliver Overlord - MTG Card versions
Sliver Legion - MTG Card versions
Horde of Notions - MTG Card versions
Maelstrom Archangel - MTG Card versions
Fusion Elemental - MTG Card versions
Sliver Hivelord - MTG Card versions
General Tazri - MTG Card versions
Scion of the Ur-Dragon - MTG Card versions
Nira, Hellkite Duelist - MTG Card versions
Niv-Mizzet Reborn - MTG Card versions
Kenrith, the Returned King - MTG Card versions
Garth One-Eye - MTG Card versions
Jodah, the Unifier - MTG Card versions
Omnath, Locus of All - MTG Card versions
Sliver Queen - Tempest Remastered (TPR)
Cromat - Apocalypse (APC)
Atogatog - Odyssey (ODY)
Tazri, Beacon of Unity - Zendikar Rising (ZNR)
Jegantha, the Wellspring - Multiverse Legends (MUL)
The First Sliver - Jumpstart: Historic Horizons (J21)
Sliver Overlord - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Sliver Legion - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)
Horde of Notions - Modern Masters 2015 (MM2)
Maelstrom Archangel - Dominaria United Commander (DMC)
Fusion Elemental - The List (PLST)
Sliver Hivelord - Commander Masters (CMM)
General Tazri - Oath of the Gatewatch Promos (POGW)
Scion of the Ur-Dragon - Commander 2017 (C17)
Nira, Hellkite Duelist - 2016 Heroes of the Realm (HTR16)
Niv-Mizzet Reborn - Multiverse Legends (MUL)
Kenrith, the Returned King - Tales of Middle-earth Commander (LTC)
Garth One-Eye - Modern Horizons 2 Promos (PMH2)
Jodah, the Unifier - Dominaria United (DMU)
Omnath, Locus of All - March of the Machine Promos (PMOM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Child of Alara MTG card by a specific set like Conflux and Double Masters 2022, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Child of Alara and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Child of Alara Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2009-02-06 and 2022-07-08. Illustrated by Steve Argyle.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12009-02-06ConfluxCON 1012003normalblackSteve Argyle
22022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 4812015normalblackSteve Argyle
32022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 1922015normalblackSteve Argyle

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Child of Alara has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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