Atla Palani, Kinder Surprise Shaman

Commander / EDH Battlecruiser Eggs Midrange RGW (Naya) Stompy

raygae

Creature (26)

• 1x Anger
• 1x Apex Altisaur
• 1x Balefire Dragon
• 1x Drakuseth, Maw of Flames *f-pre*
• 1x Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
• 1x Greenwarden of Murasa
• 1x Ilharg, the Raze-Boar
• 1x Impervious Greatwurm
• 1x Irregular Cohort
• 1x Knotvine Mystic
• 1x Kogla, the Titan Ape
• 1x Mirror Entity
• 1x Moldgraf Monstrosity
• 1x Nesting Dragon
• 1x Purphoros, Bronze-Blooded
• 1x Roc Egg
• 1x Sakura-Tribe Elder
• 1x Samut, Voice of Dissent
• 1x Summoner's Egg
• 1x Terastodon
• 1x Tyrant of Discord
• 1x Universal Automaton
• 1x Urabrask the Hidden
• 1x Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger
• 1x Woodland Changeling
• 1x Zetalpa, Primal Dawn

Sorcery (8)

• 1x Cultivate
• 1x Divine Reckoning
• 1x Natural Order
• 1x Primal Growth
• 1x See the Unwritten
• 1x Selvala's Stampede
• 1x Skyshroud Claim
• 1x Traverse the Outlands

Land (36)

• 1x Canopy Vista
• 1x Cinder Glade
• 1x Clifftop Retreat
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Evolving Wilds
• 1x Field of Ruin
• 7x Forest
• 1x High Market
• 1x Jungle Shrine
• 1x Krosan Verge
• 1x Miren, the Moaning Well
• 1x Mosswort Bridge
• 6x Mountain
• 1x Myriad Landscape
• 1x Opal Palace
• 7x Plains
• 1x Rootbound Crag
• 1x Sunpetal Grove
• 1x Terramorphic Expanse

Artifact (10)

• 1x Altar of Dementia
• 1x Ashnod's Altar
• 1x Boros Signet
• 1x Culling Dais
• 1x Gruul Signet
• 1x Lightning Greaves
• 1x Selesnya Signet
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Talisman of Conviction
• 1x Thornbite Staff

Commander (1)

Enchantment (10)

• 1x AEther Flash
• 1x Colossal Majesty
• 1x Defense of the Heart
• 1x Fanatical Devotion
• 1x Fires of Yavimaya
• 1x Guardian Project
• 1x Lurking Predators
• 1x Martyr's Cause
• 1x Perilous Forays
• 1x Rhythm of the Wild

Instant (9)

• 1x Boros Charm
• 1x Eerie Interlude
• 1x Force of Vigor
• 1x Generous Gift
• 1x Once and Future
• 1x Reinforcements
• 1x Scapegoat
• 1x Swords to Plowshares
• 1x Worthy Cause

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Sideboard

Creature (21)

• 1x Acidic Slime
• 1x Aggressive Mammoth
• 1x Akroma, Angel of Wrath
• 1x Archetype of Endurance
• 1x Autochthon Wurm
• 1x Bane of Bala Ged
• 1x Bearer of the Heavens
• 1x Dragon Tyrant
• 1x Etali, Primal Storm
• 1x Fireflux Squad
• 1x Gerrard, Weatherlight Hero
• 1x Impervious Greatwurm
• 1x It That Betrays
• 1x Karametra, God of Harvests *f-etch*
• 1x Novablast Wurm
• 1x Phytohydra
• 1x Realm Razer
• 1x Scuttling Doom Engine
• 1x Woodfall Primus
• 1x Worldspine Wurm
• 1x Xenagos, God of Revels

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Maybeboard

Enchantment (1)

• 1x Shivan Harvest

Instant (1)

• 1x Renounce

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Deck History and Introduction

Atla Palani is the first commander that really excited me. At the time of its announcement, I thought about building a big stompy creature deck, and she fit the bill perfectly.

Some creatures in this iteration have existed since its first build; Apex Altisaur and Drakuseth, Maw of Flames to name a few. I tried to do dinosaur tribal - before realizing I already have Bear and Sliver tribal decks.

This deck is all about cheating big creatures into play with Atla on the field. In the most basic way, you can sacrifice changelings or eggs to flip cards from the top of your library until you (hopefully) find a bigger creature. Enchantments, ramp spells, and other creatures will help you in this endeavor, too.

It's different than other Atla decks because it's not meant to go infinite. It can, but it's not the point. I'm slowly building a sideboard of creatures to swap in and out of the deck at any given time. Each game is supposed to be a surprise, hence its namesake.

If you have Atla, and a way to create and destroy eggs, then you're going to have a good time.

Your opponents... not so much.

Notable Combos and Interactions

Nesting Dragon + Traverse the Outlands = ETB a minimum of 5 eggs onto the field ready to sac for baby dragons and big dumb creatures.

Thornbite Staff + Atla Palani, Nest Tender = Auto-equip the staff.

Thornbite Staff + Atla Palani, Nest Tender + Ashnod's Altar = GO INFINITE. But, realistically, you should only create 26 - (x) eggs where (x) is the number of creatures in your graveyard and in exile. Sacrifice those eggs to play the remaining creatures in your library and go crazy.

Bearer of the Heavens + Boros Signet = Destroy all opponents' permanents

Mirror Entity + Atla Palani, Nest Tender = Activate Mirror Entity for zero to wipe your board which triggers Atla for (x) where (x) is the number of creatures on your board.

Mirror Entity + Gerrard, Weatherlight Hero + Atla Palani, Nest Tender = Same as above, except Mirror Entity and Atla come back from the graveyard because of Gerrard. Yay recursion!

Woodfall Primus + Rhythm of the Wild + Any Sac Outlet = INFINITE DESTRUCTION or for (x) where (x) is the number of noncreature permanents your opponents have.

Playing Without Atla

Atla is a big target, so I've built different ways to cheat in creatures in her absence:

Selvala's Stampede: It doesn't matter what's chosen. Just have at least one creature in your hand.

Lurking Predators: A fun card that usually doesn't last very long. You'll get different reactions depending on how far you are in a game. Use Reinforcements in response to a cast to get one of your creatures back from the graveyard.

Defense of the Heart: Good at any point in the game. Just drop it and wait. Hopefully nobody blows it up.

See the Unwritten: A fun card to use anytime. Obviously, try to have a creature with power 4 or greater when casting for maximum impact.

Natural Order: The only actual tutor in this deck. Use in case of emergency or whenever you want.

Mosswort Bridge & Summoner's Egg: Two other ways to "flip" a creature for free.

Ilharg, the Raze-Boar: Attack to bring a big creature card from your hand into play for free, albeit temporarily.

Purphoros, Bronze-Blooded: Works similar to Illharg, except that you sacrifice the creature at the beginning of your next end step. Mainly works as a haste enabler similar to Anger, Samut, Voice of Dissent and Urabrask the Hidden.

Noting Individual Cards' Usefulness

Apex Altisaur: Your big dumb boardwipe. Most often used to wipe an opponent's field in exchange for its life (thank you for your sacrifice ToT).

Balefire Dragon: Hits like a mother and hits each creature a player owns like an older mother; that's two generations of pain.

Moldgraf Monstrosity, Greenwarden of Murasa, Reinforcements, & Once and Future: Your graveyard recursion cards.

Kogla, Titan Ape: This card was built for Atla, I swear. He ETBs with a fight trigger, destroys artifacts and enchantments with an attack trigger, and can bounce Atla to your hand after making itself indestructible.

Sac Outlets

This deck is only as good as its options to sacrifice a creature. Most outlets are artifacts or enchantments, but there are some spells and lands to help out, too.

Ashnod's Altar: Your bread and butter. Not only does it trigger Atla Palani, Nest Tender, but it also gives your colorless mana and goes infinite with her and Thornbite Staff.

Altar of Dementia: Won't do much if you only sacrifice Atla's eggs. But, if you sacrifice a creature in response to destroy effects, then you could mill another player as punishment.

Culling Dais: An alternative sac outlet that allows you to draw cards later on.

Fanatical Devotion & Martyr's Cause: Sacrifice effects with protection or regen? Yeah, it's nice to have.

Scapegoat: Instant speed sacrifice AND bounce creatures back to your hand? It's a great two-fo'-one deal!

Renounce: Repeatable instant speed sacrifice for a few extra mana.

High Market & Miren, the Moaning Well: Your land-based sac outlets. Very helpful if your group doesn't run land destruction.

Primal Growth & Perilous Forays: Additional sac outlets with the added benefit to tutor for lands.

Natural Order: Use it whenever you want; double yolk if you use it to crack an egg.

AEther Flash: Less of a sac outlet and more of a way to keep opponents' weenie creatures in check. Also will kill your eggs on ETB, which is nice.

Sideboard

The sideboard contains creatures that you can swap out at any time. The whole point of this deck is to have a random set of creatures available to use in any game. As such, the power level of this deck will change according to the creatures you include.

Date added	5 years
Last updated	4 years
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	13 - 6 Mythic Rares 26 - 12 Rares 26 - 3 Uncommons 15 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	4.03
Tokens	Bird 3/3 W, Dragon 2/2 R, Dragon Egg 0/2 R, Egg 0/1 G, Elephant 3-3 G, Shapeshifter 2/2 C, Wurm 5/5 G w/ Trample