T
train
Guest
Why not run a hunting grounds deck for the emperor - with a card drawing engine... run fatties, and altars of dementia with a lifeline...
Killer Joe
New member
In the past whenever I’ve played an Emperor format I liked to go with UR Control like Counter-Hammer or Counter-Phoenix for the Emperor. The burn for creature spot removal and the blue to counter anything I couldn’t burn. For the Lieutenants I liked them to play some kind of GW aggro-control with life-gain spells and both spot removal and mass creature removal in the form of STP’s and Routs (to play Rout like an instant is awesome!). Their creatures can be like Blinding Angels, Exalted Angel or Eternal Dragon. The Blinding and Serra Angels were the choices back in the day.
As of late, I have been liking the power of UBR control. I have built several common decks and have had much success. One of the decks used all Mirrodin/Darksteel commons with Affinity common critters. It’s very good! So here’s my current Emperor deck. This is loosely based on the old “Nether-Go” deck from several years ago.
UBR “Emperor” deck
Land (24)
1 Crosis’s Catacombs
8 Island
1 Keldon Necropolis
1 Mirrodin’s Core
2 Mountain
1 Reflecting Pool
4 Salt Marsh
1 Shivan Reef
1 Underground River
4 Urborg Volcano
Creatures (2)
2 Nether Spirit
Spells (35)
4 Accumulated Knowledge
3 Barbed Lightning
4 Counterspell
2 Decree of Pain
2 Fact or Fiction
4 Fire/Ice
3 Isochron Scepter
1 Mind’s Eye
3 Prophetic Bolt
2 Suffocating Blast
3 Terminate
4 Undermine
The removal spells are just killer, Terminate being, IMHO, the best common spot removal there is (Diabolic Edict is a very close second but not good enough for multi-player). A Terminate imprinted on a Scepter is just devastating to your opponents. Fire/Ice is another Scepter candidate as it can be either a card drawer and save you from some creature damage or just plain ‘ole plinks to your opponent’s heads or small creatures. A Sceptered up Counterspell or Accumulated Knowledge is good but I don’t recommend it for this deck (but at least it’s an option).
Other spells in this deck are key also, Prophetic Bolt is a classic finisher or getting them closer to being finished off as well as searching for that second bolt or Barbed Lightning. Barbed Lightning is cool because not only do you get rid of a mid-sized creature but it’s mother takes three, too. Suffocating Blast SUCKS! But in this format it’s a “Two-fer” (Two cards for one) It says, “Um, NO and bye-bye.” to a key spell and a mid-sized critter. Fact or Fiction is huge for this deck as just about every card you draw is exceptional plus it could put a Nether Spirit right into the graveyard which means right into play for free at the beginning of your next upkeep. Mind’s Eye is a monster card drawer but having more than one would be tough for me to justify (it’s actually THEE 61st. card in the deck and may be removed).
Decree of Pain, what can I say? If the board is getting too hectic for me or my comrades to handle then I need to sweep the board via cycling or hard casting (in which case I get cards, too).
The two Nether Spirits are really a ‘token’ gesture to my fellow Magic players that I DON’T hate creature spells. Actually, they make nice colorless damage via Keldon Necropolis.
As of late, I have been liking the power of UBR control. I have built several common decks and have had much success. One of the decks used all Mirrodin/Darksteel commons with Affinity common critters. It’s very good! So here’s my current Emperor deck. This is loosely based on the old “Nether-Go” deck from several years ago.
UBR “Emperor” deck
Land (24)
1 Crosis’s Catacombs
8 Island
1 Keldon Necropolis
1 Mirrodin’s Core
2 Mountain
1 Reflecting Pool
4 Salt Marsh
1 Shivan Reef
1 Underground River
4 Urborg Volcano
Creatures (2)
2 Nether Spirit
Spells (35)
4 Accumulated Knowledge
3 Barbed Lightning
4 Counterspell
2 Decree of Pain
2 Fact or Fiction
4 Fire/Ice
3 Isochron Scepter
1 Mind’s Eye
3 Prophetic Bolt
2 Suffocating Blast
3 Terminate
4 Undermine
The removal spells are just killer, Terminate being, IMHO, the best common spot removal there is (Diabolic Edict is a very close second but not good enough for multi-player). A Terminate imprinted on a Scepter is just devastating to your opponents. Fire/Ice is another Scepter candidate as it can be either a card drawer and save you from some creature damage or just plain ‘ole plinks to your opponent’s heads or small creatures. A Sceptered up Counterspell or Accumulated Knowledge is good but I don’t recommend it for this deck (but at least it’s an option).
Other spells in this deck are key also, Prophetic Bolt is a classic finisher or getting them closer to being finished off as well as searching for that second bolt or Barbed Lightning. Barbed Lightning is cool because not only do you get rid of a mid-sized creature but it’s mother takes three, too. Suffocating Blast SUCKS! But in this format it’s a “Two-fer” (Two cards for one) It says, “Um, NO and bye-bye.” to a key spell and a mid-sized critter. Fact or Fiction is huge for this deck as just about every card you draw is exceptional plus it could put a Nether Spirit right into the graveyard which means right into play for free at the beginning of your next upkeep. Mind’s Eye is a monster card drawer but having more than one would be tough for me to justify (it’s actually THEE 61st. card in the deck and may be removed).
Decree of Pain, what can I say? If the board is getting too hectic for me or my comrades to handle then I need to sweep the board via cycling or hard casting (in which case I get cards, too).
The two Nether Spirits are really a ‘token’ gesture to my fellow Magic players that I DON’T hate creature spells. Actually, they make nice colorless damage via Keldon Necropolis.
C
Captain Caveman
Guest
Something like that deck seems the best solution to me know.
I've done some reading on the subject now, and most of my ideas
don't seem pratical. Since you should have a few turns to set
up and no-one can target you, I think, then it shouldn't be a
problem to play something like what you and others have
suggested. From what I can gather the Scepter would be really
good. I have most of the cards to build some version of that
strategy.
I've done some reading on the subject now, and most of my ideas
don't seem pratical. Since you should have a few turns to set
up and no-one can target you, I think, then it shouldn't be a
problem to play something like what you and others have
suggested. From what I can gather the Scepter would be really
good. I have most of the cards to build some version of that
strategy.
C
Captain Caveman
Guest
Times drawing closer and I'm still at a lose for decks. They left
it up to me to come up with the decks(all 3) but I'm confused. A
deck like YJ posted, and others, seems pretty good for the
Emperor position but I/we don't have all the cards. So I'm back
to square one.
I hate to use this word but is Standstill "broken" in the Emperor
position?
Rooser,
I haven't forgot about you deck idea. I'm still working on getting
the cards. Getting 12 Angels and 12 Scepter is expensive.
Any suggesting for cheap replacements?
it up to me to come up with the decks(all 3) but I'm confused. A
deck like YJ posted, and others, seems pretty good for the
Emperor position but I/we don't have all the cards. So I'm back
to square one.
I hate to use this word but is Standstill "broken" in the Emperor
position?
Rooser,
I haven't forgot about you deck idea. I'm still working on getting
the cards. Getting 12 Angels and 12 Scepter is expensive.
Any suggesting for cheap replacements?
T
train
Guest
Mono-black seemed so nice - but the 1.5 limitation pushes it a little...
Something unexpected...
Sneak Attack
should be simple build... but fast and deadly... black red - 2nd turn kills are sweet...
Another Utility Deck... B/W/G
4 Sundering Titan
1 Genesis
1 Glory
1 Multani-Maro Sorcerer
1 Exalted Angel
4 Abyssal Gatekeeper
4 Vindicate
3 Gaea's Blessing
4 Humble
4 Swords
2 Wrath
2 Disenchant
3 Hunting Grounds
1 Heroes' Reunion
Volrath's Stronghold
Kjeldoran Outpost
4 Bayou
4 Savannah
4 Scrubland
2 Brushland
2 Elfhame Palace
3 Krosan Verge
2 Lake of the Dead
3 Temple of the False God
(don't know if crucible of worlds would be legal at the time - but if it is run it also...)
Something unexpected...
Sneak Attack
should be simple build... but fast and deadly... black red - 2nd turn kills are sweet...
Another Utility Deck... B/W/G
4 Sundering Titan
1 Genesis
1 Glory
1 Multani-Maro Sorcerer
1 Exalted Angel
4 Abyssal Gatekeeper
4 Vindicate
3 Gaea's Blessing
4 Humble
4 Swords
2 Wrath
2 Disenchant
3 Hunting Grounds
1 Heroes' Reunion
Volrath's Stronghold
Kjeldoran Outpost
4 Bayou
4 Savannah
4 Scrubland
2 Brushland
2 Elfhame Palace
3 Krosan Verge
2 Lake of the Dead
3 Temple of the False God
(don't know if crucible of worlds would be legal at the time - but if it is run it also...)
T
train
Guest
That would be interesting on the sliver bit... or you could run B/W with conspiracy and clerics/soldiers, making them slivers and giving them cool abilities...
C
Captain Caveman
Guest
I have this last week to deciede on what the decks will be. I now have the cards to build YellowJackets or Rooser deck list. Getting
eight more Scepter's and Angels is just out of range. I really like the idea of playing that type of set-up but its not practical for us.
If I use the U/B/R deck as the Emperor decklist I can set-up one of the other decklist as G/W aggro-control but I don't have the
cards for two G/W decks. Or I can use Rooser's decklist in the
Emperor slot.
Would an Oath deck with Darksteel Colossus, Spike Feeder and Spike Weaver be any good. How about something like the old
Extended deck "Dumbo Drop"?
I have a question about something I read in one of Peter Jahn's articles. If I use a Sneak Attack to put a creature in play and pass
it to one of my team-mates would it stay in play after my end of turn. He said it would but I'm unsure. It sounds great but does
that work? If I don't control it at E.O.T., will it stay in play?
eight more Scepter's and Angels is just out of range. I really like the idea of playing that type of set-up but its not practical for us.
If I use the U/B/R deck as the Emperor decklist I can set-up one of the other decklist as G/W aggro-control but I don't have the
cards for two G/W decks. Or I can use Rooser's decklist in the
Emperor slot.
Would an Oath deck with Darksteel Colossus, Spike Feeder and Spike Weaver be any good. How about something like the old
Extended deck "Dumbo Drop"?
I have a question about something I read in one of Peter Jahn's articles. If I use a Sneak Attack to put a creature in play and pass
it to one of my team-mates would it stay in play after my end of turn. He said it would but I'm unsure. It sounds great but does
that work? If I don't control it at E.O.T., will it stay in play?
C
Captain Caveman
Guest
Well, darn.....
All this work and now my team is not going. It kind of stinks because I per-registered and now its for not. I also pre-reg for
the two-headed sealed deck thing. If anyone is going to Origins and don't have plans for 4pm the 26th I need a teammate.
If your going to be there and would like to play, please let me know.
All this work and now my team is not going. It kind of stinks because I per-registered and now its for not. I also pre-reg for
the two-headed sealed deck thing. If anyone is going to Origins and don't have plans for 4pm the 26th I need a teammate.
If your going to be there and would like to play, please let me know.
T
train
Guest
So, how did this all turn out?...
*semi-hides in shame for not getting ideas in on time...
*semi-hides in shame for not getting ideas in on time...
C
Captain Caveman
Guest
First of all I'd like to think everyone who gave me some input in my two Origins threads. Thinks didn't work out as well as I'd hope they would have but my Origins experience was pretty good none the less.
I'm not going to write a long report because I'm a terrible writer and my thoughts run amiss. A few days before the event I wasn't even sure I was going to be able to attend the event. Family matters took precident and my team-mates were backing out. I thought oh well maybe next time. As luck would have it, the family issues worked out my brothers plans got cancelled and we left in the wee hours of the morning, on Thursday.
Thursday was Emperor day but we were a player short. Maybe we can find someone to play with us by 4pm. Again luck was about to played a huge roll in my Origins experience. We ended up finding a team-mate about five minutes before the event was going to start. I brother was the one that found the guy, he just went around and ask people until someone said yes. I cannot remember the guys name so if it was someone who reads this, thanks for playing. Anyway, I showed him the decks I build and explained the basic idea of what I "thought" the format would be like. He already had some idea what to expect. I think he had played it with friend's before. I ask him to sit on my left side and handed him a deck. My brother sat on the right and I took the Emperor spot. From there we played our rounds and ended the event tied for first place. There wasn't a play-off so the first place winner was decieded by each teams "opponents" win/loss record. After the dust settled we ended up second and got "34" packs for our trouble. ya 34 packs. I would have liked to have come in first but 34 packs was nice. The prize pay-out was great. I was very pleased with the event organizer.
The next day was the Type 1.5 Creature Feature. I ended up playing G/B with Bane of the Living, walls, Spiritmonger, Genesis and Spikes(weaver & feeder) The deck was a little slow but got better as the game progressed. Again there wasn't a play-off the winner was determined by win/loss records. I came in 5th. The top four were all Goblin decks. Those darn Lackey's, Piledrivers and Seige-Gang gobo's are difficult to stop. I should have waxed them but the players were good and I made several silly mistakes along the way. I ended up with four packs so I was happy.
I had to return home that night so I didn't get to play in any Saturday events. I had a good time and traded off some stuff I never play with anymore and got a few cards for my various casual decks.
Oh ya, the Emperor decks were:
My Left: Fires Variant w/skullclamps
Emperor: Wraths effects, Counters & Artifact/Enchant destruction(support)
My Brother: Scion/Cleric, w/gravepact and Skullclamps
I'm not going to write a long report because I'm a terrible writer and my thoughts run amiss. A few days before the event I wasn't even sure I was going to be able to attend the event. Family matters took precident and my team-mates were backing out. I thought oh well maybe next time. As luck would have it, the family issues worked out my brothers plans got cancelled and we left in the wee hours of the morning, on Thursday.
Thursday was Emperor day but we were a player short. Maybe we can find someone to play with us by 4pm. Again luck was about to played a huge roll in my Origins experience. We ended up finding a team-mate about five minutes before the event was going to start. I brother was the one that found the guy, he just went around and ask people until someone said yes. I cannot remember the guys name so if it was someone who reads this, thanks for playing. Anyway, I showed him the decks I build and explained the basic idea of what I "thought" the format would be like. He already had some idea what to expect. I think he had played it with friend's before. I ask him to sit on my left side and handed him a deck. My brother sat on the right and I took the Emperor spot. From there we played our rounds and ended the event tied for first place. There wasn't a play-off so the first place winner was decieded by each teams "opponents" win/loss record. After the dust settled we ended up second and got "34" packs for our trouble. ya 34 packs. I would have liked to have come in first but 34 packs was nice. The prize pay-out was great. I was very pleased with the event organizer.
The next day was the Type 1.5 Creature Feature. I ended up playing G/B with Bane of the Living, walls, Spiritmonger, Genesis and Spikes(weaver & feeder) The deck was a little slow but got better as the game progressed. Again there wasn't a play-off the winner was determined by win/loss records. I came in 5th. The top four were all Goblin decks. Those darn Lackey's, Piledrivers and Seige-Gang gobo's are difficult to stop. I should have waxed them but the players were good and I made several silly mistakes along the way. I ended up with four packs so I was happy.
I had to return home that night so I didn't get to play in any Saturday events. I had a good time and traded off some stuff I never play with anymore and got a few cards for my various casual decks.
Oh ya, the Emperor decks were:
My Left: Fires Variant w/skullclamps
Emperor: Wraths effects, Counters & Artifact/Enchant destruction(support)
My Brother: Scion/Cleric, w/gravepact and Skullclamps
H
Homestar
Guest
i played emporer before, it is so awesome.......i never thought people actually built decks made for emporer.
C
Captain Caveman
Guest
I gave these a lot of thought. Its just a silly thing I do. I'm sure
most people didn't give the event much thought they just played
casual magic.................
The decks.....................
Creature Feature B/G
-----------------------
14 Forests
8 Swamps
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Yavimaya Elders
4 Wall of Blossoms
3 Wall of Souls
2 Spike Feeder
2 Genesis
3 Bone Shredder
3 Bane of the Living
3 Spiritmonger
2 Masticore
2 Spike Weaver
1 Avatar of Woe
1 Visara the Dreadful
Sideboard
4 Silklash Spider
4 Broodhatch Nantuko
3 Viridian Shaman
3 Royal Assassin(should have been Crypt Rats)
1 Spike Weaver
Type 1.5 Emperor:
Left Flank ClampFire
--------------------
4 River Boa
4 Ravenous Baloth
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Chimeric Idol
4 Blastoderm
4 Fires of Yavimaya
4 Skullclamp
4 Thornscape Battlemage
1 Ancient Hydra
7 Forest
5 Mountain
4 Taiga
4 Karplusan Forest
3 Barbarian Ring
Emperor Support
---------------
3 Adarkar Wastes
4 search land
1 Plains
4 Savannah
3 Tropical Island
4 Tundra
2 Wasteland
1 Arcanis
3 Brainstorm
4 Counterspell
4 Aether Burst
1 Forbid
4 Force of Will
4 Accumulated Knowledge
2 Bribery
2 Rout
2 Gaea's Blessing
3 Seal of Cleansing
3 Swords to Plowshares
3 Tithe
3 Wrath of God
Right Flank Clerics
-------------
4 Cabal Archon
4 Dark Supplicant
1 Graveborn Muse
4 Headhunter
4 Rotlung Reanimator
1 Scion of Darkness
1 Visara the Dreadful
4 Withered Wretch
3 Skullclamp
4 Terminate
3 Diabolic Tutor
1 Ensnaring Bridge
1 Grave Pact
1 Disk
1 Patriarch's Bidding
15 Swamp
4 Badlands
3 Tainted Peak
1 Volrath's Stronghold
most people didn't give the event much thought they just played
casual magic.................
The decks.....................
Creature Feature B/G
-----------------------
14 Forests
8 Swamps
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Yavimaya Elders
4 Wall of Blossoms
3 Wall of Souls
2 Spike Feeder
2 Genesis
3 Bone Shredder
3 Bane of the Living
3 Spiritmonger
2 Masticore
2 Spike Weaver
1 Avatar of Woe
1 Visara the Dreadful
Sideboard
4 Silklash Spider
4 Broodhatch Nantuko
3 Viridian Shaman
3 Royal Assassin(should have been Crypt Rats)
1 Spike Weaver
Type 1.5 Emperor:
Left Flank ClampFire
--------------------
4 River Boa
4 Ravenous Baloth
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Chimeric Idol
4 Blastoderm
4 Fires of Yavimaya
4 Skullclamp
4 Thornscape Battlemage
1 Ancient Hydra
7 Forest
5 Mountain
4 Taiga
4 Karplusan Forest
3 Barbarian Ring
Emperor Support
---------------
3 Adarkar Wastes
4 search land
1 Plains
4 Savannah
3 Tropical Island
4 Tundra
2 Wasteland
1 Arcanis
3 Brainstorm
4 Counterspell
4 Aether Burst
1 Forbid
4 Force of Will
4 Accumulated Knowledge
2 Bribery
2 Rout
2 Gaea's Blessing
3 Seal of Cleansing
3 Swords to Plowshares
3 Tithe
3 Wrath of God
Right Flank Clerics
-------------
4 Cabal Archon
4 Dark Supplicant
1 Graveborn Muse
4 Headhunter
4 Rotlung Reanimator
1 Scion of Darkness
1 Visara the Dreadful
4 Withered Wretch
3 Skullclamp
4 Terminate
3 Diabolic Tutor
1 Ensnaring Bridge
1 Grave Pact
1 Disk
1 Patriarch's Bidding
15 Swamp
4 Badlands
3 Tainted Peak
1 Volrath's Stronghold
H
Homestar
Guest
wow, nice decks caveman. heck, i would use those for anyy format of play...
T
train
Guest
Looks like it worked out well for you... that's cool...
Hope everything has settled with the family...
Are you planning on going next year?.... If for no other reason than to get your revenge on the lackeys...
Hope everything has settled with the family...
Are you planning on going next year?.... If for no other reason than to get your revenge on the lackeys...