Working on the casual format "Emperor" with xzzane
Emperor
The Emperor variant involves two teams of three players each. Each team sits together on one side of the table, with team members deciding the order in which they're seated. Each team has one "emperor," which is the player seated in the middle of the team. The remaining players on the team are "generals" whose job is to protect their emperor while attempting to take down the opposing emperor. Players randomly determine which emperor will go first, generally using the high roll on dice, and turn order then progresses to the left.
Emperors have a "range of influence" of 2, which means that their spells and abilities affect only themselves and players within two seats of their own. In other words, at the start of the game, they can affect everyone except the opposing emperor. Generals have a range of influence of 1. At the start of the game, they can't affect the opposing emperor either. The only way to get an opposing emperor within your range of influence is to defeat an opposing general!
Players may attack only opponents seated immediately next to them. This means that at the beginning of the game, emperors can't attack anyone because no opponent is sitting next to them.
Each player plays as an individual. Players can collaborate by looking at each other's hands and discussing strategy, but each player keeps a separate life total (starting at 20), hand, library, battlefield, and so on. The one difference is the "deploy creatures" option. Each of the emperor's creature has the ability "T: Target teammate gains control of this creature. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery." Keep in mind that when a player is eliminated from the game, all cards he or she owns (including creatures controlled by other players) are removed from the game. If that player controlled permanents that are owned by other players, they'll stay in the game and go back to whichever player should be controlling them now.
Winning and losing an Emperor game works differently than normal. A team wins the game when the opposing emperor has been eliminated. It doesn't matter whether the losing team has any generals remaining or not. This also means that a general that's been eliminated from the game can still win if his or her team eliminates the opposing emperor later on!
The Emperor format can be played with more than two teams; in that case, the appropriate Free-for-All rules are applied. The format can also be played with more than three members on each team, as long as each team has the same number. Each extra player on a team is an additional general. That means that some generals won't be sitting next to an opponent (they'll be between two teammates), so they can't attack anyone at the beginning of the game. Be sure to increase the range of influences accordingly.
*To view the Two General's Deck --> Emperor Format - Ultimate Generals
Now that you know the rules, I give you the Emperor's Deck
So, xzzane and Dreno33 initially felt that the Emperor would have time to build up his board state while being protected by his Generals. However, the Emperor could still reach the two enemy generals. With this knowledge, we decided to load up the deck with control spells while having fatties waiting to play when the mana came due.
Below is a list of the card choices and their reasonings:
Creatures
2x Blightsteel Colossus - The primary purpose is for the infect. This beast is an 11/11 indestructible body with infect and trample. This is a great way to finish off the game in 1 or 2 turns.
4x Consecrated Sphinx - Until BOTH enemy generals are dead, you will be drawing 4 cards extra per sphinx. As long as both enemy generals are alive, the sphinx is safe to draw many cards. The 4/6 flying body is also important to help swing in and block.
4x Primordial Hydra - This guy is beast and in early game dropping him on T5 (yes that is early game for an Emperor) will amount to a massive trampler to finish off the game. However, he is not indestructible nor has hexproof which is a big downside.
Enchantments
- 4x Phyrexian Arena - This card is essential to early game card draw until the sphinx comes out 3 turns later. Having 4x of both is vital to keeping a hand filled with removal.
Planeswalker
- 1x Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker - A powerhouse no matter how early or late it hits the field. I am looking for to seeing another Emperor build up huge dudes so I can snatch them away or destroy their key support cards on the field. Getting him out while both enemy generals are still alive is amazing since Nicol Bolas is still untouchable. The enemies will move into freight mode.
Instants
3x Cyclonic Rift - So powerful, So necessary. The only downside is that it will life my General's field back to their hands. However, they have very small CMC decks so it is not a huge issue. This rift is the perfect time to play at the last enemy's end step with a blight steel out for one ensured kill.
3x Path to Exile - For one "W" this is one of the best removals in the game. The basic land advantage is hardly a disadvantage to our team due to the style and speed of the format.
4x Swords to Plowshares - For one "W" this is one of the best removal in the game. The life gain means nothing to a blightsteel nor to a well-enchanted creatures from one of the Emperor's Generals.
Sorceries
