Emmara Tandris not horrible?!?!
Standard forum
Posted on July 22, 2013, 10:37 p.m. by 1245783
I was thinking that with the new legend rule, you can easily copy Emmara Tandris into a token with cards like Stolen Identity . I remember when Emmara Tandris came out, the main complaint was that "she didn't even protect herself"... but with these new cards, she can prevent all damage dealt to herself.
That's a lot of hassle to protect a 7-mana investment. She doesn't do enough in standard considering her CMC and the amount of removal available.
July 22, 2013 11:05 p.m.
10vernothin says... #4
the problem is Unsummon , Cyclonic Rift and the like
July 22, 2013 11:15 p.m.
well if u use Unsummon or Cyclonic Rift , then i can just use something like Cackling Counterpart , and repeat the legend rule cycle, destroying the token u just targeted
July 22, 2013 11:20 p.m.
the3rdH0kage says... #6
Actually you can't use Stolen Identity to copy Emmara Tandris because the token is a copy of Emmara Tandris which means it's name is Emmara Tandris . and with the new legend rule you can't control 2 legendary pernemants of the same name. So you would have to sacrifice until you only controlled one. You could just sac the origanal Tandris though. That might have been what you meant and I just misread but whatever. I might just try this in my Bant tokens deck.
July 22, 2013 11:21 p.m.
It's a cute combo, but the pieces by themselves (Emmara mainly) are too weak on their own to warrent slots in a deck.
July 22, 2013 11:21 p.m.
None of this works. The Legend Rule doesn't work like what you think it works like.
July 22, 2013 11:25 p.m.
It actually now works exactly like this. He will copy Emmara and choose to destroy the original, meaning Emmara doesn't take combat damage, since she is now a token. Thats ignoring the fact that Emmara and Stolen Identity are very high cost spells, and Selesnya tokens is a fairly decent deck without these 6 and 7 costs. Seems fairly pointless when you could just run Rootborn Defenses , which is cheaper and protects from more things.
July 22, 2013 11:30 p.m.
The new Legend rule that went into effect on July 13th states that if a player controls two or more legendary permanents with the same name, that player chooses one and the rest are put into the graveyard as a state-based action. Stolen Identity allows you to create a token copy of any artifact or creature. If you create a token copy of a Legendary creature, you will choose one and put it into the graveyard as a SBA. If you copied Emmara Tandris, her ability would apply to the token version of her.
That is the new Legendary rule, Rienuaa. What are we missing?
As for the combo, its ok, but even using Cackling Counterpart without flashback, you have to play a 7-drop that frankly does little to win you the game.
July 22, 2013 11:34 p.m.
I had assumed he thought that both Emmaras would stay on the battlefield. Apologies. :<
July 22, 2013 11:40 p.m.
Formortiis says... #12
I remember when Emmara Tandris came out, the main complaint was that "she didn't even protect herself"
No, the main complaint was that she was a 7 drop with an extremely sub-par ability. There are plenty of good 7 drops that don't actually protect themselves, but are still infinitely better. Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite is probably the prime example.
July 23, 2013 12:56 a.m.
Or you know, you could just play Avacyn, Angel of Hope . Emmara Tandris is just terrible by comparison, especially when they currently exist in all the same formats.
July 23, 2013 6:17 a.m.
The problem with Emmara is that when you are playing 7 drops they should win you the game much more quickly than she will. Basically, if you have enough tokens to win through combat damage you probably don't need Emmara to do it. Even if you get out a token version of her that will protect herself she is still too vulnerable to spot removal and bounce spells. I really like Selesnya but couldn't find a good way to use her when there are so many better cards to use for equal or even less mana investment.
July 23, 2013 7 a.m.
harrydemon117 says... #15
Emmara Tandris would be good in a Seance build with something to populate instead.
Might be good with Trostani, Selesnya's Voice to Populate the token as well in case of removal
July 23, 2013 8:15 a.m.
Formortiis says... #16
No, Emmara would be good in nothing. Kirtanian was pretty much on the money when he said that she's too much mana for far too little of an ability. Hell, she's so bad I don't even think EDH wants her.
July 23, 2013 9:23 a.m.
After Emmara came out (and after I was duly disappointed), I saw an article about switching a token deck to using her as a commander. All the way through as the author was talking about what changes would be necessary, he was making comments about how the deck would just be better if Trostani was the commander.
Emmara is one of the rare cards that's no good in either constructed, limited, or commander. It takes a special sort of poor card to do that when she's some sort of heroic figure in lore rather than a throwaway common.
July 23, 2013 10:40 a.m.
You can definitely run Emmara in an EDH token deck but certainly not as the General/Commander. My brother uses it in a Ghave, Guru of Spores deck by using Birthing Pod to find her when he needs to. It's somewhat effective but still not as exciting as it sounds. If her ability read "Creature tokens you control are Indestructible" she would see some play.
July 23, 2013 4:14 p.m.
Schuesseled says... #20
Shes terrible in everything, too slow for standard, and does't help in commander, as most board wipes use destroy effects, not damage.
July 23, 2013 5:31 p.m.
KrazyCaley says... #21
She might make an interesting commander if you slap a Shield of the Oversoul on her and pair her with Squirrel Nest and what not, but I wouldn't think of using her anywhere else.
July 23, 2013 9:30 p.m.
Might as well run the Squirrel Nest -Argothian Elder -Wirewood Lodge -Wild Growth infinite combo.
July 23, 2013 9:34 p.m.
Im pretty sure if you have infinite land-taps on your side, you pretty much win anyways...
July 23, 2013 9:39 p.m.
Formortiis says... #24
I believe the non-convoluted version of that combo you are looking for is Earthcraft + Squirrel Nest .
ENEyman says... #2
If I understand you correctly, that's now how the legendary rule works.
July 22, 2013 10:46 p.m.