Emperor

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Emperor
DCI Sanctioned
Paper
Magic Online
Magic Arena
Rules
Type	Constructed Limited
Multiplayer

For characters who are Emperors, see :Category:Emperors.

Emperor is a casual multiplayer variant played by at least two teams of equal sizes, with a minimum of three players per team. Each team chooses one player as their emperor, and when that player wins, loses, or draws the game, the entire team shares that outcome. Seating order matters, because the format uses the range of influence optional rule. Unlike another popular multiplayer variant, Two-Headed Giant, teammates take separate turns and do not share resources (such as life or mana).

The Emperor variant can be played with decks of any format; Commander is a particularly popular choice. Emperor was briefly available on Magic Online, but currently cannot be played either there or in Magic Arena.

Description

Drafting

When played as a draft format, players should draft in a rotating seating arrangement, before moving to sit next to their teammates for the game itself.

Setup

Each team chooses an emperor and sits together on one side of the table, with the emperor in the middle and teammates deciding the order in which they're seated. Players other than the emperors are generals (or lieutenants), whose presence protects their emperor due to the range of influence option. Players randomly determine one of the emperors to go first, and turn order then progresses to the left.

Players may agree to follow any deck construction format desired, with associated extra rules and/or rules modifications if necessary, making "Commander Emperor" or "Modern Emperor" example subtypes of Emperor. It's possible for different roles to use different deck formats, for instance the emperor could use a Commander deck while the generals use a Standard or Pauper deck, or Emperors could be allowed two commanders.

Gameplay

The limited range of influence option restricts each player's capacity to interact with other players based on their seating order. In a typical Emperor game, generals have a range of influence of 1, allowing them to interact only with their own emperor, and the nearest general of an opposing team. The emperors themselves have a range of influence of 2, extending their reach beyond their generals to encompass the opposing generals of adjacent teams. At the start of the game, no emperor is within range of another emperor. As players are eliminated, the seating order changes, bringing the emperors within range of attack, including from each other.

Players start at 20 life, and do not share that life total or any other resources with their teammate. They may collaborate and share hidden information. Emperor uses the deploy creatures option, which adds an ability to every creature on the battlefield: ": Target teammate gains control of this creature. Activate only as a sorcery."

As with other multiplayer formats, when a general loses the game, all cards they own are exiled and then cease to exist, and if that player gained control of permanents owned by other players, those permanents return to their owners' control. When an emperor wins, loses, or draws the game, the same applies to all of their generals.

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.

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (April 4, 2025—Tarkir: Dragonstorm)

Emperor Variant

A multiplayer variant played among three-player teams. See rule 809, “Emperor Variant.”

From the Comprehensive Rules (April 4, 2025—Tarkir: Dragonstorm)

• 809. Emperor Variant
  • 809.1. The Emperor variant involves two or more teams of three players each.
  • 809.2. Each team sits together on one side of the table. Each team decides the order in which it’s seated. Each team has one emperor, who sits in the middle of the team. The remaining players on the team are generals whose job is to protect the emperor.
  • 809.3. The Emperor variant uses the following default options.
    • 809.3a The range of influence is limited to 2 for emperors and 1 for generals. See rule 801, “Limited Range of Influence Option.”
    • 809.3b Emperor games use the deploy creatures option (see rule 804).
    • 809.3c A player can attack only an opponent seated immediately next to them, a planeswalker controlled by a player seated immediately next to them, or a battle protected by a player seated immediately next to them.

      Example: At the start of an Emperor game, neither emperor can attack any opponents, even though both of the opposing generals are within their spell range.

  • 809.4. Randomly determine which emperor goes first. Turn order goes to the players’ left.
  • 809.5. The Emperor variant includes the following specifications for winning and losing the game. All other rules for ending the game also apply. (See rule 104.)
    • 809.5a A team wins the game if its emperor wins.
    • 809.5b A team loses the game if its emperor loses.
    • 809.5c The game is a draw for a team if the game is a draw for its emperor.
  • 809.6. The Emperor variant can also be played with any number of equally sized teams. If the teams have more than three players, the range of influence of each player should be adjusted.
    • 809.6a Each general’s range of influence should be the minimum number that allows one general from an opposing team to begin the game within their range of influence. Each emperor’s range of influence should be the minimum number that allows two generals from opposing teams to begin the game within their range of influence. Players should be seated such that no emperor begins the game within the range of influence of another emperor.

      Example: In an Emperor game between two teams of four players each, the player configuration (either clockwise or counterclockwise around the table) should be: Team A general 1, Team A emperor, Team A general 2, Team A general 3, Team B general 1, Team B emperor, Team B general 2, Team B general 3. Each emperor has range of influence 3. Each general 2 has range of influence 2. Each general 1 and general 3 has range of influence 1.

  • 809.7. In the Emperor variant, a team’s resources (cards in hand, mana, and so on) are not shared. Teammates may review each other’s hands and discuss strategies at any time. Teammates can’t manipulate each other’s cards or permanents.

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (April 4, 2025—Tarkir: Dragonstorm)

Emperor

The middle player on each team in an Emperor game. See rule 809, “Emperor Variant.”

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (April 4, 2025—Tarkir: Dragonstorm)

General

Any player in the Emperor multiplayer variant who isn’t an emperor. See rule 809, “Emperor Variant.”