Scepter of Empires
Artifact
: This artifact deals 1 damage to target player or planeswalker. It deals 3 damage instead if you control artifacts named Crown of Empires and Throne of Empires.
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- C
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Magic 2012
- Price
- $0.27
- EDHREC rank
- #19033
Scepter of Empires deals 1 damage to each opponent per turn — a real effect, but only if you also control Throne of Empires and Crown of Empires, two other pieces that do almost nothing on their own. The full suite requires assembling three separate artifacts with no redundancy, and the payoff is three damage per turn cycle: not a clock, a gimmick.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Scepter of Empires sees essentially zero competitive play in Legacy, Vintage, or Modern — formats where three-card artifact assemblies that deal 1 damage per turn don't register. Commander is the only home where Scepter of Empires is even a conversation, and there only in dedicated artifact-tribal or Empires-themed builds where the full trio is the point. Oathbreaker is technically legal but faces the same problem: the payoff doesn't justify the three-card tax at a 20-life starting total.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Throne of EmpiresScepter of EmpiresCrown of EmpiresFiligree SagesPhyrexian Altar
Gain control of all creatures; Infinite colored mana; Infinite creature tokens; Infinite damage; Infinite death triggers; Infinite ETB; Infinite LTB; Infinite mana artifacts you control can produce; Infinite sacrifice triggers; Infinite untap of artifacts you control
View on Commander Spellbook ↗
Throne of EmpiresScepter of EmpiresCrown of EmpiresFiligree SagesEarthcraft
Gain control of all creatures; Infinite creature tokens; Infinite damage; Infinite death triggers; Infinite ETB; Infinite LTB; Infinite mana artifacts you control can produce; Infinite mana basic lands you control can produce; Infinite sacrifice triggers; Infinite untap of artifacts you control; Infinite untap of basic lands you control
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Price Context
Current price
$0.27 bulk tier
At $0.27, Scepter of Empires is deep bulk — the price reflects demand accurately. Don't expect it to move; the card has a narrow fanbase and no competitive applications driving secondary market pressure.
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Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.