Kemba is both an obvious, and at the same time exciting voltron-style general. She has obvious synergy with equipment, is efficiently costed, and she can take over the board herself if left to her devices. Kemba can also become an engine frequently for either mana or card draw, using things like Mentor of the Meek or Ashnod's Altar.
Why play Kemba?
You like swinging in for lots with swarms and big fatties.
You like equipment.
You like mono-white
You want to play fair
You want a general that is not K.O.S.(Kill On Sight)
You love kitty cats
Why did I pick Kemba?
I picked up Magic right after Mirrodin Besieged. Some of my friends played Commander, and some played Standard. Being a new player, I had access to mostly Standard format cards, so I picked up Kemba after observing that it was a legendary creature I had access to with a lot of synergy with cards that had just come out. The deck evolved, it was originally a pile that revolved around getting big white dudes out like Vengeful Archon and winning through the beats. The equipment was just a subtheme. As I got more into the format, I found my old Kemba deck needed some love, and now it is the deck I bust out more than any other, and the deck I give to my friends to teach them commander. It plays fair, and it's a fun deck to play. It is by no means bad or easy, but it is straightforward and it plays fairly.
Obviously in any EDH deck there are usually quite a few viable paths to go. With Kemba I believe there are 3 main paths you can go.
1. Voltron-Kemba's obvious synergies combined with whites affinity for equipment allow kemba to be an all in voltron general quite easily
2. Swarm-You can go mono white tokens+Buffs as well, with kemba as just another engine in your 100.
3. Goodstuffs-There are plenty of fine mono white cards and combos from which to generate CA. Goodstuffs generally works anywhere, but Kemba is fine with an equip subtheme for your goodstuffs dude of choice.
Usually when I play the deck, I tend to either assemble an engine while grinding out CA to get to the point where I can one shot players, or go balls to the walls aggro early to try and drop my opponents to the point where it becomes difficult for them to stabilize. The deck tends to have fairly obvious lines of play, the main thing that requires a bit of foreknowledge of the meta is when to and when not to drop Kemba. Generally if you get a hold of an equipment tutor, you'll want to either grab something that is extremely relevant to the matchup, like Sword of Feast and Famine against lets say a Nath deck, or just go straight for Skullclamp or Sword of Fire and Ice. Lightning Greaves, Argentum Armor, and Batterskull are also all frequent tutor targets.
In closing
This list is a lot farther along than it originally was. I now choose not to play MLD, instead of it being a choice dictated by card availability. While I believe I can still improve on the list, I'm now at the point where I believe it is a competitive deck that I can play without bothering many groups sensibilities.
Just finished the post, please take a read, and leave some comments or criticism. If you have any questions feel free to ask, and if you try out some components of the deck please tell me, I'd love to hear how it goes over in a meta different than my own.
Have you thought about Worldslayer? I run one in mine and if the opportunity presents itself through tutor or luck and I think I can get it through counter I will.
By itself, it can be a real threat even unattached. Couple it with Darksteel Plate and you can make a table scoop on a successful hit.
I have run Worldslayer in the past, although it's not one of the cards I keep on hand. When it works, it works. But sometimes it just sits in your hand like you mulliganed, and in my playgroup one card can make all the difference. I have considered running it again since I got the Kaldra set, but haven't had a huge amount of interest in the idea. I'd rather run Armageddon, although I don't have a copy of that at the moment.
Pretty major overhauls to the list, it's been over half a year since I posted updates. I like where the list is now, but would love to hear thoughts, criticism, ideas, or maybe if someone wants to try the list I'd love to hear about that too. I think this is close to my ideal mono-white list that doesn't play Armageddon, but if you disagree, please tell me why.
Why play Kemba?
Why did I pick Kemba?
The List-Here's my 99
1 Auriok Survivors
1 Taj-Nar Swordsmith
1 Junk Diver
1 Glory
1 Stonehewer Giant
1 Puresteel Paladin
1 Weathered Wayfarer
1 Mentor of the Meek
1 Stoneforge Mystic
1 Luminate Primordial
1 Myr Retriever
1 Archon of Justice
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Angel of Serenity
1 Steelshaper's Apprentice
1 Karmic Guide
1 Grand Abolisher
1 Sun Titan
1 Mangara of Corondor
1 Blinding Angel
1 Land Tax
1 Aura of Silence
Sorceries-5
1 Austere Command
1 Steelshaper's Gift
1 Terminus
1 Hallowed Burial
1 Wrath of God
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Path to Exile
1 Dispatch
1 Allay
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Return to Dust
Planeswalkers-2
1 Karn Liberated
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Artifacts-18
1 Scroll Rack
1 Extraplanar Lens
1 Caged Sun
1 Journeyer's Kite
1 Gilded Lotus
1 Sol Ring
1 Expedition Map
1 Slate of Ancestry
1 Eldrazi Monument
1 Trading Post
1 Sculpting Steel
1 Ashnod's Altar
1 Akroma's Memorial
1 Gauntlet of Power
1 Planar Portal
1 Mirrorworks
1 Culling Dais
1 Staff of Nin
Artifact-Equipment-13
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Fireshrieker
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Sword of War and Peace
1 Swiftfoot Boots
1 Argentum Armor
1 Skullclamp
1 Nim Deathmantle
1 Strata Scythe
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Batterskull
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Windbrisk Heights
1 High Market
1 Thespian's Stage
1 Thawing Glaciers
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Vesuva
1 Rogue's Passage
1 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
1 Temple of the False God
1 Buried Ruin
1 Kor Haven
1 Mystifying Maze
19 Plains
Card Choices
1. Voltron-Kemba's obvious synergies combined with whites affinity for equipment allow kemba to be an all in voltron general quite easily
2. Swarm-You can go mono white tokens+Buffs as well, with kemba as just another engine in your 100.
3. Goodstuffs-There are plenty of fine mono white cards and combos from which to generate CA. Goodstuffs generally works anywhere, but Kemba is fine with an equip subtheme for your goodstuffs dude of choice.
These are cards I have run in the past.
Strategy
In closing
Just finished the post, please take a read, and leave some comments or criticism. If you have any questions feel free to ask, and if you try out some components of the deck please tell me, I'd love to hear how it goes over in a meta different than my own.
My EDH Decks!
BUGDamia, Combo-Control QueenBUG
RGWort, the RampmotherRG
WWWKemba, Voltron ExtraordinaireWWW
UBDralnu, Pure ControlUB
URHail to the DracogeniusUR
By itself, it can be a real threat even unattached. Couple it with Darksteel Plate and you can make a table scoop on a successful hit.
Gallery
PM me for Commissions
GBU The Mimeoplasm Combo EDH
My EDH Decks!
BUGDamia, Combo-Control QueenBUG
RGWort, the RampmotherRG
WWWKemba, Voltron ExtraordinaireWWW
UBDralnu, Pure ControlUB
URHail to the DracogeniusUR
My EDH Decks!
BUGDamia, Combo-Control QueenBUG
RGWort, the RampmotherRG
WWWKemba, Voltron ExtraordinaireWWW
UBDralnu, Pure ControlUB
URHail to the DracogeniusUR