I don't even understand why you even want emeralds... They have little to no efficient use in hardcore nor normal and only provide a minor advantage in overpowered. The best item available in normal mode- The fire shroom on mushrooms- is generally only used by good players who would've easily killed you anyways. Let me explain why the other items besides this one are useless to get:
Diamond Armour, Diamond Weapons+: Can easily be beaten by people with lower gear, time it takes is enough for base camper to get 3 notch apples or a rusher to snatching 4-5 islands
KB Shroom: On hardcore and normal, an axe crushes a KB weapon.
Soup: Just don't get it.
UnderDaSea: You're wasting time you could be using to get rid of possible base campers.
Western, Tropical, and Mine: Map is too rush friendly to use the emeralds in any decent time.