I have had a lot of different Emersons in the last couple of years. I still own roughly 20 of them. Emerson's Tanto shapes are fantastic, and his ergos are literally the best I've ever had. I have size L-XL hands, so each of my Emersons feels like it was made to fit me personally. The Super CQC-7 and the Super Commander are two of the best large knives I own (in that price range). I've not owned a Bulldog, but I do like the design. I would also say that I've had a 13 for a long time, and it's another favorite. Emerson does the "Bowie" shape quiet well, and the tip actually is thicker than it appears. Now, will it stand up to dedicated prying? I can't say, because I don't use my knives for that. I'll just say that no matter what you choose, it will be a serviceable knife for many years, backed by a great warranty. Also, unlike the Zero Tolerance models*, many Emersons come with larger/longer blades. 3.5 inches is alright, but I prefer 3.95-4.0+ in a knife that's made to be a tool that can be pressed into a last ditch defense tool at need. I keep my Emersons screaming sharp, so I've never had a situation where I was using an Emerson to cut something and thought "Man, I wish this was M390 or ELMAX instead". That said, my 20th Anniversary Commander has an S35vn blade and it is sharp.
Good luck choosing just one!
*I liked them, but have never owned one