MTG Archenemy Commander
Archenemy Commander Format
Why Play This Format?
- Multi-player games consisting of one archenemy against a three-or-more player team
- Great to play with friends, especially those of varying skill levels
- Scheme deck adds an exciting and chaotic element
- New way to play with your existing Commander decks
- Faster games than free-for-all Commander
Different Ways to Play
Play Rules/Modifiers
An Archenemy Commander game consists of one player playing as the archenemy facing off against three (or more) other players in a team, all using Commander decks.
Each player on the team brings a Commander deck of 100 Magic cards, using typical Commander deckbuilding rules. Unlike regular Archenemy, the team shares a life total which starts at 60 life.
The archenemy player brings a Commander deck of 100 Magic cards, using typical Commander deckbuilding rules. They also bring a scheme deck which must contain 10 or more oversized scheme cards, each of which must be unique. The archenemy starts with 60 life and always goes first. They still draw a card during their first draw step.
On each of the archenemy’s turns, at the start of their first main phase, they reveal the top card of their scheme deck and set that scheme in motion. Schemes can provide powerful advantages for the archenemy or setbacks for the heroes. Most schemes have an ability that immediately triggers when they’re set in motion, after which those schemes are put on the bottom of the scheme deck. Some schemes, however, are labeled “ongoing”; after an ongoing scheme is set in motion, that scheme remains face up and active until an ability says to “abandon” it, at which point that scheme is put on the bottom of the scheme deck.
The other players take their turns simultaneously. They take their beginning phase together, then their main phase, then declare attacks at the same time during their combat phase, and so on. They also share a life total, though they don’t share other resources, and effects that read “each opponent” or “each player” still affect each team member separately. Players can block any creature(s) that are attacking them, their teammates, or Planeswalkers their team controls.
The Supervillain Rumble Variant
Instead of one archenemy against three or more other players, this variant features three or more players each playing with a scheme deck and fighting it out in a free-for-all multiplayer Commander game.
In this variant, each player plays as an archenemy with their own scheme deck. Each player starts with 40 life as usual for Commander. Determine the starting player randomly. At the beginning of each player’s first main phase, that player sets a scheme in motion from their scheme deck.