ARCHIVE ALPHA · A COMMANDER VARIANT
SHUFFLE.
SPLIT.
PLAY.
Archive aims for more varied games, faster finishes, and closer competition, with ways to work through mana flood or starvation. All while using your existing Commander decks!
SET UP YOUR GAME
Put your commander or commanders in the command zone, then shuffle the remaining cards.
Command zone set aside
The top 50 cards
The rest, face down
Without looking at or choosing cards, take the top 50 as your Library. Place the remaining 49 cards face down as your Archive.
USING YOUR ARCHIVE
Your Archive stays face down, separate from your Library. Three rules let you move cards into your hand.
Discovery
Whenever you search your Library and find zero cards, put the top card of your Archive into your hand.
Finding one or more cards doesn't count. Normal Magic rules determine whether you may find zero.
Exchange
Once during each of your turns, as a sorcery, you may put a card from your hand on the bottom of your Archive. If you do, put the top card of your Archive into your hand.
- 1 · Put a card from your hand on the bottom of your Archive
- 2 · If you do, put the top card of your Archive into your hand
Exchange doesn't discard or exile the card.
Research
Once during each of your turns, as a sorcery, you may pay 4 mana of any type. If you do, put the top card of your Archive into your hand.
You may use both Research and Exchange during the same turn.
Everything else follows normal Commander rules. Your Archive is not a backup Library.
Read the complete rulesEXPLORE ARCHIVE
PLAYTEST FEEDBACK
Share game length, Archive use, and rules questions with Archive.