About Archive
Six goals for changing the Commander experience with the decks you already own.
WHY ARCHIVE EXISTS
These are design goals. Alpha playtesting explores how well the rules achieve them across different decks and tables.
Increase variety
A large deck can still lead to familiar games. Archive aims for more variety from one game to the next, giving players new situations to navigate with decks they already enjoy.
Weaken decks that rely on one plan
Games can become repetitive when a deck depends on executing the same combination. Archive aims to weaken that reliance and encourage decks to succeed through more than one plan.
Speed up games
Commander games can run longer than the table wants. Archive aims for shorter games, making it easier to fit more games into the time players have.
Normalize power levels
Players can arrive with decks of varried strengths. Archive aims to narrow those power gaps so more players can meaningfully compete with the decks they bring.
Help with mana flood and starvation
Too many lands or too few can leave a player unable to participate. Archive aims to reduce games where mana problems keep someone from playing their cards and making meaningful decisions.
No rebuilding required
Trying a different way to play should not require another deck or changes to a favorite list. Use your existing legal Commander decks and just play, without rebuilding or buying additional cards.