904.1
In the Archenemy variant, a team of players faces off against a single opponent strengthened with powerful scheme cards. The Archenemy variant uses all the normal rules for a Magic game, with the following additions.
Current Comprehensive Rules · Effective 2026-08-07
Section 904: Archenemy
Read Section 904 continuously, or open any rule on its dedicated page.
Chapter 9 · Casual Variants
Section 904
904. Archenemy
22 rules
904.2
The default setup for an Archenemy game is the Team vs. Team multiplayer variant (see rule 808) involving exactly two teams. The attack multiple players option (see rule 802) and the shared team turns option (see rule 805) are used; no other multiplayer options are used.
904.3
In addition to the normal game materials, the archenemy needs a supplementary scheme deck of at least twenty scheme cards. A scheme deck may contain no more than two of any card with a particular English name. (See rule 314, “Schemes.”)
904.4
All scheme cards remain in the command zone throughout the game, both while they’re part of a scheme deck and while they’re face up.
904.5
The archenemy’s starting life total is 40. Each other player’s starting life total is 20.
904.6
Rather than a randomly determined player, the archenemy takes the first turn of the game.
904.7
The owner of a scheme card is the player who started the game with it in the command zone. The controller of a face-up scheme card is its owner.
904.8
Any abilities of a face-up scheme card in the command zone function from that zone. The card’s static abilities affect the game, its triggered abilities may trigger, and its activated abilities may be activated.
904.9
Immediately after the archenemy’s precombat main phase begins during each of their turns, that player moves the top card of their scheme deck off that scheme deck and turns it face up. This is called “setting that scheme in motion.” (See rule 701.32.) This turn-based action doesn’t use the stack. Abilities of that scheme card that trigger “When you set this scheme in motion” trigger.
904.10
If a non-ongoing scheme card is face up in the command zone, and no triggered abilities of any scheme are on the stack or waiting to be put on the stack, that scheme card is turned face down and put on the bottom of its owner’s scheme deck the next time a player would receive priority. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.)
904.11
Once an ongoing scheme card is set in motion, it remains face up in the command zone until an ability causes it to be abandoned (see rule 701.33).
904.12
Supervillain Rumble Option
904.12a
As an alternative option, players may play a Free-for-All game in which each player has their own scheme deck. The attack multiple players option (see rule 802) is used; no other multiplayer options are used.
904.12b
Each player in this game is an archenemy.
904.12c
As in a normal Free-for-All game, the starting player is randomly determined. All other rules that apply to the archenemy in an Archenemy game apply to each player in a Supervillain Rumble game.
904.13
Archenemy Commander Option
904.13a
As an alternative option, players may play a Commander game (see rule 903, “Commander”) using the Archenemy rules. The normal rules for Commander apply, as modified by the Archenemy rules, with the following exceptions.
904.13b
The archenemy starts with 60 life. The opposing team has a shared life total that starts at 60 life rather than individual life totals. The use of a shared life total is detailed in rules 810.8 and 810.9 of the Two-Headed Giant variant.
904.13c
Poison counters are not shared. If the archenemy has ten or more poison counters, they lose the game. If any individual member of the opposing team has ten or more poison counters, they lose the game. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.)
904.13d
The archenemy’s scheme deck must contain at least ten cards, and each card must have a different English name.