Arcane Trials

A Solo Magic: The Gathering Format

Arcane Trials is a solo Magic: The Gathering format designed to challenge your skills in a competitive environment that blends elements of limited play with the structure and deckbuilding constraints of singleton formats - think of a solo version of Brawl or Canadian Highlander. Play through a league of matches against automated opponent decks, earning rewards and refining your strategy as you progress.

Important: Arcane Trials is a flexible framework for solo play. The deck archetypes, automation rules, and game structures presented here are just examples to get you started. Feel free to customize everything to match your collection, preferences, and desired challenge level.

Format Rules

Deck Construction

Opponent Decks

The opponent decks should represent different play styles and strategies to create diverse challenges. The examples provided are suggestions — feel free to build decks that match your collection and preferences.

Commander Selection

Sealed Pool Setup

  1. Cube Structure: Divide a 360-card cube into 24 "booster packs" of 15 cards each
    • Each pack: 3 non-basic lands, 6 spells, 6 creatures
  2. Create Pool: Randomly select 6 packs (90 cards total)
  3. Add Basics: Include basic lands from outside the pool as needed
  4. Choose Commander: Select a commander that fits your pool's strengths

Gameplay Loop

  1. League Structure: Play through a series of 5-8 matches
  2. Opponent Selection: Randomly select one of your opponent decks for each match
  3. Win Condition: Reduce opponent life to 0 or achieve an alternate win condition
  4. Loss Condition: 2-3 losses end your run

Progression System

  1. Rewards: After each win, add 1-2 cards from the cube to your pool
  2. Deck Modification: Adjust your deck between matches using your expanding card pool
  3. League Completion: End your run after 5-8 matches or when eliminated
Example Opponent Decks

Customization Note: These are just examples of decks. Create whatever lists you like!

Example 1: Mono Red/Boros Aggro

Strategy: Fast creatures, burn spells, combat tricks.

Example 2: Azorius/Dimir Control

Strategy: Counterspells, removal, card draw, few win conditions

Example 3: Simic Midrange

Strategy: Ramp, card advantage, recursion, efficient creatures

Example 4: Combo Deck

Strategy: Pieces that work together, incremental advantage, explosive turns

Example 5: Goblins Aggro

Strategy: Swarm with efficient goblins, overwhelm with combined tribal boosts.

Example 6: Elves Tokens

Strategy: Generate a mass of Elf tokens, buff them, overrun the opponent.

Example 7: Izzet Spellslinger

Strategy: Fill the graveyard with instants and sorceries, generate value from casting spells.

Example 8: Golgari Graveyard Play

Strategy: Fill the graveyard with creatures, reanimate them for value.

Example Opponent Automation Rules

Customization Note: These automation rules are examples to help you get started. Modify them to match your playstyle and the specific decks you build. The goal is to create challenging yet deterministic opponents that follow logical patterns.

General Priority Order

  1. Play a land if available
  2. Cast commander if possible and strategically advantageous
  3. Follow deck-specific priority actions
  4. Cast highest impact spell based on board state

Example 1: Mono Red/Boros Aggro

Decision Priorities:

  1. Play lowest CMC creature available
  2. Cast burn spells at player when no blockers present
  3. Cast combat tricks during combat
  4. Always attack with all creatures unless opponent has clearly favorable blocks

Example 2: Azorius/Dimir Control

Decision Priorities:

  1. Counter opponent's highest CMC spell
  2. Remove opponent's biggest threat
  3. Cast card draw spells when hand size is low
  4. Only attack when opponent has no favorable blocks

Example 3: Simic Midrange

Decision Priorities:

  1. Play ramp spells early
  2. Cast value-generating permanents before other spells
  3. Use removal on opponent's value engines
  4. Trade creatures only when advantageous

Example 4: Combo Deck

Decision Priorities:

  1. Cast combo pieces in correct sequence
  2. Hold removal for protecting combo pieces
  3. Cast card filtering spells to find combo pieces
  4. Block only when necessary to prevent lethal damage

Example 5: Goblins Aggro

Decision Priorities:

  1. Play Goblins in order of cost efficiency
  2. Prioritize cards with Goblin synergy
  3. Cast Overrun-style spells when total power on board is high
  4. Attack with all available attackers

Example 6: Elves Tokens

Decision Priorities:

  1. Produce tokens as quickly as possible
  2. Prioritize cards that pump all Elves
  3. Cast Overrun-style spells when board is wide with tokens
  4. Attack with all available tokens

Example 7: Izzet Spellslinger

Decision Priorities:

  1. Cast card draw/selection to find key spells
  2. Play payoffs (e.g., Young Pyromancer) before casting spells
  3. Attack with any creatures after they've generated value through spells
  4. Use counterspells to protect payoffs and combos

Example 8: Golgari Graveyard Play

Decision Priorities:

  1. Cast cards to fill the graveyard
  2. Reanimate best targets
  3. Trade creatures early to fill the graveyard

Feel free to create your own decks and automation rules beyond these examples. Many other strategies can work well with automated decision making, such as Aristocrats-style sacrifice decks, Enchantment strategies, or Equipment based decks.

Optional Challenge Modes - Even harder!

Archenemy Mode

Cube Evolution

Example Cube Structure

The ideal cube for Arcane Trials includes:

Recommended Distribution

Don't have 360 cards? Start with a smaller cube (180-240 cards) and adjust the pack quantities accordingly. The format scales well.

FAQ

Q: Can I use any commander for my deck?

A: Your commander should come from your sealed pool whenever possible, but remember that the goal is to have fun. Don't be afraid to bend the rules if necessary.

Q: How strictly should I follow the automation rules?

A: They're guidelines to create challenging gameplay. Adjust as needed for better balance and to make decisions that feel right for each deck's strategy.

Q: Can I create my own automation rules for the opponent decks?

A: Definitely! The automation rules provided are examples. Create your own to match the decks you build and the challenge level you want.

Q: Can I modify opponent decks?

A: Absolutely! Customize them to match your collection and provide the challenge level you desire. The examples are just starting points.

Q: How do I handle complex card interactions when automating opponent decisions?

A: For complex interactions, create simple priority-based rules. When in doubt, make the decision that most advances that deck's strategy or the one that would be most challenging for you as the player.

Q: Should I strive to include legendary creatures of each color identity in my booster packs?

A: Including legendary creatures is a great way to ensure you'll always have options for your commander, but it's not strictly necessary. Use your best judgment!

Get Started

  1. Build your cube and divide it into packs
  2. Create your opponent decks with your preferred strategies
  3. Develop simple automation rules for each opponent deck
  4. Open six packs to form your sealed pool
  5. Build your 40-card deck with a commander
  6. Begin your league and see how far you can go!

Arcane Trials was designed to provide a flexible framework for a challenging solo experience for Magic: The Gathering players who enjoy limited formats and competitive play while utilizing their existing collection. Don't forget to have fun!