After you become reasonably familiar with the artifacts, you may wish to try these variants.

For 2-4 Players

This variant replaces setup step 6.

After players receive their 2 mages, deal 4 artifacts to each player. Each player keeps 1 artifact and passes the other cards to the left (clockwise). Repeat this keep-1-and-pass-the-rest until there are no more artifacts to pass.

Then, deal 4 more artifacts to each player. Each player keeps 1 of these artifacts and passes the others to the right (counter-clockwise). Repeat this keep-1-and-pass-the-rest until there are no more artifacts to pass.

Each player should have 8 artifacts. After examining them, shuffle them to form your initial deck, offer it to an opponent to cut, and draw your initial hand of 3 artifacts.

Then, choose mages and magic items normally. Begin play.

Match Play For 2

This adds a face up draft in the middle of a 3 game match.

Play game 1 using the standard setup rules.

After game 1, players retain their mages and place all 16 artifacts from game 1 face up between them. Do setup steps 1-4. The loser of game 1 chooses who will be First Player for game 2. The First Player chooses 1 from the face up artifacts. Players then alternate choosing 2 artifacts until only 1 artifact is left for the First Player, who takes it.

Shuffle your deck for your opponent to cut. Draw your initial hand before choosing magic items. Begin game 2.

After game 2, if you are tied with 1 win apiece, play game 3. Do setup steps 1-4 normally, with each player keeping their mage and the artifacts they drafted after game 1.

The loser of game 2 chooses who is First Player for game 3. Shuffle your deck for your opponent to cut and draw your initial hand. Then, choose magic items and begin play.

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