The standard way to play in either the Archon or Sealed format is called Solo. In Solo play, you use a single deck throughout a whole event.

Simultaneously, the game's variants each offer a slightly different take on the value of your deck or decks. These variants are optional ways to play, and many of them can be applied to either the Archon or Sealed format.

• In the Reversal variant (also known as "Best of the Worst"), you and your opponent swap decks and play. This variant works because the algorithm behind deck creation ensures that every deck is playable. It can be illuminating because even if you lose, your deck wins, and you might learn how to play it better.
• In the Auction variant, players place their Sealed decks into a common pool before the event and bid chains for the decks of their choice. You might see one deck that's clearly better than the others, but how many turns will you be willing to deprive yourself of cards in order to play that deck?
• In the Adaptive variant, you and your opponent play best two out of three. Game one, you use your deck. Game two, you use your opponent's deck. If there's a third game, you bid chains for the deck that won the previous two games.
• In the Survival variant, you start with a number of decks (at a smaller event, this would typically be two) and play in normal tournament rounds… except that if you lose with a deck, that deck is eliminated, and you cannot play it again. In order to stay in the tournament, you need at least one deck to survive!
• In the Triad variant, you and your opponent each bring three decks to a best-two-of-three match, then choose one of your opponent's decks to eliminate. To win the match, you must win with both of your two remaining decks.
• In Diminishing Returns, Bring 2 or 3 decks and chose which one to use in round 1. When you win a round, you remove that deck from play for the remainder of the tournament. The objective is to end the night by removing each of your decks from play. This could be used in Swiss, Pod or other formats.