Everything stated here is my opinion unless noted and/or cited otherwise. As a progamer for several years now, I have a wealth of personal experience and observations to draw upon. With that said, I sometimes have to speculate due to lack of studies/concrete facts.

What is archon mode? Archon mode is a version of 1v1 where two (currently) players operate as one. Imagine a normal 1v1 where each side had two players managing it instead of one.

For veterans of Starcraft, you already know that ‘archon’ mode has been around for years. In Broodwar, it was known as team melee. So, what's the big deal? Team melee was a neat idea that held some people’s interest but eventually faded away. In recent times, we’ve identified some inherent problems with Starcraft’s ladder and archon mode seeks to fill a void in the experience. Starcraft 1v1 ladder is generally a pretty anti-social experience. Archon mode allows players to experience the full competitive beauty of Starcraft (the game is not as balanced/well designed for actual team games) while doing so with a friend. In addition, archon mode allows players of drastically different skills to enjoy 1v1 together.

It is important to note that one of Starcraft’s most defining elements is its incredible difficulty and the amount of tasks that can be done at any time. Starcraft requires a near constant investment in energy and focus from start to finish to multi task all across the map and perform everything required. In 1v1, that means making strategic cuts of attention. As soon as a drop or set of units is doomed, it’s important to look away in order to focus on other parts of the game that can benefit from your attention. In archon mode, players can get closer to doing ‘everything’; perfect macro while maintaining map control and fighting on multiple fronts will be the norm.

So, what’s difference between regular 1v1 and archon mode? Simply put, you have the APM of both players combined as well as the ability to do and look at 2 completely separate things. In order to put that extra attention to good use you want to favor builds that allow 1 of the players to do a lot of heavy micro. Archon mode favors builds that are normally much more difficult to do optimally due to APM constraints such as early tank drops, proxy reaper, disruptor harass, or mass mutas. Any style that can be played with low APM won’t be fully utilizing the capacity of your team so deathball type strategies and heavy macro builds are generally less useful.

Opening fast tank drop in any matchup is a good example of a build with a huge difference in power between archon mode and 1v1. Tank drops are extremely effective when microed, but they have almost no utility if not microed consistently. Left alone, tank drops are similar to mutalisks in that they won’t really accomplish any damage. They are too fragile and expensive to be left alone or to be expended. The real value from tank drops comes from repeated harass and the ability to get a lot of damage done for ‘free’ which requires a huge attention investment. As such, tank drops really shine in archon mode as 1 player can dedicate their APM and attention to maximizing that investment.



While playing vs Vibe/Livibee I focused my entire attention on tank drops which resulted in a huge amount of damage done. In a 1v1, this level of micro is impossible to maintain due to macro requirements at home.

Mutalisk harass is another great example of a strategy that excels in archon mode. Due to their incredible mobility, mutalisks can more easily find and abuse holes in your opponent’s defenses. The problem is that finding those holes is very attention intensive and it’s hard to maintain consistent harass while also macroing back home or defending against drops. While mutalisk harass is obviously viable in standard 1v1, there is so much more potential to deal damage in archon mode because one player can do nothing but micro the mutalisks. Splitting mutalisks into smaller groups is another avenue so far barely explored.



In our game vs TRUE/DRG, a flock of mutalisks managed full time by one of the zergs creates a constant source of pressure while their macro remains as solid as ever.

As the game goes longer and longer, there is more potential to control the map and leverage the fact that you have 2 players capable of moving armies on the map. As more and more units appear, it becomes imperative to coordinate attacks with my partner so that they occur simultaneously on the map. This creates increased logistical strain on our opponents as they must figure out who will defend what attack and with which units.


The other critical difference comes from the fact that your archon is actually two different people. Archon mode requires clear communication so that both players are on the same page strategically as well as in the division of labor. The absolute worst thing to happen in archon mode is when both players try to do something with the same set of units. Those units will tend to walk back and forth and not accomplish either goal.

Archon mode is much easier to manage when players have a clear distinction in who controls what. Generally, one player is set to macro and defense while the other performs the main army control, maneuvering, scouting and map control. There is a significant attacker's advantage in archon mode because it forces the defender to create that clear distinction of control on the fly. It is much harder to split tasks appropriately without a predetermined order.



Can one player beat two working together? Up to a certain point, two weaker players won’t have much of an advantage over a higher level player as the two working together still won’t approach optimal play in terms of build order or strategy. I am fairly confident that I could beat two ~mid masters players by myself. That said, as players get better and better it becomes more and more impossible for the single player to win. Playing against two high masters / low gm players might be too much. As the early game attention requirements are fairly low, archon mode doesn’t differentiate itself too much from a regular game in the first ~5-8 minutes. After that point, there's too much potential for multi tasking to overwhelm a single opponent.



Assuming archon mode catches on, it will become a medium for players of different skills to come together and enjoy 1v1. As archon mode is much more similar to actual 1v1 than any other mode currently in Starcraft, it may also be a better gateway for players to enter 1v1 ladder. Archon mode is poised be a more relaxed and social way to enjoy the incredible depth and complexity of Starcraft’s 1v1. While, it will never replace 1v1, there is plenty of potential for archon mode to spawn its own set of tournaments and followers.

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Previous installments:
Liberator in Review
On SC2's Social Features
Re-thinking the Ladder