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During the combat phase of a multiplayer game, there may be one or more defending players, depending on the variant being played and the options chosen for it. Unless all the attacking player’s opponents automatically become defending players during the combat phase, the attacking player chooses one of their opponents as a turn-based action during the beginning of combat step. (Note that the choice may be dictated by the variant being played or the options chosen for it.) That player becomes the defending player. See rule 802, “Attack Multiple Players Option,” rule 803, “Attack Left and Attack Right Options,” and rule 809, “Emperor Variant.”

In a multiplayer game not using the attack multiple players option (see rule 802), the reselected player, planeswalker, or battle must be the chosen defending player, a planeswalker controlled by that player, or a battle protected by that player.

Some multiplayer games allow the active player to attack multiple other players. If this option is used, a player can also choose to attack only one player during a particular combat.

As the combat phase starts, the attacking player doesn’t choose an opponent to become the defending player. Instead, all the attacking player’s opponents are defending players during the combat phase.

Any rule, object, or effect that refers to a “defending player” refers to one specific defending player, not to all of the defending players. If an ability of an attacking creature refers to a defending player, or a spell or ability refers to both an attacking creature and a defending player, then unless otherwise specified, the defending player it’s referring to is the player that creature is attacking, the controller of the planeswalker that creature is attacking, or the protector of the battle that player is attacking. If that creature is no longer attacking, the defending player it’s referring to is the player that creature was attacking before it was removed from combat, the controller of the planeswalker that creature was attacking before it was removed from combat, or the protector of the battle that player was attacking before it was removed from combat. If a spell or ability could apply to multiple attacking creatures, the appropriate defending player is individually determined for each of those attacking creatures. If there are multiple defending players that could be chosen, the controller of the spell or ability chooses one.

As the attacking player declares each attacking creature, they choose a defending player, a planeswalker controlled by a defending player, or a battle protected by a defending player for it to attack. See rule 508, “Declare Attackers Step.”

Restrictions and requirements that don’t apply to attacking a specific player are evaluated based on the entire group of attacking creatures. Restrictions and requirements that apply to attacking a specific player apply only to creatures attacking that player. The entire group of attacking creatures must still be legal. See rule 508.1.

Creatures in a band can’t attack different players. See rule 702.22, “Banding.”

If more than one player is being attacked, controls a planeswalker that’s being attacked, or protects a battle that’s being attacked, each defending player in APNAP order declares blockers as the declare blockers step begins. (See rule 101.4 and rule 509, “Declare Blockers Step.”) The first defending player declares all their blocks, then the second defending player, and so on.

A defending player can block only with creatures they control. Those creatures can block only creatures attacking that player, a planeswalker that player controls, or a battle that player protects.

When determining whether a defending player’s blocks are legal, ignore any creatures attacking other players and any blocking creatures controlled by other players.

Combat damage is assigned in APNAP order. Other than that, the combat damage step proceeds just as in a two-player game. See rule 510, “Combat Damage Step.”

Exactly one of the attack left, attack right, and attack multiple players options must be used. See rule 803, “Attack Left and Attack Right Options,” and rule 802, “Attack Multiple Players Option.”

The attack multiple players option is used (see rule 802).

Exactly one of the attack left, attack right, and attack multiple players options must be used. See rule 803, “Attack Left and Attack Right Options,” and rule 802, “Attack Multiple Players Option.”

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.

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.