Well this is a chase rare if I've ever seen one...
WateryMind
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
Ummm.... Insane in mill, much?
Jace's Erasure, Consecrated Sphinx. Enjoy milling for anything from 3 to about 21 cards of more.
Flop_It_Out
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
yes this is a decent mill card but its also so much more than that. Not only does it let you mill but also lets you get rid of a janky hand and swap it for something much more useful.
Yikes. Liliana's Caress and a non-restricted Windfall coming soon to casual tables near you!
RowanKeltizar
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
I can see this finding a home in my Niv Mizzet EDH deck <.<
TheSwarm
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
This card is going to be format defining. People are gonna understand the implications, and it is going to be format defining. -7/11/12
Lyoncet
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
I really doubt this card will be as broken as Windfall (which, of course, got banned) was, since Windfall was as powerful as it was because of the context of the time; you could Windfall into Windfall into Windfall into Windfall before your opponent had a turn if you got really lucky. On turn 1, you could drop Tolarian Academy, five 0-CMC artifacts, tap the Academy for 5 mana, then Windfall, making your opponent discard their hand (possibly getting a terrible opening hand which they can't mulligan) then play one of any number of cards to untap the Academy, then drop two more free artifacts, then use the academy to use the Windfall you drew with your first Windfall… you can see how that starts to get really broken.
This is certainly not a bad card. In fact, it seems like if mill becomes a viable win condition again (much more likely once the Eldrazi rotate out) this will be an absolute staple alongside Jace's Erasure. Even outside mill, it's an extra chance (or two or three) each turn of finding the right cards for a combo deck, or emptying a bad hand and getting something better. In the right deck or matchup, it's even a very powerful (if vulnerable) draw engine, and it can wreak havoc on control if you can get it off.
Still, a lot of people are getting really amped up about it because it's a banned card on legs. We all heard about how Fauna Shaman was Survival of the Fittest on a stick and as such was going to break the game. It didn't. Context changes; sometimes cards that were once far too powerful to get a reprint for a while (like Goblin Grenade) will be reintroduced and be completely balanced. Sometimes, a card that was absolutely broken in its day be slowed down (summoning sickness) and given a body in this new context (first Fauna Shaman, now this) and will suddenly be just another good –even great– card in the right deck. But not something that's going to break the game like Windfall did.
So yeah, this will be a powerful card in the right deck, although unfortunately mill decks tend to be control-heavy while this fits best in a deck where you empty your hand faster than your opponent, which control is anything but. It's by no means going to be as powerful as Windfall was in its day, but it will have its place. A Jace, Memory Adept ultimate followed by a couple Jace's Archivist activations coupled with a Jace's Erasure or two would be a blast to pull off, if mill ends up with a place at the table.
And this is the obligatory "it sounds like Innistrad will be graveyard themed" segment that you absolutely need to put in every comment about a card that interacts with the graveyard. =)
2pcsofcandy
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(2 votes)
The only thing I don't like about this card is that he was printed with the Jace he probably has the least amount of synergy with. The effect itself is great though and I look forward to all the ridiculous shenanigans he enables.
Superllama12
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
This + Jace, Memory Adept's ultimate + Jace's Erasure=you draw 20 (or 40, if you target yourself with Jace's ultimate), and they mill 20 (or 40) and draw 40
NegFactor
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
It's not just about the mill. This guy picks apart combos, too. An instant target for any Splinter-Twin deck that's hoping to retain the pieces until it can finish. And in a potentially fortuitous twist, we might have finally found a solid and consistent way to use Surgical Extraction.
I'm excited.
Gothicstorm
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
You have about 2-1/2 months of Standard to use this with Liliana's Caress
You could likely play your deck out with this guy, Grand Architect, and Mirran Spy, in a deck of cheap artifacts.
PastProphet
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
the only thing I don't like about this card is the art - not that it's bad, just that it seems really mismatched to the card: I just don't really associate Jace with Vedalken much, AND don't Vedalken usually have four arms? I guess I wish it was more 'mystical' and less 'technological' or something, more Mind Sculpter-esque and less Star Trek. Otherwise - this is pretty exciting in Standard - I think it will find a good slot in Blue soon, just wait for it. And in EDH- it's a repeatable (and broken) effect attached to a creature - that's kind of the definition of good cards!
Kitty_the_Kat
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This actually seems like a balanced version of Windfall. I don't think it will be format defining, and the main reason is obviously because it's a creature and is therefore affected by summoning sickness. Although I love me some Windfall, you can't abuse this nearly as much because its also much more stopable this time around. In Standard you cannot get 3 mana on turn 1, making this a 3 drop (or a 2 drop if you're ramping), in which case you are susceptible to cards like Mana Leak, Into The Roil, Go For The Throat, Beast Within, Incinerate, Dispatch, and Oblivion Ring. All before he would be able to use his ability. And yes I felt the need to name cheap removal for each color, just to show that your opponent will not be defenseless to this little guy.
Will he be good? Yes. He reminds me a lot of Fauna Shaman, and last I checked she didn't break the game (unless you wanna bring up Vengevine). Still, I would say he deserves a 4/5, if not for just bringing back an older ability.
Jace's Memory Adpet -7 ability, Jace's Erasure, and this
Gamma_Guy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Would this card work with Words of Waste? As in, would each opponent have to discard their hands, draw X cards, then discard those cards?
tcollins
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Zombie Infestation and similar cards will enjoy an opponent with a full hand.
scorpiolegend
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
When your opponent has the best hand in the world and you have the worst...
starfox444
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I have a question:
Who would win in this situation?
Say I have 5 cards in hand and 4 in deck. My opponent has none in hand and 3 in deck. I activate Jace's Archivist's activated ability. We discard our hands and have to draw to 5. Do I win because I draw a fourth card when my opponent can't?
Of course, if you have a Platinum Angel on the table that'd be a whole different story.
Gcrudaplaneswalker
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Works wonders with Blue Sun's Zenith
DarthParallax
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Ok, that does it. I'm calling it right here, right now:
Blue Black Green or Blue Black White Zombie self mill Flashback discard Graveyard Reanimator DISGUSTING amount of C.A. deck will rape Standard when Innistrad comes out.
You have been warned. Cards that attack the graveyard won't help. They will just be sideboard fodder for Undead.dec against the mirror. Wizards has really, really done it this time. Like, Charlie Brown "GOOD GRIEF!" levels of done it.
Sword of Feast and Famine may find itself playing second fiddle to Sword of Body and Mind. Yeah, that really might actually be the world we find ourselves living in. Wow.
Amnesigenic
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This with the new Laboratory Maniac is gonna be silly, just shred and draw yourself to death and WIN!
This even combos with Library of Leng!! Since the discard of Jace's Archivist is part of the ability's effect, you could put all the cards you discard on the top of your library and draw them again! Or discard that ones you don't like and keep the ones you do. All at the same time forcing your opponents to draw insane amounts of cards (if your hand is filled with 30+ cards like mine is usually after I combo off).
At first, I was unsure how it would run in my EDH deck (It's a draw power house). But after playtesting, it quickly turned into a major win condition that's easy to get out. This is easily a 5/5 for me after seeing firsthand the destructive power of this card.
Studoku
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Looks nifty. The only issue is potentially giving your opponent more cards than you receive (Since you're playing blue, this is likely).
Of course this is assuming that your graveyard isn't being used as a resource. Gotta love Innistrad.
cptobvious514
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Jace's Erasure+Consecrated Sphinx+Copperhorn Scout and this=win
End turn (A) with 7 cards, on your opponents draw step, you draw 2, they top deck 2 On turn (B) you draw, they top deck, activate Jace's Archivist's ability, discarding 10, they discard whatever they have. You draw 10, they draw 10/top deck 10, and because they drew 10, you can draw 30, attack with the scout, untapping Jace's Archivist, re-use the ability discarding 30 cards, they discard the 10 they have, and draw 30, you can draw up to 90 cards, making them top-deck up to 90
Anything wrong with this strategy?
neerajman
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is redic. I run it in a casual Splinterfright deck as it fills up my yard nicely. I love activating it during the opponent's draw phase right before the phase ends. That way, they have an extra card in hand, which usually means that I'll have an extra card too.
jumpenrun
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Finally, Jace gets his own creature. I like to suggest that we name another creature for Jace, like Chandra with her spitfire and phoenix. I say let's change hedron crab into Jace's Krabby.
@Keino More like a JACE rare! :D!!! God I hate myself. v_v;
Okuu-chan
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I included this guy in my Bolas EDH deck as a utility piece. He ended up saving my life. Here's how.
1. My brother's deck (DoranVoltron) drew a lot of great ramp early on, making his fast deck even faster. He got out Doran on turn 2 and had 5 lands by my third turn. 2. I play Jace's Archivist on my third turn. My brother swings with Doran. 4. I cast Blizzard Specter. My brother equips Darksteel Plate onto Doran and swings. It doesn't look good. 5. I swing with Blizzard Specter. My brother's only flyer, Birds of Paradise, is tapped. I bounce Doran. Then activate the Archivist. My Brother: FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU Me: *trollface*
The duel proceeds into an epic exchange of key pieces being played and removed, and ends with Nicol Bolas "becoming" a Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker and punishing my brother.
Re- The Art.. It's the Vedalken reinactment of Iron Man! Go ahead, tell yourself that's not Robert Downey Jr. in the basement of his casa messin round on his super-cool holographic computers!!
A creature dies when it has 0 toughness as a state-based action, which are not checked while a spell or ability is resolving. While in the middle of resolving the ability, the Crawler doesn't even bother to check its power and toughness; it waits patiently until the whole thing resolves, then it sees your current hand size, sets it P/T, and notices that you've just drawn some cards and begins bleeding your opponent dry.
@cptobvious514
Unless you have more cards in your deck than they do in theirs, something like an Elixir of Immortality or a second Jace's Erasure, you will lose the game by drawing from an empty library before they do.
This is a nice combo because Dream Salvage specifies the whole turn. So if you don't happen to have Dream salvage in your hand ATM, you can tap Jace's Archivist and if you're lucky enough you can cycle into a dream salvage and then cast it. The fact that Dream salvage is instant is Icing on the cake, since that means you can wait until your opponents turn to pull off this combo and you will have access to the cards you drew for an entire turn; even if you draw more than the maximum handsize amount.
If you're going to do any of this though, you should throw an Eldrazi lord into your deck so you don't mill/draw yourself to death.
Library of leng is probably the most amazing card you can pair this with, as it removes the only downside to Archivist's ability. It allows you to keep any number of cards you need for a combo, while hunting for other pieces of the combo. You could also splash a little white into your deck and throw a Terminus in there... save it with leng every turn until you want to use it to wipe out your opponents creatures for 1 mana. It'll also get rid of your jace sadly, but by the time you have to use it; that drawback is negligible. If you wanna stay mono blue or split it with a color besides white, there's always Devastation tide. You can also cast miracles during an opponents turn if you draw that card first during their turn, although I'm not sure that would work with archivist, as I don't know whether his ability draws cards sequentially or if they're all instantly drawn simultaneously, thus negating the miracle. Most likely you'd need an instant speed card draw to be able to use that particular strategy.
Circulur Logic also has very nice synergy with this and essentially becomes Counterspell (U for archivist's ability and U for madness cost). If you've got a feeling that your opponent is gonna cast something nasty, just keep one of your archivist's untapped until they cast something.
If I were rich enough, I'd use this with Lion's Eye Diamond. Your hand is worthless, opponent casts a spell, you sac the diamond and use Archivists ability, and if you're lucky enough you cycle into a counterspell or bounce spell and use it on the card they just cast with the remaining 2 mana from lion's eye diamond.
You could also splash a little bit of black in your deck for Lilliana's caress for an alternate win-con if your opponent has an eldrazi or some other GY recovery. Even if you only throw one copy of it into your deck, it should be pretty easy to draw into it, if you know what I mean :P
With this guy in play, Unsummon is essentially "destroy target creature". You Unsummon an opponents creature, then activate the Archivist and it goes to the graveyard, which is exactly were it would have ended up if you'd of destroyed it.
Osprey_93
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hey, it's Kavin! And yes, he does get mind sculpted! :P
ArdentDawn
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Use this at the multiplayer table with Havengul Lich for massive graveyard loading and drawpower.
Unfortunately, this deck is incredibly weak to control. In a perfect world, you probably want to be running Daze/Force of Will to protect your combo, and we all know how affordable FoW is.
Comments (57)
Jace's Erasure, Consecrated Sphinx. Enjoy milling for anything from 3 to about 21 cards of more.
And yeah combo it with consecrated sphinx for pure awesome
Play what you need, activate, discard the rest. Don't like what you drew? Do it again.
Good if you are looking for a specific card. Also good to possibly hose your opponent's combo deck too.
Oh my.
ETA: I was referring to the ability, having not considered the casting cost. I'm ever so sorry. Obviously this card is unplayable now.
Getting these while they're cheap because when people realize this is a 7-card draw in the right deck, it should shoot up in price.
This is certainly not a bad card. In fact, it seems like if mill becomes a viable win condition again (much more likely once the Eldrazi rotate out) this will be an absolute staple alongside Jace's Erasure. Even outside mill, it's an extra chance (or two or three) each turn of finding the right cards for a combo deck, or emptying a bad hand and getting something better. In the right deck or matchup, it's even a very powerful (if vulnerable) draw engine, and it can wreak havoc on control if you can get it off.
Still, a lot of people are getting really amped up about it because it's a banned card on legs. We all heard about how Fauna Shaman was Survival of the Fittest on a stick and as such was going to break the game. It didn't. Context changes; sometimes cards that were once far too powerful to get a reprint for a while (like Goblin Grenade) will be reintroduced and be completely balanced. Sometimes, a card that was absolutely broken in its day be slowed down (summoning sickness) and given a body in this new context (first Fauna Shaman, now this) and will suddenly be just another good –even great– card in the right deck. But not something that's going to break the game like Windfall did.
So yeah, this will be a powerful card in the right deck, although unfortunately mill decks tend to be control-heavy while this fits best in a deck where you empty your hand faster than your opponent, which control is anything but. It's by no means going to be as powerful as Windfall was in its day, but it will have its place. A Jace, Memory Adept ultimate followed by a couple Jace's Archivist activations coupled with a Jace's Erasure or two would be a blast to pull off, if mill ends up with a place at the table.
And this is the obligatory "it sounds like Innistrad will be graveyard themed" segment that you absolutely need to put in every comment about a card that interacts with the graveyard. =)
I'm excited.
not that it's bad, just that it seems really mismatched to the card:
I just don't really associate Jace with Vedalken much,
AND don't Vedalken usually have four arms?
I guess I wish it was more 'mystical' and less 'technological' or something, more Mind Sculpter-esque and less Star Trek.
Otherwise - this is pretty exciting in Standard - I think it will find a good slot in Blue soon, just wait for it. And in EDH- it's a repeatable (and broken) effect attached to a creature - that's kind of the definition of good cards!
Will he be good? Yes. He reminds me a lot of Fauna Shaman, and last I checked she didn't break the game (unless you wanna bring up Vengevine). Still, I would say he deserves a 4/5, if not for just bringing back an older ability.
Who would win in this situation?
Say I have 5 cards in hand and 4 in deck. My opponent has none in hand and 3 in deck. I activate Jace's Archivist's activated ability. We discard our hands and have to draw to 5. Do I win because I draw a fourth card when my opponent can't?
Of course, if you have a Platinum Angel on the table that'd be a whole different story.
Blue Black Green or Blue Black White Zombie self mill Flashback discard Graveyard Reanimator DISGUSTING amount of C.A. deck will rape Standard when Innistrad comes out.
You have been warned. Cards that attack the graveyard won't help. They will just be sideboard fodder for Undead.dec against the mirror. Wizards has really, really done it this time. Like, Charlie Brown "GOOD GRIEF!" levels of done it.
Sword of Feast and Famine may find itself playing second fiddle to Sword of Body and Mind. Yeah, that really might actually be the world we find ourselves living in. Wow.
This even combos with Library of Leng!! Since the discard of Jace's Archivist is part of the ability's effect, you could put all the cards you discard on the top of your library and draw them again! Or discard that ones you don't like and keep the ones you do. All at the same time forcing your opponents to draw insane amounts of cards (if your hand is filled with 30+ cards like mine is usually after I combo off).
At first, I was unsure how it would run in my EDH deck (It's a draw power house). But after playtesting, it quickly turned into a major win condition that's easy to get out. This is easily a 5/5 for me after seeing firsthand the destructive power of this card.
Of course this is assuming that your graveyard isn't being used as a resource. Gotta love Innistrad.
End turn (A) with 7 cards, on your opponents draw step, you draw 2, they top deck 2
On turn (B) you draw, they top deck, activate Jace's Archivist's ability, discarding 10, they discard whatever they have. You draw 10, they draw 10/top deck 10, and because they drew 10, you can draw 30, attack with the scout, untapping Jace's Archivist, re-use the ability discarding 30 cards, they discard the 10 they have, and draw 30, you can draw up to 90 cards, making them top-deck up to 90
Anything wrong with this strategy?
More like a JACE rare! :D!!!
God I hate myself. v_v;
1. My brother's deck (DoranVoltron) drew a lot of great ramp early on, making his fast deck even faster. He got out Doran on turn 2 and had 5 lands by my third turn.
2. I play Jace's Archivist on my third turn. My brother swings with Doran.
4. I cast Blizzard Specter. My brother equips Darksteel Plate onto Doran and swings. It doesn't look good.
5. I swing with Blizzard Specter. My brother's only flyer, Birds of Paradise, is tapped. I bounce Doran. Then activate the Archivist.
My Brother: FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
Me: *trollface*
The duel proceeds into an epic exchange of key pieces being played and removed, and ends with Nicol Bolas "becoming" a Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker and punishing my brother.
Jace's Archivist, you have been promoted.
huehuehue
Since you have to discard your hand, wouldn't that turn him into a 0/0 and kill him?
If someone could clear this up, that'd be awesome.
Sorry, I just had a legendary dragon that turns card draw into damage stuck in my throat.
Activating this card won't kill a Psychosis Crawler.
A creature dies when it has 0 toughness as a state-based action, which are not checked while a spell or ability is resolving. While in the middle of resolving the ability, the Crawler doesn't even bother to check its power and toughness; it waits patiently until the whole thing resolves, then it sees your current hand size, sets it P/T, and notices that you've just drawn some cards and begins bleeding your opponent dry.
@cptobvious514
Unless you have more cards in your deck than they do in theirs, something like an Elixir of Immortality or a second Jace's Erasure, you will lose the game by drawing from an empty library before they do.
the poor sap thinks Jace trusts him....
doesn't realize he's been Mind Sculpted.
Jace is a dick. He doesn't actually 'do' Trust or Friendship. :P
1. Island
2. Swamp, Liliana's Caress
3. Island, Jace's Archivist
4. Liliana's Caress + Archivist's ability
Works as a kill shot as long as your opponent has at least 5 cards in hand and hasn't gained any life.
Jace's Archivist + Dream Salvage
This is a nice combo because Dream Salvage specifies the whole turn. So if you don't happen to have Dream salvage in your hand ATM, you can tap Jace's Archivist and if you're lucky enough you can cycle into a dream salvage and then cast it. The fact that Dream salvage is instant is Icing on the cake, since that means you can wait until your opponents turn to pull off this combo and you will have access to the cards you drew for an entire turn; even if you draw more than the maximum handsize amount.
If you're going to do any of this though, you should throw an Eldrazi lord into your deck so you don't mill/draw yourself to death.
Library of leng is probably the most amazing card you can pair this with, as it removes the only downside to Archivist's ability. It allows you to keep any number of cards you need for a combo, while hunting for other pieces of the combo. You could also splash a little white into your deck and throw a Terminus in there... save it with leng every turn until you want to use it to wipe out your opponents creatures for 1 mana. It'll also get rid of your jace sadly, but by the time you have to use it; that drawback is negligible. If you wanna stay mono blue or split it with a color besides white, there's always Devastation tide.
You can also cast miracles during an opponents turn if you draw that card first during their turn, although I'm not sure that would work with archivist, as I don't know whether his ability draws cards sequentially or if they're all instantly drawn simultaneously, thus negating the miracle. Most likely you'd need an instant speed card draw to be able to use that particular strategy.
Circulur Logic also has very nice synergy with this and essentially becomes Counterspell (U for archivist's ability and U for madness cost). If you've got a feeling that your opponent is gonna cast something nasty, just keep one of your archivist's untapped until they cast something.
Also, Geth's Grimoire/Psychic Possession. Self explanatory really.
If I were rich enough, I'd use this with Lion's Eye Diamond. Your hand is worthless, opponent casts a spell, you sac the diamond and use Archivists ability, and if you're lucky enough you cycle into a counterspell or bounce spell and use it on the card they just cast with the remaining 2 mana from lion's eye diamond.
You could also splash a little bit of black in your deck for Lilliana's caress for an alternate win-con if your opponent has an eldrazi or some other GY recovery. Even if you only throw one copy of it into your deck, it should be pretty easy to draw into it, if you know what I mean :P
1. Island, Jace's Phantasm
2. Swamp, Liliana's Caress
3. Island, Jace's Archivist
or alternatively:
1. Swamp, Dark Ritual, Megrim
2. Island, Liliana's Caress / Invisible Stalker
3. Island, Jace's Archivist
You can do a bunch of stuff T4 such as:
- Land, Windfall, Archivist's Ability
- Dark ritual, Wheel and Deal, Archivist's ability
- Dark ritual, Whispering Madness encoded on creature, Archivist, swing
Unfortunately, this deck is incredibly weak to control. In a perfect world, you probably want to be running Daze/Force of Will to protect your combo, and we all know how affordable FoW is.