Pojo's Magic The Gathering news, tips, strategies and more!

Pojo's MTG
MTG Home
Message Board
News & Archives
Deck Garage
BMoor Dolf BeJoSe

Columnists
Paul's Perspective
Jeff Zandi
DeQuan Watson
Jordon Kronick
IQ
Aburame Shino
Rare Hunter
Tim Stoltzfus
WiCkEd
Judge Bill's Corner


Trading Card
Game

Card of the Day
Guide for Newbies
Decks to Beat
Featured Articles
Peasant Magic
Fan Tips
Tourney Reports


Other
Color Chart
Book Reviews
Online Play
MTG Links
Staff



This Space
For Rent

Pojo's Magic The Gathering Card of the Day
Daily Since November 2001!


Image from Wizards.com

Archive Trap
Zendikar

Reviewed October 21, 2009

Constructed: 2.50
Casual: 3.25
Limited: 3.25
Multiplayer: 1.67

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale
1 being the worst.  3 ... average.  
5 is the highest rating

Click here to see all our 
Card of the Day Reviews 

BMoor

Archive Trap
Well, it costs the same as Traumatize un-triggered, but for a fixed amount of cards, whereas Traumatize gets worse the more you've already milled you're opponent. However. Archive Trap has its numbers worked just right that a playset of them will mill an opponent out with no other milling cards in your deck. Four Archive Traps, times 13 cards per trap, works out to 52 cards out of a 60 card deck. That leaves him with only eight cards, seven of which he'll have drawn in his opening hand. If he draws even one card during the game, that accounts for his whole deck. But of course, by the time you draw all four Traps and cast them, it's turn nine or so and your opponent will likely already have won.

Unless you can get to cast them for the trap cost, of zero mana. Fortunately for Archive Trap, it has a trigger that will likely be activated by some very popular cards. If your opponent has any fetchlands, when he goes to fetch his land, you can Trap him. Alternatively, you can play Path to Exile on one of his creatures. He'll search for a land, and you spring the Trap. I expect to see Archive Trap get at least a lot of discussion, if not a lot of play.

Constructed- 3.5
Casual- 4
Limited- 4
Multiplayer- 2

David Fanany

Player since 1995

Archive Trap

Ever had someone in your playgroup with a fetchland fetish, or an annoying Dimir House Guard-based control deck? Now you have the perfect answer. Unfortunately, there's no way to fire off the Trap before they find the card they were looking for, but that's really just nitpicking. Losing this much of your library can be crippling.

Constructed: 2/5
Casual: 3/5
Limited: 3/5
Multiplayer: 2/5
Michael "Maikeruu" Pierno Today's card of the day is Archive Trap which is a potentially zero cost spell that can send thirteen cards from your opponent's library to the graveyard. Deck destruction has gotten quite a bit of ammunition lately and it is certainly possible to run a playable deck, but I still don't see the design as a viable tournament winner. The other factor holding back this card is the high cost if your opponent isn't searching their library. Effects that force them to search are an option, but deck destruction requiring some sort of defense and library removal effects on top of a reliable source of targeted searching is a bit too ungainly.

For Constructed I just can't recommend the theme just yet as it is a bit too slow and vulnerable to really control the game. Cards in a library are an expendable resource and your opponent can still win with a depleted deck. Dealing damage by creature or effect is generally more flexible as it can also be used defensively against other creatures.
Deck destruction doesn't in and of itself directly protect against attacks and in Constructed you'll be less prepared to deal with counterspells or burn.

To Casual this is a pretty viable counterpoint to the standard big creature or combo and there are plenty of recently printed cards to concern the average player. Another nice thing to consider is deck destruction in casual can call attention to managing your library as a resource and be educational to those that may not have as much experience with alternate win conditions.

With Limited this is a pretty mediocre rare to draft even though it can get rid of one third of a deck. There is a decent number of search cards your opponents may play that trigger the trap effect, but without support there is little hope of winning the game because of this effect. The games are generally longer than Standard, but this is a poor topdeck and does nothing to gain control over the field itself. I would leave it in the sidedeck in Sealed unless you somehow have two of this in which case it is worth a shot. Your best hope if trying to play this is to also run as many Hedron Crabs as you can find. In Booster you would either pass this card or hope for the Magic equivalent of shooting the moon in hearts by having your opponents pass another copy or several Hedron Crabs.

In Multiplayer deck destruction is extremely weakened as multiple opponents increases the number of cards to handle to unreasonable heights. I do not suggest running this card or the theme in this format.

Constructed: 2.0
Casual: 2.5
Limited: 2.5
Multiplayer: 1.0

Copyright© 1998-2009 pojo.com
This site is not sponsored, endorsed, or otherwise affiliated with any of the companies or products featured on this site. This is not an Official Site.