Overwhelmed Archivist // Archive Haunt MTG Card
2021-09-24 - Number 68
2022-01-28 - Number 68
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Human Wizard |
| Abilities | Disturb,Transform |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
When Overwhelmed Archivist enters the battlefield, draw a card, then discard a card. Disturb (You may cast this card from your graveyard transformed for its disturb cost.)
"Bah! As if I had time to preserve everything."
Cards like Overwhelmed Archivist // Archive Haunt
Overwhelmed Archivist // Archive Haunt has stirred interest among Magic: The Gathering aficionados for its unique twist on the looting mechanism. Distinctively, this new card echoes the functionality seen in the established Merfolk Looter, allowing a player to draw and then discard a card. However, the Archivist advances the strategy by transforming into Archive Haunt with the distinct advantage of flashback from the graveyard, effectively granting the card a second life.
In a broader scope, Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy offers a similar loot-to-transform dynamic, metamorphosing into a planeswalker that can provide substantial late-game value. Despite this, the Overwhelmed Archivist // Archive Haunt stands out by being an artifact creature initially, potentially interplaying with synergies in decks that capitalize on artifact utilization.
Examining the stake of utility and in-game stamina, Overwhelmed Archivist // Archive Haunt makes a convincing case as a versatile option. Its sheer potential to influence both hand quality and graveyard resources seamlessly cements its position within decks that benefit from careful hand management and recurring threats.
Cards similar to Overwhelmed Archivist // Archive Haunt by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Overwhelmed Archivist // Archive Haunt allows players to delve into their library, potentially unveiling key components for their strategy and ensuring they’re not missing out on crucial draws. By flipping cards from the top of the library into the graveyard, this card sets up for impactful plays, keeping players a step ahead.
Resource Acceleration: Turning into Archive Haunt, this creature can streamline your game plan, transforming from an information-gathering tool into an actionable resource. Its ability to exile a card from a graveyard for a burst of mana can propel players ahead, ensuring the resources are in place when they need them the most.
Instant Speed: Overwhelmed Archivist can be morphed into Archive Haunt at instant speed, offering flexibility to react swiftly to the evolving battlefield. This nimbleness gives players the upper hand, letting them adapt to their opponents’ moves with precision, whether that’s during a tense standoff or at the end of a turn, keeping opponents guessing.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the negatives for players using Overwhelmed Archivist // Archive Haunt is the precondition of discarding a card. This could be a considerable setback, particularly when your hand is already running thin and every card counts.
Specific Mana Cost: Playing this creature card requires a precise mana arrangement of two blue mana points. This condition narrows down its universality, making it less adaptable and potentially incompatible with a wide range of decks, especially those not centered around blue mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana value to get Overwhelmed Archivist // Archive Haunt on the field is somewhat steep when judged against other options in the game. Considering that it’s priced at three mana – two of which are color-specific – players might find other cards that fulfill similar roles or provide greater value for a lower or more flexible cost.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Overwhelmed Archivist // Archive Haunt offers great flexibility for various deck builds, as it allows for loot effects with its front side and brings grave recursion tactics with its flip side, Archive Haunt.
Combo Potential: This card’s looting ability works well with decks that capitalize on discarding cards, while Archive Haunt can pull off subtle synergies in decks that use the graveyard strategically.
Meta-Relevance: Given the ever-fluctuating environment of gameplay, the ability of Overwhelmed Archivist // Archive Haunt to interact with the graveyard makes it a contender in formats where grave-based strategies are prevalent.
How to beat
Overwhelmed Archivist // Archive Haunt is a multitasker in the Magic: The Gathering universe. This transform card initially provides players with a loot effect, allowing for card selection plus graveyard synergy. Upon transforming into Archive Haunt, it becomes a recurring threat, delivering card advantage with each attack. This card’s versatility is undoubtedly its strength but not unbeatable.
To counter this dual-faced card, graveyard disruption is key. Using cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void can stifle Archive Haunt’s ability to leverage the graveyard, rendering its transformation less impactful. Additionally, since Archive Haunt relies on connecting with a player to trigger its draw ability, spot removal or creatures with flash can surprise and remove Archive Haunt before it can become a recurrent nuisance.
Relying on exile effects found in cards like Path to Exile or Delirium Skeins also hinders Archive Haunt’s ability to return to play, addressing both sides of the card with efficiency. It’s all about timing and resource denial when facing off against this dual-sided challenge.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Overwhelmed Archivist // Archive Haunt MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad: Midnight Hunt and Innistrad: Double Feature, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Overwhelmed Archivist // Archive Haunt and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
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- MTG Mint Card
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- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Overwhelmed Archivist // Archive Haunt Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-09-24 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by Cristi Balanescu.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021-09-24 | Innistrad: Midnight Hunt | MID | 68 | 2015 | Transform | Black | Cristi Balanescu | |
| 2 | 2022-01-28 | Innistrad: Double Feature | DBL | 68 | 2015 | Transform | Black | Cristi Balanescu |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Overwhelmed Archivist // Archive Haunt has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Overwhelmed Archivist // Archive Haunt card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-09-24 | "Disturb -ost]" means "You may cast this card transformed from your graveyard by paying -ost] rather than its mana cost." |
| 2021-09-24 | A spell cast this way enters the battlefield with its back face up. |
| 2021-09-24 | Disturb is found only on the front faces of some double-faced cards. |
| 2021-09-24 | If you copy a permanent spell cast this way (perhaps with a card like Double Major), the copy becomes a token that's a copy of the card's back face, even though it isn't itself a double-faced card. |
| 2021-09-24 | The back face of each card with disturb has an ability that instructs its controller to exile if it would be put into a graveyard from anywhere. This includes going to the graveyard from the stack, so if the spell is countered after you cast it using the disturb ability, it will be put into exile. |
| 2021-09-24 | To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost (such as a disturb cost) you're paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of a spell cast using disturb is determined by the mana cost on the front face of the card, no matter what the total cost to cast the spell was. (This is a special rule that applies only to transforming double faced-cards, including ones with disturb.) |
| 2021-09-24 | When you cast a spell using a card's disturb ability, the card is put onto the stack with its back face up. The resulting spell has all the characteristics of that face. |