Jace's Archivist
Creature — Vedalken Wizard
, 
: Each player discards their hand, then draws cards equal to the greatest number of cards a player discarded this way.
- CMC
- 3
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- The List
- Price
- $15.55
- EDHREC rank
- #1894
Jace's Archivist turns every activation into a full table reset on hand size — when every opponent draws seven, wheel-punishment effects like Nekusar, the Mindrazer turn it into a damage engine on a repeatable trigger. Pair it with Mind Over Matter and the loop runs until someone is dead.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Nekusar, the Mindrazer
Nekusar, the Mindrazer pings every opponent for each card they draw, so Jace's Archivist wheeling the table at instant speed on upkeep is a reliable damage delivery system that bypasses combat entirely.
Kami of the Crescent Moon
Kami of the Crescent Moon already hands opponents extra draws each turn, so Jace's Archivist layers on a repeatable wheel that refills your hand while everyone else cycles through their deck.
The Locust God
Every card drawn off a Jace's Archivist activation makes a free 1/1 flier, so a single wheel can flood the board with a dozen insects before opponents untap under The Locust God.
Brallin, Skyshark Rider // Shabraz, the Skyshark
Brallin, Skyshark Rider // Shabraz, the Skyshark converts discarded cards into damage and +1/+1 counters, so each Jace's Archivist wheel that forces opponents to pitch their hands is also pumping and pinging.
Xyris, the Writhing Storm
Xyris, the Writhing Storm creates a Snake token for each card your opponents draw, and Jace's Archivist handing all three opponents seven fresh cards at once is one of the fastest ways to flood the board under that commander.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Jace's Archivist is legal in Commander, Legacy, Modern, Vintage, and Oathbreaker, but it barely registers outside Commander. In Legacy and Vintage the three-mana, tap-to-activate structure is far too slow against formats where games end on turn two or three. Commander is the overwhelming home: multiplayer tables amplify every wheel activation, and the repeatable nature of the effect on a creature body fits the longer game arc perfectly. In Oathbreaker it can appear in wheel-punishment builds, though the smaller starting hand size and faster pace make it less dominant than in Commander.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Jace's ArchivistMind Over Matter
Infinite draw triggers for all players; Infinite rummaging for all players; Infinite self-discard triggers for all players; Near-infinite mana permanents you control can produce
View on Commander Spellbook ↗
Xyris, the Writhing StormJace's ArchivistIntruder AlarmBloom TenderKozilek, Butcher of Truth
Infinite creature tokens; Infinite death triggers; Infinite draw triggers; Infinite draw triggers for each opponent; Infinite ETB; Infinite looting; Infinite looting for opponents; Infinite LTB; Infinite mana creatures you control can produce; Infinite mana of colors among permanents you control; Infinite sacrifice triggers; Infinite self-discard triggers; Infinite self-discard triggers for opponents; Infinite untap of creatures; Infinite untap of creatures you control
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Budget Alternatives
Cheaper options that do most of the same work
Whispering Madness offers a one-time wheel effect on a cheaper body and can recur through cipher, though it requires dealing combat damage to trigger again rather than just tapping. Teferi's Puzzle Box fills a similar seat by forcing everyone to redraw each turn, at a lower price point, but it's not a creature and the effect is symmetric without a punishment layer — the trade-off is consistency against vulnerability to removal.
Price Context
Current price
$15.55 mid tier
At $15.55, Jace's Archivist sits in the mid tier — meaningful enough to notice in a budget build, but well-justified in any deck where wheels are the core strategy. It's a niche staple with a stable demand ceiling, so don't expect the price to move dramatically in either direction.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Mind Over Matter
- Nekusar, the Mindrazer
- Kami of the Crescent Moon
- The Locust God
- Brallin, Skyshark Rider // Shabraz, the Skyshark
- Xyris, the Writhing Storm
- Intruder Alarm
- Bloom Tender
- Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.