Walking Archive MTG Card


Walking Archive scales card draws with +1/+1 counters, promising a growing advantage every turn. Its synergy with proliferate strategies can accelerate card access, fueling win conditions. Despite certain drawbacks, its potential for enhancing card draws makes it a valuable asset.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeArtifact Creature — Golem
Abilities Defender
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

Defender (This creature can't attack.) Walking Archive comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it. At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player draws a card for each +1/+1 counter on Walking Archive. : Put a +1/+1 counter on Walking Archive.


Cards like Walking Archive

The Walking Archive is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering that draws attention with its distinct ability to draw cards. It stands out in the roster of creatures with similar abilities, such as Fathom Mage. The Fathom Mage gains a +1/+1 counter with each card drawn, whereas Walking Archive increases its own counters during your upkeep, allowing you to draw additional cards.

Another peer to Walking Archive is Psychosis Crawler, which not only lets you draw more cards as your hand size changes but also deals damage to your opponents accordingly. While Psychosis Crawler synergizes with card draw to hurt opponents, Walking Archive offers a substantial boost in card advantage without directly impacting your opponents’ life totals. Additionally, the Vizier of the Menagerie provides a less direct but still beneficial effect, letting you look at the top card of your library at any time and cast creature spells from the top of your deck. Unlike Vizier of the Menagerie, Walking Archive doesn’t provide immediate casting options but can significantly increase your hand size over time.

Considering these comparisons, Walking Archive has a specific niche within Magic: The Gathering as a card advantage engine on legs, making it a potent option for decks looking to maximize their draw capabilities while building up a substantial creature presence on the board.

Fathom Mage - MTG Card versions
Psychosis Crawler - MTG Card versions
Vizier of the Menagerie - MTG Card versions
Fathom Mage - MTG Card versions
Psychosis Crawler - MTG Card versions
Vizier of the Menagerie - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Walking Archive by color, type and mana cost

Seashell Cameo - MTG Card versions
Protomatter Powder - MTG Card versions
Fieldmist Borderpost - MTG Card versions
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Prodigy's Prototype - MTG Card versions
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Reflection Net - MTG Card versions
Rex, Cyber-Hound - MTG Card versions
Seashell Cameo - MTG Card versions
Protomatter Powder - MTG Card versions
Fieldmist Borderpost - MTG Card versions
Ethersworn Shieldmage - MTG Card versions
Azorius Keyrune - MTG Card versions
Azorius Cluestone - MTG Card versions
Ojutai Monument - MTG Card versions
Azorius Locket - MTG Card versions
Chrome Courier - MTG Card versions
Prodigy's Prototype - MTG Card versions
Goldbug, Humanity's Ally // Goldbug, Scrappy Scout - MTG Card versions
Reflection Net - MTG Card versions
Rex, Cyber-Hound - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Walking Archive offers a unique form of card advantage, providing you with additional draws every upkeep, scaling with the number of +1/+1 counters on it. This steady influx of cards ensures you’re never short on options, bolstering your ability to outmaneuver opponents over time.

Resource Acceleration: While the archive itself doesn’t directly accelerate your resources, it provides a valuable synergy with proliferate mechanics or any strategy that adds +1/+1 counters. By increasing the number of counters on Walking Archive, you indirectly speed up your card draw, translating into a quicker access to the necessary mana and spells needed for a win.

Instant Speed: Although Walking Archive doesn’t operate at instant speed, its continuous draw effect complements a deck utilizing instant-speed interactions. By refilling your hand, you maintain the necessary resources to take advantage of opportunities as they arise, allowing for clever plays and timely responses to your opponent’s actions.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: For Walking Archive to be effective, players often need to invest in card draw mechanics to benefit from its ability. However, this requirement can inadvertently force a player to discard cards if their hand is already full, leading to potential loss of crucial resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Walking Archive demands both blue and generic mana to play. This specific mana cost can hinder its inclusion in multi-colored decks that might struggle with mana fixing or wish to prioritize other colors over blue.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial casting cost that is on the higher end for its starting effect, Walking Archive may not be as mana-efficient as other card draw alternatives. In fast-paced games, its impact could be deemed too slow compared to lower-cost cards that provide immediate value.


Reasons to Include Walking Archive in Your Collection

Versatility: Walking Archive is a unique card that adds a draw engine to any deck that can handle its colorless mana requirement. Whether you’re playing control or combo, this artifact creature can provide ongoing card advantage throughout the game.

Combo Potential: In decks that manipulate +1/+1 counters, Walking Archive can become a powerhouse, transforming it into a formidable source of card draw. Additionally, it synergizes with proliferate mechanics, enabling it to potentially draw multiple cards per turn.

Meta-Relevance: Given the importance of card advantage in most MTG formats, Walking Archive holds significant meta relevance. It’s especially valuable in slower games where establishing a draw advantage can determine the match’s outcome.


How to beat

Walking Archive, a unique artifact creature from the realm of Magic: The Gathering, presents players with an evolving challenge on the battlefield. As turns progress, it blesses its controller with an increasing card advantage due to its ability to accumulate +1/+1 counters at the beginning of each upkeep, subsequently drawing additional cards for each counter. Yet, for opponents, the key to overcoming this growing repository of knowledge lies in timely removal or counterplays.

Cards such as Naturalize or Disenchant offer direct and affordable means of eliminating Walking Archive before its benefits become too substantial. Alternatively, countering it upon casting with spells like Cancel can prevent it from ever entering play. For those favoring more subtle techniques, reducing the card’s usefulness with Pithing Needle by naming Walking Archive keeps its abilities in check. A strategic player might also manipulate counter placement with cards like Vampire Hexmage to quickly reset the Archive’s stored knowledge, or they may use bounce spells to return it to the owner’s hand, undoing accumulation efforts.

Ultimately, promptly addressing Walking Archive with removal, counters, or ability suppression ensures that this card remains more of an intriguing footnote rather than a defining chapter in MTG gameplay.


BurnMana Recommendations

If Walking Archive has caught your interest, it’s clear you value strategic depth and card advantage in your MTG gameplay. This card’s unique ability to grow your hand size and influence the game’s tempo can be a cornerstone in decks built around +1/+1 counters and card draw mechanics. Whether you’re fortifying a control deck or powering up a combo, Walking Archive can be a key piece to your strategic puzzle. We encourage you to further explore the interaction possibilities and deck-building strategies that include this versatile artifact creature. Dive into a wealth of knowledge and bolster your collection by optimizing with Walking Archive. Learn more with us and master your next MTG challenge.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Walking Archive MTG card by a specific set like Dissension and The List, 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 Walking Archive and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Walking Archive Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2006-05-05 and 2006-05-05. Illustrated by Heather Hudson.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12006-05-05DissensionDIS 1692003NormalBlackHeather Hudson
22020-09-26The ListPLST DIS-1692003NormalBlackHeather Hudson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Walking Archive has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal