Archive Trap — ruling 1

The opponent you target doesn’t have to be the opponent who searched their library.

Archive Trap — ruling 2

Casting a Trap by paying its alternative cost doesn’t change its mana cost or mana value. The only difference is the cost you actually pay.

Archive Trap — ruling 3

Effects that increase or reduce the cost to cast a Trap will apply to whichever cost you chose to pay.

Archive Trap — ruling 4

If a search effect is affected by Aven Mindcensor’s ability (which causes a player to search the top four cards of their library instead), that still counts as searching that library.

Archive Trap — ruling 5

You may ignore a Trap’s alternative cost condition and simply cast it for its normal mana cost. This is true even if its alternative cost condition has been met.

Archive Trap — ruling 6

Archive Trap checks only whether an opponent searched their library. It doesn’t matter whether that player found a card during the search.

Archive Trap — ruling 7

A spell or ability causes a player to search their library only if it specifically contains the word “search” in its text. For example, if a spell or ability lets a player look at the top four cards of their library and do something with one of those cards, that’s not a search.

Archive Trap — ruling 8

If the targeted opponent has fewer than thirteen cards in their library, that player puts their entire library into their graveyard.

Archive Trap : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Archive Trap is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.

Official card text

If an opponent searched their library this turn, you may pay rather than pay this spell's mana cost. Target opponent mills thirteen cards.

How it works : Archive Trap

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1October 1, 2009· Wizards of the Coast
The opponent you target doesn’t have to be the opponent who searched their library.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2October 1, 2009· Wizards of the Coast
Casting a Trap by paying its alternative cost doesn’t change its mana cost or mana value. The only difference is the cost you actually pay.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3October 1, 2009· Wizards of the Coast
Effects that increase or reduce the cost to cast a Trap will apply to whichever cost you chose to pay.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4October 1, 2009· Wizards of the Coast
If a search effect is affected by Aven Mindcensor’s ability (which causes a player to search the top four cards of their library instead), that still counts as searching that library.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5October 1, 2009· Wizards of the Coast
You may ignore a Trap’s alternative cost condition and simply cast it for its normal mana cost. This is true even if its alternative cost condition has been met.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#6October 1, 2009· Wizards of the Coast
Archive Trap checks only whether an opponent searched their library. It doesn’t matter whether that player found a card during the search.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#7October 1, 2009· Wizards of the Coast
A spell or ability causes a player to search their library only if it specifically contains the word “search” in its text. For example, if a spell or ability lets a player look at the top four cards of their library and do something with one of those cards, that’s not a search.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#8October 1, 2009· Wizards of the Coast
If the targeted opponent has fewer than thirteen cards in their library, that player puts their entire library into their graveyard.
No other card is named in this ruling.