Octavia, Living Thesis — ruling 1

Each magecraft ability has a different effect, although they all have the same trigger condition, whenever you cast or copy an instant or sorcery spell.

Octavia, Living Thesis — ruling 2

For example, if you control Archmage Emeritus and cast an instant or sorcery spell, Archmage Emeritus's magecraft ability will trigger and you will draw a card.

Octavia, Living Thesis — ruling 3

If an effect creates a copy of an instant or sorcery spell, this will also cause the magecraft ability to trigger.

Octavia, Living Thesis — ruling 4

If an effect creates multiple copies of an instant or sorcery spell, magecraft abilities trigger once for each copy created by the effect.

Octavia, Living Thesis — ruling 5

Some effects instruct you to copy an instant or sorcery card in a zone other than the stack. These copies do not cause magecraft abilities to trigger. However, most effects that do this also allow you to cast the copy, and casting the copy will cause magecraft abilities to trigger.

Octavia, Living Thesis — ruling 6

If a player casts a spell that targets multiple permanents their opponent controls with ward, each of those ward abilities will trigger. If that player doesn't pay for all of them, the spell will be countered.

Octavia, Living Thesis : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Octavia, Living Thesis 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

This spell costs less to cast if you have eight or more instant and/or sorcery cards in your graveyard. Ward Magecraft — Whenever you cast or copy an instant or sorcery spell, target creature has base power and toughness 8/8 until end of turn.

How it works : Octavia, Living Thesis

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1April 16, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
Each magecraft ability has a different effect, although they all have the same trigger condition, whenever you cast or copy an instant or sorcery spell.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2April 16, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
For example, if you control Archmage Emeritus and cast an instant or sorcery spell, Archmage Emeritus's magecraft ability will trigger and you will draw a card.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3April 16, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect creates a copy of an instant or sorcery spell, this will also cause the magecraft ability to trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4April 16, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
If an effect creates multiple copies of an instant or sorcery spell, magecraft abilities trigger once for each copy created by the effect.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5April 16, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
Some effects instruct you to copy an instant or sorcery card in a zone other than the stack. These copies do not cause magecraft abilities to trigger. However, most effects that do this also allow you to cast the copy, and casting the copy will cause magecraft abilities to trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#6April 16, 2021· Wizards of the Coast
If a player casts a spell that targets multiple permanents their opponent controls with ward, each of those ward abilities will trigger. If that player doesn't pay for all of them, the spell will be countered.
No other card is named in this ruling.