Charmer

The Charmer cards, known as Spirit Envoys in the OCG, are a series of spellcaster-type monsters of different attributes. As their names suggest, each version possesses various effects depending on the creature's attribute. The first monsters represent young magicians with their familiars, the second are the same magicians, albeit slightly older looking, but with a blank look and a monstrous version of their familiar and the third are grown-up versions of the magicians. Originally, there was no DARK charmer, but it was released in The Duelist Genesis, after the third cards for each other Charmer was released. There is, as of now, a LIGHT Charmer, released in The Shining Darkness.5 This leaves DIVINE as the only attribute unaccounted for. Although it is possible that there will be no Divine Charmer as the God Cards are the only DIVINE monsters made into real cards.

The first cards, each named as "[Name] the [Attribute] Charmer", released in The Lost Millennium, are flip-effect monsters that take control of an opponent's monster of the same attribute as the charmer's.

The second cards, each named as "Familiar-Possessed - [Name]", released in Elemental Energy, are monsters whose effect is activated when you tribute one of the first cards with another attribute-matching monster on your side of field. If special summoned this way, the familiar-possessed charmer will gain the piercing effect. Otherwise, they can be normal summoned as usual. There is also no Familiar-Possessed - Dharc or Familiar-Possessed - Lyna.

The third cards, each named as "[Adjective] [Name]", released in Enemy of Justice, are effect monsters that allows you to tribute a monster to special summon another monster from your hand of the same attribute as the charmer and the tributed monster. However, should the charmer be destroyed, so are the monsters summoned by its effect. The third forms are not stronger then their Familiar-Possessed forms, but are only 300 points stronger then their first form.

This series also has a few Trap Cards called "Spiritual Art", which allows you to Tribute an attribute-matching monster on your side of the field for an attribute-related effect such as inflicting damage or returning cards to the Deck.

No second cards have come out for Dharc or Lyna yet. Although there is a support card similar to the "Spiritual Art" traps for the Dark Attribute, "Dark Spirit Art - Greed", it was released before Dharc and doesn't depict the corresponding Charmer in its artwork.

Charmer Deck
A good way of making sure your opponent has monsters of the desired Attribute is by using cards that changes them to the desired one,ex.: "DNA Transplant" or "Scroll of Bewitchment". Then you can use the monster you just got from your opponent to Special Summon the Familiar-Possessed or use them for the Charmers trap cards. One good strategy is placing the Charmer monster face-down, then using "Scroll of Bewitchment" to change the enemies monster Attribute, Then using "Book of Taiyou" to flip the Charmer and take the monster. The use of "Stumbling" is also recommended as your opponent will summon to try and attack next turn. Also the use of the Extra Deck is a possibility.

Trivia

 * The original Four Charmers, Aussa, Eria, Hiita, and Wynn, were first released in The Lost Millennium. Two packs later, They had their Familiar-Possessed forms released. Two packs after that, was their Final Forms. Dharc and Lyna, however, do not follow this trend of having their advanced forms come two packs later.
 * The person that made the designs for the Charmers (and some other card designs that are hard to mention) is Akina Fujiwara.
 * Usually, when a monster gains an older form, they become stronger in either ATK or DEF, such as "Dark Magician" turning into "Dark Sage", the Charmers, however, do not become stronger in either ATK or DEF after their Familiar-Possessed forms, instead, they become weaker.
 * "Raging Flame Sprite" and "Whirlwind Prodigy" appear to be drawn by the same artist but aren't considered Charmers.