Witchcrafter

"Witchcrafter", known as "Witchcraft" (ウィッチクラフト Wicchikurafuto) in the OCG, is an archetype introduced in Deck Build Pack: Infinity Chasers. It is described as being a "Spellcaster theme that uses in-hand Spell Cards to employ various effects."^[1][2]

Etymology

"Witchcrafter" monsters might be named after the words in various languages related to artisan crafts. Their team symbol is a pair of scissors and a hammer surrounded by a caliper. "Witchcrafter" name might also come from the fact that they are witches in craftsmen style.

Witchcrafter	Origin
Edel	Gemstone in Dutch (Edelsteen)
Genni	Genius in French
Golem Aruru	Arles a famous French city known for sculpture, painting, drawing, and photography
Haine	Clothing in Romanian
Madame Verre	Glass in French
Pittore	Painter in Italian
Potterie	Pottery in French
Schmitta	Blacksmith in German (Schmied)

Playing Style

The monsters of this archetype share a Quick Effect that activates by discarding a Spell Card. The Level 4 or lower monsters Tribute themselves to Special Summon a different "Witchcrafter" from the Deck, while the Level 5 and higher monsters can Special Summon from the hand, destroy an opponent's card or negate opposing monster effects. The Level 4 and lower monsters also have effects that activate by banishing themselves from the GY, to recover cards or further consistency. In this way they act as traditional Spells that Summon from the Deck with GY effects, but as monsters instead. Each of the Level 5 and higher monsters have a unique effect to support Spellcasters, either by Tributing itself to revive a Spellcaster, providing targeting protection, or increasing the ATK/DEF of a battling Spellcaster. They serve either as swarming aids, or simply as Main Deck boss monsters with disruption.

The Spells/Continuous Spells of the archetype share a common effect of "During your End Phase, if you control a "Witchcrafter" monster and this card is in your GY: You can add this card to your hand/Place this card face-up in your Spell & Trap Zone." respectively. This effect cannot be activated the same turn that the main effect of the Spell is activated, making it useful to pay the costs of the "Witchcrafter" monsters, but with a serious drawback. Their main effects range from the usual searching and revival, to more unusual effects like bouncing Spells/Traps and multiple attacking. The Continuous Spells instead have an effect that allows them to substitute for a Spell in-hand for the purposes of the Quick Effects. This allows them to be useful for paying the costs of the "Witchcrafter" monsters during the opponent's turn, bringing themselves back on your turn. While on the field, they can also provide card draws when an opposing monster is destroyed by battle and destruction protection.

The lone Trap in the archetype, "Witchcrafter Masterpiece" can search any Spell that is already in either player's GY. This can be used to stock up on the Deck's best Spells for discard fodder/use, or to search powerful, generic cards used by the opponent like "Monster Reborn" or "Pot of Desires" to the player's advantage. It can also banish itself and any number of Spells from the GY, except the turn it was sent there, to Special Summon a "Witchcrafter" monster from the Deck whose Level equals the number of Spells banished. This is best used to get extra value out of off-theme Spells with no recovery. If the player is short on Spells, the optimal target is probably "Witchcrafter Potterie", who can then access a much higher Level monster at the cost of the usual discard while enabling its recovery effect.

Of note is that the archetype does not yet have an Extra Deck mechanic that fully fits its needs, or an on-archetype Extra Deck monster. All the monsters are different Levels, they possess no on-archetype Tuners, and they struggle with swarming more than 2 monsters. This could be used to the Deck's advantage with "Pot of Extravagance", however bearing in mind its downsides make it less appealing (conflicting with "Witchcrafter Pittore"), so this problem could hurt the Deck's viability.

Konami Suggested Deck Recipe

Witchcrafter

Monsters (12) Effect Monsters Witchcrafter Potterie x3 Witchcrafter Pittore x3 Witchcrafter Schmietta x3 Witchcrafter Edel Witchcrafter Haine Witchcrafter Madame Verre   Extra Deck Link Monsters Salamangreat Almiraj x2 Knightmare Cerberus x2 Hiita the Fire Charmer, Ablaze Knightmare Phoenix x2 Knightmare Unicorn Triple Burst Dragon Topologic Trisbaena Black Luster Soldier - Soldier of Chaos Knightmare Gryphon Topologic Gumblar Dragon Topologic Bomber Dragon

Spells (27) Witchcrafter Creation x3 Witchcrafter Holiday x3 Witchcrafter Collaboration Witchcrafter Draping x2 Witchcrafter Bystreet Witchcrafter Scroll Pot of Extravagance x3 Foolish Burial Goods x3 Magician's Restage x3 Magician's Right Hand Magician's Left Hand Metalfoes Fusion Galaxy Cyclone Harpie's Feather Duster Monster Reborn Foolish Burial

Traps (1) Witchcrafter Masterpiece

References

1. ↑ "Deck Build Pack – Infinity Chasers Themes Confirmed". The Organization. December 4, 2018. https://ygorganization.com/chasingthedream/.
2. ↑ [DBIC] Witchcraft Revealed - The Organization, February 12, 2019

"Witchcrafter" 「ウィッチクラフト」 Members Witchcrafter Edel Witchcrafter Genni Witchcrafter Golem Aruru Witchcrafter Haine Witchcrafter Madame Verre Witchcrafter Pittore Witchcrafter Potterie Witchcrafter Schmietta Witchcrafter Bystreet Witchcrafter Collaboration Witchcrafter Creation Witchcrafter Demonstration Witchcrafter Draping Witchcrafter Holiday Witchcrafter Masterpiece Witchcrafter Partonus Witchcrafter Scroll Support Witchcrafter Edel Witchcrafter Genni Witchcrafter Golem Aruru Witchcrafter Pittore Witchcrafter Potterie Witchcrafter Schmietta Witchcrafter Bystreet Witchcrafter Collaboration Witchcrafter Creation Witchcrafter Demonstration Witchcrafter Draping Witchcrafter Holiday Witchcrafter Masterpiece Witchcrafter Partonus Witchcrafter Scroll

Six Attributes
This box: view edit	DARK	EARTH	FIRE	LIGHT	WATER	WIND
/Assault Modes	Red Dragon Archfiend / Colossal Fighter	Hyper Psychic Blaster / T.G. Halberd Cannon	Doomkaiser Dragon	Arcanite Magician	n/a	Stardust Dragon
@Ignisters Base forms Evolved forms	Doyon Dark Templar	Doshin Earth Golem	Achichi Fire Phoenix	Pikari Light Dragon	Hiyari Water Leviathan	Bururu Wind Pegasus
Alchemy Beasts Summoners (Normal Spell Cards)	Moonface the Silver Silver Key	Leon the Lead Lead Compass	Salamandra the Steel Steel Lamp	Ouroboros the Bronze Bronze Scale	Ekenas the Mercury Mercury Hourglass	Aretos the Tin Tin Spell Circle
Aliens	Overlord / Mother / Psychic	Shocktrooper / Infiltrator / Warrior	Mars / Telepath	Ammonite / Dog / Grey / Kid / Shocktrooper M-Frame	Hunter / Hypno	Skull
Altergeists	Primebanshee / Kidolga / Multifaker / Fifinellag / Dragvirion / Pookuery	Kunquery	Hexstia	Marionetter	Meluseek / Fijialert	Silquitous / Pixiel
Aromages	Marjoram	Cananga	Bergamot	Jasmine	Rosemary	Laurier
Attribute Boosters (500 ATK▲/400 DEF▼) Link Monsters (500 ATK▲/500 DEF▲) Field Spells (500 ATK▲/400 DEF▼) Equip Spells (400 ATK▲/200 DEF▼)	Witch's Apprentice Wee Witch's Apprentice Mystic Plasma Zone Sword of Dark Destruction	Milus Radiant Missus Radiant Gaia Power Invigoration	Little Chimera Duelittle Chimera Molten Destruction Burning Spear	Hoshiningen Hip Hoshiningen Luminous Spark Elf's Light	Star Boy Mistar Boy Umiiruka Steel Shell	Bladefly Greatfly Rising Air Current Gust Fan
Attribute Knights	Armageddon	Dust	Brushfire	Dawn	Shore	Altitude
Attribute Reptiles	Umbral Soul	Raging Earth	Firestorm Prominence	Radiant Spirit	Silent Abyss	Destruction Cyclone
Attribute Spirits	Luna the Dark Spirit	The Rock Spirit	Spirit of Flames	Diana the Light Spirit	Aqua Spirit	Garuda the Wind Spirit
Attribute Summoners	Mystic Tomato	Giant Rat	UFO Turtle	Shining Angel	Mother Grizzly	Flying Kamakiri #1
Barrier Statues	Abyss	Drought	Inferno	Heavens	Torrent	Stormwinds
B.E.S.	Big Core	Covered Core / Blaster Cannon Core	Big Core MK-2	Big Core MK-3	Crystal Core	Tetran
Charmers Familiar-Possessed Cataclysmic Charmers Spiritual Arts Familiar Possessed Familiars	Dharc Dharc n/a Greed Meda Bat n/a	Aussa Aussa Avalanching Aussa Kurogane Marmot Nefarious	Hiita Hiita Blazing Hiita Kurenai Fox Fire Inari Fire	Lyna Lyna n/a Hijiri Happy Lover n/a	Eria Eria Raging Eria Aoi Gigobyte Jigabyte	Wynn Wynn Storming Wynn Miyabi Petit Dragon Ranryu
Chrysalis Neo-Spacians Evolved forms Contact Fusions Evolved forms Advanced Contact Fusions	Pantail Dark Panther n/a Dark Neos n/a Chaos Neos	Mole Grand Mole n/a Grand Neos n/a Nebula Neos	Larva Flare Scarab n/a Flare Neos n/a Magma Neos	Pinny Glow Moss Twinkle Moss Glow Neos n/a Cosmo Neos	Dolphin Aqua Dolphin Marine Dolphin Aqua Neos Marine Neos n/a	Chicky Air Hummingbird n/a Air Neos n/a Storm Neos
Code Talkers (Link-3)	Decode	Transcode	Powercode	Encode	Shootingcode	Excode
Color Ninjas Dragon Ninjas	Strike Ninja Black	Senior Silver Ninja n/a	Crimson Ninja Red	White Ninja / Upstart Golden Ninja White / n/a	Armed Ninja Blue	Yellow Ninja Yellow
Cubic	Vijam / Crimson Nova (Trinity)	Dark Garnex	Blade Garoodia	Duza / Buster Gundil / Indiora Doom Volt	n/a	Geira Guile
CXyz	Mechquipped Djinn Angeneral / Dark Fairy Cheer Girl	Comics Hero Legend Arthur / Battleship Cherry Blossom	Coach Lord Ultimatrainer	Simon the Great Moral Leader / Barian Hope	n/a	Skypalace Babylon
Dice Roll Archfiends	Terrorking / Masterking	Vilepawn	Infernalqueen	Desrook	Darkbishop	Shadowknight
Double Tributers Effigies	Double Coston Dark	The Trojan Horse Earth	Flame Ruler n/a	Kaiser Sea Horse Light	Unshaven Angler n/a	Whirlwind Prodigy Wind
Dragonmaids Human form Dragon form	Chamber n/a	Nurse Ernus	Kitchen Tinkhec	House Strahl	Laundry Nudyarl	Parlor Lorpar
Dustons (1/0/1000/Fiends)	Star / Diamond	Yellow	Red	House / White	Blue	Green
Elemental HERO Fusion Monsters (1 "HERO" + 1 matching Attribute)	Escuridao	Gaia	Nova Master	The Shining	Absolute Zero	Great Tornado
Elemental Lords Elementsabers	Umbramirage Molehu	Grandsoil Aina	Pyrorex Malo	Phosphorage Lapauila (Mana)	Moulinglacia Nalu	Windrose Makani
Empowered Warriors Summoners	Dragonox n/a	Terratiger White Tiger	Arnis Red Sparrow	Dragodies n/a	Hydrortoise Green Turtle	Ventdra Blue Dragon
Endymion	Master Magician / Mighty Master of Magic	Magister	Rogue	Crusader / Reflection	n/a	Servant
Entities	Azathot	Nyarla	Chthugua	N'tss	Norden	Hastorr
Fortune Fairies Fortune Ladies	Ann Dark / Past	Chee Earth	En Fire	Hikari Light / Every	Swee Water	Hu Wind
Fur Hire	Seal Folgo	Beat Dyna	Bravo	Rafale	Helmer Wiz	Donpa Recon Sagitta
Generaider Bosses	Hela	Dovelgus Jormungandr	Naglfar	Mardel	Nidhogg	Frodi
Guardians Weapons (Equip Spell Cards)	Baou / Dreadscythe Wicked-Breaking Flamberge / Reaper Scythe	Grarl Gravity Axe	Ceal Shooting Star Bow	Tryce Twin Swords of Flashing Light	Kay'est Rod of Silence	Elma / Eatos Buttefly Dagger / Celestial Sword
Invoked (1 "Aleister the Invoker" + 1 matching Attribute)	Caliga	Magellanica	Purgatrio	Mechaba	Cocytus	Raidjin
Kaiju	Radian	Kumongous	Dogoran	Jizukiru / Mecha-Dogoran / Thunder King	Gameciel	Gadarla
Knightmare Link Monsters	Unicorn	Cerberus	Phoenix	Gryphon	Mermaid	Goblin
Legendary Planets	Jupiter / Saturn / Pluto / Sun	Terra Firma	Mars	Venus / Uranus	Mercury / Neptune	n/a
Masked HEROes Non-Fusion Monsters Level 6 Fusion Monsters Level 8 Fusion Monsters	Dusk Crow Dark Law Anki	Bassols n/a Dian	Inferno Goka n/a	Ray n/a Koga	Fountain Vapor Acid	Gust Blast Divine Wind
Magician Girls	Dark	Berry	Apple	Lemon	Chocolate	Kiwi
Mirror Force	Dark	Quaking	Blazing	Radiant	Drowning	Storming
Monarchs Mega Monarchs Related "Monarch" Spell/Trap Cards Vassals	Caius / Erebus Caius the Mega Tenacity / The First Lucius / Eidos	Granmarg Granmarg the Mega Return Landrobe / Samsara Kaiser	Thestalos Thestalos the Mega Erupt Berlineth	Zaborg / Ehther Zaborg the Mega Strike / The Prime Mithra / Edea	Mobius Mobius the Mega Awaken Escher	Raiza Raiza the Mega Stormforth Garum
Musical Djinns	Maestroke	Temtempo	n/a	Melomelody	Humhumming	Muzurhythm
Mythyrian Numbers	Djinn Buster	Lion Heart / Ronin Raccoon Sandayu	n/a	Sky Pegasus / Dragluon	Abyss Splash / Crystalzero	n/a
Number 10X Number C10X	n/a Umbral Horror Masquerade	Giant Hand Giant Red Hand	Battlin' Boxer Star Cestus Battlin' Boxer Comet Cestus	Star Seraph Sentry / Masquerade / Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon Archfiend Seraph / Neo Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon	Silent Honor ARK / Ragnazero Silent Honor DARK / Ragnafinity	n/a n/a
Odd-Eyes Dragons	Odd-Eyes / Pendulum / Rebellion / Raging / Phantom / Persona / Mirage / Supreme King / Venom / Wing / Performapal Metal Claw / Arc Pendulum / Advance / Wizard	Gravity	Meteorburst	Saber / Lancer / Revolution	Absolute	Vortex
Pendulum Magicians	Stargazer / Timegazer / Xiangke / Timebreaker / Acrobatic / Dragoncaller / Harmonizing / Double Iris / Black Fang / Purple Poison / Performapal Celestial	Dragonpulse	Nobledragon	Xiangsheng / Wisdom-Eye / Dharma-Eye / Performapal Five-Rainbow	Dragonpit	Oafdragon / White Wing
Prediction Princesses	Astromorrigan	Coinorma / Petalelf	n/a	Tarotrei	Crystaldine	Arrowsylph
Resonators	Dark / Synkron / Crimson	Clock	Flare / Red / Double / Net	Barrier / Chain / Mirror	Force	Creation
El Shaddoll Fusion Monsters (1 "Shaddoll" + 1 matching Attribute)	Winda	Shekhinaga	Grysta	Construct	Anoyatyllis	Wendigo
Signer Dragons	Red Archfiend / Black-Winged	Life Stream	Black Rose	Ancient Fairy	n/a	Stardust
Six Samurai Legendary Six Samurai Secret Six Samurai	Irou Shi En Doji	Yariza Kizan Kizaru	Kamon Mizuho Genba	Zanji Enishi Rihan	Yaichi Shinai Hatsume	Nisashi Kageki Fuma
Sky Striker Ace	Raye	Kaina	Kagari	Roze	Shizuku	Hayate
Synchro Warriors Tuner Synchrons	Junk / Satellite Junk / Satellite	Drill Drill	Nitro / Jet Nitro / Jet	Road Road	n/a Steam	Turbo Turbo
Tenyi Spirits Link Monsters	Vishuda Berserker	Adhara Monk	Mapura Shaman	Ashuna Draco Masters	Sthana n/a	Nahata n/a
The Weathers Canvas (Continuous Spell/Trap Cards)	Aurora Auroral	Snow Snowy	Sun Sunny	Thunder / Rainbow Thundery / Rainbowed	Rain Rainy	Cloud Cloudy
Timelords	Vorpgate	Kamion / Hailon	Metaion / Michion / Lazion	Sandaion / Sephylon	Gabrion / Zaphion	Sadion / Raphion
True Draco and True King	All Calamities	Lithosazim / Dreiath III	Agnimazud / Ignis Heat	Metaltron XII / Master Peace / King Master Peace	Bahrstos / Dinomight Knight	Mariamne / Majesty Maiden
Witchcrafters	Haine	Potterie	Schmitta	Edel / Verre / Golem Aruru	Pittore	Genni
World Chalice Link Monsters	World Legacy - "World Chalice" n/a	Beckoned by the World Chalice Ningirsu the World Chalice Warrior	Chosen by the World Chalice Auram the World Chalice Blademaster	Lee the World Chalice Fairy n/a	Crowned by the World Chalice Ib the World Chalice Priestess	World Chalice Guardragon Imduk the World Chalice Dragon
Yang Zing Effect Monsters Synchro Monsters	Jiaotu / Taotie Yazi	Bi'an / Zefraxi / Zefraniu	Suanni	Chiwen Baxia / Chaofeng / Denglong	Bixi	Pulao
Yo-kai Girls	Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries	Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion	Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring	Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit	Ghost Sister & Spooky Dogwood	Evening Crescent & Autumn Shower
ZW -	Chimera Clad	Ultimate Shield	Phoenix Bow / Asura Strike	Unicorn Spear / Lightning Blade / Leo Arms / Sleipnir Mail / Sylphid Wing / Fenrir Sword	n/a	Tornado Bringer / Eagle Claw