Witch of the Black Forest

Witch of the Black Forest was originally released in the Japanese OCG set Metal Raiders in 2000, eventually making its way to the North American TCG market. The card features a classic gothic design, illustrated to depict a hunched, elderly sorceress holding a broomstick, a motif that draws heavily from traditional European folklore and fairy tales. Its inclusion in the 2004 Starter Deck: Kaiba Evolution was intended to bolster the utility of early competitive decks, providing players with a reliable way to search for high-value monsters.

Mechanically, the card became a cornerstone of the game's early competitive scene due to its effect, which allows the player to add a monster with 1500 or less defense from their deck to their hand when the card is sent to the Graveyard. Because of this powerful consistency, it was famously restricted and eventually banned from tournament play for many years before returning with updated text. The design is widely recognized by players as an iconic representative of the early Yugioh card library and the aesthetic direction of the original artists.