Young Witch
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Revision as of 16:14, 10 January 2022
Young Witch | |
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Info | |
Cost | |
Type(s) | Action - Attack |
Kingdom card? | Yes |
Set | Cornucopia |
Illustrator(s) | Jessi J |
Card text | |
+2 Cards Discard 2 cards. Each other player may reveal a Bane card from their hand; if they don't, they gain a Curse. Setup: Add an extra Kingdom card pile costing or to the Supply. Cards from that pile are Bane cards. |
Young Witch is an Action–Attack card from Cornucopia. It is an inexpensive curser, but the kingdom always contains a "Bane" card: another Kingdom card that an opponent can reveal from their hand to block the cursing attack. The Bane may be different each game, and therefore the effectiveness of Young Witch in any given game can depend on which card is the Bane.
The Bane card pile is an 11th card pile added to the Kingdom, and constitutes the only way that the Supply can contain more than 10 Kingdom card piles. In this way Young Witch participates in the Cornucopia theme of diversity, since its presence increases the number of differently-named cards in the Supply. In the second edition, a Bane marker was added, which sits underneath the pile as a reminder.
Contents |
FAQ
Official FAQ
- This card causes there to be an extra pile in the Supply, called the Bane pile.
- The extra pile is just like other Kingdom card piles - it can be bought, it can be gained via cards like Horn of Plenty, it counts for the end game condition.
- When you play Young Witch, after you draw 2 cards and discard 2 cards, each other player may reveal a Bane card from their hand; each player who does not gains a Curse.
- This attack hits other players in turn order, which matters when the Curse pile is low.
- Players may respond to a Young Witch with Reaction cards like Horse Traders or Moat; those happen before Bane cards are revealed.
Other Rules clarifications
- You may select a kingdom card pile to use as the Bane in whatever way you want—at random, choosing a card you particularly enjoy, etc.—as long as its cost is or and it's not already part of the Kingdom.
- If Young Witch is in the Black Market deck, you do put out a Bane; however, Black Market itself cannot be the Bane in that instance.
- Split piles (from Empires) can be chosen as the Bane; in that case all cards from that pile can be revealed to protect from Young Witch.
- If the Bane requires any setup from another card, it will apply to the Bane. For example, the Bane will still get Tax, and if it's an Action Supply pile, it may be chosen by Obelisk. from
- If the Bane is a Reaction that reacts to an Attack being played and leaves your hand when you use its ability (such as Beggar or Caravan Guard), you cannot both use its Reaction effect and block Young Witch; you must pick one.
Strategy
Young Witch is among the weaker junking attacks, although it can be important if Curses will be difficult or impossible to trash and if there is no good alternative junker, such as Witch or Ambassador. It is often skippable otherwise, since its cursing is unreliable and terminal sifting is usually not overly helpful. If you conclude that Young Witch’s attack may be important to slow down your opponent, getting one in the opening is often beneficial, because Curses hurt more the earlier they are added to a deck.
The Bane pile selection is sometimes relevant in evaluating whether Young Witch will be worthwhile. If the Bane is a card that you would potentially buy in bulk anyway (such as Border Guard), Young Witch is less likely to be an effective attack. Even if you don’t plan to buy them in bulk, some Banes are still very effective at blocking Young Witch and therefore severely reduce its appeal even in a Kingdom where its attack would otherwise be important; examples include Scheme (because it can topdeck itself every turn) and Lighthouse (because it also works as a defense if it is in play rather than in your hand). A weak Bane is less likely to tip the scales, but if the decision to take Young Witch is already marginal, this can occasionally be enough to make it viable. This might happen if the Bane is something you would normally prefer to not buy (such as Duchess) or a card that may be difficult to find in your starting hand (e.g. a one-shot or Reserve card).
Aside from the junking attack, Young Witch provides some light sifting and some synergy with cards you would like to discard, i.e. Tunnel and Village Green. The sifting effect is generally weak, since it's terminal and decreases your hand size, but can be of some use in junky games or for early game cycling.
External strategy articles
Note: Article(s) below are by individual authors and may not represent the community's current views on cards, but may provide more in-depth information or give historical perspective. Caveat emptor.
Versions
English versions
Digital | Text | Release | Date | |
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+2 Cards Discard 2 cards. Each other player may reveal a Bane card from his hand. If he doesn't, he gains a Curse. Setup: Add an extra Kingdom card pile costing or to the Supply. Cards from that pile are Bane cards. |
Cornucopia 1st Edition | June 2011 | ||
+2 Cards Discard 2 cards. Each other player may reveal a Bane card from their hand; if they don't, they gain a Curse. Setup: Add an extra Kingdom card pile costing or to the Supply. Cards from that pile are Bane cards. |
Cornucopia 2nd Edition | March 2018 |
Other language versions
Trivia
Donald X. has stated that Young Witch and Old Witch are the same person. Both cards share the same artist.
Secret History
Relevant outtakes