Spellbook

Spellbook
"Spellbook Magician of Prophecy" and "Spellbook of Secrets" in the artwork of the former card. "Spellbook Magician of Prophecy" and "Spellbook of Secrets" in the artwork of the former card.
Japanese	魔（ま）導（どう）書（しょ） 魔導書 (base) まどうしょ (ruby) Madōsho (romanized)
French	Livre de Magie
German	Magiebuch
Italian	Libro di Magia
Korean	마도서 魔道書 (Hanja) Madoseo (romanized)
Portuguese	Livro de Magia
Spanish	Libro de Magia
Sets Champion of Black Magic Expert Edition Volume.1 Structure Deck: Yugi Volume 2 Magician's Force Dark Revelation Volume 1 Return of the Duelist Abyss Rising Cosmo Blazer Lord of the Tachyon Galaxy Extra Pack: Sword of Knights Code of the Duelist Battles of Legend: Light's Revenge
Lists	Members Support

"Spellbook" (魔（ま）導（どう）書（しょ） Madōsho) is an archetype of Spell and Trap Cards that supports Spellcaster-Type monsters. The archetype, prior to Return of the Duelist, had two cards that merely contained "Spellbook" in their names. Also, "Spellbook" cards from Return of the Duelist, except "Spellbook of Wisdom", all share the restriction that only 1 copy can be activated per turn. This archetype is a sub-archetype of, and is supported by, the "Prophecy" archetype.

Origins

Several "Spellbook" cards are based on mystical tomes and books from history:

English name	Japanese name	Famous Book
Spellbook of Eternity	Spellbook of Alma	Almanac
Spellbook of Fate	Spellbook of Goethe	Goetia
Spellbook of Knowledge	Spellbook of Rudra	Shri Rudram Chamakam
Spellbook of Life	Spellbook of Necro	Necronomicon
Spellbook of Power	Spellbook of Hygro	Little Key of the Whole Art of Hygromancy
Spellbook of Secrets	Spellbook of Grimo	Grimoire
Spellbook of the Master	Spellbook of Sefer	Sefer Yetzirah
Spellbook of Wisdom	Spellbook of Torah	Torah

Playing style

Most of the cards in this archetype are Spell Cards. The exceptions are "Hidden Spellbook" and "Spellbook Magician of Prophecy". As such, numerous support cards like "Spellbook of Life" cannot use them for their effects, nor can they help you get or use them. "Prophecy" cards usually specify a "Spellbook" Spell Card in which they are also excluded. However "Spellbook of Secrets" is an exception, as it does not specify a Spell Card specifically, so it can still search them out.

Due to these cards searching each other out, they can be useful in Deck Thinning. Additionally, due to their effects benefiting Spellcaster-Type monsters, these cards can easily be used in a Spell Counter-based Deck for massive amounts of Spell Counters to be created. "Hidden Spellbook" can be used in this case to recycle those cards for future use. Also cards such as "Spellbook of Judgment" can be used to replenish your hand of "Spellbook" cards.

Weaknesses

"Spellbooks" aren't without flaws, as there are many ways to shut a "Spellbook" deck down.

• The first and most obvious way to shut this deck is with cards that negate spells/ negate and destroy spells/ allow limited activation of spells such as "Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV8" , "Dark Bribe", "Spell Shield Type-8", "Spell Canceller", "Great Shogun Shien", etc.

• Next is the fact that almost all of the Spellbook spells, (except for "Spellbook of Wisdom") can only be activated once per turn, so if you activate any Spellbook spell, except for Wisdom, and it is negated, you cannot activate any more copies of that said Spellbook spell again in the same turn, rendering all other copies of the said Spellbook card in your hand useless during that same turn.

• Another way to stop Spellbooks is with cards that restrict searches, like "Thunder King Rai-Oh" and Droll and Lock Bird" can also prevent a Spellbook user from getting other Spellbooks via searches. "Prohibition" can also stop the reuse of one of your spell books, limiting you only slightly.

• "Eradicator Epidemic Virus" can send all of your Spellbook spells in your hand and on the field, to the graveyard and prevent you from drawing any other spells, be it a Spellbook spell or any other spell. "Mind Crush" can also be used to counter this deck to an extent, and can send a newly added Spellbook in your hand to the grave. And while some "Prophecy" monsters can search for Spellbooks/ add them to the deck and/or hand, cards that negate effects like "Divine Wrath" , "Effect Veiler" , "Skill Drain", etc., can easily prevent their abilities.

• "Skull Invitation" can rack up damage on a Spellbook deck, due to the amount of spells being activated per turn and sent to the graveyard, though it will take away a good 1200LP to 1500LP if the player doesn't care about the loss of lifepoints.