After the jump, you'll see Ghostricks and my 5 years running Reaper Control. Each caters to a distinct Halloween subculture, and vary in play styles accordingly. They're being presented as post-Shadow Specters builds (Shadow Specters is the next Yu-Gi-Oh! Booster - Sneak Peaks are scheduled for November 2nd). Like many other players, I'm hoping that Ghostricks can be competitive options against the undisputed Dragon Rulers.
Ghostricks
Ghostrick is a new archetype that will debut in Shadow Specters. The archetype focuses on flipping monsters face-up or face-down, deck searching, and attacking directly. In fact, the revealed Ghostrick monsters cannot be normal summoned unless you control a Ghostrick monster. Luckily, setting them will generally gain you more advantage than normal summoning, since many of the monsters have effects that activate upon being flipped face-up. Some of the monsters will special summon themselves upon the action of your opponent, so if you're playing against them then you should always ready for a surprise visitor.
The first Ghostricks to lay in wait are Ghostrick Jiangshi and Ghostrick Stein. These are the deck thinners and searchers. Ghostrick Jiangshi is a surprisingly effective recruiter! Once he gets two friends, he can recruit any Ghostrick to his fellowship. Watch out, cults are massive this year. His deviant friend Ghostrick Stein will be sure to show up before most of the mindless. When Stein eggs your house, he can search for any of the Ghostrick Spells or Traps. The dangerous activities of a Halloween deviant require plans to stay safe from any retribution. This is what Stein is able to provide for the Ghostricks, a way to Vanish and a safe Mansion. Ghostrick Out will save his friends from being targeted or destroyed by any card effect, and since it's a trap there is a way to Vanish, whether to escape your
own Dark Hole or your opponent's Raigeki Break! Ghostrick Mansion is the base where they all meet after their evening shenanigans. While this field spell is active, monsters can attack directly if all of the opposing monsters are face-down but only Ghostricks inflict full damage, in addition no face-down monsters can be attacked. Having this field spell out will guarantee that the Ghostricks who use flip effects can activate their effects each turn, and when Ghostrick Witch lives in the Mansion, she can flip your opponent's monster so that you can attack directly with Ghostricks. Cards like Book of Moon, Book of Eclipse, and Swords of Concealing Light can take advantage of Ghostrick Mansion to allow you to consistently attack directly each turn!
Some Ghostricks don't live in the Mansion, but they will visit upon occasion. Lantern and Specter are two such Ghostricks. Lantern special summons himself in face-down defense position when your opponent declares a direct attack. He appears so suddenly that the attacking monster is frightened and the attack is negated. Specter likes to pretend he's similar to Lantern, by suddenly appearing face-down on the field down. Poor Specter is a bit of a clutz though, and only ever shows up after a friend of his has already been destroyed and sent to the graveyard. He makes up for his tardiness by adding a resource to your hand upon his summon.
Ghostrick Alucard is an XYZ Monster; he is rank 3 which means that he can be summoned by his friends Stein and Jiangshi. Alucard can destroy any set card, once per turn. There is no hiding from the Fiends and Zombies on this holiday!
Ghostrick Ghoul can be used as an XYZ Material Monster to summon Alucard. Ghostrick Ghoul uses his ghouly powers to give one Monster a working Megazord costume for the holidays. There may only be one attack from the combined power of all the Ghostricks, but that can be very damaging with a direct attack due to Ghostrick Mansion.
There are many cards already out that can support the shady style of Ghostricks. Some of the cards have been used in decks like Worms and Des Lacooda Spam. Heat Wave is a spell that must be played at the start of the first main phase, but once it's been played neither player can normal or special summon Effect Monsters. A Feint Plan is a trap that stops players from attacking face down monsters for a single turn. Swords of Concealing Light, Book of Moon, and Book of Eclipse can be used to flip your opponent's monsters face down, either as a combo with Mansion or as a defensive strategy. These are some of the support cards already available for the Ghostrick theme.
Specter provides a little draw power for the deck, but like all delinquents, he can be a little unreliable. For deck thinning purposes, Ghostricks may find themselves relying on Allure of Darkness, or Pot of Duality. This specific build uses both as well as Specter, to provide maximum resources without any risky strategy such as giving your opponent life points in exchange for a draw.
Ghostricks will capitalize on the opponent's inability to keep monsters face up on the field.
3 Ghostrick Witch
3 Ghostrick Stein
3 Ghostrick Jiangshi
3 Ghostrick Lantern
3 Ghostrick Specter
1 Ghostrick Yuki-onna
16 Monsters
3 Heat Wave
3 Swords of Concealing Light
3 Pot of Duality
3 Ghostrick Mansion
2 Nobleman of Crossout
2 Mystical Space Typhoon
1 Book of Moon
1 Book of Eclipse
1 Allure of Darkness
19 Spells
3 Ghostrick Vanish
1 Compulsory Evacuation Device
1 Solemn Warning
5 Traps
Extra Deck
Number 65: Djinn Buster
Ghostrick Alucard
Various Rank 3s, 2s, and 1s.
Reaper Control
What's more terrifying than death? Nothing.
Is there even a difference?
While I could explore these topics through metaphysics and send my readers into a reeling pit of depression, I'll avoid the philosophical implications of death as explicated by my beloved continental philosophers Heidegger and Sartre.
The Reaper knows what is and what cannot be any longer.
Because Zombies have been played to death, and people are still poking them to find signs of life, I'll skip any long, boring, and complex description of the cards integral to a Zombie build. The Reaper Control deck will be presented as a specific build that controls the hand and field.
3 Spirit Reaper - The Reaper provides hand control, field presence, and the name of the deck.
3 Goblin Zombie - He can find the Reaper, and all other members of the zombie horde.
2 Mezuki - The All-Purpose Zombie. This card will beat the opponent on the field, and in the afterlife.
2 Plaguespreader Zombie - The Zombie Tuner.
2 Maxx "C" - Crucial in the format of the Dragon Rulers. Many top decks play 3.
2 Tour Guide From the Underworld - The Guide. Where in hell were we going?
1 Night Assailant - He was waiting when we got there.
1 Pyramid Turtle - The Walking Crypt. Have someone destroy it to find a new supply of corpses.
1 Zombie Master - The Necromancer. He will create the horde.
1 Caius, the Shadow Monarch - Shadow Monarch. He shall banish any who oppose the Shadow Kingdom.
18 Monsters
3 Mystical Space Typhoons - These seem to destroy things at random.
2 Smashing Ground - There are no Guardians in hell.
2 Pot of Duality - Sometimes, it's quiet.
1 Allure of Darkness - The Darkness calls as the silence swells.
1 Dark Hole - Nothing is faster than light. Nothing can escape.
1 Book of Life - The Master's Book.
1 Book of Moon - A completely different Book.
1 Foolish Burial - Fill the Grave. The dead will impact the future.
12 Spells
2 Fiendish Chain - clang. clang. The monsters fight to break free.
2 Vanity's Emptiness - The Beetle is always nearby. No one will special summon while his wings beat.
1 Compulsory Evacuation Device - Ask me the questions, bridgekeeper. I am not afraid.
1 Eradicator Epidemic Virus - Diseases spread.1 Solemn Warning - You shall not pass.
1 Bottomless Trap Hole - The Holes fill the ground.
1 Non Aggression Area - The enemy isn't going anywhere.
1 Torrential Tribute - If he does, we're ready for him.
10 Traps
Extra Deck
2 Number 66: Master Key Beetle - The wings beat. The sound echoes. And no one shall go near it.
1 Lavalval Chain
1 Maestroke The Symphony Djinn
1 Ghostrick Alucard
1 Wind-Up Zenmaines
1 Ally of Justice Field Marshal
1 Mist Wurm
1 Scrap Dragon
1 Stardust Spark Dragon
1 Crimson Blader
1 Gaia Knight The Force of Earth
1 HTS Psyhemuth
1 Revived King Ha Des
1 Ally of Justice Catastor
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