Ghostrick

Ghostrick
"Ghostrick" monsters in the artwork of "Ghostrick Parade".
Japanese	ゴーストリック Gōsutorikku (romanized)
French	Fantôruse
German	Geistertrick
Italian	Fantasmatrucco
Korean	고스트릭 Goseuteurik (romanized)
Portuguese	Fantardil
Spanish	Fantastruco
Sets Shadow Specters Legacy of the Valiant Primal Origin The New Challengers
Anime appearances
Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Lists	Members Support Anti-support

"Ghostrick" (ゴーストリック Gōsutorikku) is an archetype that debuted in Shadow Specters. All "Ghostrick" monsters are DARK, whereas their Level/Rank and Type varies between Level/Rank 1 Fiend, Level/Rank 2 Spellcaster and Level/Rank 3 Zombie (with one Rank 4 Fairy as an exception).

Design

Appearance

"Ghostrick" monsters are based on, and named after, various characters of folklore and Halloween monsters.

Etymology

"Ghostrick" is a portmanteau of the words "ghost" and "trick".

Members

Main Deck

Ghostrick	Origin
Doll	Bisque doll
Ghoul	Ghoul
Jackfrost	Jack Frost
Jiangshi	Jiangshi
Lantern	Jack-o'-lantern
Mary	Bloody Mary
Mummy	Mummy
Nekomusume	Nekomusume
Skeleton	Grim Reaper
Specter	Ghost
Stein	Frankenstein's monster
Warwolf	Werewolf
Witch	Witch
Yeti	Yeti
Yuki-onna	Yuki-onna

Extra Deck

Ghostrick	Origin
Alucard	Count Alucard/Dracula
Angel of Mischief	Fallen angel
Dullahan	Dullahan
Socuteboss	Succubus

Commonalities

All of the Main Deck monsters have a common effect:
"Cannot be Normal Summoned, unless you control a "Ghostrick" monster. Once per turn: You can change this card to face-down Defense Position".

Also, the Xyz Monsters, except for "Ghostrick Socuteboss" and "Ghostrick Angel of Mischief", share the following common effect:
"If this card is sent to the Graveyard: You can target 1 other "Ghostrick" card in your Graveyard; add that target to your hand".

Playing style

"Ghostricks" are either Level (or Rank) 1 Fiend, 2 Spellcaster, or 3 Zombie-Type Monsters, with one Xyz Monster corresponding to each Level combination, except for "Ghostrick Angel of Mischief", who is a Rank 4 Fairy-type Monster.

They feature a variety of effects, mostly revolving around flipping monsters face-down (both yours and your opponent's) and protecting themselves as long as they are face-down. The three strata of monsters each follow a set of general effect guidelines:

• The Level 1 monsters have effects that trigger while in the hand, and they react to destruction, attacks and damage, providing bonuses and acting like hand traps; design-wise, they share a prankster, infantile appearance, maybe hinting to the "tricks" they play against the attacks of the opponent's monsters.

• The Level 2 monsters have effects related to Battle Position control, allowing its controller to search for a monster or stall the opponent's moves; they share a feminine, delicate, appearance.

• The Level 3 monsters all provide useful bonuses while they are face-up or when flipped face-up. Their effects range from searching to burning, or even milling the opponent's deck or giving bulk to a "Ghostrick" monster; their motif is basically of male figures of Halloween and Folklore.

The deck's main goal is to produce strong attackers over a prolonged game, which can attack directly using the field spells "Ghostrick Mansion", "Ghostrick Museum" though the archetype also contains elements of milling, burning, lockdwn and most recently an Alternative Win Condition.

Most of the Ghostrick monsters aren't strong by themselves, thus they're left relying heavily on getting "Ghostrick Mansion" on the board as soon as possible in order to launch several consecutive direct attacks early in the game. Since "Mansion" also protects any face-down monsters from attacks, it is easy to repeatedly activate Ghostrick monster's effects like "Ghostrick Jiangshi" and "Ghostrick Witch". "Ghostrick Scare", "Floodgate Trap Hole" and "Swords of Concealing Light" are also useful in this deck to provide disruptions and lockdown.

The support provided by the on-theme Spell/Trap Cards is also diverse, with effects that range from protecting "Ghostrick" monsters from targeting and destroying effects, switching the battle position of opposing monsters, reviving "Ghostrick" monsters and locking the opponent from Flip Summoning. The only Spell Cards of the Deck is a trio of Field Spell Cards that share the common effect of allowing a player from attacking direcly if all opposing monsters are in face-down Defense Position. They can either search for resources, halve the battle damage and manipulating the battle position of the opponent's monsters.

Recommended Cards

Basic Ghostrick

Recommended Cards

Main Deck Monster Cards Effect Monsters Dark Armed Dragon Ghostrick Doll Ghostrick Nekomusume Ghostrick Jackfrost Ghostrick Ghoul Ghostrick Jiangshi Ghostrick Lantern Ghostrick Mary Ghostrick Mummy Ghostrick Skeleton Ghostrick Specter Ghostrick Stein Ghostrick Werewolf Ghostrick Witch Ghostrick Yuki-onna Ghostrick Yeti Kinka-byo Masked Chameleon Spell Cards Allure of Darkness Book of Moon Creature Swap Dark Eruption Ectoplasmer Ghostrick Mansion Ghostrick Museum Ghostrick Parade Nobleman of Crossout Recurring Nightmare Swords of Concealing Light Ties of the Brethren Trap Cards Ghostrick Break Ghostrick Night Ghostrick Scare Ghostrick Vanish Ghostrick-Go-Round Gozen Match Grave of the Super Ancient Organism Needle Ceiling Quaking Mirror Force Reverse Glasses Extra Deck Xyz Monsters Downerd Magician (Use a "Ghostrick Alucard" or "Dullahan" that has no Xyz Materials and trigger their effects when they be detached) Gachi Gachi Gantetsu Ghostrick Angel of Mischief Ghostrick Alucard Ghostrick Dullahan Ghostrick Socuteboss Mechquipped Angineer Number 13: Embodiment of Crime Number 17: Leviathan Dragon Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction Number 31: Embodiment of Punishment Number 39: Utopia Roots Number 54: Lion Heart Slacker Magician

Zombie Ghostrick

Most of Ghostrick monsters are Zombies, so it's possible to use support for it in this Deck. "Skull Conductor" can be used to summon "Mummy" + "Des Lacooda" or "Jiangshi" / "Plaguespreader" / "Painter" + "Stein" / "Bone Crusher" for a Xyz or Synchro Summon.

Recommended Cards

Main Deck Monster Cards Effect Monsters Bone Crusher Dark Armed Dragon Des Lacooda Ghostrick Ghoul Ghostrick Jiangshi Ghostrick Mary Ghostrick Mummy Ghostrick Skeleton Ghostrick Specter Ghostrick Stein Ghostrick Werewolf Ghostrick Yeti Goblin Zombie Humpty Grumpty Mezuki Mystic Tomato Skull Conductor Spirit Reaper Tour Guide From the Underworld Zombie Master Tuner monsters Pain Painter Plaguespreader Zombie Spell Cards Allure of Darkness Book of Life Book of Moon Creature Swap Dark Eruption Ghostrick Mansion Ghostrick Museum Recurring Nightmare Swords of Concealing Light Ties of the Brethren Zombie World Trap Cards Ghostrick Scare Ghostrick Vanish Ghostrick-Go-Round Needle Ceiling Extra Deck Synchro Monsters Archfiend Zombie-Skull Revived King Ha Des Xyz Monsters Evilswarm Nightmare Full Armored Black Ray Lancer Gachi Gachi Gantetsu Ghostrick Alucard Ghostrick Dullahan Lavalval Chain Maestroke the Symphony Djinn Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction Number 66: Master Key Beetle Wind-Up Zenmaister Other Rank 3 Monster Cards

Ghostrick Burn

This Deck focus on lock your opponent's moves and causing effect damage. "Ghostrick Museum" is the only recommended Field as it's the only to not affect the damage.

Recommended Cards

Main Deck Monster Cards Effect Monsters Des Koala Ghostrick Jiangshi Ghostrick Mary Ghostrick Mummy Ghostrick Specter Ghostrick Stein Ghostrick Warwolf Prediction Princess Astromorrigan Princess of Tsurugi Shadowpriestess of Ohm Stealth Bird Spell Cards Allure of Darkness Book of Moon Dark Eruption Ghostrick Museum Recurring Nightmare Swords of Concealing Light Ties of the Brethren Trap Cards Blazing Mirror Force Quaking Mirror Force Ceasefire Ghostrick-Go-Round Ghostrick Night Ghostrick Vanish Just Desserts / Secret Barrel / Secret Blast Magic Cylinder Nightmare Wheel Ojama Trio Ring of Destruction Spirit Barrier Extra Deck Xyz Monsters Ghostrick Alucard Ghostrick Angel of Mischief Ghostrick Dullahan Number 13: Embodiment of Crime Number 31: Embodiment of Punishment Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction (with Creature Swap) Number 54: Lion Heart

Ghostrick Mill

This Deck focus on milling your opponent's Deck and win by Deck out. "Ghostrick Parade" is the only recommended Field because of its searching effect and damage to your opponent is unecessary. Note that sending cards to your opponent's Graveyard may help their strategy, so "Ghostrick Skeleton" and "Masked HERO Dark Law" are used to banish the cards instead.

Recommended Cards

Main Deck Monster Cards Effect Monsters A/D Changer Dark Bug Delg the Dark Monarch Ghostrick Jiangshi Ghostrick Mary Ghostrick Mummy Ghostrick Skeleton Ghostrick Specter Ghostrick Stein Hiro's Shadow Scout Needle Worm Tuner monsters Junk Synchron Spell Cards Allure of Darkness Book of Eclipse Book of Moon Book of Taiyou Dark Eruption Dark World Dealings / Hand Destruction Ghostrick Parade Mask Change II One Day of Peace Recurring Nightmare Swords of Concealing Light The Shallow Grave Ties of the Brethren Trap Cards Quaking Mirror Force Crush Card Virus Deck Devastation Virus* Ghostrick-Go-Round Ghostrick Night Ghostrick Scare Ghostrick Vanish Ojama Trio Spirit Barrier Extra Deck Fusion Monsters Masked HERO Dark Law Synchro Monsters Dark Diviner Iron Chain Dragon Xyz Monsters Ghostrick Alucard Ghostrick Angel of Mischief Ghostrick Dullahan Pilgrim Reaper

"Ghostrick" Deck recipes sample

Deck

Main Deck Monster Cards Effect Monsters Ghostrick Jiangshi x3 Ghostrick Stein Ghostrick Yuki-onna x3 Ghostrick Witch x2 Ghostrick Specter x3 Ghostrick Lantern x2 Crane Crane x2 Penguin Soldier x2 Kinka-byo x2 Spell Cards Ghostrick Mansion x3 Terraforming Book of Eclipse Monster Reborn Mystical Space Typhoon x3 Heavy Storm Book of Moon Nobleman of Crossout x2 Trap Cards Ghostrick Vanish x2 Ghostrick Scare x2 Torrential Tribute x2 Solemn Judgment Extra Deck Xyz Monsters Ghostrick Alucard x2 Wind-Up Zenmaines Gachi Gachi Gantetsu Slacker Magician

Weaknesses

Despite this archetype's unorthodox "bait and switch"—like tactics, "Ghostricks" have many weaknesses.

• First, cards like "Dark Simorgh", "Searchlightman", "Light of Intervention" prevent "Ghostrick" monsters from being Set or flipped face-down in first place. Cards like "Jurrac Velphito" and "Search Striker" are also dangerous to "Ghostricks" because they destroy face-down monsters immediately without them ever flipping face-up.
• The 6 Reptile elemental field wipers: "Destruction Cyclone", "Firestorm Prominence", "Silent Abyss", "Radiant Spirit", "Raging Earth", and "Umbral Soul" can also be devastating to a Ghostrick Deck. as they all have 2000 attack and 1500 defense, making them difficult to destroy in the first place, and when they are destroyed, they also destroy any card that is face down, along with anything that does not have the same element as them (WIND, FIRE, WATER, LIGHT, EARTH, and DARK respectively). While this makes "Umbral Soul" slightly less damaging than the others, even it still remains a major threat.
• Other cards which prevent battle position changes, whether of the "Ghostrick" player's monsters or the opponent's, such as "Gaap the Divine Soldier" and "Gravity Axe - Grarl" can halt most, though often not all, of the "Ghostrick" player's moves. In addition, a monster Summoned by "Raging Cloudian" will be nearly impossible for the "Ghostrick" player to get rid of.
• "Goblin Fan" is a continuous trap that can destroy any monster card that is Level 2 or below the second it's Flip-summoned. This includes about 2/3 of the Ghostrick monsters, and since many of them rely on their Flip effects, rather than raw power, this one trap card can be devastating to any Ghostrick user's strategy.
• Most "Ghostricks" depends on their Field Spell Cards, "Ghostrick Mansion" or "Ghostrick Museum", to deal damage, and will struggle to do much Battle damage to your opponent without it, due to most of them having low ATK stats. This can be even worse with cards like "Spell Shattering Arrow" and "Eradicator Epidemic Virus" around.
  • Cards like "Stardust Dragon", "Malefic Stardust Dragon" or "Stardust Spark Dragon" can be used to protect it.

Trivia

• See also their history in the Gagaga Academy Tospedia.

• The "Ghostrick" monster's battle-flipping effects resemble the activities of children pranksters or mischievous spirits: popping out and scaring people, then running away and hiding. This is underscored by the archetype name "Ghostrick" a blatant portmanteau of the words "ghost" and "trick".

• The "Ghostrick" archetype was originally released in Shadow Specters, which debuted in the U.S. in November 2013, and may have been intended to coincide with the celebration of Halloween. The "Ghostrick" monsters are largely based on mythological creatures that children in the western world would dress up as for Halloween (witch, ghost, Jack-O'-Lantern, Frankenstein's Monster, Mummy, etc.), and their playstyle (as described above) mirrors the tradition of trick-or-treating.

• "Ghostrick" monsters' artworks share the background scheme with the "Lightsworn"s, as they have the same concept of patterning.

• While most Archetypes receive one supporting Field Spell Card, the Ghostrick archetype is notable for having three; "Ghostrick Mansion", "Ghostrick Museum", and "Ghostrick Parade".