Ninja

"Ninja" ( Ninja) is an archetype of mostly Warrior-Type monsters (with the exceptions of "Karakuri" "Ninja" monsters, which are Machines, and "White Dragon Ninja", which is a Dragon). A handful of the "Ninja" cards existed in the TCG and OCG prior to them gaining support in later sets. Some "Ninja" cards also exist solely in the anime used by Jean Claude Magnum.

A Deck based around "Ninjas" is tricky, due to the fact that the Spell, Trap, or Monster Card effects are just what you expect a real "Ninja" would use. For example, "Strike Ninja" can be removed from the field by banishing two DARK monsters from your Graveyard, only to come back to the field at the end of the turn (for "dodging" a card that might have destroyed it). Upstart Golden Ninja serves as a useful searcher, and can set "Armed Ninja", "Crimson Ninja" and "White Ninja", three counterparts all serve as Spell, Trap, and Monster Cards removal (respectively), from the deck, while "Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke" can further this by destroying any face-up Defense Position monster by attacking it (it also has the highest ATK of any Level 4 or lower "Ninja" monster). "Ninjitsu Art of Decoy" makes survival easy for "Ninjas", while "Ninjitsu Art of Transformation" allows you to trade your used "Ninjas" (such as the three aforementioned ones) for a more powerful, if albeit ability inclined, monster. "Fuhma Shuriken", a Spell Card that equips to "Ninjas", will always deal 700 damage to the opponent when removed from the field. Lastly, "Senior Silver Ninja" gives the group the ability to swarm and capitalize on their Flip Effects, by Special Summoning any number of "Ninja" monsters from the hand or Graveyard when he is flipped.

Overall "Ninjas" have many abilities that can frustrate your opponents, but not many that are game breaking. "Ninjas", however, are great against "Exodia" Decks, which focus on defensive monsters and Spells and Traps to stall for the titular card (which "Ninjas" are adept at destroying). Because of "Ninjitsu Art of Transformation", "Ninjas" fit well into "Harpie", Beast, Insect and especially a "Monarch" Deck.

Playing style
A "Ninja" Deck is a Deck that revolves around the "Ninja" archetype. To effectively use the archetype, "Ninja" Decks must use a large variety of monsters. WIND monsters are helpful for the effect of "Lady Ninja Yae", while DARK monsters are necessary for the effect of "Strike Ninja". As well, high Level monsters that can be Summoned with "Ninjitsu Art of Transformation". Ideally, one should attempt to use monsters that fulfill several of these criteria; for example, "Brain Crusher" is both DARK and Insect.

"Ninja" Decks can be made in a variety of ways; although there is very little archetype specific support, they qualify for Warrior support, as well as the aforementioned WIND and DARK monsters. Since this Deck combines WIND and DARK monsters, "Dark Simorgh" is perfect in this Deck. As a Level 7 Winged-Beast-Type, it is also easy to call out with "Ninjitsu Art of Transformation" and any Level 4 "Ninja". Ninja Lady Yae's effect works extremely well when "Roc from the Valley of Haze" is discarded to activate said effect and "Ninjuitsu Art of Transformation" can then be used to sacrifice "Yae" for "Roc".

"Ninja" Decks are rarely seen, as there is very little support currently available for the archetype, and the Decks can be difficult to make, as they require one to incorporate a wide variety of cards.

Although "Armed Ninja" and "Crimson Ninja" are "Ninjas", they will be difficult to use in a "Ninja" Deck, as their effects are sub-par and most of the time their effects are only activated upon their being attacked and destroyed, making them difficult to effectively use with "Ninjitsu Art of Transformation". Their Level 1 also limits a duelist's options to support monsters such as "Nimble Momonga" or "Giant Rat". Using the transformation to Summon Beatdown monsters such as "Chainsaw Insect" and "Berserk Gorilla" is a waste, since the higher Level "Ninja" cards can be used to Summon better Beatdown monsters such as "Big Koala" and "Behemoth the King of All Animals", or the top two "Ultimate Insects" and "Insect Queen". The transformation can be used to stall for better cards by Special Summoning high DEF monsters such as "Soul Tiger" or "Cocoon of Evolution". Another great card to Special Summon is "Stealth Bird" since it has decent DEF (1700), and can be flipped face-down to prepare for its flip effect damage. Though if one of these Ninja cards can survive your opponent's turn while face-up, you can use "Ninjitsu Art of Transformation" to Special Summon "Ultimate Insect LV3" during your opponent's End Phase. Then when your Standby Phase starts you will be able to level this monster up into "Ultimate Insect LV5" and gain its special effect. Furthermore, destroying "Ninjitsu Art of Transformation" will not destroy the higher Level monster since it was equipped to the previous Level monster. However, it will remain in the Spell & Trap Card Zone since the previous Level monster was not destroyed but rather Tributed.

"Senior Silver Ninja", which is the second highest-Level "Ninja" in the Yu-Gi-Oh! game, being Level 6 (The third highest one is * "Karakuri Ninja mdl 7749 “Nanashick”", while the highest is the TCG Exclusive "White Dragon Ninja"). Its effect is a great support for all "Ninja" monsters since it Special Summon any number of "Ninjas" from your Graveyard face-down, reloading the effects of your used "Crimson Ninja", "Armed Ninja" and "White Ninja". Its also a really good beatstick with 2300 ATK and 2200 DEF, being the second strongest monster of the "Ninja" archetype, the first still being the TCG Exculsive "White Dragon Ninja" with 2700 ATK. If you run a Warrior-only "Ninja" Deck, you can use "The Immortal Bushi" to Tribute Summon this card face-down and start the "Ninja" Swarming.

"Armor Ninja"
Order of Chaos introduced a new Ninja sub-archetype: "Armor Ninja". Some potential combos:

Other than Getting a boost in swarmablility, the "Ninja" archetype got a huge boost in support by through the ability of "Aqua Armor Ninja" to stop a direct attack, "Armor Ninjitsu Art of Freezing"; a one time use "Negate Attack" effect (minus being Spell Speed 3) that also prevent your opponent's monster from changing battle positions so long as there is a face-up "Ninja", and "Armor Ninjitsu Art of Rust Mist" being able to halve the ATK of any monster being Special Summoned to the field. And worst of all "Ninjitsu Art of Super-Transformation" can be used to take out one of your opponents pesky monsters, and replace it with an even better Dragon, Dinosaur, or Sea Serpent-Type (which are more powerful and splashable monsters than the Beast, Winged Beast, or Insect-Type monsters "Ninjitsu Art of Transformation" is limited to).
 * 1) Air Armor Ninja, Earth Armor Ninja, Flame Armor Ninja were meant to be used in conjunction with each other based on which Xyz monster you wanted to summon, but with Earth Armor Ninja at the heart of the combo:
 * 2) *Blade Armor Ninja:
 * 3) *#Summon Earth Armor Ninja first, then use Air Armor Ninja to lower Earth Armor Ninja Stars by 1, bring him down to 4.
 * 4) *Number 12: Crimson Shadow Armor Ninja:
 * 5) *#Summon Earth Armor Ninja first, then use Flame Armor Ninja to increase the level of itself or another 4 Star "Ninja" monster to another 5 star monster for the Xyz summon.
 * 6) *#Summon Earth Armor Ninja, then sacrifice him for Senior Silver Ninja face-down. Either use Book of Taiyou or wait until he is flipped face-up. IF you used Book of Taiyou, Special summon back Earth Armor Ninja and Air Armor Ninja and decrease the Level of "Senior Silver Ninja" by 1, bringing it down to 5.
 * 7) Goe Goe the Gallant Ninja got support in the form of Masked Ninja Ebisu. Use Masked Ninja Ebisu's effect and send their Spell/Trap cards back to their hand. Then you can attack directly for 1500 and also discard 2 cards from their hand (if they have 5 or more), including some of the Spell/trap cards you sent back with Ebisu's effect.
 * 8) *You can even take this a step further, by using Blade Armor Ninja to have Goe Goe attack twice. In a perfect world, you could deal 6000 damage with 3 Goe Goe, Ebisu, and Blade Armor Ninja on the field at one time, since Ebisu does NOT restrict to just one Goe Goe but cards named "Goe Goe the Gallant Ninja".

Trivia

 * "Goe Goe the Gallant Ninja", "Masked Ninja Ebisu", "Lady Ninja Yae", and "Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke" are characters based on Konami's popular video game series Ganbare Goemon (Legend of the Mystical Ninja). Incidentally, all the "Sasuke Samurai" monsters are from this series, as well.


 * In the anime, "Ninjas" were used by Jean Claude Magnum. However, Magnum used only anime-only cards, and his "Ninjas" operated quite differently from the actual cards. His "Ninjas" had poor ATK, but many had effects allowing them to swarm the field.


 * Also in the anime, ninjas were used by Yamikawa, but he used Armored Ninjas. These focus on swarming the field and summoning quickly their triumph cards: Blade Armor Ninja and Number 12: Crimson Shadow Armor Ninja.


 * "Blind Spot Strike" suggests that "Ninjas" have some sort of rivalry with the "Six Samurai".