Ghostrick

"Ghostrick" (ゴーストリック Gōsutorikku) (a portmanteau of the words "ghost" and "trick") is an archetype of DARK Fiend, Spellcaster and Zombie-Type monsters that debuted in "Shadow Specters". They are based on various monsters of folklore and Halloween monsters.

Playing Style
All of the non-Xyz Monsters introduced thus far have had 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".

Their effects seem to revolve around flipping monsters face-down and protecting themselves as long as they are face-down. In this way, they act like pranksters or mischievous spirits: popping out and scaring people, then running away and hiding as understood by the name "Ghostrick" which is derived from the words "ghost" and "trick", being ghosts that trick.

So far, Level 1 "Ghostrick" monsters are ghostly Fiend-Types focused on Special Summoning themselves or other "Ghostricks" face-down, Level 2 "Ghostrick" monsters are female Spellcaster-Types focusing on changing the opponent's monsters into face-down Defense Position and Level and Rank 3 "Ghostrick" monsters are males of the Zombie-Type with the tactic of either adding additional "Ghostrick" cards to the hand or increasing their ATK.

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 "Kyonshee" / "Plaguespreader" / "Painter" + "Stein" / "Bone Crusher" for a Xyz or Synchro Summon.

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 the first place.
 * Combined with anti-Special Summoning staples like "Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo" and "Archlord Kristya" and/or lingering mass-removal cards like "King Tiger Wanghu" and "Deck Devastation Virus". "Ghostrick" Decks can be dead in the water right away.
 * Even if they do make the Field, they are easily picked off (if face-down) by cards like "Dark World Lightning", "Nobleman of Crossout", "White Night Queen", "Photon Wyvern", "Reverse Buster", "Paladin of White Dragon", "Search Striker" the "Mystic Swordsman"s and even "Acid Trap Hole" (all "Ghostrick" monsters so far have < 2000 ATK.) and (if face-up,) cards like "Skull Lair", "Armed Dragon LV7" and "Nanobreaker".
 * Cards like "Ghostrick Out" can prevent those destructions.
 * "Ghostricks" depend on their Field Spell Card, "Ghostrick House", 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 aggreagted with cards like "Spell Shattering Arrow" and "Eradicator Epidemic Virus".
 * Cards like "Field Barrier", "Stardust Dragon", "Malefic Stardust Dragon" or "Stardust Spark Dragon" can be used to protect it. "Ghostrick Ghoul" also gives a "Ghostrick" monster an ATK boost to compensate for their low ATK.