"Haunted" Archetype (You're a Monster, too!)

[Tesability Black]

"Destiny Bond"【Lavender Town Glitchhop Mix】Original Pokémon Song-YZYX & Trickywi
 
Music can be a tool for inspiration, which is the case for this budding archetype. However, despite the music video above being Pokemon-related, I did what I could to make at least the images not Pokemon-related. The primary reason for this is the fact that I may try to use this set at some point for an RP character. That being said, things like Pokemon attack names make for effective foci for card effects. This is still a set very-much in scheming and is nowhere near done, so ideas are always appreciated.

 

[spoiler=Haunted MissingSoul]
Attribute: Dark
Default Level: 1
Type: Zombie/Spirit
Effect: Cannot be Special Summoned. You may Tribute any number of monsters you control. This monster's Level is equal to the total Level of monsters Tributed by this effect (minimum 1, maximum 12), and you may not Tribute a "Haunted" monster that is also a player for this effect. This monster's ATK and DEF become 500 times the level of this monster. Once per turn, during the End Phase, if this card was Normal Summoned or flipped face-up this turn: Return it to the hand.
ATK: 500
DEF: 500

A "Haunted" monster that is also a player? That's a strange line to see in a card effect. How can a monster also be a player? While I did say that I wasn't using Pokemon-related images, I couldn't help but make an exception for Missingno, or should I say MissingSoul in this case. I may have flubbed the effect wording, but it is capable of sacrificing other monsters as it is Normal Summoned to make itself stronger. One could say it is a false Tribute Summon. Through the effect, its max ATK and DEF is 6000, but it only lasts for the turn due to being a Spirit. Needless to say, this is the card you see when your opponent's in perfect position to take a direct attack to the face.

 

[spoiler=Phantom Force]

Type: Normal Spell
Effect: (This card is always treated as a "Haunted" card.)
Select 1 "Haunted" monster you control and banish it until the end of your opponent's next turn. The selected monster's ATK is doubled until the end of the turn it is sent to the field by this effect. You may not target a "Haunted" monster that is also a player with this effect.

Another card referencing a monster that's also a player. How strange. The move Phantom Force is a two-turn move in Pokemon. The first turn, the attacker renders themselves semi-invulnerable, hence the temporary self-Banishment. When the monster returns from this state in the next turn, it strikes with a painful attack, which is referenced by the temporary doubled ATK.

 

[spoiler=Trick-or-Treat]

Type: Continuous Spell
Effect: (This card is always treated as a "Haunted" card.)
While this card is face-up on the field, card effects also treat you as a "Haunted" monster you control and own.

NOW, it makes sense! It's not a case of the monsters being treated as a player, but the player themselves also being treated as a monster! That alone can wrap a few rules around their own necks and strangle themselves in weird ways. The move Trick-or-Treat in Pokemon turns a target into a Ghost-type Pokemon, which is similar to what happens here.

 

[spoiler=Destiny Bond]
Type: Normal Trap
Effect: (This card is always treated as a "Haunted" card.)
Activate only when a "Haunted" monster you control is attacked during an opponent's turn. If you would lose the Duel by battle damage, negate the damage and select 1 opponent. Target opponent's Life Points and your Life Points become 0, instead.

"The trick's on you, 'cause you're coming with me."

I can't make a set inspired by something without that something coming into play somehow. Hence, Destiny Bond. The original move automatically knocks out a Pokemon that knocks out a Pokemon that just used Destiny Bond, but the card effect is worded so that such an effect can be mirrored here, otherwise, the one activating this card would lose without taking at least one other player with them. The line in italics is actually a line that would have been written onto the card by the character using this, so it is not really part of the effect. Advice on how to word this card so that the attacking player in specific is the one that goes down with you by this effect would be appreciated, I was making these at...a pretty-damned late hour, admittedly.

 

[spoiler=Moongeist Beam]
Type: Counter Trap
Effect: Select 1 "Haunted" monster you control. Until the end of the current turn, the targeted monster's ATK and DEF cannot be lowered by card effects. If the target monster's also a player, they do not have to pay LP to activate effects this turn instead.

What is the player's closest equal to ATK and DEF? Their LP! So, if you chain this to something that you would otherwise have to pay LP for in some way, you can waive it. The move Moongeist Beam is an attack that can be used no matter what Pokemon ability that any Pokemon may have.

 

[spoiler=Spirit Shackle]
Type: Normal Trap
Effect: (This card is always treated as a "Haunted" card.)
Activate only when a "Haunted" monster is attacked by an opponent's monster. "Haunted" monsters are not destroyed by battle and do not take battle damage until the end of your next turn.

While the move of the same name disallows the opponent to escape from battle, I took a different spin with this and made it so that destroying or damaging a monster would fail instead.

[MUDKIPISAWESOME!!!]

I would say Trick-or-Treat should make this go to Experimental Cards as that's not something that's really anywhere in any previous anything. Also, Spirit Shackle will trigger when you're attacked directly while you have ToT, meaning it's like a slightly worse Waboku. Destiny Bond is a bit too reminiscent of Self-Destruct Button, which was banned for a reason.

[Flash Flyer - Sakura]

Closest we get to players actually becoming monsters w/out supernatural forces in the anime/manga is probably the Armor cards from the Season 4/5 fillers in DM or Transformation from GX manga, but the former case is just the card effects that make you feel "involved". Or unless you're Zarc from ARC-V, but I'm going off topic.

 

Yeah, I have to move this to Experimental, but I do agree that Destiny Bond's application is too much like Self-Destruct Button (or rather it's an "easier" version to pull off).

[Tesability Black]

Well, I admittedly wasn't sure where to put this, so if Trick-or-Treat and how the set's originally-planned ways to work with the card makes people feel this is better off in Experimental, I will not be opposed to it.

 

...admittedly, Destiny Bond is a result of trying to scheme at waaaaay too late into the day without snoozing first, so...yeah. ^^ Blame any brokeness on the lack of snooze. ^^;

[Flash Flyer - Sakura]

If it weren't for Trick or Treat, this probably could've stayed in Advanced (well, unless Konami decides to unveil a similar concept in Series 10 for the new series, but doubting it because of potential ruling nightmares and practicality).

 

The concept is interesting, yes, but it does fit more in here.

[MUDKIPISAWESOME!!!]

Meh, Konami might run out of ideas - first Rituals, then Fusions, then Synchros, then Xyzs, then Monsters that are Spells, I could see Monsters with their own individual LP happening. I do like these cards, though, in case that wasn't already noticeable - Yay Pokemon!