FLIP-D: As explained by, Shadow stalkers archetype.

[zepheris]

Most people should be familiar with FLIP effects. FLIP-D effects are the opposite, activated when a monster is flipped from face up to face down. Monsters with FLIP-D effects cannot be summoned in face up attack or face down defense, but rather, the opposite, face down attack or face up defense. (Normal summon in fd atk, set in fu def)

 

Before going further, FLIP-D monsters are weird. They can activate effects while face down, but you have to reveal them to do so, after which they go back to face down. Same thing when they attack. You can't change battle position to face up defense without a card effect, similar to how a normal card cannot set itself. Most cards in this archetype can (Because they have said effect.), but it's not necessary for all cards to be able to do so. If you attack a face up defense FLIP-D monster, it changes to face down defense and activates it's effect. If you have a face up FLIP-D card, you can 'flip' it into face down atk. A face up defense FLIP-D is essentially treated as a face down regular card, it can't use it's effects, and FLIP-D's can't be special summoned face up. That being said, it is still treated as a 'Face up' card in face up defense, and a 'face down' card otherwise. Things you can't normally do to face down cards like changing their attack or defense, placing counters, or equipping equip spells can't be done to a face down FLIP-D card. Monsters with FLIP-D effects cannot exist in face up attack position, similar to how a regular monster cannot exist in face down attack position. FLIP-D cards are essentially a different kind of main deck card (Not unlike ritual monsters) They exist in the main deck, but are colored differently than regular effect monsters. I'm not posting any pictures (I never do) but imagine them as a darker brown than effect monsters.

 

Shadow stalkers archetype, to demonstrate this concept.

 

All dark fiend

 

Ogun the shadow stalker

Lvl 4

Atk 1600

Def 1800

FLIP: If shadow castle is on the field, you can target one card on the field, destroy it. If this card was flipped face up due to an opponent's attack, destroy the card that attacked it. Once per turn, you can change this card to face down defense position.

 

Lucius the shadow stalker

Lvl 5

Atk 2400

Def 2800

FLIP: If shadow castle is on the field, return all monsters your opponent controls to the hand. If this card was flipped face up due to an opponent's attack, add one shadow spell or trap card from your deck to your hand. Once per turn you can change this card to face down defense position.

 

Syalla the shadow stalker

Lvl 6

Atk 2600

Def 2200

FLIP-D: Destroy one spell or trap card on the field. If this face down card is attacked by your opponent's monster, special summon one shadow stalker from your graveyard in attack position. Once per turn you can change this card to face up defense position.

 

Lanaya the shadow stalker

Lvl 4

Atk 1800

Def 1600

FLIP-D: If shadow castle is on the field, search your deck for a shadow stalker card and add it to your hand. If this face down card is attacked by an opponent's monster, add one shadow castle from your graveyard to your hand. Once per turn you can change this card to face up defense position.

 

 

Eoniz the phantom

Lvl 8

Atk 0

Def 0

(This card is always treated as a FLIP-D card)

This card cannot be normal summoned or set. This card can only be special summoned (From your hand or graveyard) by banishing 3 shadow stalkers with different names from your graveyard, if you do, you do not need to reveal this card. If this face down card is targeted by a card effect, negate the effect, then destroy the card. This face down card cannot be destroyed in battle. If this card battles an opponent's monster, destroy the monster, then your opponent takes battle damage equal to it's attack. At the end of the battle phase, if this card battled this turn, you can rearrange all face down cards on your side of the field without changing their battle positions.

 

Efraim the replicant

Lvl 8

Atk 2600

Def 3000

(This card is always treated as a FLIP-D card)

This card cannot be normal summoned or set. This card can only be special summoned (From your hand or graveyard) by banishing 3 shadow stalkers with different names from your graveyard, if you do, you do not need to reveal this card. If this face down card is targeted by a card effect, special summon one Efraim the replicant from your deck. If this card is targeted by an opponent's attack, you can banish one shadow stalker card from your graveyard, special summon one shadow stalker monster with the same name from your deck, then change the target to the summoned monster.

 

Godrik the titan

Lvl 9

Atk 3500

Def 4000

(This card is always treated as a FLIP-D card)

This card cannot be normal summoned or set. This card can only be special summoned (From your hand or graveyard) by banishing 3 shadow stalkers with different names from your graveyard, if you do, you do not need to reveal this card. If this face down card is targeted by a card effect, gain 1000 life points. If this card is targeted by an opponent's attack, gain 1000 life points. Once per turn, if this card would leave the field, you can pay 1000 life points instead.

 

Lenneth the shadow stalker

Lvl 4

Atk 1700

Def 1900

FLIP-D: If shadow castle is on the field, excavate the top five cards of your deck, then send all shadow stalkers to the graveyard. If this face down card battles while shadow castle is on the field, add one shadow stalker from your graveyard to your hand. Once per turn you can change this card to face up defense position.

 

 

Nirv the shadow stalker

Lvl 4

Atk 1200

Def 2000

FLIP-D: Change the battle position of one or more monsters you control. Once per turn, you can banish one card from your graveyard, target one shadow stalker on the field, change it to face up defense position. Once per turn, you can change this card to face up defense position.

 

Mera the dark mesmer

Lvl 10

Atk 3000

Def 3000

Fusion

Eoniz the phantom+Efraim the replicant+Godrik the titan

(This card is always treated as a FLIP-D card)

Must first be special summoned (From your extra deck) by banishing the above cards from your graveyard, if you do, you do not need to reveal this card. If this face down card is targeted by a card effect, negate that effect, add that card to your hand. If this card is targeted by an opponent's attack, negate the effect, take control of that monster.

 

Radiance, the one who left the shadows

Lvl 6

Light fairy

Atk 2400

Def 2500

FLIP: Discard one shadow castle; Destroy all cards on the field. If this card was flipped face up due to an opponent's attack, you do not need to discard. If this face up card is on the field, neither player can set or summon face down cards.

 

Spells

 

Shadow castle

Field

Once per turn, if your opponent declares an attack, you can select the target. During the end phase, rearrange all face down cards you control without changing their battle positions. If this card is in your graveyard, you can banish it, send one shadow card from your deck to the graveyard, except shadow castle. You can only activate this effect once per turn.

 

(For some reason whenever I create an archetype, there's always a field spell with castle in it's name...)

 

Pact of shadows

Quick

Face down cards cannot leave the field for the rest of the phase. If this card is in your graveyard, you can banish it, return 3 banished shadow cards, except pact of shadows, to your graveyard.

 

Contract of shadows

Special summon one shadow stalker monster from your deck. It cannot leave the field for the rest of the turn. During the end phase, send that card, and all copies of it in your deck to the graveyard. If this card is in your graveyard, you can banish it, send the top three cards of your deck to the graveyard.

 

Spectral shadows

Continuous 

You can banish one shadow card from your graveyard, banish a monster you control. (This is a quick effect.) During the end phase, special summon it. If this card is in your graveyard, you can banish it, banish one monster you control, until the end phase.

 

Trap cards

 

Shadow explosive

You can set this card as a face down defense position monster you control (From your hand) If this card is attacked, destroy both this card and the attacking monster, then deal damage to your opponent equal to its attack. If this card is flipped face up (without being attacked), send it to the graveyard. If this card is in your graveyard, you can banish it, deal 1000 points of damage to your opponent.

 

Doorway to the land of shadows

Activate only when your opponent attacks a face down card. Special summon as many banished shadow stalkers as possible. Until the end phase, they cannot leave the field. Banish them during the end phase. If this card is in your graveyard, you can banish it, special summon one of your banished shadow stalkers. Banish it during the end phase.

 

Or, you know, the shadow realm.

 

A shade of madness

Continous

Neither player can summon cards in defense position. Neither payer can change position of cards they control, except with a card effect. All face up monsters must attack, if able. During the battle phase, if this card is in your graveyard, you can banish it, target two monsters on the field, at least one of whom is in attack position. Conduct battle involving those two monsters.

 

Give opinions on the mechanic of FLIP-D, as well as this archetype.