Deck Spotlight: Drak Pack

[UberTrainerMinusInfinity]

DRAK PACK
https://www.duelingbook.com/deck?id=10676152
Year of Origin: 1980
Is it real?: Yes
Ace Monster: Drak Pack Count Dracula
The Main Races: Zombie
The Main Attributes: LIGHT
Extra Monsters: Link
Attack: 2/5
Defence: 2/5
Strategy: 4/5
Intellect: 5/5
Luck: 5/5
THE STORY:
From the monsters of the past comes a new generation, dedicated to erasing the evil image of their forefathers! Under the leadership of none other than Count Dracula, known as Big D, three teenagers form the duequelted group known, as the the Drak Pack!
STRATEGY:
Special Summon the Drak Pack from the deck where they lurk, and send your opponent's effects spiraling towards their doom! Link Summon very quickly to get the tools you need: In fact, this deck can bring out their ace monster, Drak Pack Count Dracula, FROM A SINGLE CARD!!!
Drak Pack Count Dracula serves as the core of the deck, allowing Drak Pack Quick-Play spells to be activated from the hand during either player's turn, negates any enemy monsters he points to, and can search out Drak Pack cards if you don't have any in your hand, to negate monster effects with Drak Pack Teamwork, Spell/Trap effects with Drak Pack Morph, or to Special Summon a Drak Pack monster from your deck with Drak Pack Whack. The Drak Pack members also have special effects when they're summoned, more notably Drak Pack Trio Howler, who huffs and puffs and blows a card back to it's hand when he's summoned from the deck!
KILLER COMBOS:
To bring out Drak Pack Count Dracula, you'll need a Drak Pack monster in your hand, or Drak Pack Whack or Drak Pack Castle in your hand. Normal Summon it, or Special Summon it with Drak Pack Whack or Drak Pack Castle, then use it to Link Summon Drak Pack Drac Jr La Dog. Use his effect to banish the three Vampire Fascinators from your extra deck to bring out a Drak Pack monster from your deck, then Link them together to form Drak Pack Drakster. Use it's effect to revive Drak Pack Drac Jr A La Dog, and since a Link monster was used for it's summon, Special Summon a Drak Pack monster from your deck. Link the Summoned monster with your two Link monsters to form Drak Pack Count Dracula!
Drak Pack Count Dracula can tribute enemy Link monsters for his effect if Drak Pack Trio Drac Jr, Drak Pack Trio Frankie, and Drak Pack Trio Howler are all in your GY, so if you summon one normally, one through Drak Pack Drac Jr A La Dog, and one through Drak Pack Drakster, you'll be able to use this effect right off the bat!
And don't forget, this deck also runs two Eldlich the Golden Lords.......

[UberTrainerMinusInfinity]

On Hallow's eve, the deck spotlights grieve! A review of them, they would receive!

[Christen57]

Recommend these changes to the "Drak Pack Trio" monsters to tidy them up and improve their readability:

Drak Pack Trio Drak Jr
You cannot Special Summon from the Extra Deck, except Zombie Link Monsters. When this card is Normal summoned: You can send 1 "Drak Pack" monster from your Deck to the GY, except "Drak Pack Trio Drak Jr"; Special Summon 1 "Drak Pack" monster from your Deck with the same name. When this card is Special Summoned from the Deck: You can target 1 face-up card; negate its effects until the end of this turn. Each time your a "Drak Pack" monster inflicts battle damage to your opponent, gain that much LP. When this card is Special Summoned from the Deck: You can target 1 face-up card; negate it's effects until the end of this turn.

Drak Pack Trio Frankie
You cannot Special Summon from the Extra Deck, except Zombie Link Monsters. When this card is Normal summoned: You can shuffle 1 "Drak Pack" monster from your hand or GY into the Deck; Special Summon 1 "Drak Pack" monster with 1400 or less ATK from your Deck. When this card is Special Summoned from the Deck: You can banish 1 random card from your opponent's hand until the End Phase. If your "Drak Pack" monster attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage.

Drak Pack Trio Howler
You cannot Special Summon from the Extra Deck, except Zombie Link Monsters. When this card is Normal summoned: You can discard 2 cards; Special Summon 1 Zombie monster from your Deck. When this card is Special Summoned from the Deck: You can target 1 card on the field, except a Zombie monster; return it to the hand. If your Zombie monster attacks, your opponent cannot activate cards or effects until the end of the Damage Step.

Drak Pack Pet Spider's effect can be shortened from:
Cannot be Special Summoned from the deck except by it's own effect. The effects of your ''Drak Pack'' monsters cannot be negated. When you are going to Special Summon a ''Drak Pack'' monster from your deck by a card effect, if this is the only ''Drak Pack'' monster in your deck, you may Special Summon this using that card's effect, and if you do, you may target up to 3 ''Drak Pack'' monsters in your GY: shuffle them into your deck, then if you shuffled 3 monsters this way, this turn, your Link Summons cannot be negated. (Quick Effect) You can discard this card; shuffle your deck, then draw 1 card.
to:
Cannot be Special Summoned from the Deck except by Zombie monster effect. The activation and effects of "Drak Pack" cards activated on your field cannot be negated. When a Zombie monster is Special Summoned from your Deck: You can Special Summon in Attack Position this card from your hand or GY, and if you do, you can shuffle up to 3 cards from your GY into the Deck, including a "Drak Pack" monster. You cannot Special Summon from the Extra Deck the turn you activate this effect, except Zombie Link Monsters.

It's not a good a idea to make a monster special summon itself from the deck, as you can't always know if and when it's there and can't just check whenever you want to make sure. Also, making it protect summons from being negated feels unnecessary when it already protects your archetype from negation, and the effect to discard itself for a free draw makes it Upstart Goblin 2.0, so that should be removed.

Drak Pack Castle's effect can be simplified from:
All LIGHT Zombie monsters gain 500 ATK/DEF, also they cannot be banished or shuffled into the deck. Once per turn, the turn player may send 1 ''Drak Pack'' Spell/Trap card from their deck to their GY; They Special Summon 1 ''Drak Pack'' monster from their deck, but if they do, they can only summon LIGHT Zombie monsters this turn.
to:
LIGHT Zombie monsters on the field gain 500 ATK/DEF and cannot be returned to the Deck or banished. Once per turn: You can send 1 "Drak Pack" Spell/Trap from your Deck to the GY; Special Summon 1 "Drak Pack" monster from your Deck. You cannot Special Summon from the Extra Deck the turn you activate this effect, except Zombie Link Monsters.

Better to put "returned to the Deck" first, then "banished," instead of it being the other way around. Also, it's super unlikely that the opponent would also be playing Drak Packs, so making this field spell work for "the turn player" isn't necessary. Also, it's better to share the restriction of Zombie Link Monsters and not LIGHT Zombie monsters.

Drak Pack Descendants's effect can be shortened from:
Target 1 ''Drak Pack'' Spell/Trap card in your GY, except this card: add it to your hand, then banish this face-down. If you control a face-up ''Drak Pack Count Dracula'', you can activate this from your hand during either player's turn. (Quick Effect) You can banish this from your GY: This turn, the summons, effects, and attacks of your ''Drak Pack'' monsters cannot be negated.
to:
Target 1 "Drak Pack" Spell/Trap card in your GY, except "Drak Pack Descendants"; add it to your hand. You can shuffle any number of "Drak Pack" Spells/Traps from your GY into the Deck, including this card; this turn, your Zombie monsters' attacks cannot be negated.

There's no need to make this banish itself face-down when it isn't going to be able to loop with itself anyway, nor is there any need for this or any of your archetype's other quick-play spells to let themselves activate from the hand during the opponent's turn. Also, you don't give spells or traps quick effects, and other cards in this archetype already have effects to shield your summons and effects from being negated so this only needs to protect attacks at most.

Drak Pack Morph's effect can be simplified from:
When your opponent activates a Spell/Trap effect, shuffle 1 ''Drak Pack'' monster from your GY into your deck; negate that effect, then if you shuffled a Link monster this way, your opponent cannot activate Spell/Trap effects for the rest of this phase. If you control a face-up ''Drak Pack Count Dracula'', you can activate this from your hand during either player's turn.
to:
Shuffle 1 "Drak Pack" monster from your GY into the Deck or return 1 Zombie Link Monster from your field or GY to the Extra Deck, then target 1 opponent's face-up Spell/Trap; negate its effect until the end of this turn, then if you returned a card to the Extra Deck to activate this card, your opponent cannot activate Spell/Trap Cards or effects for the rest of this phase.

The cost needs to be worded this way because you can't return link monsters to the deck as part of any cost since link monsters can't go to the main deck.

Drak Pack Teamwork's effect can be shortened from:
When your opponent activates a monster effect, shuffle 1 ''Drak Pack'' monster from your GY into your deck; negate that effect, then if you shuffled a Link monster this way, your opponent cannot activate monster effects for the rest of this phase. If you control a face-up ''Drak Pack Count Dracula'', you can activate this from your hand during either player's turn.
to:
When your opponent activates a monster effect: Shuffle 1 "Drak Pack" monster from your GY into the Deck or return 1 Zombie Link Monster from your field or GY to the Extra Deck; negate that effect, then if you returned a card to the Extra Deck to activate this card, your opponent cannot activate monster effects for the rest of this phase.

Drak Pack Whack's effect can be shortened from:
Special Summon 1 ''Drak Pack'' monster from your deck, also you cannot summon monsters this turn, except LIGHT Zombie monsters. If you control a face-up ''Drak Pack Count Dracula'', you can activate this from your hand during either player's turn.
to:
Special Summon 1 "Drak Pack" monster from your Deck. You cannot Special Summon from the Extra Deck the turn you activate this card, except Zombie Link Monsters.

Drak Pack Count Dracula's effect can be shortened from:
2+ ''Drak Pack'' monsters, including 2 Link monsters
The effects of cards that your opponent controls that are in zones that this points to are negated. Once per turn, you can tribute 1 Link monster: Special Summon 1 ''Drak Pack'' monster from your deck. If your GY contains at least one of each of ''Drak Pack Trio Drac Jr'', ''Drak Pack Trio Frankie'', and ''Drak Pack Trio Howler'', you can tribute Link monsters from either field. If your hand has no ''Drak Pack'' Spell/Trap cards; (Quick Effect) You can pay half your LP, then reveal your hand; Add 1 ''Drak Pack'' Spell/Trap card from your deck to your hand.
to:
2+ Zombie monsters including a Link Monster
Negate the effects of your opponent's face-up cards this card points to. This effect cannot be negated. Once per turn: You can Tribute 1 Link monster, or you can Tribute 1 opponent's monster if you have at least 1 each "Drak Pack Trio Drac Jr", "Drak Pack Trio Frankie", and "Drak Pack Trio Howler" in your GY; Special Summon 1 "Drak Pack" monster from your Deck. Once per turn, if you have a hand but no "Drak Pack" Spells/Traps in it (Quick Effect): You can show it and pay half your LP; add 1 "Drak Pack" Spell/Trap from your Deck to your hand.

Drak Pack Drak Jr A La Bat's effect can be shortened from:
1 ''Drak Pack'' monster, except a Link monster
Can only be Link Summoned once per turn. To Link Summon this card, you must control no Link-1 monsters. When this is Link Summoned; negate the effects of all face-up Spell cards until the end of this turn, except ''Drak Pack'' cards, then you may banish the top 5 cards of your deck face-down: Special Summon 1 ''Drak Pack'' monster from your deck, but if you do, you can only attack with Link monsters this turn.
to:
1 non-Link ''Drak Pack'' monster
You can only Link Summon "Drak Pack Drak Jr A La Bat(s)" once per turn. Negate all Spell effects on the field during your turn. When this card is Link Summoned: You can excavate the top 5 cards of your Deck, and if you do, you can Special Summon 1 excavated "Drak Pack" monster, also your opponent places the rest on top of the Deck in, or the rest on the bottom of the Deck in, any order (their choice).

A link-1 that special summons from the deck for free is just begging for abuse, especially when we already had even a link-2 recently banned for being able to special summon from the deck for free, so there needs to be some more restriction(s) to this link-1, like, the negating effect should negate your spells too, not just the opponent's. That way, you have to think twice before bringing this out, as it'll stop your opponent's spells but also your own, forcing you to play smarter with this card. It should also let you pick a monster to special summon from among only those excavated cards, so it at least won't always guarantee a special summon as a link-1.

Similarly Drak Pack Drak Jr A La Dog's effect can be shortened from:
1 ''Drak Pack'' monster, except a Link monster
Can only be Link Summoned once per turn. To Link Summon this card, you must control no Link-1 monsters. When this is Link Summoned; negate the effects of all face-up Trap cards until the end of this turn, except ''Drak Pack'' cards, then you may banish 3 Link monsters from your extra deck face-down: Special Summon 1 ''Drak Pack'' monster from your deck, but if you do, you can only attack with Link monsters this turn.
to:
1 non-Link ''Drak Pack'' monster
You can only Link Summon "Drak Pack Drak Jr A La Dog(s)" once per turn. Negate all Trap effects on the field during your turn. When this card is Link Summoned: You can excavate the top 5 cards of your Deck, and if you do, you can Special Summon 1 excavated "Drak Pack" monster, also your opponent places the rest on top of the Deck in, or the rest on the bottom of the Deck in, any order (their choice).

Drak Pack Drakster's effect can be shortened from:
1+ ''Drak Pack'' monsters
Can only be Link Summoned once per turn. When this is Link Summoned, you can target 1 Zombie Link monster with 1000 or less ATK in your GY: Special Summon it to a zone this points to, but it's effects are negated, and it cannot attack. Then, if a Link monster was used as Link Material for the Link Summon of this card, and if you summoned a monster this way; you can Special Summon 1 ''Drak Pack'' monster from your deck, but if you do, you can only attack with ''Drak Pack Count Dracula'' this turn. When your opponent activates a card effect from their hand; (Quick Effect) you can tribute 1 ''Drak Pack'' monster you control; negate that effect.
to:
1+ "Drak Pack" monsters
You can only Link Summon "Drak Pack Drakster(s)" once per turn. When this card is Link Summoned: You can target 1 Zombie Link Monster with 1000 or less ATK in your GY: Special Summon it (but its effects are negated, also it cannot attack), then if a Link Monster was used for this Link Summon, you can Special Summon 1 "Drak Pack" monster from your Deck, but if you do, you can only attack with "Drak Pack Count Dracula" this turn. When your opponent activates a Spell/Trap Card from, or monster effect in, their hand (Quick Effect): You can Tribute 1 "Drak Pack" monster; negate that effect, and if you do, destroy that card.

I don't think it's necessary for this link monster to have to put the special summoned monster specifically where it points. Also, you don't need to specify that the tributed monster has to be one you control, as effects that require tributes will always, by default, tribute from your own field unless stated otherwise, so you can just say Tribute 1 "Drak Pack" monster without including "you control" there.

[UberTrainerMinusInfinity]

Christen57's changes are now live on Dueling Book! It's gonna be a rough beginning for the Drak Pack now that they can no longer reliably use their killer combo to bring Count Dracula out from a single card, or activate their Spell cards from their hand during their opponent's turn, so to compensate both Link 1 monsters have gotten a boost of 1000 ATK each to serve as rudemary attackers should their new effects fail to summon any monsters at all!

[Christen57]

Christen57's changes are now live on Dueling Book! It's gonna be a rough beginning for the Drak Pack now that they can no longer reliably use their killer combo to bring Count Dracula out from a single card, or activate their Spell cards from their hand during their opponent's turn, so to compensate both Link 1 monsters have gotten a boost of 1000 ATK each to serve as rudemary attackers should their new effects fail to summon any monsters at all!

Recommend putting their ATK values back to where they were before for now, as I haven't yet tested these cards with these new changes to see if an ATK increase is really needed.

[UberTrainerMinusInfinity]

OK, the ATK changes have been reversed!

[Christen57]

OK, the ATK changes have been reversed!

Bat's ATK should be reduced to 200, Dog's ATK should be reduced to 400, and Drakster's ATK should be reduced to 1600.

I also found a loop involving the field spell and Drak Pack Trio Howler that lets me trigger their effects several times in one turn, allowing me to spam zombie monsters like crazy which in turn lets me spam zombie link monsters and even set up an extra link, all while still having multiple cards in hand. https://www.duelingbook.com/replay?id=58994-44153098

To fix this, Drak Pack Castle's effect needs to be nerfed from:
LIGHT Zombie monsters on the field gain 500 ATK/DEF and cannot be returned to the Deck or banished. Once per turn: You can send 1 "Drak Pack" Spell/Trap from your Deck to the GY; Special Summon 1 "Drak Pack" monster from your Deck. You cannot Special Summon from the Extra Deck the turn you activate this effect, except Zombie Link Monsters.
to:
LIGHT Zombie monsters on the field gain 500 ATK/DEF and cannot be banished. Once per turn: You can send 1 "Drak Pack" card from your Deck to the GY; Special Summon 1 Zombie monster from your hand or Deck, but if you do, you cannot Special Summon from the Deck or Extra Deck for the rest of this turn, except Zombie Link Monsters.

Also, the word "monster" in Drak Pack Count Dracula's effect needs to be capitalized where it says "Once per turn: You can Tribute 1 Link monster".

Also, the word "summoned" in the Drak Pack Trio monsters' effects needs to be capitalized where it says "When this card is Normal summoned".

Also, Drak Pack Trio Drak Jr has its "You can target 1 face-up card" effect listed twice, so that monster's effect needs to be shortened from:
You cannot Special Summon from the Extra Deck, except Zombie Link Monsters. When this card is Normal summoned: You can send 1 "Drak Pack" monster from your Deck to the GY, except "Drak Pack Trio Drak Jr"; Special Summon 1 "Drak Pack" monster from your Deck with the same name. When this card is Special Summoned from the Deck: You can target 1 face-up card; negate its effects until the end of this turn. Each time your a "Drak Pack" monster inflicts battle damage to your opponent, gain that much LP. When this card is Special Summoned from the Deck: You can target 1 face-up card; negate it's effects until the end of this turn.
to:
You cannot Special Summon from the Extra Deck, except Zombie Link Monsters. When this card is Normal Summoned: You can send 1 "Drak Pack" monster (except "Drak Pack Trio Drak Jr") from your Deck to the GY; Special Summon 1 "Drak Pack" monster from your Deck with the same name. When this card is Special Summoned from the Deck: You can target 1 face-up card; negate its effects until the end of this turn. Each time your "Drak Pack" monster inflicts battle damage to your opponent, gain that much LP.

[UberTrainerMinusInfinity]

These changes are now live, thus turning Drak Pack Castle into a very risky card to use, as you pretty much can only use it to summon Dracula now if there's a Link monster already in play!