Mechanics
Game rules, summoning methods, and interaction guides
Summoning
Normal Summon
Placing one monster from your hand onto the field each turn, face-up in attack position or face-down in defence. It is the only…
Ritual Summon
Summoning a Ritual Monster from your hand by activating its Ritual Spell and tributing monsters whose Levels meet the requirement.
Fusion Summon
Combining specific monsters named on a Fusion Monster into that monster, usually with Polymerization or an archetype fusion spell.
Synchro Summon
Summoning a Synchro Monster by sending exactly one Tuner and one or more non-Tuners whose Levels add up to precisely the Synchro…
Xyz Summon
Stacking two or more monsters of the same Level to summon an Xyz Monster, which keeps those monsters attached beneath it as fuel…
Pendulum Summon
Setting two Pendulum Monsters as scales, then summoning any number of monsters at once from your hand and face-up Extra Deck…
Link Summon
Sending monsters you control to the graveyard to summon a Link Monster, whose arrows point at zones and unlock them for further…
Chains & Timing
Spell Speed
The rating from 1 to 3 that decides what can respond to what. You may only chain an effect of equal or higher Spell Speed than…
Chain Links
The stack that forms when players respond to each other’s cards. Everything added to it resolves in reverse order, so the last…
SEGOC
Simultaneous Effects Go On Chain — the fixed order used to build the starting chain when several trigger effects all meet their…
Cost and Effect
The split between what you pay to activate a card and what the card then does. Costs are paid immediately and are never refunded,…
Missing the Timing
When an optional "When… you can" effect fails to trigger because its condition was not the very last thing to happen. One word of…
Targeting and Non-Targeting
Whether an effect names its victim on activation or picks at resolution. The difference decides which removal gets through…