Summoning Monster Cards

This is the most common way to Summon a monster. Simply place a Monster Card from your hand onto the field in face-up Attack or Defense Position. All Normal Monsters, and most Effect Monsters (unless they have a specific restriction), can be Summoned in this way.

However, for Monsters that are Level 5 or higher, you must Tribute at least 1 other monster from your side of the field before the Normal Summon. This is called a "Tribute Summon." Monsters that are Level 5 or 6 require 1 Tribute and Monsters that are Level 7 or higher require 2 Tributes.

To place a Monster Card from your hand onto the field in face-down Defense Position is called a "Set." You do need to Tribute in order to Set Monsters that are Level 5 or higher.

It's important to remember that a Monster Card Set on the field in face-down Defense Position IS NOT considered to be Summoned (unless it was Special Summoned face-down). Instead, it has simply been Set and can be Summoned with a Flip Summon, Quick Summon, or be flipped face-up by an attack or card effect. However, Setting a monster does count as your once-per-turn Normal Summon.

The act of flipping a face-down Defense Position Monster into face-up Attack Position (without using a card effect) is called a "Flip Summon." When you Flip Summon, you cannot change the monster to face-up Defense Position. A Monster Card cannot be Flip Summoned in the same turn that it was Set onto the field. In most cases, you cannot use a monster's effect until it is face-up.

Placing a monster on the field using any special procedure is called a "Special Summon." Fusion Monsters, Ritual Monsters, and some Effect Monsters that require specific conditions are all called "Special Summon Monsters." Unless otherwise specified, a Special Summoned monster is Summoned onto the field in your choice of face-up Attack or face-up Defense Position.

Monsters can also be Special Summoned onto the field through the effect of another card. This Special Summon is different from that of a "Special Summon Monster" like a Fusion or Ritual Monster.

You cannot use a card effect to Special Summon a "Special Summon Monster" from your hand, Deck, or Graveyard unless it was Special Summoned properly first.

Some Effect Monster cards can be played from your hand when their effect activates (even during your opponent's turn) in a certain kind of Special Summon called a "Quick Summon." After a Quick Summon, the turn player cannot Normal Summon or Set the same turn. A monster is destroyed at the end of the turn it was Quick Summoned.

Every type of Summon is divided into 2 steps. When Summoning a monster, it is likely several card effects will be involved, and players may wish to activate cards to respond (NOT Chain) to the Summon. It is necessary to follow the steps in order for each Summon.