How to read Yu-Gi-Oh cards, Lesson 2 Effect monsters X Build-In effects

Welcome to lesson 2 of this short series today we are going to be looking at Effect Summons X Built-In summons. As we discussed in the last episode you can chain to a Colon / Semicolon, but let’s say a monster DOSENT have a Colon or Semicolon….what can you do? we will be discussing this today.

If you haven’t seen last week’s episode here it is: https://blog.hslu.ch/majorobm/2022/04/05/l_m_g_read-yu-gi-oh-cards-lesson-1-colon-x-semicolon/

here’s the episode for today’s lesson:

https://youtu.be/urGdR4WTkbk

As always we will be using the same colour coding from the last lesson, this just helps us to keep an overview of what we need to focus on.

So let’s jump right into it!

As we know Colon/Semicolon opens the link allowing us to chain to it. Now let’s say a monster does NOT contain either of these, well you CANT chain BUT there’s a little loophole to this statement. We are going to take a look into what you can react to in these situations.

The “Unchainable” List of monsters is as follows:

• XYZ
• Link
• Synchro
• Contact Fusion
• Self Summon monster

These monsters make it hard to impossible to chain to. When we talk about chaining we are talking about activating a card effect, now these monsters DONT let you chain whatever you please, you can ONLY react to the SUMMON of the monster.

Let’s look at Armityle the Chaos Phantasm, this is a contact Fusion.

Must be special summoned (from your Extra Deck) by banishing the above cards you control. (You do not use Polymerization.) Cannot be destroyed by battle. Gains 10,000 ATK during your turns only.

As you can see there’s NO Colon/Semicolon, so it doesn’t start a chain BUT what we do see is Brackets that tell us where the card is coming from, indicating that we CAN negate the summon of this monster. All of these monsters can have their summons negated IF the card tells you where it’s coming from.

Let’s have a look at a monster that is a Built-In summon but HAS NO brackets but HAS a Colon/Semicolon, how do we react to this?

IMPORTANT: Not all XYZs and synchro monsters have () now remember I said you can react when you see the () that is just to let you know WHERE the card is coming from, you can still negate the summon.

Zeus, you may have seen a few times, and as we know XYZs are Built-In summons but if we look a little closer there is a Colon/Semicolon.

Once per turn, if an XYZ Monster battled this turn, you can also XYZ Summon ZEUS by using 1 XYZ Monster you control as material (Transfer its material to this card.) (Quick Effect): You can detach 2 materials from this card; send all other monsters from the field to the GY. Once per turn, if another card(s) you control is destroyed by battle or an opponent’s card effect: you can attach 1 card from your hand, Deck, or Extra Deck to this card as material.

The first part is the Built-In Summon there ARENT brackets telling us where it’s coming from but XYZ and SYNCHOS DONT always contain these, but we CAN still negate the summon. But Oh would you look at that! there ARE Colons and Semicolons. This tells us we CAN chain to the cards EFFECT.

It is very IMPORTANT to understand that a card effect has NOTHING to do with their summoning conditions, if a card IS a Built-In summon you can ALWAYS chain to the card effect, If there IS a Colon/Semicolon the link is open for a chain.

Let’s have a look at a card that is NOT a Built-In summon but also has NO Colon/Semicolon.

This IS a normal summon monster so you MAY chain to this how you please BUT if we look at his effect it says:

If the only cards your opponent controls are face-up monsters with 1600 or more ATK, this card can attack your opponent directly.

Braking this down, Yes you CAN chain to his summon BUT you CANT chain to his effect since it does NOT contain a Colon/Semicolon. It is considered one of the cards that don’t activate its effect since it’s a built-in mechanic, similar to a kaiju. If you are unsure just look out for Colon/Semicolon. 

One more thing that confuses players is a card that has been around since the dawn of  Yu-Gi-OH…..Drumroll please:

MONSTER REBORN, okay so this is the gist about this card, the effect reads: Target 1 monster in either player’s Graveyard; Special summon it.

So here is the rule to this card, you can ONLY special Summon monsters that WHERE summoned successfully, so if you negate the summon you CANT get it back with MR, and please read the monster summoning condition, some of them tell you, you can ONLY summon it with its own card effect, so MR cant be used to bring it back.

When duelling lookout for these signs then you’ll know what to react to and what to chain to. Here’s the cheat sheet:

This is just a short description of the lesson, if you want a more in-depth explanation of these please look at the YouTube video.

Want to become an official student at Duelists Academy?

Go to episode 1 for your entry exam: https://blog.hslu.ch/majorobm/2022/04/05/l_m_g_read-yu-gi-oh-cards-lesson-1-colon-x-semicolon/

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