STBL Part 5: Happy New Delay!

So yeah...a delay was probably expected due to the holidays, but things got out of hand more than I would have expected -_- Let's get to work. We'll look at the Duel Terminal themes and exclusives later.

First, we have Chain Dog:

This card cannot be used as a Synchro Material Monster, except for the Synchro Summon of a Beast-Type monster. If you control 2 face-up Beast-Type monsters, you can Special Summon this card from the Graveyard. If this card is Special Summoned this way, remove it from play when it is removed from the field.

Chain Dog has a Condition that prevents its use as a Synchro Material in certain cases. Other than that, it has an Ignition Effect Controlling the two Beast-type monsters isn't just an activation requirement, they must remain on the Field until the effect resolves. After that, it sets a Condition on itself that will Remove it from Play once it leaves the Field, much like Plaguespraeder Zombie. This Condition can be removed by flipping Chain Dog face-down.

Next, we have Wightmare:

While it is in the Graveyard, this card's name is treated as "Skull Servant". You can discard this card to activate 1 of the following effects: ● Select 1 of your removed from play "Skull Servant" or "Wightmare", and return it to your Graveyard. ● Select 1 of your removed from play "The Lady in Wight" or "King of the Skull Servants", and Special Summon it.

Wightmare has a Continuous Effect to change its effect while in the Graveyard, similar to Harpie Lady. If it is negated by Wattsquirrel, its name will be Wightmare in the Graveyard. Then, it has two different Ignition Effects, and both discard this Card as a cost. The first effect targets one of your Removed from Play monsters and returns it to the Graveyard. Remember this isn't considered to be "sending" them to the Graveyard. The second effect targets one of your Removed from Play monsters and Special Summons it.

Then, we have Anarchist Monk Rashin:

When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard by your opponent's card (including by battle, card effect, or by being destroyed), select 1 monster in your opponent's Graveyard and remove it from play.

Rashin has a Mandatory Trigger Effect that you activate when it's sent to the Graveyard by your opponent. It targets an opponent's Monster Card in the Graveyard.

And then, we have Delg the Dark Monarch:

When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, you can select up to 2 cards in your opponent's Graveyard, remove them from play. Then send the same number of cards from the top of their Deck to the Graveyard. During the turn it is Normal or Special Summoned, this card cannot attack.

Delg first has an Optional Trigger Effect activated upon its successful Summon. It can be negated by Pulling the Rug or Swallow Flip accordingly. It targets up to two Cards in the opponent's Graveyard. Then, it sends the same number of Cards from the top of the opponent's Deck to the Graveyard. These two actions are not considered to be simultaneous, so an effect like Cyber Ouroboros would miss the timing. Also, Delg has a Continuous Effect that prevents it from attacking during the turn it's Summoned. Being a Continuous Effect, this can be negated.

We then have two more Fusion Monsters that use Synchro Monsters as their Fusion Materials, one is Supreme Arcanite Magician:

1 Spellcaster-Type Synchro Monster + 1 Spellcaster-Type monster
This monster can only be Special Summoned by Fusion Summon (from the Extra Deck). When this card is Fusion Summoned, place 2 Spell Counters on it. This card gains 1000 ATK for each Spell Counter on it. Once per turn, you can remove 1 Spell Counter from your side of the field to activate one of the following effects:● Select 1 card on the field, and destroy it.● Draw 1 card.

Arcanite has a Summoning Condition that restricts you from how to Summon it from the Extra Deck. Then, it has a Mandatory Trigger Effect to place two Spell Counters on it, much like the Synchro version of Arcanite Magician. This effect is activated upon its successful Special Summon, so it can be negated by Swallow Flip. It then has a Continuous Effect that gives it an ATK bonus. Furthermore, it has two Ignition Effects, of which you can only activate one per turn. Removing a Spell Counter on your side of the Field is a cost to activate it. The first effect targets any Card on the Field and destroys it. The second effect allows you to draw a Card.

The other Fusion Monster is Gaia Drake, the Universal Force:

1 "Gaia Knight, the Force of Earth" + 1 non-Effect Synchro Monster
This card cannot be targeted by, or destroyed by, the effects of Effect Monsters.

Gaia has two Continuous Effects. One prevents it from being targeted by Monster Effects, and the other prevents it from being destroyed by Monster Effects. It's self explanatory, mostly. A common question about Gaia is its interaction with Summoner of Illusions. If Summoned by that monster's effect, Gaia will not be destroyed during the End Phase.

Now let's look at some Spell Cards, starting with Koa'ki Ring:

Reveal 1 "Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru" in your hand to select 1 face-up monster on the field. Destroy that monster, and both players take 1000 damage.

Koa'ki Ring reveals an Iron Core as a cost and targets a face-up monster. Then, it destroys the target monster and inflicts 1000 points of damage. The destruction and the damage is simultaneous, similar to Ring of Destruction.

Next, we have Darkworld Shackles:

The equipped monster cannot attack, and its ATK and DEF become 100. During each of your Standby Phase, inflict 500 damage to the controller of the equipped monster.

Shackles has two Continuous Effects, one prevents the equipped monster from attacking, and the other forces the ATK/DEF values of the monster to become 100. Additionally, it has a Trigger-like effect that inflicts damage to the controller of the monster.

Then, we have Axe of Fools:

The equipped monster gains 1000 ATK and its effect(s) is negated. During each of your Standby Phases, the controller of the equipped monster takes 500 damage.

Axe of Fools has two Continuous Effects. One provides an ATK bonus, and the other negates the effects of the equipped monster. You can equip this Card to a Normal Monster or a Monster whose effects are already negated by Forbidden Chalice or a similar Card. You can also equip this Card to Gearfried the Iron Knight and it wouldn't be destroyed. Much like Darkworld Shackles, it also has a Trigger-like effect to inflict damage.

Moving on, we have Cursed Bill:

When the equipped monster is destroyed and this card is sent to the Graveyard, inflict damage to the player who controlled the equipped monster, equal to the monster's original DEF.

Cursed Bill has a Trigger-like effect activated when the monster is destroyed, and this Card is sent to the Graveyard as a result. It inflicts damage. It's a simple effect.

Then, we have Tokkosho of Ghost Destroying:

When the equipped monster inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent, you can select up to 2 monsters in your opponent's Graveyard, and remove them from play.

Tokkosho has a Trigger-like effect that you activate at the time you inflict Battle Damage After Damage Calculation. It targets the monsters that it will Remove from Play.

And then, we have Heat Wave:

This card can only be activated at the start of Main Phase 1. Neither player can Normal or Special Summon an Effect Monsters, until your next Draw Phase.

Heat Wave has the same activation timing as Cold Wave, at the beginning of your Main Phase 1. In order to activate its effect with Diamond Dude, you would also need to activate it at that time. Neither player can place these monsters on the Field manually. Effect Monsters become illegal targets for Effects that would Special Summon them to the Field, and cannot be Normal or Special Summoned with Effects that don't target them either. You can still Set them from your Hand manually or Flip Summon them. Gemini Monsters cannot be Normal Summoned from the Hand or while already on the Field, but they can be Special Summoned from the Graveyard (as they are Normal Monsters there).

The last Spell Card in the set is White Elephant's Gift:

Send 1 face-up non-Effect monster you control to the Graveyard to draw 2 cards.

Sending a monster to the Graveyard is a cost, so you cannot activate Gift if Macro Cosmos is active. You also can't pay this cost with Tokens, as Tokens cannot be sent to the Graveyard as a cost. If you activate this Card's effect via Diamond Dude, you don't need to send a monster to the Graveyard.

As for the Trap Cards, we have Vanity's Emptiness:

Neither player can Special Summon monsters. Destroy this card when a card is sent from the Deck or the field to your Graveyard.

Emptiness has a Continuous Effect that prevents Special Summons. Additionally, it has a Trigger-like effect that will destroy Emptiness once a Card is sent to the Graveyard. If Vanity's Emptiness is activated in the middle of an Inherent Special Summon being negated (such as, in a chain to Royal Oppression while Cyber Dragon is Special Summoned by its Summoning Condition), Emptiness won't prevent the Special Summon from happening, as it was already initiated. But if you chain it to an effect that Special Summon, the Special Summon will be prevented.

Next, we have Different Dimension Ground:

This turn, any monster sent to the Graveyard is removed from play instead.

Ground sets a Condition that Removes from Play monsters that are sent to the Graveyard. Nothing too complicated. It follows the same rules as Dimensional Fissure

Then, we have Powersink Stone:

Each time a monster effect is activated, place 1 Spellstone Counter on this card (max. 2). While this card has 2 Spellstone Counters, face-up monsters on the field cannot activate their effects, and their effects are negated. During each End Phase, remove all Spellstone Counters on this card.

Stone has a Continuous Effect that allows it to gain Spellstone Counters, and a Continuous Effect that allows it to hold them. Spellstone Counters are gained after the Monster Effect resolves, but Stone has to be face-up upon its activation and resolution. If Stone has its effects negated, it will lose all Spellstone Counters on it. It has a third Continuous Effect that prevents effects from being activated and negates Continuous Effects. Finally, it has a Trigger-like effect that removes all of the Spellstone Counters on the Card.

Moving on, we have Tyrant's Temper:

Tribute 1 monster to activate this card. All face-up monsters on the field that you own are unaffected by other Trap Cards.

Tributing a monster is a cost to activate this Card. Temper will protect all monsters on the Field that you won from the effects of Trap Cards. Notice that monsters that you own, but which your opponent has taken control of will also be protected.

And finally the last Card for today is Dark Trap Hole:

Activate only when your opponent Special Summons 2 or more monsters face-up. Send all of those monsters to the Graveyard. Then, send all monsters in the opponent's hand and Deck to the Graveyard that have the same name as either of those monsters.

Dark Trap Hole responds to a successful Summon of 2 or more monsters that were Summoned simultaneously by the opponent. It sends the Summoned monsters to the Graveyard, then it sends all of the copies of those monsters in the Hand, Deck and Extra Deck to the Graveyard. These actions are not considered to be simultaneous. If only one monster is on the Field when this Card resolves, then that monster is still affected by this Card.

Well, that's all of Starstrike Blast for today. Hopefully we'll be done soon Q_Q If you have any questions, feel free to drop me an e-mail at ness00[at]gmail[dot]com.

DREV Part 6: Two Brains Are Better Than One

Duelist Revolution began a new trend of using Synchro Monsters as Fusion Materials. And to commemorate another anniversary of the Psychic Type, one of the Fusion Monsters is a Psychic monster. Let's take a look.

First, we have Synchro Fusionist:

If this card is sent to the Graveyard as a Synchro Material Monster, you can add 1 Spell Card from your Deck to your hand with "Polymerization" or "Fusion" in the card name, except "Diffusion Wave-Motion".

Synchro Fusionist has an Optional Trigger Effect that cannot miss the timing. Its effect cannot be activated if Thunder King Rai-Oh is face-up, and it doesn't target either.

Next, we have the fusing Card itself, Miracle Synchro Fusion:

Remove from play, from your side of the field or your Graveyard, the Fusion Material Monsters listed on a Fusion Monster Card that lists a Synchro Monster as a Fusion Material Monster, and Special Summon that Fusion Monster from the Extra Deck. (This Special Summon is treated as a Fusion Summon.) If this Set card is destroyed by an opponent's card effect and sent to the Graveyard, draw 1 card.

Miracle Synchro Fusion is very similar to Miracle Fusion, as if its name didn't indicate so. Removing the Fusion Materials is not a cost (ever), and it performs a Fusion Summon. Being destroyed while face-down starts a Mandatory Trigger-like Effect. If you have no Cards left in your Deck, you would lose the Duel.

The most important aspect of this Card is which monsters it's able to Summon, because it has been misinterprated way too often. The monster must be a Fusion Monster. Then, its Fusion Material must be a named Material, not just "1 WATER Monster" or similar. And finally, that named monster must be the name of a Synchro Monster. This means that you cannot use this Card to Summon a random Fusion Monster just because a Synchro you will use is fit as a Fusion Material (such as an EARTH Synchro Monster as a Fusion Material for Elemental Hero Gaia). You can, however, use a non-Synchro Monster that is named after a Synchro, like copying one of the white monsters using Phantom of Chaos or Neo-Spacian Dark Panther.

Fusion Monsters also get the Trap Card Paradox Fusion:

Activate by removing 1 face-up Fusion Monster you control from play. Negate the activation of a Spell or Trap Card, OR the Special Summon of a monster and destroy that card. During your 2nd End Phase, return the removed Fusion Monster to the field in face-up Attack Position.

Paradox Fusion Removes your Fusion Monster from Play as a cost. It does not target. Note that it can only negate Spell and Trap Card activations, so it can't negate the effects of already-active S/T Cards like Infernity Launcher. Returning the Fusion Monster to the Field doesn't use the chain.

And of course, the cover Card is a prime example of these new Fusions. It's name is Dragon Knight Draco-Equiste:

1 Dragon-Type Synchro Monster + 1 Warrior-Type Monster.
This monster can only be Special Summoned by Fusion Summon (from the Extra Deck). Once per turn, you can select 1 Dragon-Type Synchro Monster in the Graveyard. Remove it from play, treat this card's name as that monster's name, and give this card the same effects as that monster, until the End Phase. While this card is in face-up Attack Position, any effect damage you would take from an opponent's card effect is inflicted to your opponent instead.

Draco-Equiste is a Special Summon only monster, meaning you can Summon it from the Graveyard or RFG Zone after being Summoned properly. Its first effect is an Ignition Effect that targets a Dragon (meaning it's not a cost). This Dragon can be in either player's Graveyard. The second effect is a Continuous Effect. You apply it when the Card that inflicts damage resolves. Note that if there are two Draco-Equiste on the Field, damage doesn't bounce infinately: If Player A activates a Card that inflicts damage, only Player B's Draco Equiste will reflect the damage. This is because the Damage is caused by Player A's Card, so Player A's Draco-Equiste won't see it as "an opponent's Card".

Psychic monsters have a new monster, being Final Psychic Ogre:

If this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle, you can pay 800 Life Points to select 1 Psychic-Type monster in your Graveyard, and add it to your hand.

Ogre has an Optional Trigger Effect that you activate at the End of the Damage Step. Paying Life Poitns is a cost, and it targets.

As mentioned, they have a Fusion Monster that uses a Synchro: Ultimate Axon Kicker:

1 Psychic-Type Synchro Monster + 1 Psychic-Type monster.
This monster can only be Special Summoned by Fusion Summon (from the Extra Deck). This card cannot be destroyed by card effects. During battle between this attacking card and a Defense Position monster whose DEF is lower than than the ATK of this card, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent. When this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, you gain Life Points equal to the destroyed monster's ATK.

Once again, Kicker is a Special Summon-only monster. Being immune to destruction is a Continuous Effect. The second effect is also a Continuous Effect, the basic trampling effect. The last effect is a Mandatory Trigger Effect that you activate at the End of the Damage Step. If something like Divine Wrath is used on the last effect, then the effect has its activation negated and Axon Kicker is not destroyed. Axon Kicker's effects still work as usual, that is to say, Divine Wrath doesn't negate "its effects" permanently. It only negates the activation of the last effect once.

Finally, Psychics received an exclusive Synchro Monster, Psychic Nightmare:

 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Psychic-Type monsters
Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can pick 1 random card in your opponent's hand and call what type of card it is (Monster, Spell or Trap). If you call it right, this card gains 1000 ATK until your opponent's End Phase.

Nightmare has an Ignition Effect. It doesn't target. Not much else to say.

Well, that covers another chunk of DREV. See you next time!

Nomination

Now that we know the three types of Summon, it's time to check those monsters who have certain restrictions or benefits for their own Summon. These are mostly used to give more flavor to bigger monsters. In general, this ends up giving very limited, but often easy Summoning Conditions to powerful monsters that would otherwise be much more expensive to Summon. We all know that barely anyone plays Level 7 or higher monsters if it can't be Special Summoned through a certain loophole, and that's where Summoning Conditions come into play.

The easiest Summoning Condition to explain are the restrictions on Normal Summons or Sets. They have no other implications other than what the text say: The only way to Summon the monster is through a Special Summon, or a Flip Summon. This restriction is mainly used to force you to fulfill the rest of the Summoning Condition, such as preventing you to Tribute Summon Judgment Dragon if you don't run Lightsworn monsters. Of course, in practice, this would be quite ridiculous. This restriction has some funny peculiar cases, such as the Mystic Swordsman LV4 and LV6, which cannot be Normal Summoned but must be Set instead, or Rare Metal Dragon, which can't be Normal Summoned or Set but offers no means to Special Summon itself. What a selfish guy, no wonder Dragons aren't welcome at parties.

Then we have the restrictions and benefits of Special Summons. These are very simple in the rare cases in which a monster can be Normal Summoned, Set, and also has a Summoning Condition about its Special Summon. Whether it is Light and Darkness Dragon, which can be Normal Summoned, Set, and can't be Special Summoned, or a monster like Machina Fortress which can be placed on the Field by those three means, they don't bring up any major complications: When someone asks what you can and can't do with Light and Darkness Dragon, it's only restiction is that it can't be Special Summoned under any circumstances. And about Machina Fortress, you are free to do what you want. Often, monsters like Machina Fortress have individual rulings reminding you that "you can Normal Summon this monster", because, like we will see in a minute, it's the other guys who become a nuisance, but are also the most popular monsters.


When you have a monster that can't be Normal Summoned or Set, it'll most likely be accompanied by a brief description on how to Summon it. This can be a Monster Effect or an Inherent Special Summon. This small line also determines the future of the monster after it leaves the Field, explaining if other Effects will be able to Summon it or not.

There are two types of restrictions. The first is the type that reads that "this Card can only be Special Summoned...". This restriction means that the only way you can initially place this monster on the Field is through the following Inherent Special Summon or Effect. Despite how absolute it sounds, once the monster has been successfully Special Summoned by the described method, one can use any effects to place that monster back into the Field, such as Call of the Haunted or Return from the Different Dimension. Monsters with this restriction are called "Special Summon-only" monsters. It shouldn't be to hard to remember since those three words are present on their text. Since a Special Summon-only monster needs to be Summoned first by the method described in its text, you cannot use other means to Summon it. The usual example is to send the monster from the Deck to the Graveyard or to discard it, and then try to use Monster Reborn on it. Since you didn't perform the requirements of the monster, you cannot use Monster Reborn on it. However, if you do fulfill the requirements, and the monster is later destroyed, it is perfectly legal to use Monster Reborn. Do note that you do not need to fulfill the conditions again while using an effect to Summon the monster. For example, you do not need to Remove from Play 3 Fiend-type monsters to Special Summon Dark Necrofear while using Monster Reborn.

It is worth mentioning that the Special Summon must be successful. If this Summon is negated by Solemn Judgment or Royal Oppression, the monster will not be considered to be Summoned properly, and so, it cannot be Summoned from the Graveyard or Removed from Play Zone. As an additional note, if the monster returns to the Deck or the Hand after being Summoned properly, it will no longer be recognized as "that" monster (as it is lost in a location that isn't public knowledge), so you have to Summon it properly once again. And as a lame note, if the Special Summon-only monster is flipped face-down after meeting its requirements, and while trying to Flip Summon it, this Summon is negated, it will not be considered to be Summoned properly, giving the same results as negating its Special Summon: One isn't able to Special Summon it by other Card Effects. Some examples of Special Summon-only monsters:

Chaos Sorcerer:

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by removing from play 1 LIGHT and 1 DARK monster in your Graveyard.

The Dark Creator:

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned, by having 5 or more DARK monsters in your Graveyard while you control no monsters.

Lava Golem:

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by Tributing 2 monsters on your opponent's side of the field, and is Special Summoned to your opponent's side of the field.

The other type of restriction is the type that reads "this Card cannot be Special Summoned except ...". Unlike the previous one, this restriction IS as blunt as it sounds. Other than the described method, it is NOT possible to Special Summon the monster by any means, even if you have succeeded in Summoning it once. These monsters are usually called "Nomi" monsters. Nomi being a Japanese word meaning "only", as in, "the only possible way". And without being able to Summon these monsters afterwards, the text in their description certainly becomes the "only" way. Some people tend to call Special Summon-only monsters "Semi-Nomi", which causes some confusion. First, the similarity between both names. Second, how semi-nomi means "almost/half only", which doesn't seem to go either way. Is it the only way? Are the more? More than one? Who knows. Finally, while I think Nomi monsters were never given a specific name in English, Special Summon-only is an official term refferenced in a bunch of rulings. Just...try to avoid semi-nomi, for the sake of little cute animals of your choice. Specially mini-mooses.

Back to the monsters themselves, there actually is one elusive way to Special Summon these monsters that just don't want to get into the Field. That is, a Card that ignores their Summoning Conditions. Even in that case, Nomi monsters still have hefty requirements: If you try to Special Summon a Nomi monster from your Graveyard, you MUST still meet the same requirements than those of a Special Summon-only monster. So, for example, if you use Foolish Burial on Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV8, you cannot use Level Modulation on it. You must first Summon Horus LV8, and once it is sent to the Graveyard, you can use Level Modulation, ignoring its Summoning Conditions, and finally Special Summoning it back to the Field. With less than 10 Cards being able to ignore these Conditions, and taking so much effort, it rather seems you are better off playing by the rules than trying to find backdoors, isn't it? Some examples of Nomi monsters:

Dark Armed Dragon:

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by having exactly 3 DARK monsters in your Graveyard.

XX-Saber Faultroll:

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except while you control 2 or more face-up "X-Saber" monsters.

Machina Force:

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except with "Commander Covington"

Mostly bringing up these three to show that the relevant phrase here is that they "cannot be Special Summoned". Many were puzzled about whether Faultroll was a Nomi or not because it didn't use the words "except by". We judges usually tell players to look for the words "except by" because "can" and "cannot" sound and look pretty much alike. However, what you should truly look at is that the Card itself tells you that there is no other way to Special Summon it. The same applies to Machina Force, which traded the older text of "except by the effect of..." for a shorter "except with".

A heavily asked question about Special Summon-only and Nomi monsters is where can they be Summoned from. Since they often do not specify a location, one can simply assume that they can be Summoned from anywhere as long as you fulfill their conditions. The sad truth is that, if no location is specified, the monster is Summoned from the Hand. Take a look at the six examples in this article, and you will see that none of them ever mentions being Summoned from the Hand. This rule becomes quite a grudge for judges who have been around for a while like myself (since 2004). Back in the day, everyone was familiar with this rule. Looking at older sources, I couldn't find any bright neon sign saying it, so I really don't know how we managed to figure this rule. As a quick poll, ask any veteran player about this, and they will definately agree. But as the player base shifts, and new players come in, this unwritten rule is easily ignored. So now go! Spread the word!

Wait, don't just go yet, we still need to address more Summons Q_Q I still owe you some comments regarding Fusion, Ritual, and Synchro Summons. These three apply to their corresponding Monster Cards (Purple, Blue, and White). They are all Special Summons, too.

Let's start with Fusion Monsters. A Fusion Summon is always performed through a Card Effect, be it Polymerization, Instant Fusion, Dragon's Mirror, etc. Sending Fusion Materials to the Graveyard for a Fusion Summon is never a cost. Fusion Monsters are placed in your Extra Deck, and they are Special Summon-only monsters by default. That is to say, once you Special Summon them properly through a Fusion Summon, you can later use Monster Reborn and similar Cards on them. However, if you use Gale Dogra to send them to the Graveyard, this is not possible. Despite being Special Summon-only monsters, there are some Cards that can Special Summon Fusion Monsters to the Field without Fusion Summoning them. Of course, this isn't considered to properly Summon the monster, so you cannot use Monster Reborn on the Fusion Monster afterwards. Some examples include Summoner of Illusions or Cyber Stein.

Some Fusion Monsters are also Nomis, like Dark Paladin or most Elemental Hero Fusions. Also, some Fusion Monsters are Special Summon-only monsters, but they are not Summoned through a Fusion Summon. In other words, you don't Summon the Fusion through a Fusion Summon, but rather, you Summon the Fusion through the Fusion's Summoning Conditions. Cheap puns are cheap. Back to a serious tone, monsters like the Gladiator Beast Fusion Monsters, or the XYZ Fusion Monsters do not need to and cannot be Special Summoned through a Fusion Summon. They can be identified by mentioning that "You do not use Polymerization" (although it covers any other similar Cards too. So, for example, you cannot choose to Summon them via Future Fusion. You also cannot use Cyber Stein on these Fusion Monsters which do not use Polymerization.

Some examples include:

Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon:

"Blue-Eyes White Dragon" + "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" + "Blue-Eyes White Dragon"

Elemental Hero Absolute Zero:

1 "Elemental Hero", "Destiny Hero", or "Evil Hero" Monster + 1 WATER monster 

This monster cannot be Special Summoned except by Fusion Summon.

Chimeratech Fotress Dragon:

"Cyber Dragon" + 1 or more Machine-Type monsters 

You can only Special Summon this card from your Extra Deck by sending the above cards from either side of the field to the Graveyard. (You do not use "Polymerization".)

In these examples, we see that Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon doesn't have any restrictions, so it's simply your average Fusion Monster. Absolute Zero, on the other hand, is a Nomi monster. Finally, Chimeratech Fotress Dragon is one of the Fusion Monsters that is not Summoned through a Fusion Summon, but rather, its own Inherent Special Summon.

Moving on, we have Ritual Monsters. These are Summoned by activating a Ritual Spell Card when you have the Ritual Monster in your Hand, offering the necessary Tributes demanded in the Ritual Spell Card. The Tributes in a Ritual Summon are not a cost. Ritual Monsters are also Special Summon-only monsters by default, so if you discard them, you cannot use Monster Reborn on them. Similar to Fusion Monsters, there are some Cards that can Special Summon Ritual Monsters from their default location (the Hand) without Ritual Summoning them. This is what Ritual Foregone does. Similar to Fusion Monsters, this does not properly Ritual Summon the monster, so once again, Monster Reborn cannot be used.

Finally, Synchro Monsters are the newest mechanic. In order to perform a Synchro Summon, you must control a Tuner Monster and other monsters described in the Synchro Monster's text, as well matching the Level of the Synchro Monster with those face-up monsters that it requires. You then send these monsters to the Graveyard to Synchro Summon the Synchro Monster. So, for example, you may use a Level 2 Tuner Monster and a Level 6 Non-Tuner monster to Special Summon a Level 8 Synchro Monster, if that's what it requires. Synchro Summons are performed as an Inherent Special Summon, so unlike Ritual or Fusion Summons, these can be negated by Solemn Judgment or Thunder King Rai-Oh. The requirements of Synchro Monsters vary a lot, asking for monsters of a certain name, Attribute, Type, etc.. Synchro Monsters are Special Summon-only monsters by default as well, but there are also some Nomi Synchro Monsters, such as Trident Dragion. Let's take a look at a few examples:

Stardust Dragon:

1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters

Junk Warrior

"Junk Synchron" + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters

Mist Wurm

1 Tuner + 2 or more non-Tuner monsters

Arcanite Magician

1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Spellcaster-Type monsters

XX-Saber Gottoms:

1 Tuner + 1 or more EARTH monsters

Trident Dragion

1 Dragon-Type Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Dragon-Type monsters

This monster cannot be Special Summoned except by Synchro Summon. 

We see that Stardust requirements are any Tuner Monster and any number of Non-Tuner monsters. Junk Synchron has similar requirements, but the Tuner Monster MUST be named "Junk Synchron". Mist Wurm once again can use any Tuner and Non-Tuner monsters, but you cannot use only one Non-Tuner. Arcanite Magician is similar to Stardust Dragon, but all the Non-Tuner monsters must be Spellcaster-Type monsters. XX-Saber Gottoms also requires monsters with the EARTH Attribute, but they don't need to be Non-Tuners (which means you can use a bunch of EARTH Tuner monsters to Synchro Summon Gottoms). Finally, Trident Dragion requires a specific Type of Tuner Monster, a specific Type of Non-Tuner monsters, and it is also a Nomi monster.

Guess that covers up every form of Summoning a monster. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me an e-mail at ness00[at]gmail[dot]com.