Xyz Monsters (pronounced ik-seez[1]) (Japanese: エクシーズモンスター Ekushīzu Monsutā; usually abbreviated Ｘエクシーズモンスター since Duelist Alliance) is a type of Monster Card that is colored black. They are stored in the Extra Deck. The card frame is also stylized by having it appear as if one is flying through space with many stars in the frame giving the appearance of one streaking by them and other stars appearing stationary due to relative distance (giving a realistic depiction of moving through space).
Like other Extra Deck monsters, Xyz Monsters cannot exist in the hand or Main Deck (even with card effects). If an Xyz Monster would be moved to the hand or Main Deck, it is returned to the Extra Deck instead. If a card like "Transmigration Break" or "Degenerate Circuit" is applying, this will override the Xyz Monster's ability to return to the Extra Deck.
Like other Extra Deck monsters, if an Xyz Monster is not Xyz Summoned first, it cannot be Special Summoned from the Graveyard or while banished (unless it specifies another way to properly Special Summon it).
Ranks
Xyz Monsters do not have Levels, and instead have a Rank. An Xyz Monster's Rank determines the required Levels of the Xyz Materials needed in order to Xyz Summon it. An Xyz Monster's Rank is depicted by a row of yellow stars in black orbs (as opposed to the yellow stars in red orbs used to depict a monster's Level) that extend outwards from the left-hand side of the card (the opposite side to Level stars).
Because they do not have Levels, Xyz Monsters cannot be used for Ritual, Synchro, or Xyz Summons (unless otherwise specified). Effects that depend on a monster's Level, such as "Gravity Bind", "Burden of the Mighty", and "Roulette Barrel", have no effect on Xyz Monsters.
Xyz Summoning
An Xyz Summon is the act of Summoning an Xyz Monster from the Extra Deck using 2 or more monsters of the same Level as Xyz Materials, with those monsters also being the same Level as the Xyz Monster's Rank.
During the Main Phase, the turn player can Xyz Summon an Xyz Monster from the Extra Deck. When an Xyz Monster is Xyz Summoned, the Xyz Materials are stacked and placed underneath the Xyz Monster Card.
Xyz Materials
To perform an Xyz Summon, 2 or more monsters with the same Level must be used as the Xyz Materials. Token Monsters cannot be used as Xyz Materials. Monsters that do not have Levels (such as Xyz Monsters and Link Monsters) cannot be used as Xyz Materials unless specifically permitted (such as by "Number S0: Utopic ZEXAL"). While the majority of the Xyz Monsters require 2 Xyz Materials, many Xyz Monsters require more or can use a variable number of Materials.
While attached to an Xyz Monster (underneath the Xyz Monster Card), Xyz Materials are not treated as being on the field. Cards being attached as an Xyz Material or used as an Xyz Material in an Xyz Summon are not considered to be leaving the field.
If an Xyz Monster is no longer on the field, its Xyz Materials are sent to the Graveyard. Xyz Materials remain attached if an Xyz Monster is flipped face-down.
Commonalities
Effects
Usually, Xyz Monsters need to detach an Xyz Material to activate their effects, meaning their effects often have a limited number of uses.
Xyz Evolution
Main article: Xyz Evolution
Several Xyz Monsters can be Special Summoned by Xyz Evolution, a kind of Special Summon treated as an Xyz Summon. Xyz Evolution allows an Xyz Monster to be Special Summoned using another Xyz Monster as its Xyz Material. Also, that Xyz Monster's Xyz Materials are transferred and attached to the Summoned Xyz Monster.
Unless stated specifically, like in most cards that perform Xyz Evolution, the Xyz Materials will be transferred to the new Xyz Monsters. If an Xyz Monster is used in an Xyz Summon (such as due to the effect of "Xiangke Magician"), the Xyz Materials will be sent to the Graveyard.
Rank-Up
"Rank-Up-Magic" Spell Cards can perform an Xyz Evolution, Special Summoning an Xyz Monster with a higher Rank than the original Xyz Monster.
Usually, Rank-Up Xyz Evoution Summons an Xyz Monster 1 Rank higher than the preceding Monster, but some cards Summon those 2 Ranks higher, or even more than 2.
Rank-Down
The Spell Cards "Rank-Down-Magic Numeron Fall" and "Rank-Down-Magic Utopia Fall" perform an Xyz Evolution, Special Summoning an Xyz Monster with a lower Rank than the original Xyz Monster.
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Synchro Monsters (Japanese: シンクロモンスター Shinkuromonsutā; usually abbreviated Ｓシンクロモンスター since Duelist Alliance) are a type of Monster Card, first released in Starter Deck 2008. The color of their card frame is white. These cards are placed in the Extra Deck.
To be properly Special Summoned, Synchro Monsters must first be Synchro Summoned. If they leave the Extra Deck without being Synchro Summoned, they cannot be Special Summoned while they are banished or in the Graveyard.
Like other Extra Deck monsters, Synchro Monsters cannot exist in the hand or Main Deck (even with card effects). If a Synchro Monster would be moved to the hand or Main Deck, it is returned to the Extra Deck instead.
Synchro Summoning
A Synchro Summon is the act of Summoning a Synchro Monster from the Extra Deck using a Tuner monster with additional non-Tuner monsters. During the Main Phase 1 or 2, the turn player can Synchro Summon a Synchro Monster from the Extra Deck by sending monsters they control to the Graveyard (at least 1 Tuner and 1 or more non-Tuner monsters), provided the total Level of those monsters matches exactly the Level of that Synchro Monster.
Multiple Tuner Synchro Summoning
While most Synchro Monsters require exactly 1 Tuner to be Synchro Summoned, "Red Nova Dragon", "Hot Red Dragon Archfiend King Calamity", "Tyrant Red Dragon Archfiend" and "Vylon Omega" require 2, and "Red Supernova Dragon" requires 3.
"XX-Saber Gottoms" must be Synchro Summoned using a Tuner and EARTH monsters, but it does not specify that the EARTH monsters must be non-Tuners. Therefore, up to 5 Tuner monsters can be used for its Synchro Summon.
Tuner Synchro Monsters
Tuner Synchro Monsters are Synchro Monsters that are also Tuner monsters (i.e. [Type/Synchro/Tuner]). Such monsters typically have effects that make Synchro Summoning easier, such as "T.G. Wonder Magician" and "Phonon Pulse Dragon"; the former allows its controller to Synchro Summon during the opponent's turn and the latter manipulates its own Level.
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Pendulum Monster (Japanese: ペンデュラムモンスター Pendyuramu Monsutā; usually abbreviated Ｐペンデュラムモンスター), also called a Pendulum Card in the early episodes of the Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V anime, is a type of Monster Card that is half green.
In addition to normal usage as a Monster Card, a Pendulum Monster can also be activated from the hand as a Spell Card in a Pendulum Zone; if there are Pendulum Monsters in both Pendulum Zones, the player can perform a Pendulum Summon.
So far, Normal, Effect, Ritual, Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz Pendulum Monsters have been seen. Pendulum Monsters can also be Tuner, Flip, and Spirit monsters.
Mechanics
A Pendulum Monster can be used in two ways: either as a Monster card (that can be Summoned/Set), or as a Spell Card by activating it in the Pendulum Zone.
If a Pendulum Monster card (even if face-down) would be sent from the field to the Graveyard (either as a Monster Card or Spell Card), it is placed face-up in the Extra Deck instead. This can cause the total size of the Extra Deck to be larger than would be allowed during Deck building. A Pendulum Monster is sent to the Graveyard like normal if it is sent from any location other than the field (including if it has its activation as a Spell Card or Summon negated). If a card effect causes cards to not go to the Graveyard ("Macro Cosmos" or "Grave Protector"), this will override the Pendulum Monster's mechanic to go to the Extra Deck, and instead would be moved to the zones designated by such effects (or banished).
Pendulum Monsters cannot be used to pay costs that require sending cards from the field to the Graveyard, as they would not be able to go to the Graveyard but would be placed in the Extra Deck instead; however, they can still be Tributed for costs and used as Materials for Summons. They can otherwise be sent from the hand or Deck to the Graveyard.
As a Monster Card
While not in a Pendulum Zone, a Pendulum Monster is treated as a Monster Card, and its monster effects are applied. It can be Special Summoned by appropriate card effects. If it is also a Normal or Effect Monster, it can also be Normal Summoned/Set from the hand, just like any other Normal or Effect Monster.
As a Spell Card
Main article: Pendulum Zone
A Pendulum Monster card can be activated from the hand as a Spell Card in the player's unoccupied Pendulum Zone (it cannot be Set in the Pendulum Zone). Upon resolving, it remains face-up in the Pendulum Zone as a Spell Card, its Pendulum Scale is active, and Pendulum Effects, if any, apply. Pendulum Monster cards in the Pendulum Zone are not treated as monsters, and their monster effects are not applied at this time.
Although a Pendulum Monster is treated as a Spell Card while in the Pendulum Zone, it is not considered a Normal, Continuous, Field, Equip, Quick-Play, or Ritual Spell Card. As long as there is an available Pendulum Zone on the player's field, they can activate a Pendulum Monster from their hand in that zone. Unlike Field Spells, however, players cannot send cards in the Pendulum Zone to the Extra Deck face-up to activate a new one.
Pendulum Summon
Main article: Pendulum Summon
Once per turn, during the Main Phase, while there are Pendulum Monsters in both Pendulum Zones, the turn player can perform a Pendulum Summon, Special Summoning multiple Monsters from their hand as well as Pendulum Monsters that are face-up in the Extra Deck at the same time, using the Pendulum Monsters' Pendulum Scales to determine the Levels of the monsters that can be Summoned.
Extra Deck Pendulum Monsters
While most Pendulum Monsters are also Normal or Effect Monsters and put in the Main Deck, a small number of Pendulum Monsters are also Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz Monsters. These cards are put face-down in the Extra Deck, and can be Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz Summoned (depending on their monster card type) as normal while face-down.
When they are sent to the Graveyard from the field, they will be put back in the Extra Deck face-up. Face-up Pendulum Monsters in the Extra Deck can be Pendulum Summoned, provided they were properly Summoned by their mechanics from face-down first, but they can no longer be Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz Summoned, or Special Summoned by an effect that is treated as such Summons. If they are returned to the hand, Deck, or Extra Deck, they will be returned face-down as with all other Extra Deck monsters.
Because they are Extra Deck monsters, they cannot be activated to the Pendulum Zone from the hand. Rather, they have effects to place themselves in the Pendulum Zone.
As Xyz Monsters do not have Levels, Xyz Pendulum Monsters use the Level written in their condition, if any.
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A Link Monster (Japanese: リンクモンスター Rinku Monsutā) is a type of Monster Card. The color of their card frame is dark blue, which is similar to that of a Ritual Monster, but with a hexagonal pattern similar to a honeycomb structure. They first appeared in the Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS anime, and were introduced to the OCG and TCG in the Structure Deck: Cyberse Link.
These cards are placed in the Extra Deck. Like other Extra Deck monsters, Link Monsters cannot exist in either the hand or the Main Deck (even with card effects). If a Link Monster would be moved to the hand or Main Deck, it is returned to the Extra Deck instead. If a card like "Transmigration Break" or "Degenerate Circuit" is applying, the Link Monster would be banished rather than returning to the Extra Deck.
If a Link Monster is not Link Summoned first, it cannot be Special Summoned from the Graveyard or while banished (unless it specifies another way to properly Special Summon it).
Link Ratings and lack of DEF
Main article: Link Rating
Link Monsters have a Link Rating in place of a Level or Rank. A Link Monster's Link Rating determines the total number of Link Materials required to Link Summon it. A Link Monster's Link Rating is also equal to the number of Link Arrows it has. A Link Monster's Link Rating can be found next to its ATK, in place of the traditional DEF value.
Link Monsters do not possess Levels or Ranks, therefore they cannot be used as material for a Ritual, Synchro, or Xyz Summon. Also, Level or Rank-modifying cards such as "Harmonic Waves", "Feedback Warrior", or "Xiangsheng Magician" do not affect Link Monsters. The same thing can be said for Spells/Traps that affect Levels/Ranks such as "Gravity Bind", "Level Limit - Area B" or "Planckton".
Link Monsters can only exist in face-up Attack Position (they do not have a DEF value) and cannot be placed in or changed to Defense Position (either manually or through a card effect). Because of this, Link Monsters are unaffected by effects that account for a monster's DEF or change battle positions, and are unable to be placed face-down, and cannot be Summoned by an effect that would Special Summon monsters only in Defense Position (such as "Back to the Front").
Link Arrows
Link Monsters also have Link Arrows, indicated by red arrows radiating outward from the art frame. These indicators denote which zones and monsters that Link Monster points to.
Monsters in the Extra Deck (Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, face-up Pendulum, and Link Monsters) can be Special Summoned from the Extra Deck to a Main Monster Zone a Link Monster points to. From Master Rule 5 and onward, if you already occupy an Extra Monster Zone, you must Special Summon a Pendulum or Link monster from the Extra Deck to a zone a Link Monster points to. If a Link Monster points to a monster, the monsters are considered to be "linked" to each other.
Link Summoning
A Link Summon is the act of Summoning a Link Monster from the Extra Deck using the requisite number of Link Materials listed on its Link Rating. During the Main Phase, the turn player can Link Summon by sending the face-up Link Materials from their field to the Graveyard.