Welcome to Gaia! ::

For a while now, I've been thinking of a way to inform and educate the players of this guild, for any who've never really understood or are just starting to play the game.

Originally the idea was to be a sort of "myth or fact" in the abilities of individual cards that I see as a trend for beginners to use. It hit me today, that it's not an issue of cards they play if it means we can just recommend something better, but the misconception of what's written on the text.

This is my effort in going through the common and not-so-common issues that players have, "What Does It Mean?".

I will keep a poll for this thread to gain opinion on if it is helpful to you or not, and also if you would like to have this broadcasted and notify you whenever I update.

Sorry for not updating this as often as I should. Priorities, and what not.

Section #2: The other kinds of monsters...

Segment #1 covered what it means to read the card on its summoning methods, but that's not all there is to know about summoning. Now, we bring in the other kinds - Fusions, Rituals, Synchros, and the future Exceeds.



Now, here's the thing about these monsters - they all have their specific requirement of summon. In this segment, I'll go through with you on each one, and I'll also go through any exceptions on any of them.




No. 1: Fusion Monsters

Fusion monsters have been the first alternate monster aside from Normal and Effect monsters, originating from our very first booster pack, Legend of Blue-Eyes White Dragon. We've grown up with Fusion monsters from the very beginning, so the idea is pretty simple as to how these are summoned.

Polymerization. The original. It's this card, or it's not a Fusion monster. Again, very simple, and we have been growing up with them for a long time, so we understand this. Simply play Polymerization, select the Fusion monster you are going to summon, and send the materials to the Graveyard.

While being the simplest in understanding due to being in this game for so long, Fusions have the most, and sometimes the most complicated exceptions.

• "Alternate" Polymerization Cards. There are cards we have, such as Future Fusion, Miracle Fusion, and Instant Fusion. Again, these cards are simple. Just follow the directions, and you have your Fusion monster. What DOES make these cards, however, is that they all specify one sentence: "This Special Summon is treated as a Fusion Summon".

• Pseudo Fusion Summoning. There are cards that allow you to Special Summon a Fusion monster, without being treated as a Fusion Summon, like stated above. Cyber-Stein is a prime example of this, as he has dominated an entire format many years ago.

• Now, there is a significance to knowing whether the Fusion monster was properly Fusion Summoned, or Special Summoned by another method. First, you can only Special Summon a Fusion monster that will allow you to Special Summon it outside of Fusion Summon. If you cannot, the Fusion monster itself will say so. Elemental Hero Fusions are the most notable, since all of them have the specific sentence, "This card cannot be Special Summoned except by Fusion Summon". Second, any Fusion monster that was alternatively Special Summoned from the Extra Deck cannot be Special Summoned by any other alternative method anywhere else. This means that, if you activate Cyber-Stein to Special Summon a Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, and that Fusion monster is later sent to the Graveyard, you may not use cards such as Monster Reborn or Re-Fusion. The monster must be returned to the Extra Deck, and then Special Summoned again.

• Fusion Material Substitutes. They work exactly as they say; you may use it in place of any one specific material monster in conjunction with Polymerization. There are, however, conditions in which they cannot be used. You cannot use Fusion Material Substitutes, like King of the Swamp, to summon a Fusion monster that isn't summoned through Polymerization or an alternative. Also, you cannot use a Fusion Material Monster that does not specify a material monster by name(like Five-Headed Dragon), and you cannot use one for a Fusion monster that specifies so(such as Cyber End Dragon).

• Gladiator Beasts. Gladiator Beasts are currently the top deck to play Fusion monsters for, and the reason is clear - they don't use Polymerization. Instead, the Fusion monsters specify how to conduct their own proper Fusion summon, in this case, you return all material monsters to the deck and shuffle. I will note, when cards like Gladiator Beast Heraklinos says you do not use Polymerization, it's telling you not to use Polymerization. You strictly cannot use Polymerization to summon these kinds of Fusion monsters.

And that should conclude Fusion monsters.

My hands are tired, my head is fried. I will update later on the remaining three.