Summon

This article is about the action. For the mechanics, see Summoning mechanics. For the condition, see Summoning condition.

Summon
Japanese	召（しょう）喚（かん）
Japanese (ruby)	しょうかん
Japanese (base text)	召喚
Japanese (romanized)	Shōkan
English	Summon
Other names French: Invocation Verb: Invoquer German: Beschwörung Verb: beschwören Italian: Evocazione Verb: Evocare Korean: 소환 (召喚) Sohwan Portuguese: Invocação Verb: Invocar Spanish: Invocación Verb: Invocar Traditional Chinese: 召喚 Zhàohuàn/ Ziu6 wun6

A Summon (召（しょう）喚（かん） Shōkan) is an action which places a monster onto a Monster Zone. It can be performed either manually or with a card effect.

Monsters are always Summoned face-up, unless Special Summoning with an effect like "Morphing Jar 2" which states that the monster is Special Summoned face-down.

Kinds of Summon

There are a number of different types of Summons.

• Normal Summon
  • Tribute Summon
• Flip Summon
• Special Summon
  • Fusion Summon
  • Ritual Summon
  • Synchro Summon
  • Xyz Summon
  • Pendulum Summon
  • Link Summon

Tribute Summon is a different kind of Normal Summon, while Fusion, Ritual, Synchro, Xyz, Pendulum and Link Summons are different kinds of Special Summon.

Unofficial names for Summoning methods

There are also other terms referring to ways of Summoning monsters, but these are not official names in the TCG/OCG, and as such are never mentioned in functional card text. These names come from anime, manga and video games, or from vernacular used by players.

• Gemini Summon: Normal Summoning a Gemini monster that is currently face-up on the field in order to have it gain its effect.
• Contact Fusion: Special Summoning a Fusion Monster using its Fusion Materials, but without using a Fusion Summoning effect like "Polymerization" since it is not a Fusion Summon.
• Transformation Summon: Special Summoning a Fusion Monster using its specific card, and without using any Fusion Material Monsters.
• Accel Synchro Summon: Synchro Summoning a Synchro Monster using a Tuner Synchro Monster and non-Tuner Synchro Monster.
• Delta Accel Synchro Summon: Synchro Summon using a Tuner Synchro Monster and 2 non-Tuner Synchro Monsters.
• Limit Over Accel Synchro Summon: Synchro Summon Synchro Monster using a Tuner Synchro Monster and 2 or more non-Tuner Synchro Monsters.
• Double Tuning: Synchro Summon using 2 Tuner monsters.
• Dark Synchro Summon: Synchro Summoning a Dark Synchro Monster by subtracting the Level of a Dark Tuner monster from the Level of 1 non-Tuner monster (so far only present in video games and anime).
• Xyz Evolution: Special Summoning an Xyz Monster by using an Xyz Monster on the field as the only Xyz Material and transfer Xyz Materials to the Summoned Monsters

Summoning limits

Each player can only perform 1 Normal Summon/Set and 1 Pendulum Summon per turn (even if that Summon is negated), excluding card effects.

There are no restrictions on Flip Summons and Special Summon. (Unless stated otherwise.)