A [[Monster Card]]'s '''{{For|the mechanic in early video games|Level''' ({{Rubystat boost)|星the ranking system used for Toei monsters|レベルLevel (grade)}} ''Reberu'', lit. ''Star'') is a rough indication of a card's power ranking, represented by a number of stars [[File:CG StarLevel.svgpng|thumb|18pxA Level Star]] in the top-right. The term A '''Level'' is sometimes informally called '(formerly 'Stars'', and even appears in some card errors. The highest Level a monster can have is 12, and the minimum is one. A Monster Card cannot be treated as Level 0, even with an effect, the minimum will always be Level 1. An exception to the minimum Level of 1 rule is located in Star''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's World Championship 2010: Reverse of Arcadia]]'' in which <ref group=Notes>In the game can possibly display a level card text of 0 under certain conditions, as well as the early [[Dark Synchro Ritual Monster]]s from ''and [[Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D'sRitual Spell Card]]'', which featured s</ref>; Japanese: レベル or {{Ruby|星|レベル}}<ref group=Notes>Abbreviated form (with the kanji character meaning "star") only used in the [[Negative Levelcard text]]s. An exception to the maximum Level of 12 would be the card "[[Greed QuasarTrap Monster]]", whose effect allows itself to be treated above Level 12. Another exception would be s and cards that [[Xyz MonsterSummon]]s, which have no Level at all, possessing [[RankMonster Token|Token]]s, instead. Also, the spell </ref> ''Reberu'') is a property of [[AnteMonster Card|monsters]] allows you to treat certain cards as level 0that generally provides a rough indication of how powerful it is.
Monster Cards from Level 1 to Level 4 may be Levels play an important role in [[Normal Summon|Normal]]ed from the hand with no cost or restriction (unless the card itself has a restriction against it in its effects). Level 4 monsters are the strongest monsters that may be summoned from the hand in this way, and are thus the most commonly used monsters. Levels 5 and 6 monsters are stronger but either require a [[TributeRitual Summon|Ritual]] to be Normal Summoned or have a , [[Special Synchro Summon|Synchro]]ing condition, and Level 7 and higher monsters require two [[TributeXyz Summon|Xyz]]s to be Normal Summoned, assuming they may be Normal Summoned at all. Level 9 and higher monsters are relatively rare, and usually are stored in the [[Extra DeckPendulum Summon]] rather than the Main Deck, though there are noteworthy exceptions, such as "ing. Many card [[Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragoneffect]]", "[[Machina Force]]", or any s may also specifically interact with monsters of the "[[Earthbound Immortal]]s"certain Levels.
A common rule ==Card layout==The [[original Level]] of a Monster Card is that Level 3 and lower monsters generally have less than 1700 ATK, Level 4 monsters have represented by a number of stars [[Level 4 ATK and DEF RulesFile:CG Star.svg|18px|less than 2000 ATKalt=a yellow star on an orange circle]]printed in the top-right, Level 5 monsters unless they have less than 2500 ATK, a [[Level 7 and condition]] treating them as a different Level 8 monsters have . In the ''[[TCG]]''/''[[Rule of 3000 ATK and DEF|less than 3000 ATKOCG]]'', Level 9, Level 10s have less than 4000 ATK and Level 11 it can range from 1 to 12 have less than 5000 ATK. Usually monsters that break this rule have penalties or special conditions, although this trend is broken by a few cards.
Level 7 and 8 ==Mechanics==Not all monsters are generally considered the most powerful monsters that may be reliably summoned have Levels. [[Xyz Monster]]s have [[Rank]]s and are usually the trump cards for whatever deck uses them. Anything higher often has extraordinary, overpowering effects or sheer ATK value, but they are also usually restricted in some other way, such as not being able to be re-summoned from the Graveyard, or stringent summoning conditions, like the [[Sacred BeastLink Monster]]s. A few even have paralyzing weaknesses to balance out their power[[Link Rating]]s, such instead. [[Spell Card|Spell]]/[[Trap Card]]s [[Special Summon]]ed as monsters by the effect of "Earthbound Immortals[[Magical Hats]]", who all as well as [[Boss Duel]] monsters, do not have a common effect of destroying themselves if there is no Field Spell Card on the fieldLevels.
Due to the higher requirements involved in summoning them, higher-Level monsters are typically not as numerous as lower-A monster can only have a single Level monsters in at a player's Deck, assuming the Deck is properly balancedtime. It's also important to note that although a monster's Level usually corresponds to its combat effectiveness, sometimes properly<ref>{{cite book |author=Konami |title=Yu-Gi-supported lowOh! Official Card Game -Level monsters can be far more effectivePerfect Rulebook 2015 |url=https://ygorganization. For example, "[[Copycat]]" and "com/perfectrulebook/ |page=48}}</ref> [[RelinquishedCard effect]]" base their ATK upon the opponent's can freely raise a monster, the "[[Meklord Emperor|Meklord Emperors]]" can take the ATK power of the opponent's Synchro MonstersLevel to arbitrarily large values in excess of 12, and "[[King of the Skull Servants]]" can have an enormous ATK in the right deckbut cannot lower it below 1.
The ===Normal Summoning===Excluding monsters with [[Summoning condition]]s that specify otherwise,* Level 1 to 4 monsters can be [[Normal Summon]]ed or [[Set]] without [[Tribute]]s* Level of a monster is also necessary in the summoning of Ritual, Synchro, 5 and Xyz monsters. Ritual 6 monsters require tributing monsters whose combined levels are equal 1 Tribute to be Normal Summoned or Set (this is a [[Tribute Summon]] or greater than the [[Tribute Set]])* Level of the Ritual Monster you are attempting to Ritual Summon. Synchro Monsters 7 and higher monsters require the total Levels of the Tuner monster and the non-Tuner Synchro Material Monster(s) 2 Tributes to be exactly equal to the Synchro Monster's. Xyz Monsters need two Normal Summoned or Set (this is a Tribute Summon or more face-up monsters, depending on its requirements, with the same Level as the Xyz Monster's Rank to be stacked.Tribute Set)
'''Examples:'''<gallery heights="250px" captionalign="center">RelinquishedSDP-NA-UR-1E.jpg | A [[If the Level 1 Monster Cards|Level 1 of a monster]].FormulaSynchronSTBL-EN-R-1E.png | A in the hand is changed (such as due to the effect of "[[Level 2 Monster Cards|Level 2 monsterConversion Lab]].DarkResonatorDTP1-EN-DNPR-DT.png | A " or "[[Level 3 Monster Cards|Level 3 monster]].CyberDragonZweiABPF-EN-R-1E.jpg | A [[Level 4 Monster Cards|Level 4 monsterLegendary Ocean]].LegendarySixSamuraiShiEnSTOR-EN-UR-1E.jpg | A [[Level 5 Monster Cards|Level 5 monster]].HeraldofPerfectionTSHD-EN-UR-1E.png | A [[Level 6 Monster Cards|"), the modified Level 6 is considered when Normal Summoning the monster]].DarkHighlander-YF01-EN-UR-LE.jpg | A [[Level 7 Monster Cards|Level 7 monster]].BlueEyesWhiteDragon-DPKB-EN-SR-1E.png | A [[Level 8 Monster Cards|Level 8 monster]].ChimeratechOverdragon-GLD1-EN-GUR-LE.png | A [[Level 9 Monster Cards|Level 9 monster]].TheWingedDragonofRa-JUMP-EN-UR-LE.jpg | A [[Level 10 Monster Cards|Level 10 monster]].Yubel-TerrorIncarnatePTDN-EN-UR-1E.png | A [[Level 11 Monster Cards|Level 11 monster]].DragonMasterKnight-DPKB-EN-UR-1E.png | A [[Level 12 Monster Cards|Level 12 monster]].</gallery>
There are ===Role in Special Summons===A monster's Level is also important in nearly all cases of [[Ritual Summon|Ritual]], [[Synchro Summon|Synchro]], [[Xyz Summon|Xyz]], and [[Pendulum Summon]]ing.* [[Performs a Ritual Summon|Cards that perform Ritual Summons]] usually require monsters with to be [[Tribute]]d (usually from their hand and/or field) whose total Levels are greater than or equal to the Level of the [[Negative Ritual Monster]] to be Ritual Summoned, though some demand exact matching.* To Synchro Summon a Synchro Monster, the player must usually send [[Synchro Material]]s from their field to the Graveyard whose total Levels exactly equal the Synchro Monster's Level.* To Xyz Summon an Xyz Monster, the player must usually overlay 2 or more [[Xyz Material]]s they control whose Levels all equal the Xyz Monster's Rank.* Pendulum Summoning allows the player to Special Summon multiple monsters who each have a Level that is between the [[Pendulum Scale]]s of the cards in the [[Pendulum Zone]]s.
: ==Negative Levels=={{main|Negative Level}}In the ''See also [[Summoning RulesYu-Gi-Oh! 5D's]]'' anime and [[Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's (manga)|manga]], as well as in the ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force]]'' series of video games, [[Dark Synchro Monster]]s have [[negative Level]]s.It is not possible for monsters to have negative Levels in the ''TCG''/''OCG''.
==Gallery=={{GameplayShow card image gallery| Ultimaya Tzolkin | A [[Level 0 Monster Cards|Level 0 monster]] for its exceptional Summoning requirement.| Pulao, Wind of the Yang Zing | A [[Level 1 Monster Cards|Level 1 monster]]| T.G. Recipro Dragonfly | A [[Level 2 Monster Cards|Level 2 monster]]| Jerry Beans Man | A [[Level 3 Monster Cards|Level 3 monster]]| Flash Knight | A [[Level 4 Monster Cards|Level 4 monster]]| Stargazer Magician | A [[Level 5 Monster Cards|Level 5 monster]]| Saffira, Queen of Dragons | A [[Level 6 Monster Cards|Level 6 monster]]| Elemental HERO Neos | A [[Level 7 Monster Cards|Level 7 monster]]| El Shaddoll Construct | A [[Level 8 Monster Cards|Level 8 monster]]| First of the Dragons | A [[Level 9 Monster Cards|Level 9 monster]]| Thor, Lord of the Aesir | A [[Level 10 Monster Cards|Level 10 monster]]| Star Eater | A [[Level 11 Monster Cards|Level 11 monster]]| Meklord Astro Mekanikle | A [[Level 12 Monster Cards|Level 12 monster]]}} ==Trivia==* There is an observed convention of an "upper limit" to the amount of ATK a monster at a certain Level can have; monsters who go beyond their "limit" will typically have negative effects to make them harder to use.** Level 3 monsters generally have no more than 1750 [[ATK]]** Level 4 monsters have [[Level 4 ATK and DEF Rules|no more than 2000 ATK]]** Level 6 monsters have no more than 2600 ATK** Level 8 monsters have [[Rule of 3000 ATK and DEF|no more than 3000 ATK]]** Level 10 monsters have no more than 4000 ATK** Level 12 monsters have no more than 5000 ATK ==In other languages=={{In other languages| fr_name = Niveau| de_name = Stufe| it_name = Livello| pt_name = Nível| es_name = Nivel| ja_name = レベル| ja_romaji = Reberu| ko_name = 레벨| ko_rr = Rebel| tc_name = 等級| tc_pinyin = Děngjí| sc_name = 等级| sc_pinyin = Děngjí}} ==Notes==<references group="Notes" /> ==References==<references/> {{Monsters and Monster Cards}}{{Card layout}} [[Category:GameplayCard layout]]
