Card Rulings:Solemn Warning

"Solemn Warning":

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TCG Rulings

• You cannot negate the activation of a card that cannot Special Summon a monster, such as Lightning Vortex.

• You can negate the activation of Macro Cosmos with this card.

Judge Program Forum Rulings

• "Solemn Warning" can be activated during the Damage Step.

• "Solemn Warning" can be activated to negate the Special Summon of "Tragoedia" during the Damage Step.

• If a monster is being Summoned and "Solemn Warning" is activated in response to the Summon in order to negate it, then another "Solemn Warning" cannot be activated in the same Chain in order to negate that Summon. One of the basic rules of Counter Trap Cards is that they must be activated in the Chain link just after the effect it is [sic] trying to counter.

• When you activate a Spell or Trap Card that targets, you choose the target(s) when you activate the card, before your opponent decides whether or not to Chain to it. So if you want to negate the activation of a card like "Monster Reborn" or "Call of the Haunted" with "Solemn Warning", you must chain "Solemn Warning" after "Monster Reborn"/"Call of the Haunted" have declared a monster in the graveyard as a target.

• "Solemn Warning" does not have the same activation timing as Trigger Effects that activate after a monster is Summoned ("Swift Birdman Joe", "Black Rose Dragon", etc) or Trigger Effects that activate when the monster is sent to the Graveyard as a Tribute for a Tribute Summon or used as Synchro Material Monster for a Synchro Summon ("Dandylion", "Reborn Tengu", etc). Those effects do not activate in the middle of the Summon, they must wait until after the Summon is either successful or negated before they can activate.

• Gorz the Emissary of Darkness: Both "Solemn Warning" and "Solemn Judgment" are Counter Trap Cards so they can be activated in the Damage Step. "Solemn Warning" can be activated to negate the Special Summon of "Gorz the Emissary of Darkness". "Solemn Judgment" cannot be activated to negate the Special Summon of "Gorz the Emissary of Darkness".
  • "Solemn Judgment" cannot negate monster effects. "Gorz the Emissary of Darkness" is being Special Summoned by a monster effect. "Solemn Warning" does not have such a restriction as its effect includes the ability to negate monster effects as well.

• Solemn Warning can be used to negate the Pendulum Summon of 3 monsters.

• Soul Charge: If Solemn Warning is used to negate the activation of Soul Charge, a second Soul Charge may be activated the same turn.

OCG Rulings

• "Solemn Warning" cannot negate the activation of a Spell or Trap Card if the Spell or Trap Card does not include the effect of Special Summoning a monster, such as "Smashing Ground"., "Lightning Vortex", or "Raigeki Break".

• "Solemn Warning" can be Chained to the activation of a card or the activation of an Effect Monster's effect such as:
  • The activation of an Effect Monster's effect that Special Summons a monster(s), like the effect of "Nimble Momonga" or "Marauding Captain".
  • The activation of a Spell or Trap Card that Special Summons a monster(s), like "Level Modulation" or "Call of the Haunted".
  • The Normal Summon or Flip Summon of a monster, or the Special Summon of a monster like "Cyber Dragon" or "Judgment Dragon".

• You can Chain "Solemn Warning" to "Starlight Road" or "Macro Cosmos", even if there is no "Stardust Dragon" in the Extra Deck or no "Helios - The Primordial Sun" in the Deck.

Mentions in Other Rulings

• If an effect like "Solemn Warning" or "Royal Oppression" negates the Synchro Summon of "Voltic Bicorn" or "Lightning Tricorn" or "Scrap Dragon" and destroys it, then you can activate the monster's effect.

• Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World: Returning one "Dark World" monster to the hand to Special Summon "Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World" from the Graveyard is a Summoning procedure. It is neither a cost nor part of an effect's resolution. If the Special Summon is negated by "Royal Oppression" or "Solemn Warning", then the returned "Dark World" monster remains in the hand.

• Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World: If your "Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World" is discarded by your opponent's card effect, then "Solemn Warning" or "Royal Oppression" can be Chained to the effect. However, if your "Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World" is discarded by your own effect, then neither "Solemn Warning" nor "Royal Oppression" may be Chained.