Card Rulings:Return of the Zombies
OCG Rulings
- The effect of this card that banishes a Zombie-Type monster on the field and Special Summons a Zombie-Type monster from the Graveyard is the effect that resolves when this card is activated. (It does not target.)[1]
- This card cannot be activated during the Damage Step.[1]
- Banishing a Zombie-Type monster on the field and Special Summoning a Zombie-Type monster from the Graveyard do not happen simultaneously.[1]
- The effect that Sets this card from the Graveyard is an effect that activates in the Graveyard, and starts a Chain. (It does not target, and cannot be activated during the Damage Step.)[1]
- Returning a banished Zombie-Type monster to the Deck and Setting this card happen simultaneously.[1]
- Banishing this card after it was Set by its own effect does not start a Chain. (This effect will also apply during the Damage Step.)[1]
Q&A Rulings
- Q: Can "Return of the Zombies" be activated if there are no Zombie-Type monsters in either player’s Graveyard?
- A: "Return of the Zombies" cannot be activated if it is not possible to Special Summon a Zombie-Type monster from the Graveyard. It cannot be activated if there are no Zombie-Type monsters in either player’s Graveyard.[2]
- Q: If I activate "Return of the Zombies", but my opponent chains "The Transmigration Prophecy" so that there are no Zombie-Type monsters in the Graveyard, how does the effect resolve?
- A: The effect of "Return of the Zombies" will not apply if it is not possible to Special Summon a Zombie-Type monster from the Graveyard. Therefore, in this scenario, if there are no Zombie-Type monsters in the Graveyard when "Return of the Zombies" resolves, the effect disappears. (No part of the effect is applied, including banishing a Zombie-Type monster on the field.)[3]
- Q: If I activate "Return of the Zombies", but my opponent chains "Vanity's Emptiness", how does the effect resolve?
- A: The effect of "Return of the Zombies" will not apply if it is not possible to Special Summon a Zombie-Type monster from the Graveyard. Therefore, in this scenario, if the effect of "Vanity's Emptiness" that prevents players from Special Summoning is applied when "Return of the Zombies" resolves, the effect disappears. (No part of the effect is applied, including banishing a Zombie-Type monster on the field.)[4]
- Q: I activate the effect of "Return of the Zombies" that Sets if from the Graveyard. If my opponent chains the effect of "D.D. Crow" and banishes that "Return of the Zombies" from the Graveyard, how does its effect resolve?
- A: Even if "Return of the Zombies" is no longer in your Graveyard when its effect that Sets it resolves, you still return 1 of your banished Zombie-Type monsters to the Deck, but you cannot Set "Return of the Zombies".[5]
- Q: "Vampire Fraulein" is face-up in my opponent's Monster Zone, and the only monster in their Graveyard is "Vampire Sucker". Also, "Doomking Balerdroch" is face-up in my Monster Zone, and the only monster in my Graveyard is "Mezuki". In this situation, if I activate "Return of the Zombies", how can I resolve its effect?
- A: Since the effect of "Return of the Zombies" cannot Special Summon a Link Monster from the Graveyard, you cannot banish a Zombie-Type monster controlled by a player whose only Zombie-Type monster in the Graveyard is a Link Monster. In this scenario, you can activate "Return of the Zombies", but you cannot banish "Vampire Fraulein", so you must banish "Doomking Balerdroch" and Special Summon "Mezuki" from your Graveyard.[6]
