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Extra Deck Summon Zones (April 2020 Rules)

60_extra_deck_summon_zones_emz_link_arrows_2020.md

Extra Deck Summon Zones (April 2020 Rules)

Where a monster Summoned from the Extra Deck can be placed depends only on what kind of Extra Deck monster it is. Since the April 2020 Master Rule revision:

| Monster kind | Legal zones when Summoned from the Extra Deck |

| --- | --- |

| Fusion, Synchro, Xyz | Any unoccupied Main Monster Zone OR Extra Monster Zone, the player's choice |

| Link | An Extra Monster Zone, or a Main Monster Zone a Link Monster points to on that player's side |

| Pendulum (face-up in the Extra Deck) | An Extra Monster Zone, or a Main Monster Zone a Link Monster points to on that player's side |

Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz Monsters choose freely

When Special Summoning a Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz Monster from the Extra Deck, the player places it in either an unoccupied Extra Monster Zone or any unoccupied Main Monster Zone. No Link Monster, Link arrow, or any other enabling card is required for the Main Monster Zone option.

Common wrong answers to reject:

  • "It can only go to the Extra Monster Zone" — that was the pre-2020 Master Rule 4 behavior and is no longer true.
  • "It needs a zone a Link Monster points to" — Link arrows never restrict Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz placement; that requirement applies only to Link Monsters and to Pendulum Monsters Summoned from the face-up Extra Deck.
  • "It can only go to a Main Monster Zone" — the Extra Monster Zone is also legal if the player can use one (a player uses at most one Extra Monster Zone outside an Extra Link).

Board state changes nothing about the rule itself: on an empty board, including the first turn of the Duel, every Main Monster Zone and an Extra Monster Zone are all legal placements for a Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz Summon.

Only the Extra Deck origin gets the choice

A Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz Monster Special Summoned from somewhere other than the Extra Deck — revived from the GY by Monster Reborn, returned from banishment, etc. — is placed in a Main Monster Zone. The Extra Monster Zone option belongs to Summons performed from the Extra Deck.

Worked example

"A player resolves Polymerization on an otherwise empty field. Where can the Fusion Monster be Summoned?"
— Any unoccupied Monster Zone: the player may choose an Extra Monster Zone or any Main Monster Zone. Fusion Monsters do not need a Link arrow pointing at the zone.

Judge calls to watch for

  • Do not apply Link Summon placement rules (ruling 12) to Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz Summons.
  • The Extra Monster Zone is never required for Fusion/Synchro/Xyz — it is one legal option among all unoccupied Monster Zones.
  • Pendulum Summons from the hand go to Main Monster Zones as normal; only the copies Summoned from the face-up Extra Deck are zone-restricted (ruling 13).

Sources

What's new

  • Added to corpus.