Posted Mon Nov 03, 2014 1:53 pm
Naito's Articles
Summoning Technicalities
Built-In v.s. External
Okay, so a topic I came across a lot of people arguing about recently is the topic of Special Summons, and the properties of these summons. I know there is a great article out there on it, but I couldn't find it, so I decided to do my own research. The result is this, so I hope you enjoy.
Built-In Special Summons
The first topic we'll be addressing are Built-In Special Summons, which have been unofficially nicknamed "Inherent Special Summons" by the Yu-Gi-Oh! community.
So, after all of that, you're probably wondering if you can get some examples of these cards. And the answer is, no. Not unless you say please.
...
Kidding! Kidding! Please keep reading! Don't leave!Please... I'm really lonely... Listed below are some common examples of monsters that have Built-In Special Summons.
External Special Summons
So, for those of you who don't fully understand Built-In Special Summons, this section will probably clear that up for you very soon.
Now, I'll give you some examples of cards that have External Special Summons, and cards that cause External Special Summons.
Important Information about Summons
So, before we wrap this article up, let's address some other important information and misconceptions regarding these two types of Summons, as well as Summons in general.
Anyhow, that's all there really is to know about External and Built-In Special Summons. If you have any more questions, please feel free to shoot me a pm. I will try to respond as quickly as possible.
Hope this helped you guys out, if only a little, and happy dueling to you all.
© Naito Raizu. All Rights Reserved.
All card effects provided by the Yu-Gi-Oh! Wikia.
Quotes collected from the Yu-Gi-Oh! Wikia, Duel Academy Forums, and Pojo Forums.
Summoning Technicalities
Built-In v.s. External
Okay, so a topic I came across a lot of people arguing about recently is the topic of Special Summons, and the properties of these summons. I know there is a great article out there on it, but I couldn't find it, so I decided to do my own research. The result is this, so I hope you enjoy.
- Table of Contents:
- #1 Built-In Special Summons
#2 External Special Summons
#3 Important Information about Summons
- Summoning Technicalities...?:
- So, Summoning is a broad topic to cover, so I've taken the liberty of breaking it down for you. This article will be mainly focused on Special Summoning, specifically the difference in Built-In Special Summons v.s. External Special Summons.
Built-In Special Summons
The first topic we'll be addressing are Built-In Special Summons, which have been unofficially nicknamed "Inherent Special Summons" by the Yu-Gi-Oh! community.
- What are Built-In Special Summons?:
- So, Built-In Special Summons are a type of Summons that is caused by the effect of the monster being summoned. The effect of the card allows it to Special Summon itself to the Field, without any assistance whatsoever, which is what makes it an Inherent Special Summon.
If this is confusing to you still, here's a quote from the Yu-Gi-Oh! Wikia that may make this a bit more clear to you.Yu-Gi-Oh! Wikia wrote:Built-in Special Summons (also unofficially known as Inherent Special Summons) are Special Summons that are done by a Summoning Procedure either by game machine (Pendulum Summon), its own summoning condition (Synchro Summon, Xyz Summon) or an effect without classification (Summon monster effect) that allows it to be Summoned itself that way.
- So what aren't Built-In Special Summons?:
- What's important to remember about Built-In Special Summons is the fact that the Summon itself is completely unassisted. Cards that are brought out through this method do so through their own effect, or through being an Xyz or Synchro Monster.
As a result, Fusion Summons are NOT Inherent. They are External, which is a topic I will cover later. In addition, cards that force their resulting Special Summon to be treated as what is normally an Inherent Summon (ex. Rank-Up Magic) are also External Special Summons. To put it simply, if the monster is Special Summoned through the use of a Spell or Trap card, that Summon is NOT Built-In.
So, after all of that, you're probably wondering if you can get some examples of these cards. And the answer is, no. Not unless you say please.
...
Kidding! Kidding! Please keep reading! Don't leave!
- Chaos Sorcerer:
- KONAMI wrote:Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must first be Special Summoned (from your hand) by banishing 1 LIGHT and 1 DARK monster from your Graveyard. Once per turn: You can target 1 face-up monster on the field; banish that target. This card cannot attack the turn you activate this effect.
Chaos Sorcerer is a common monster in the current day and age, and this guy has a Built-In Special Summon. If you look above at his effect, you'll see that you have to banish a LIGHT and a DARK monster from your Graveyard, which will then allow you to Special Summon him. Since this Summon is unassisted, relying completely on Sorcerer's own effect to banish the cards, this Summon is a Built-In Special Summon.
- Elemental HERO Bubbleman:
- KONAMI wrote:If this is the only card in your hand, you can Special Summon it (from your hand). When this card is Summoned: You can draw 2 cards. You must control no other cards and have no cards in your hand to activate and to resolve this effect.
So, this particular Elemental HERO carries a Built-In Special Summon, which is seen in his effect. When Bubbleman is the only card in his duelist's hand, he can Special Summon himself to the Field. Again, as this Summon is completely unassisted, being performed by Bubbleman and Bubbleman alone, it is classed as a Built-In Special Summon.
- Goyo Guardian:
- KONAMI wrote:1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
When this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon that monster to your side of the field in face-up Defense Position.
Just for you, Jj. Just for you.
Goyo Guardian is another example of a card that has a Built-In Special Summon. This is mainly because he is a Synchro Monster, and as a result, can be Synchro Summoned. By meeting the Summoning Condition that Goyo has, which is the tuning of 1 Tuner Monster and 1 or more non-Tuner monsters whose levels add up to 6, Goyo will bring himself to the Field. As a result, he has a Built-In Special Summon.
External Special Summons
So, for those of you who don't fully understand Built-In Special Summons, this section will probably clear that up for you very soon.
- So what are External Special Summons?:
- External Special Summons are a type of Special Summon that occurs through the resolution of a Card Effect. It's really as simple as that. But if you're still not quite understanding, let's try and clear it up with examples!
- External v.s. Built-In:
- So, to make this easy, let's take an example from each and compare them.
Fighting for External Special Summons will be the fabulous, Elemental HERO Absolute Zero~!
Fighting for Built-In Special Summons will be Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning.
So, take a look at Absolute Zero. His effect states the following.KONAMI wrote:1 "HERO" monster + 1 WATER monster
Must be Fusion Summoned and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. This card gains 500 ATK for each face-up WATER monster on the field, except "Elemental HERO Absolute Zero". When this card leaves the field: Destroy all monsters your opponent controls.
Take a look at that bold text up above. It states that Absolute Zero must be Fusion Summoned. Now, let's take a look at Fusion Summons, shall we?Yu-Gi-Oh! Wikia wrote:A Fusion Summon (融ゆう合ごう召しょう喚かん Yūgō Shōkan) is the act of Special Summoning a Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck using "Polymerization" or any other card effects which explicitly states that the Summon is a Fusion Summon.
Now look at that bold text up above. It states that Fusion Summons occur through the use of cards that state that the Summon is a Fusion Summon. That is an External Summon, right there. The reason for this is that, in order for Absolute Zero to come to the Field, a card such as Polymerization MUST be activated and have had its effect resolved BEFORE that can happen. This contrasts Black Luster Soldier greatly when you compare their effects. Let's look at BLS' effect.KONAMI wrote:Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must first be Special Summoned (from your hand) by banishing 1 LIGHT and 1 DARK monster from your Graveyard. Once per turn, you can activate 1 of these effects.
● Target 1 monster on the field; banish that target face-up. This card cannot attack the turn you activate this effect.
● During the Damage Step, if this attacking card destroys an opponent's monster by battle: It can make a second attack in a row.
Take a look at that bold text, and compare that to Absolute Zero's. You should notice that BLS' Summoning Condition is a lot more open. Black Luster Soldier can be brought to the Field whenever you feel like banishing those two monsters from the Graveyard. In contrast to this, Absolute Zero's Summoning Condition is very specific, stating that you have to Fusion Summon it, or, in other words, have a card such as Polymerization resolve before Absolute Zero can be Summoned.
- Naito! What about what Irate said about Gorz!?:
- Now, before you walk away with your new found information and get bitched at by another player for not fully understanding, let's clear another topic up. Cards like Gorz.KONAMI wrote:When you take damage from a card your opponent controls: You can Special Summon this card from your hand. You must control no cards to activate and to resolve this effect. When Special Summoned this way, activate the appropriate effect, based on the type of damage:
● Battle Damage: Special Summon 1 "Emissary of Darkness Token" (Fairy-Type/LIGHT/Level 7/ATK ?/DEF ?). Its ATK and DEF are each equal to the amount of Battle Damage you took.
● Effect Damage: Inflict damage to your opponent equal to the amount of damage you took.
Take a look at the bold text. Often times, you'll run into monsters like this, which have a Summon that is built into the card, yet require the resolution of other effects to occur prior to the Summons. It is of the up-most importance that you understand that these are EXTERNAL SPECIAL SUMMONS!!! Analyzing Gorz's effect reveals that the player MUST TAKE DAMAGE FROM A CARD for Gorz to hit the Field. This means that other card effects MUST resolve before Gorz can Special Summon. This makes Gorz's Special Summon External.
Now, I'll give you some examples of cards that have External Special Summons, and cards that cause External Special Summons.
- Soul Charge:
- KONAMI wrote:Target any number of monsters in your Graveyard; Special Summon them, and if you do, you lose 1000 Life Points for each monster Special Summoned by this effect. You cannot conduct your Battle Phase the turn you activate this card. You can only activate 1 "Soul Charge" per turn.
Self-Explanatory really. This card will Special Summon cards from the Graveyard. Those Summons are assisted, and therefore, Soul Charge causes External Special Summons.
- High Priestess of Prophecy:
- KONAMI wrote:You can reveal 3 "Spellbook" Spell Cards in your hand; Special Summon this card from your hand. Once per turn: You can banish 1 "Spellbook" Spell Card from your hand or Graveyard, then target 1 card on the field; destroy that target
Priestess is a bit harder to identify, but is still a card with an External Special Summon. Her effect of revealing "Spellbook" Spell Cards in the hand must resolve before she can be Special Summoned, meaning that she has an External Special Summon.
Important Information about Summons
So, before we wrap this article up, let's address some other important information and misconceptions regarding these two types of Summons, as well as Summons in general.
- Can I chain to a Summon?:
- I see this, ALL THE TIME! Literally, the day I started this article, I observed a close friend of mine being harassed over DN by his opponent who believed that he could Chain to the Summon of Battlin' Boxer Lead Blow. You can check all over the Yu-Gi-Oh! World, and find the same response, every time. YOU CANNOT CHAIN TO SUMMONS! Don't believe me, let's take some quotes.Yu-Gi-Oh! Wikia wrote:Summoning Procedures do not activate and start a Chain.Irate wrote:These summons do, like all other summons, not start a chain.Sylveraine wrote:The point in this matter, and the rule where it all is based upon, is the fact that while a chain, action, or card effect is resolving, you cannot use any cards or effects, unless they say so (e.g. Bountiful Artemis). this is a very basic rule, and is usually forgotten by beginning players, but also by the more experienced ones. It's this rule that also causes cards to "Miss Timing".Elma Cheapness wrote:You can respond to a normal monster summon, but you can't chain. That's why, for example, you can't trap hole a Jinzo.
I don't think I need to go on. Do you?
- Are Contact Fusions considered External?:
- Contact Fusions are special snowflakes in the world of Fusion Summons. These are the ONLY type of Fusion Summons that DO NOT require a card such as Polymerization to be activated for the Summons to occur. As a result, cards such as Gladiator Beast Gyzarus and Elemental HERO Aqua Neos have Built-In Special Summons, and not External Special Summons.
- How do I negate External Summons?:
- Simply put, you can't.
Now, this doesn't mean that as soon as your opponent activates that Mask Change that all hope is lost, and Dark Law will screw you over. You can stop External Summons, but you can't negate them. This sounds complicated, but it really isn't.
External Summons occur as a result of the resolution of a card effect. So, if you stop that card effect from resolving, the External Summon never happens. This is why cards such as Solemn Warning work in stopping Fusion Summons. They never let the Summon start. In contrast to that, once the External Summon starts, you can't stop it, since the card effect has already resolved. This is why cards such as Black Horn of Heaven and Thunder King Rai-Oh are unable to be used in response to the Special Summons of cards such as Gorz, The Emissary of Darkness and Elemental HERO Absolute Zero.
- T-then does this mean that Built-In Summons are unstoppable too!?:
- No, no. Don't worry. Thunder King and Black Horn still work against Built-In Summons such as Dark Armed Dragon and Elemental HERO Bubbleman.
- Thank God:
No, thank Shapesnatch.
Anyhow, that's all there really is to know about External and Built-In Special Summons. If you have any more questions, please feel free to shoot me a pm. I will try to respond as quickly as possible.
Hope this helped you guys out, if only a little, and happy dueling to you all.
© Naito Raizu. All Rights Reserved.
All card effects provided by the Yu-Gi-Oh! Wikia.
Quotes collected from the Yu-Gi-Oh! Wikia, Duel Academy Forums, and Pojo Forums.