Following the reveal of the title for the new Yu-Gi-Oh! anime and some synopsis information, V-Jump has information on the new summoning mechanic being introduced in the new series and the effect of the main protagonist’s ace monster card.
According to V-Jump magazine -- via The Organization -- the new summoning method being introduced in the anime and in the TCG will be called Link Summoning.
To Link Summon you’ll need to send Materials to the graveyard equal to the Link Number. This Link Number can be found in the bottom right corner of each Link Monster’s card. You can Link Summon something from your Extra Deck by sending the same number of monsters that meet the material requirements written in the card’s effect box, whose total numbers equal to the LINK number, from the field to the Graveyard
Decrease Materials by Using Link Monsters. Link Monsters are treated as the same number of materials as its LINK Number, however to use them you must match the requirements written on the card.
If this sounds confusing don’t worry it is, but the reveal of Decode Talker’s effect helps put Link Summoning into focus. Here’s Decode Talker’s effect:
Decode Talker
DARK Cybers-Type Link Effect Monster
LINK 3
ATK 2300
Materials: 2 or more Effect Monster
(1) This card gains 500 ATK for each monster Linked to it.
(2) When an opponent’s card effect that targets a card you control is activated: You can Tribute 1 of your monsters Linked to this card; negate that activation, and if you do, destroy it.
So in the case of Decode Talker, you can use three normal Effect Monsters to summon it (similar to XYZ summons) or you can use an Effect Monster that is a Link 2 monster and one normal Effect Monster to summon Decode Talker.
This means that each monster has a Link Number of one unless otherwise specified.
Link Monsters have no defense points and cannot change their battle positions (even by card effects) so be sure to remember that before summoning because you’ll be taking damage from monsters who have higher attack points.
Also, pay attention to the arrows on the card. These arrows will signify, which monsters will be "linked" to it and who the Link Monster's effect effects.
Another change to the rules is how the duel field is used, especially with Pendulum Monsters. An extra monster zone is added to the duel field and when a Duel begins, the Extra Monster Zone does not belong to either duelist.
When a player Special Summons a monster to one of them, that Zone then becomes treated as part of that player’s field. Duelists will want to get that extra monster card zone first.
An Extra Deck Monster can only be Summoned to the Extra Monster Zone but if you summon a Link Monster to one of the Extra Monster Zones first, you can utilize it to its max potential. Details are still pretty vague for how this can be done but more information is likely in the coming weeks as we get closer to the premiere of Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS.
Monsters summoned from the Extra Deck (Synchro, Fusion, XYZ and Link) can only be summoned onto this Extra Monster Zone. No longer will the Monster Card Zone be used for these monsters. The Pendulum Zones will not be separate from the Spell/Trap Card Zone but now a part of it. You can still use them to set the Pendulum Scales but once you do, you can’t use them for Spells or Traps, limiting your backrow to three.
So what do you think of the new summoning mechanic, Decode Talker and the change to the duel field? Let us know in the comments section below.
