Special Summon Special Summon ( " Tokushu Shōkan " ) is any Summon other than Normal Summon or Flip Summon . They usually occur due to a game mechanic , card effect or Summoning condition . There is no restriction on the number of times a player can Special Summon in a turn — Special Summons do not take up the player ' s Normal Summon / Set for the turn . Also unlike a Normal Summon , unless otherwise specified , Special Summoning does not require Tribute s for high - Level monsters . Ritual Summon s , Fusion Summon s , Synchro Summon s , Xyz Summon s , Pendulum Summon s , and Link Summon s are all considered Special Summons . Special Summon types . There are two different types of Special Summon . The type indicates which cards and effects can respond to or negate the Special Summon . Cards printed with Problem - Solving Card Text can easily have their method of Special Summon determined : effects that contain a colon or semicolon are Special Summons due to a card effect ( and thus start a Chain ) , and cards that don ' t are built - in Special Summons . Built - in Special Summon . Built - in Special Summons ( also unofficially known as inherent Special Summons ) are Special Summons that are done by a game mechanic ( Synchro Summon , Xyz Summon , Pendulum Summon , Link Summon ) , or the monsters ' own Summoning condition ( e . g . Contact Fusion ) or Summon monster effect . Normally , the player can only perform such a Summon during an open game state in their Main Phase . They are never performed as part of an effect resolution ; effects that cause the player to perform one of these Summons instead have the player perform the Summon immediately after they resolve ( e . g . " Formula Synchron " , " Advanced Heraldry Art " ) , or are actually Special Summons with a card effect that treat the Summon as a Built - in Special Summon ( e . g . " Rank - Up - Magic " ) . For cards with Problem - Solving Card Text , monsters with Summon monster effect s or Summoning condition s that Special Summon themselves this way specify in parenthesis " ( ) " the location from which they can be Special Summoned . In Japanese text , built - in Special Summons are written as 「 ( Condition ) 場合 、 ( Action ) て 、 このカードを ( Zone ) から特殊召喚できる 。 」 ( " " If ( condition ) , this card can be Special Summoned from ( Zone ) by ( action ) " " ) . There is a difference between Summoning a monster with a Summon monster effect and with Summoning condition s . If the monster can be Normal Summon ed / Set , then its built - in Special Summon is done by a Summon monster effect , which is a type of Unclassified Effect . Conversely , if the monster is a Special Summon monster , then its built - in Special Summon is a Summoning condition . This distinction causes subtle differences ; for example , the effect of " Vampire Grace " can be activated when " Goka , the Pyre of Malice " is Special Summoned by its own Summon monster effect , but not when " Vampire Genesis " is Special Summoned by its own Summon condition . Built - in Special Summons are the only kind of Special Summons that can be negate d . When a player attempts to perform a built - in Special Summon , the Summon negation window opens , providing both players with the opportunity to negate the Summon . However , as performing a built - in Special Summon does not go on a Chain , cards such as " Divine Wrath " cannot be Chained to the attempted Summon . Special Summon with a card effect . Special Summons with a card effect are any Special Summon that occurs during the resolution of an activate d card effect ( e . g . " Monster Reborn " and " Gorz the Emissary of Darkness " ) . Fusion Summon s and Ritual Summon s are both types of Special Summoning with a card effect . These Special Summons cannot be negated . However , they can be prevented from occurring in the first place by negating the effect that would perform the Special Summon ; cards such as " Divine Wrath " and " Dark Bribe " can negate the activation of a monster effect or Spell / Trap Card that would Special Summon a monster , respectively . " Solemn Judgement " can negate either a Spell / Trap effect ( including one that would Special Summon a monster ) or a built - in Special Summon ; however , it cannot negate monster effects that Special Summon . While they are rare , Special Summons as the result of an activate d card or effect that do not occur during that effect ' s resolution , except Synchro and Xyz Summons , also fall into this category . Cards such as " Revival Jam " and " Memory of an Adversary " can perform this kind of Special Summon . Some effects that Special Summon can ignore the Summoning conditions of the Summoned monster , allowing it to Special Summon monsters regardless of their Summoning condition s . Summon response window . The Summon response window is an unofficial term used to describe the timing in which cards and effects can be activated in response to a successful Summon . Cards and effects that can be activated in response to a successful Special Summon , such as " Torrential Tribute " and " Bottomless Trap Hole " , can be activated after any of these Special Summons , regardless of whether it is built - in or with a card effect . However , they cannot be activated if a monster is Special Summoned by a card effect that is Chain Link 2 or higher , unless the activation of all other cards and effects that would resolve after it are negated . This is because cards and effects cannot be activated in the middle of a resolving Chain , and whichever effect resolves last ( as Chain Link 1 ) would cause these cards to miss the timing . Furthermore , if the card effect that Special Summoned the monster performed another action during its resolution after Special Summoning the monster ( e . g . " Magical Dimension " , " Drill Warrior " , " Telekinetic Power Well " , " Trojan Gladiator Beast " , etc . ) , then this window does not occur and any cards that can be activated in response to a Summon miss the timing .