Summoning mechanics Summoning mechanics are rules related to Summoning a monster . Nomi , Semi - Nomi , Special Summon , Flip Summon , and Normal Summon and Normal Set ( also Tribute Summon and Tribute Set ting ) are all considered Summoning mechanics . These are Summoning actions that may be negated through a card effect , but , due to being an action of the game itself , do not start a chain . Nomi . " Nomi " （ 「 のみ 」 ） is a special term that refers to some monsters . If a monster is a " nomi monster " , then it means that the monster cannot be Normal Summon ed or Set . It can neither be Special Summon ed except by fulfilling a special requirement . Examples of Nomi monsters include " Armed Dragon LV10 " , " Doom Dozer " , and " Raviel , Lord of Phantasms " . You can identify a nomi monster because it will have , " This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set . This card cannot be Special Summoned except by . . . " in its text . It is also to be noted that the Special Summoning of these cards can only be done while the card in question is in the owner ' s hand unless stated otherwise in card text . There is also a type of monster called " Semi - Nomi " . Semi - Nomi . " Semi - Nomi " is a term that refers to a special sub - group of monsters . If a monster is a " Semi - Nomi Monster " , then it means it must be Special Summon ed by its listed effect before it can be Special Summon ed by another effect . " Aqua Spirit " , " Harpie Lady Sisters " , and " Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning " are all Semi - Nomi monsters . You can recognize a Semi - Nomi monster because it will have , " This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set . This card can only be Special Summoned by . . . " in its text . Card without the first sentence , such as " Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning , the " " No Normal Summon or Set " " rule still applies . After a Semi - Nomi monster has been Special Summoned , it can be Special Summoned through other effects . This only lasts as long as the Semi - Nomi monster does not return to the Hand or Deck . As long as the Semi - Nomi monster remains on the field , in the Graveyard , or banish ed , you can Special Summon it again with other card effects . As an example : Note that Fusion Monster s , Ritual Monster s , Xyz Monster s and Synchro Monster s are treated as Semi - Nomis unless stated otherwise . There is also a sub - type of monsters called " Nomi " . Special Summon . A Special Summon is a Summon that is performed through the effect of a single card . Special Summons do not use up your 1 Normal Summon for the turn , and can be conducted as many times as possible in a turn and if generally referred to , a monster can be Special Summoned in face up ATK or DEF position , unless indicated by the card . Also , Special Summons can be activated during either player ' s turn . " Premature Burial " , " Call of the Haunted " , " Monster Reborn " , " Soul Resurrection " , and " Autonomous Action Unit " can all Special Summon monsters from the Graveyard . Thus , you can activate each card ( provided you have enough Life Points ) and resurrect five monsters , as well as conduct a Tribute Summon or Tribute Set in the same turn . Ritual , Fusion , Synchro , Xyz , and Pendulum Summon s are all considered Special Summons . Normal Summon . A Normal Summon can normally be conducted only once per turn . Setting a monster will also take up your Normal Summon for the turn . Some cards can change the Normal Summoning rules . " Ultimate Offering " , for example , allows you to pay 500 Life Points for each extra Normal Summon you wish to perform in a turn . " Double Summon " allows you to Normal Summon twice in one turn . Only monsters that are Level 4 or lower can be Normal Summoned without Tribute ( Tribute Summoning is still considered Normal Summoning , however ) unless specifically designated on the card text ( Example : " Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight " ) . Set . When you Set a Monster Card , you place it in a Monster Card Zone horizontally and face - down . If the monster is Level 5 or 6 , you must Tribute another monster first , then Set the Level 5 or 6 Monster Card ( you do not need to show your opponent the card you Set ) . If the card has a higher Level ( 7 + ) , the same procedure applies , but you must Tribute 2 Monster Cards from your side of the field first ( unless there is a specific Tribute requirement ) . When you Set a Spell / Trap Card , you place it on the field vertically and face - down . Quick - Play Spell Cards cannot be activated in the same turn they are Set . However , you can activate any other type of Spell Cards in the same turn they were Set . Trap Cards however , cannot be activated in the same turn they were Set , unless a card ' s text designates otherwise , such as " Cathedral of Nobles " . Tribute Summon . Any monster of Level 5 or higher requires a Tribute Summon ( Advanced Summon in the " OCG " , previously Sacrifice Summon ) . Monsters that are Level 5 or 6 require one monster to be Tributed ( called Release in OCG ) , while monsters of Level 7 or higher require 2 monsters to be Tributed . Some high - level monsters ( such as " Moisture Creature " ) require 3 monsters to be Tributed in order to activate an effect . Cards like " Mausoleum of the Emperor " can bend the rules of Tribute Summoning by allowing you to pay Life Points instead of Tributing monsters . However , this means the Summon is then considered a Normal Summon and not a Tribute Summon . Even if the monster is Tribute Set instead of Tribute Summoned , the correct number of Tributes must be offered . So you cannot Set a monster in order to avoid offering a Tribute . A Tribute Summon is treated exactly as Normal Summon , except a few cards refer specifically to whether or not the card was Tribute Summoned ( such as Monarchs ) . Normally only one Tribute Summon can be conducted in the same turn ( exceptions : see " Ultimate Offering " and " Double Summon " ) . This means you cannot Normal Summon or Set a low Level monster and then Tribute it immediately to Tribute Summon a high Level monster . Tributing a monster for a Tribute Summon is not considered a Cost . However , similar to paying costs , players cannot respond immediately to the Tribute of a monster , since Tributing does not have a Spell Speed . If the Tribute Summon of the new monster is negated , however , the Tributed monster will not return to the field . Tribute Set . A Tribute Set is treated almost exactly the same as a Tribute Summon :