Using Monster Reborn (and other revival cards)

After frequently running into people on DuelingNetwork who have issues with Monster Reborn (and other revival cards), I decided to write an article about the card.

About Monster Reborn

Most of you know how Monster Reborn works (I hope). You target 1 monster card in either player’s graveyard and (unless negated or countered) you can special summon the target (either in attack or defense).

But what several people have issues with, is what targets you can pick and what targets you cannot.

Legal targets

The following targets are perfectly legal:

• Any normal monster (no matter what level).
• Any effect monster without summoning conditions (no matter what level).
• Any Lv. 5 or higher effect monster without summoning conditions.
• Any effect monster with multiple summoning conditions. This includes normal or tribute summons (Cyber Dragon, Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon, Lightpulsar Dragon, etc…).
• Any Synchro or XYZ monster that was summoned correctly & successfully.
• And a few others, which I’ll describe in detail…

Other legal targets – Semi nomi monsters that were summoned correctly

Semi-nomi? That stands for “Special Summon only monsters”. Those monsters have the following effect:

• Pre-problem solving card text: this card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned etc…
• Post-problem solving card text: Cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. Must first be Special Summoned etc...

The monsters that have either of these card lines can only be special summoned by the description showed in their text (like how you banish 1 LIGHT and 1 DARK attribute for Chaos Sorcerer) and do NOT have any restriction on further summons (they do NOT have “and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways”).

So, if the monster was summoned successfully and sent to the grave or banished area afterwards (yes, even when banished from the game), you can special summon that monster afterwards.

Which monsters fall under this category? Check the following list: List of special summon only monsters.

Note: Ritual monsters are the perfect example of semi-nomi monsters.

Yes, Yes and No. Only Lighray Sorcerer cannot be revived after a correct summon.

Illegal targets 1 – Cannot be special summoned (by other ways)

So which targets can you NOT pick? Well, most of the times, it’s said in the card text.

Does your card have one of the following lines?

• Cannot be special summoned.
• Cannot be special summoned from the grave.
• Must be special summoned by X and cannot be special summoned by other ways (a.k.a. nomi monsters).
• Must be Fusion Summoned and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways (like most HERO fusion monsters).

Then you CANNOT target it for monster Reborn. Easy, no?

No, no and no. Sucks to be you guys. None of you can be revived.

Illegal targets 2 – God says NO!

Did your opponent use Solemn Warning, Solemn Judgment or another card effect that negates your special summon? Then you cannot revive the following targets:

• Cards from the extra deck (fusions, xyz, synchro’s)
• Semi-nomi monsters (see Other legal targets)
• Cards mentioned in “Illegal targets 1”

Illegal targets 3 - (Specific) cards that were sent to the grave

Monsters can be sent/discarded to the graveyard from either the deck, hand or even from the extra deck (Gale Dogra, Dragunity Knight Trident,…).

The monsters described in "Illegal Targets 2" cannot be revived if they were sent/discarded to the graveyard.

"I just sent your Zenmaity to the grave.
U mad bro?"

Illegal targets 4 – Monsters summoned in the wrong way

You think you can't summon monsters in a wrong way? In some cases, you actually can.

There are certain cards out there that allow you to summon a monster from the extra deck without meeting the right requirements (a fusion summon, xyz summon or synchro summon).

However, since you did not meet the right requirements, you cannot target them for Monster Reborn (or other revival cards).

These cards effects are the following:

• Starlight Road (Stardust Dragon)
• Shooting Quasar Dragon (Shooting Star Dragon)
• Miracle Contact (only applies on Elemental HERO Neos Knight)
• Blackwing – Vayu the Emblem of Honor (Blackwing synchro’s)
• Psychic Feel Zone (psychic synchro’s)
• Bahamut Shark (Rank 3 or lower water attribute XYZ)
• The Hex-Sealed Fusions (Earth/Dark/Light Fusions)
• Synchro Change
• Summoner of Illusions
• Super Roboyarou / Super Robolady (their effect to summon the other one)
• Metamorphosis (Traditional only)
• Cyber-Stein (Traditional only)
• Magical Scientist (Traditional only)
• Temple of the Kings (Traditional only)

Note: Keep an eye on the monsters summoned through these card effects, because it’s easy to forget how they were summoned when they’re sent to the grave.

New & upcoming XYZ! Beware his effect!

Legal or illegal targets?: Fusion monsters

Fusion monsters have been around since the beginning and have appeared in many forms.

Depending on what fusion monster you get on the field (successfully), you might or might not be able to bring it back to life afterwards:

Fusion type	Yes/No	Why (not)?
Oldschool Fusions	YES	If the summon condition just reads: Monster A + Monster B, then there’s no reason why you could not bring it back. Even if the card says that a fusion summon can only be done with the mentioned Fusion Material Monsters, that doesn’t stop a revival afterwards.
Fusions with the line “This monster can only be Special Summoned by Fusion Summon” (with no further conditions)	YES!	This is pre-problem solving card text and will be corrected in a reprint as “Must first be Fusion summoned”. The new text is already visible on the Gem-Knight Fusions.
Fusion monsters with the line “cannot be Special Summoned by other ways	NO!	The text says so itself. The HERO fusions fall under this category.
Neos TAG fusions	YES!	The ONLY exception on the Elemental HERO’s are the Neos “Tag” fusions, whose fusion materials are returned to the deck instead of the graveyard. They do not have the restriction the “normal” E-Hero Fusions have.
Gladiator Beast Tag Fusions	YES!	Same reason as with the Neos Tag fusions.
Armityle the Chaos Phantom	YES!	After being correctly summoned, he’s free to bring back anytime.
Chimeratech Fortress Dragon	YES!	Though he’s going to be useless, since his effect only works when fusion summoned.
The VWXYZ fusions	YES!	All VWXYZ monster are free to return, except XYZ Dragon Cannon. The last one has the specific line "This card cannot be special summoned from the graveyard".
Incorrect fusion summons	NO!	See “Illegal targets 4” for explanation.

Final notes

A: I tried to be as complete as possible. If I missed anything (or interpreted something wrong), please let me know and I’ll correct it.

B: Black Luster Soldier – EOTB may get a reprint in Legendary collection 3 with the problem solving card text (god, let’s hope so). Let’s hope the issues on reviving him are buried with that reprint.

C: This text is written from the point of view of Monster Reborn. This also applies to other revival cards, whether or not they can be used in advanced format (Call of the Haunted, Premature Burial,…).

Forgive me for the long post, but I wanted a complete guide, so a long explanation is the automatic result of this. I hope it helps you out.

Until next time, V out.