So, you want to understand Link Monsters, huh? Welcome to the party! These bad boys revolutionized Yu-Gi-Oh!, and understanding them is crucial for any serious duelist. Essentially, Link Summoning is a special summon from your Extra Deck that requires you to send Link Materials (monsters on your field) to the graveyard. The number of monsters, or the Link Rating of monsters, you need depends on the specific Link Monster you’re trying to summon. Unlike other monster types, Link Monsters have no DEF (Defense Points) and always remain in Attack Position. They also feature Link Arrows which point to zones on the field, enabling effects that can significantly impact the game.
The Link Summoning Process: A Step-by-Step Breakdown
Let’s break down the Link Summoning process into easy-to-digest steps:
- Check the Requirements: Each Link Monster card in your Extra Deck lists the specific monsters needed for its Link Summon. These requirements can be generic (e.g., “2+ Effect Monsters”) or specific (e.g., “1 ‘Blue-Eyes White Dragon'”).
- Gather Your Materials: Identify monsters on your field that meet the Link Monster’s material requirements. Remember they must be face-up on your field.
- Send to the Graveyard: Send the chosen monsters from your field to the Graveyard. This is the cost of performing the Link Summon.
- Special Summon from Extra Deck: Special Summon the Link Monster from your Extra Deck to either your Main Monster Zone that a Link Monster points to, or the Extra Monster Zone.
Understanding Link Ratings and Link Arrows
- Link Rating: The Link Rating of a Link Monster is the number displayed in the lower right corner of the card. It represents the number of monsters required (or counted as) for the Link Summon, as well as the number of Link Arrows the monster possesses.
- Link Arrows: These arrows are displayed around the artwork of the Link Monster. A Link Arrow pointing to another monster is “linked.” A Link Arrow pointing to a Main Monster Zone makes that zone eligible for an Extra Deck Summon. Two Link Monsters pointing at each other are “co-linked.” These arrows are crucial for triggering certain Link Monster effects and controlling zones.
- Linked Zones: These are the monster zones where the Link arrows of the Link Monster is pointing towards. The main monster zone that is being pointed at can be used for extra deck summons.
Why Link Monsters Are a Game Changer
Link Monsters completely altered Yu-Gi-Oh! by:
- Restricting Extra Deck Summons: Before Link Monsters, players could summon multiple Extra Deck monsters without much restriction. Link Monsters required players to use Link Monsters to unlock spaces in the main monster zones.
- Introducing New Strategies: Link Monsters and their effects have led to a vast array of new strategies and deck archetypes.
- Shaping the Meta: The introduction of Link Monsters reshaped the competitive landscape of Yu-Gi-Oh!, requiring players to adapt their strategies and deck-building choices.
Link Monsters and Defense Position
One of the most defining characteristics of Link Monsters is their inability to be placed in Defense Position. This means they cannot be flipped face-down or have their battle position changed by card effects like Book of Moon. This vulnerability is often offset by powerful effects and the ability to control zones on the field with their Link Arrows.
FAQs About Link Monsters
1. Are Link Monsters considered monsters?
Yes, Link Monsters are indeed Monster Cards. They reside in the Extra Deck and are special summoned to the field when their summoning conditions are met. Their card frame is a distinctive dark blue with a hexagonal pattern.
2. Why do Link Monsters have no defense?
Link Monsters lack Defense Points (DEF) because they cannot be placed in Defense Position. This design choice reinforces their offensive playstyle and emphasizes the importance of their effects and Link Arrows. The game designers intended for them to be more vulnerable than other monsters.
3. How do you protect Link Monsters?
Protecting Link Monsters can be tricky due to their lack of defense. Strategies include:
- Co-linking: Certain Link Monsters gain protection from destruction if they are co-linked with another Link Monster.
- Card Effects: Use spell and trap cards that protect monsters from destruction or negate attacks.
- Quick-Play Spells and Traps: Use cards that banish, return to the hand or negate the attacks or effects of the opponent’s monsters.
4. Can a Link Monster be destroyed in battle?
Yes, a Link Monster can be destroyed in battle if its ATK is lower than the attacking monster’s ATK, unless they are protected by card effects or co-linked with another Link Monster offering protection.
5. Can you flip Link Monsters?
No, you cannot flip Link Monsters face-down or change them to Defense Position. They are always in Attack Position. Cards like Book of Moon cannot target Link Monsters.
6. Can I use a Link-2 monster to summon a Link-2?
Yes, a Link-2 monster can be used as two materials when Link Summoning another monster. The number it says represents how many materials it is worth. So, when you use a “Link-2” monster as material for a Link Summon. For example, if summoning a monster that requires “2 or more Effect Monsters”, using a single “Link-2” monster would fulfill two of those requirements.
7. Can you use a Link-4 monster to summon a Link-4?
It depends on the specific requirements of the Link-4 monster you’re trying to summon. Generally, a Link-4 monster can be used as material, but it usually counts as only one material, unless the summoning conditions specify otherwise. So you can still use that link 4 as material but youd need a link 3 like summon sorcerers. 3 regular monsters+ the link 4.
8. What makes a monster linked?
A monster is considered “linked” if one or both of the following is true:
- A Link Arrow from a Link Monster is pointing to this monster.
- This monster is a Link Monster, and one of its Link Arrows is pointing to another monster.
9. Are Link Monsters immune to Book of Moon?
Yes, Link Monsters are immune to Book of Moon because they cannot be placed in Defense Position or flipped face-down. Book of Moon targets a monster and changes it to face-down Defense Position; since Link Monsters cannot be in Defense Position, they cannot be targeted.
10. Are Link Monsters good?
Absolutely! Link Monsters are often highly powerful and versatile. Their ease of summoning and powerful effects make them staples in many competitive decks. They have shaped the game in many ways.
11. Does Full Force Virus destroy Link Monsters?
No, Full Force Virus cannot destroy Link Monsters. Full Force Virus requires tributing a monster with 2000 or more DEF. Since Link Monsters have no DEF, they cannot be used as tribute, nor are they affected by the card’s destruction effect.
12. How do Link Arrows affect the game?
Link Arrows are crucial for several reasons:
- Zone Control: They unlock Main Monster Zones for Extra Deck summons.
- Effect Activation: Many Link Monster effects are dependent on which zones they link to.
- Co-linking Benefits: Some Link Monsters gain additional effects when they are co-linked with another Link Monster.
The Allure of Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess
There are many powerful Link Monsters, but one often stands out: Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess. Its ability to negate monster effects multiple times per turn, coupled with its relatively generic summoning requirements (Monsters with different names), makes it a powerhouse on the field.
The GB Times Perspective
For more insights into the ever-evolving world of card games, keep an eye on the GB Times. We bring you the latest strategies, card analyses, and breaking news from the gaming world. Check out gbtimes.com for more!
Link Monsters are powerful tools that revolutionized the game. They added a new layer of strategy that the game has never seen before. You can be a very tough competitor if you master their powerful capabilities.
