Updated using Monsters up thru Phantom Darkness.
Seeing as how we've been getting quite a few posts about how and why monster effects work the way they do, I figured I'd post the official information about each monster type directly from the latest Rulebook v6.0 along with some examples of the more commonly used monsters to go along with each effect.
FLIP Effect:
This is an effect that is activated when a face-down monster is flipped face-up. This can happen when it is Flip Summoned, attacked while face-down, or flipped face-up by a card effect. These effects start with the word “FLIP:” on the card.
Example text:
- "FLIP: Destroy 1 monster on your opponent’s side of the Field." or
- "FLIP: Discard your Hand and draw 5 cards."
Common cards: "Magician of Faith", "Spear Cretin", "Morphing Jar", "Crystal Seer", etc.
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Continuous Effect:
This effect is active while the Effect Monster Card is face-up on the Field. The effect starts when the face-up monster appears on the Field and ends once that monster is gone or is no longer face-up; there is no Trigger for its activation.
Example text:
- "While this card is face-up on the field..."
Common cards: "Jinzo", "Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV6", "The End of Anubis", the second effect of "Destiny Hero - Plasma", etc.
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Trigger Effect:
These cards are activated at specific times, such as during the Standby Phase or when this monster is destroyed.
Example text:
- "When you inflict Battle Damage to your opponent’s Life Points..." or
- "When this monster is successfully Summoned..." or
- "If you destroy a monster..." or
- "If this monster is successfully Summoned..."
Common cards: "Raiza the Storm Monarch", "Caius the Shadow Monarch", "Mobius the Frost Monarch", "Zaborg the Thunder Monarch", "Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch", "Breaker the Magical Warrior", "Giant Rat", "Hydrogeddon", the first effect of "Cyber Valley", "Armageddon Knight", "Dark Magician of Chaos", etc.
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Ignition Effect:
You can use this type of effect just by declaring its activation. You can normally activate this type of effect only during your Main Phases. (See Turn Structure, page 24 of the official Rulebook v6.0) There are some Ignition Effects that have a cost to activate, like discarding cards from your Hand or Tributing your monster.
Example text:
- "By Tributing 1 monster on your side of the Field..." or
- "By sending / discarding one card from your Hand..." or
- "Once per turn, you can..."
Common cards: "Snipe Hunter", "Exiled Force", "Cannon Soldier", the 2nd and 3rd effect of "Cyber Valley", the 1st effect of "Destiny Hero - Plasma", "Dark Armed Dragon", "The Creator", "Darklord Zerato", etc.
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Quick Effect (used to be Multi-Trigger Effect):
These are special monster effects that you can activate even during your opponent’s turn, as long as the specific requirements are met. These types of effects have a Spell Speed of 2, even though all other monster effects have a Spell Speed of 1. (See Spell Speed, page 35 of the Official Rulebook v6.0)
Example text:
- "This effect can be activated even during your opponent’s turn." or
- "This effect can be activated during either player's turn."
Common cards: "Strike Ninja", "Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV8", "Kuriboh", "Light and Darkness Dragon", "Gladiator Beast Heraklinos", etc.
Simon Key
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