Mana Monster

A Mana Monster is a type of Monster Card. The color of their card frame varies, based on its Attribute. The top half of the frame is darker, and then gets lighter on the bottom half.

Mechanics

A Mana Monster takes inspiration from the Pendulum Monsters introduced in Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, in which they act as both Monster Cards and Spell Cards. However, a Mana Monster is significantly different from a Pendulum Monster in several ways. First and foremost, when the Duel begins, a Mana Monster will be treated as a Spell Card and gain its Mana Effects as opposed to its Monster Effects, if any. The Mana Effects applied firsthand include a condition where it is given an alternate name. As such, a Mana Monster cannot be Smmoned or Set directly from the hand. Only one Mana Monster as a Spell Card can be activated per turn. A player can only activate 1 Mana Monster as a Spell Card per turn. (A player is, however, allowed to Set more than 1 Mana Monster as a Spell Card in the same turn.)

Another noticeable difference from a Pendulum Monster is that a Mana Monster has two indicators: a Mana Count and Mana Energy, in place of the Pendulum Scales. After being successfully activated as a Spell Card, a Mana Monster will be placed face-up in the Extra Deck instead of being sent to the Graveyard. (Like Pendulum Monsters, this can cause the Extra Deck to be larger than would be allowed during Deck building.) Once face-up in the Extra Deck, the Mana Count will determine how many turns must be passed before a Mana Monster can become its Monster Card form. Once that number of turns has passed, at the start of its controller's Standby Phase, the Mana Monster will be added to the player's hand, and will have its Mana Name and Effects replaced with its Monster Name and Effects. At this point, a Mana Monster can be properly Mana Summoned. However, as only one Mana Monster can be activated as a Spell Card per turn, a player can only Special Summon one Mana Monster per turn, and can only control one Mana Monster at a time. Furthermore, a Mana Monster does not possess a Level or a Rank, so they cannot be affected by cards that would otherwise affect monsters with Levels/Ranks. If, however, a Mana Monster is to either be Tributed for a Ritual Summon, or be used as a material for a Summoning method that requires a monster with a Level (namely Synchro or Xyz Summoning), its Mana Energy can be used as a substitute for the required Level.

Mana Summon

Main article: Mana Summon

Once a Mana Monster becomes a Monster Card, it can be Mana Summoned. To Mana Summon a monster, the player must Tribute 1 appropriate face-up monster they control, whose Attribute is the same as the Mana Monster's, and whose Level is equal to the Mana Monster's Mana Energy.

Other Rulings

There are special rulings to Mana Monsters, based on their current status as a Spell Card or a Monster Card. Examples are as follows:

In "Spell Card" Status

As the same goes with Pendulum Monsters, Mana Monsters as Spell Cards are not treated as Normal, Continuous, Field, Equip, Quick-Play, Ritual, or Action Spell Cards. Also, their activations and effects of Spell Cards cannot be negated by cards such as "Imperial Order" and "Spell Canceller".

In contrast, however, Mana Monsters as Spell Cards can be affected by cards that would affect regular Spell Cards, including "De-Spell", "Left Arm Offering", and "Magical Stone Excavation". Also, cards and effects that would activate in response to a Spell Card's activation and resolve, including "Curse of Darkness" and "Skilled Dark Magician", are still activated.

In "Monster Card" Status

If a Mana Monster is removed from the field while it is a Monster Card, it will once again be treated as a Normal Spell Card as it was when the Duel began. An exception to this rule is if a Mana Monster is removed by a card effect that would otherwise return it to the field. For example, if a Mana Monster is banished by the effect of "Destiny HERO - Doom Lord", it will still be treated as a Monster Card because it will be returned to the field during the player's opponent's second Standby Phase.

If, however, a Mana Monster is to be returned to anywhere other than the player's Monster Zone while being banished, it will once again become a Normal Spell Card. Furthermore, if a Mana Monster would be sent to the Graveyard by means other than by being activated as a Spell Card, it will not be placed face-up in the Extra Deck, and thus will not become a Monster Card.