Source: Yugioh Wikia
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 or Set 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.
Fusion Summons , Ritual Summons , Pendulum Summons , Xyz Summons and Synchro Summons are all considered Special Summon.
Gameplay and terminology Card layout Rarities Card types
Monster
Spell Trap Skill
Normal • Continuous • Field
Other†
Equip •
Ritual •
Speed Spell (
Normal •
Quick-Play •
Ritual )
Non-game •
Character •
Checklist •
FAQ •
Strategy •
Tip Related
Game mechanics
Card effects
Types
Condition (Archetype • Archetype-exclusion • Level • Name • Rank • Summoning • Common • Normal • Special • Fusion • Ritual • Victory ) • Cost (Maintenance cost ) • Monster • Continuous • like • Ignition • Like • Quick • Like • Trigger • Like • Flip • Unclassified • Control only one • Field-Unique • Match winner • Summon monster • Unconfirmed
Mandatory •
Optional •
Lingering •
Once per turn Speeds
Summoning
Types Mechanics
Summoning Rules •
Double Tributer •
Material • (
Fusion •
Fusion Substitute •
Synchro •
Synchro Substitute •
Xyz •
Link ) •
Alloy † •
Alloy Substitute † •
Broadcast † •
Broadcast Substitute † •
Burst † •
Burst Substitute † •
Chain-force † •
Chain-force Substitute † •
Chainlink † •
Chainlink Substitute † •
Chaos † •
Chaos Substitute † •
Code † •
Code Substitute † •
Composition † •
Composition Substitute † •
Constellation † •
Constellation Substitute † •
Construct † •
Construct Substitute † •
Cosmic † •
Cosmic Substitute † •
Cross † •
Cross Substitute † •
Crossover † •
Crossover Substitute † •
Dark Bind † •
Dark Bind Substitute † •
Delta † •
Delta Substitute † •
Dreamer † •
Dreamer Substitute † •
Driver † •
Driver Substitute † •
Emblem † •
Emblem Substitute † •
Enchant † •
Enchant Substitute † •
Enhance † •
Enhance Substitute † •
Esper † •
Esper Substitute † •
Evolute † •
Evolute Substitute † •
Evolution † •
Evolution Substitute † •
Extract † •
Extract Substitute † •
Extreme † •
Extreme Substitute † •
Galaxy † •
Galaxy Substitute † •
HYPERFORCE † •
HYPERFORCE Substitute † •
Hybrid † •
Hybrid Substitute † •
Imaginary † •
Imaginary Substitute † •
Legend † •
Legend Substitute † •
Legion † •
Legion Substitute † •
Maestro † •
Maestro Substitute † •
Mana † •
Mana Substitute † •
Marshal † •
Marshal Substitute † •
Master † •
Master Substitute † •
Mega † •
Mega Substitute † •
Mirage † •
Mirage Substitute † •
Mixmatch † •
Mixmatch Substitute † •
Neon Positive † •
Neon Positive Substitute † •
Nova † •
Nova Substitute † •
Overdrive Material † •
Overdrive Substitute Monster Substitute † •
Parallel † •
Parallel Substitute † •
Persona † •
Persona Substitute † •
Plasma † •
Plasma Substitute † •
Positive † •
Positive Substitute † •
Pressure † •
Pressure Substitute † •
Quasar † •
Quasar Substitute † •
Reactor Material † •
Reactor Substitute Monster Substitute † •
Resolve † •
Resolve Substitute † •
Reverse † •
Reverse Substitute † •
Royal † •
Royal Substitute † •
Spectrum † •
Spectrum Substitute † •
Spiritual † •
Spiritual Substitute † •
Terrain † •
Terrain Substitute † •
Timewarp † •
Timewarp Substitute † •
Transmute † •
Transmute Substitute † •
Triad † •
Triad Substitute † •
Unification † •
Unification Substitute † •
Unity † •
Unity Substitute † •
Upgrade † •
Upgrade Substitute † •
Voodoo † •
Voodoo Substitute † •
Wild Card † •
Wild Card Substitute † •
Xynchro † •
Xynchro Substitute † •
Normal Summon Monster •
Special Summon-only •
Nomi •
Ignoring the Summoning conditions
Other
Activation & Targeting Eligibility •
Activation requirement •
Difference between Costs and Effects •
Chains, Activation, and Resolution •
Engine (
Draw ) • Advantage •
Card •
Field •
Hand •
One Turn Kill (
First •
Zero ) •
Lockdown • Loop (
Controlled loop •
Infinite loop )
† Does not exist in the OCG or TCG