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Since Link Monsters were introduced into the game, they have quickly become stapples in many decks. Link Monsters and Link Summoning were showcased in Yu-Gi-Oh! Vrains, and have really taken off since then! From Codetalkers to Trickstars, to Gouki to Salamangreat, Link Monsters are everywhere! Keep reading to learn more about Link Monsters and how to link summon.
characteristics
The basics of Link Summoning are simple, but it can seem a little confusing at first. It is important to understand the characteristics of Link Monsters. Firstly, Link Monsters do not have a Level. Instead of a Level, Link Monsters have a Link Rating, similar to how Xyz Monsters have a Rank. A Link Monster’s Link Rating is important. This number, located in the bottom righthand corner of the card, where a monster’s Defense is usually located. You will notice that a Link Monster has no DEF. This is because Link Monsters must always remain in face-up attack position. Link Monsters cannot be changed to defense position, and they cannot be flipped face-down. You will also notice that Link Monsters have arrows. This is important!
Link Rating
One of the most important characteristic of a Link Monster is its Link Rating. This number is important for two major reasons. One: This number indicates how many materials a Link Monsters requires to be Link Summoned. Two: If a Link Monster is used as material for another Link Summon, its Link Rating is how many materials it can be used for in the Link Summon. This can sound strange at first, but the example below should help clear things up. A Link Monster’s Link Rating also dictates how many Link Arrows the monster has, which often comes into play with card effects and mechanics.
Link Summoning
Now that we have covered the Link Rating, let’s dive into how to Link Summon. To perform a Link Summon, you must use a number face-up monsters on your side of the Field that add up up to the Link Monster’s Link Rating (unless otherwise specified). A Link 1 monster requires one material, a Link 2 requires two materials, etc. However, if you use a Link a Monster as a Link Material, you can use it as a number of materials equal to it’s Link Rating. This, however, does not apply if a Link Monster requires a specific number of monsters as materials. For example… You can Link Summon Gouki Jet Ogre, a Link 2 monster, by using any 2 “Gouki” monsters, like Gouki Suprex and Gouki Twistcobra. Now, Gouki Thunder Ogre is a Link # monster, meaning that you need to use three monsters as material. However, Thunder Ogre’s text shows that it needs 2+ materials. So, you can actually Link Summon Thunder Ogre by using Jet Ogre and one other “Gouki” monster. You can do this because Jet Ogre is a Link 2 monster and can be used as two materials. However, you must follow the material requirements on each Link Monster. For example: Black Luster Soldier – Soldier of Chaos. This Link 3 monster requires 3 monsters with different names. In this case, you could not use a Link 2 monster as two materials, because Soldier of Chaos requires 3 monsters and is a Link 3 (the monsters also have to have different names).
Link Arrows
Link Monsters also have Link Arrows. The number of arrows a Link Monster has is equal to its Link Rating. Link Monsters often have effects that interact with others monsters that it points to, like Decode Talker or Trickstar Crimson Heart. If you Link Summon a Link Monster, it must be summoned in your Extra Monster Zone. But, if you already control a Link Monster in your Extra Monster Zone, you can Link Summon a Link Monster to a Main Monster Zone your Link Monster points to. This mechanic can allow you to control a whole network of Link Monsters! If two Link Monsters point to each other, they are said to be co-linked, which can come into play in different situations.
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