Millennium Monsters

Millennium Monsters are a new special monster type akin to Xyz and Link, however with various distinct differences. Firstly, they have a golden card border with a hieroglyph pattern. They share all the same stats as regular monsters - Level, DEF, etc. However, they do not reside in the Main Deck or the Extra Deck - instead, they are placed in their own unique deck, the Millennium Deck. (I know, I'm a naming genius.)

So, if a third deck is being introduced, surely that means the game mat will be undergoing another change? Not so. The Millennium Deck is in fact placed directly beneath the Main Deck. This is not merely to save space, as there is a greater link between the two Decks that will be elucidated upon later. Adding to that, tournament rules would require that both Decks use identical sleeves - again, it will make sense later.

That being said, the two Decks are, for all practical purposes, completely separate. Effects that shuffle the Deck only shuffle the Main Deck, a card placed on the bottom of the Deck goes above the topmost card of the Millennium Deck, Millennium Deck cards don't stop you decking out, etc. As a result, in order to not mix the two Decks up in confusion during play, a marker of some sort is required to be wedged between them (an official series of which would obviously be released were this mechanic real).

So how many cards can the Millennium Deck hold? This is a key area where the Millennium Deck intersects with the Main Deck (but not the only one). That is to say that combined, the Millennium Deck and the Main Deck can hold a total of 60 cards. For example, if you have a 50-card Main Deck, you can have up to 10 cards in your Millennium Deck. If you have a 60-card Main Deck, you can't have any. Just because the Millennium Deck cuts into the Main Deck this way, though, doesn't mean you can start running 30-card Main Decks with 30-card Millennium Decks; the minimum number of cards you can use in the Main Deck remains at 40. As a result, the most cards you could ever have in your Millennium Deck is 20, but the maximum technically depends on the Deck.

So, how do you Summon Millennium Monsters? Well for starters, you're not doing it in the Main Phase! Instead, you have to enter...

The Millennium Phase

Again, naming genius.

This Phase has been created specifically for the purpose of performing Millennium Summons. They cannot be performed at any other time. As with every other Phase in the game, it can only be entered once per turn - thus restricting players to a single bout of Millennium Summoning per turn.

So when does the Millennium Phase happen? Potentially whenever, but potentially never. It it not present on the normal Phase chart as there is no one specific time at when it must occur - that decision is up to the turn player. This also means that you never have to enter it, so if you're a genwunner you can play in Millennium format while completely ignoring the mechanic's existence just fine.

Provided the turn player has not yet entered their Millennium Phase that turn, when ending any of their phases apart from the End Phase, they can choose to either proceed to one of the next appropriate Phases or the Millennium Phase. They must announce which one they're entering beforehand, and can rescind their decision if their opponent subsequently changes the gamestate in response.

You do not need to be able to Millennium Summon in order to enter the Millennium Phase just as you do not need to be able to attack in order to enter the Battle Phase. When ending the Millennium Phase, simply move to one of the appropriate succeeding Phases that you would have entered previously - if you entered the Millennium Phase after the Draw Phase, go to the Standby Phase. If you entered it after Main Phase 1, go to the Battle Phase or the End Phase.

The Millennium Phase works similarly to the Battle Phase, wherein it consists of a Start Step, an End Step, and a Summon Step where Millennium Summons are done. No other Spell Speed 1 actions can be performed during this Phase.

Any number of Millennium Summons can be performed during the Summon Step. But that's not all, as it is not merely the turn player who is able to Millennium Summon here - their opponent can also do so. The turn player naturally has priority to conduct the first Millennium Summon, but after that, priority passes between players until both players have Summoned all they want.

How to Millennium Summon

The actual act of Millennium Summoning is very simple: One simply sends the required face-up monsters they control to the Graveyard, and Special Summons the corresponding Millennium Monster from their Millennium Deck. What makes them correspond? Well, specific material requirements aside, the material monsters used for a Millennium Summon must have a combined ATK that is exactly equal to the Millennium Monster being Summoned. This ATK is their current ATK on the field, not their original ATK.

You can use monsters for Millennium Summons even if they wouldn't go to the Graveyard, just like with Synchro and Link Summon, so Tokens are usable.

Examples:
"Aurora Wing" (1200 ATK) + "Cryomancer of the Ice Barrier" (1300 ATK) = "Courageous Yuuki" (2500 ATK)
"Flamvell Magician" (1800 ATK via its own effect) + "Ally of Justice Unknown Crusher" (1200 ATK) = "Rage-Eyes Flare Dragon" (3000 ATK)

Because Millennium Monsters are Summoned from the Millennium Deck, they are not considered "Special Summoned from the Extra Deck" for effects and restrictions, and most importantly, they are not placed in an Extra Monster Zone. They must simply be Summoned into an open Main Monster Zone.

A Millennium Monster can ONLY be Millennium Summoned from the Millennium Deck. Well...obviously, right? However, this clarification will make sense once the final piece of the Millennium puzzle is put into place.

Millennium Monsters’ Special Property

Millennium Monsters are, at their core, a fusion between a Main Deck monster and an Extra Deck monster. They begin in a separate Deck and can be freely Summoned from there - however, once a Millennium Monster has left the Millennium Deck through any means, it becomes a Main Deck card for the rest of the Duel.

Once a Millennium Monster enters play, it is as if it had started in the Main Deck for all practical purposes. In other words, if an effect would return a Millennium Monster "to the hand" from a particular location, it literally goes back to its owner's hand. Furthermore, if an effect would return a Millennium Monster "to the Deck", it will always go back to the Main Deck, not the Millennium Deck. A Millennium Monster can NEVER return to the Millennium Deck unless an effect specifically has it do so.

A Millennium Monster in the hand is treated just like any other monster. It can be Normal Summoned (but not Millennium Summoned), and requires a number of Tributes according to its Level.

It is well known that an Extra Deck monster not Summoned through a proper method cannot be revived from the Graveyard or while banished, and this holds true for Millennium Monsters to an extent. If sent to the Graveyard or banished directly from the Millennium Deck, or Summoned from the Millennium Deck by an effect and then sent to one of those locations, they cannot be revived. However, if they are then returned from there to the hand or Deck, they can be Summoned without a problem even if re-sent to the Graveyard/banished.

Examples

Leostorm
4/WIND/Beast-Warrior/Millennium/2000/1600
2+ monsters
(1) When this card destroys an opponent’s monster by battle: You can return this face-up card to the hand. (2) When this card is Normal Summoned: You can target 1 Spell/Trap your opponent controls; destroy it.

Spunky Artemis
4/FIRE/Fairy/Millennium/2200/200
2+ monsters
(1) Once per turn, during your Standby Phase: You can target 1 monster in your GY; add it to your hand. (2) Once per turn, during your Main Phase, if this card was Normal or Special Summoned this turn: You can Special Summon 1 monster from your hand.

Imbalance Wielder
5/LIGHT/Fiend/Millennium/2400/1200
2+ monsters
(1) Can be Special Summoned (from your hand). (2) Once per turn (Quick Effect): You can target 1 monster in either player’s GY; shuffle it into the Deck.

Gaiasand, the Ancient Knight
6/EARTH/Warrior/Millennium/2600/2300
2+ monsters
(1) After damage calculation, if this card attacked: Inflict 600 damage to your opponent.

Courageous Yuuki
7/WATER/Spellcaster/Millennium/2500/2000
2+ monsters
(1) After this card is Millennium Summoned, you take no damage for the rest of that turn. (2) When this card declares an attack on a monster with higher ATK: You can have this card gain ATK equal to half the ATK of the attack target, until the end of this turn.

The Guardian of Luxor
7/EARTH/Rock/Millennium/2700/3000
2+ monsters
(1) This Normal Summoned card’s original ATK/DEF become 4000. (2) If this card attacks, change it to Defence Position at the end of the Battle Phase. (3) Neither player can target this Defence Position card with card effects.

Rage-Eyes Flare Dragon
8/FIRE/Dragon/Millennium/3000/2500
2+ monsters
(1) If this card is Special Summoned: All monsters your opponent controls lose 500 ATK/DEF. (2) If this card you control is destroyed by your opponent’s card and sent to the GY: Special Summon it, and if you do, it gains 1000 ATK, but shuffle it into the Deck when it leaves the field.

Gravity Counter
8/DARK/Machine/Millennium/2800/1000
2+ monsters
(1) If this card is Millennium Summoned: Apply the following effect, based on whose turn it is. • Your turn: Gain 500 LP for each card your opponent controls. • Your opponent’s turn: Negate the effects of all currently face-up cards your opponent controls.

Misc Support

Millennium Master
1/LIGHT/Spellcaster/0/0
You can only use this card name’s effect once per turn. (1) You can reveal 1 Millennium Monster from your Millennium Deck; this turn, this card’s ATK becomes the same as the ATK of the revealed monster, but it cannot attack.

Power Eater
2/DARK/Fiend/800/0
You can only use this card name’s effect once per turn. (1) You can target 1 face-up monster; it loses 800 ATK, and if it does, Special Summon this card from your hand.

Frostblade
4/WATER/Warrior/1000/1000
(1) Once per turn: You can reduce this card’s DEF by any multiple of 100, and if you do, it gains that much ATK. These changes last until the end of this turn.

Raging Spark Drake
4/FIRE/Dragon/1500/200
You can only use this card name’s effect once per turn. (1) You can Tribute this card; activate 1 of these effects. • Special Summon 1 “Rage-Eyes Flare Dragon” from your hand or Deck. • Special Summon 2 FIRE monsters with 2000 or less ATK (1 from your hand & 1 from your Deck) whose total ATK is exactly 3000, but their effects are negated, also you cannot Special Summon monsters from the Extra Deck for the rest of this turn.

Downscale
Normal Spell
(1) Target 1 face-up monster, then target 1 other face-up monster with less ATK; the ATK of the first target becomes the same as the second target.

Millennium Ray
Quick-Play Spell
(1) Send 1 Millennium Monster from your hand, face-up field, or Deck to the GY, then target 1 card on the field; destroy it.

Void Contract
Continuous Spell
(1) Once per turn: You can target 1 face-up monster; reduce its ATK by any multiple of 100, until the end of this turn, and if you do, you lose LP equal to the ATK that monster lost.

Trinity Force
Equip Spell
You can only use each of this card name’s effects once per turn. (1) During your Main Phase: You can have the equipped monster gain 100 ATK for each monster you control, until the end of this turn. (2) During your Main Phase: You can have the equipped monster gain 100 ATK for each Spell/Trap you control, until the end of this turn. (3) During your Main Phase: You can have the equipped monster gain 100 ATK for each card in your hand, until the end of this turn.

Millennium World
Field Spell
(1) Both players must conduct their Millennium Phase during their turn. (2) Each turn, 1 Level 5 or higher Millennium Monster the turn player Normal Summons can be Normal Summoned without Tributing.

Courage Shower
Continuous Trap
(1) Once per turn: You can target 1 monster you control, then activate 1 of these effects; • It loses 500 DEF, and if it does, it gains 500 ATK. These changes last until the end of this turn. • It loses 500 ATK, and if it does, it gains 500 DEF. These changes last until the end of this turn.

Millennium Reborn
Normal Trap
(1) Target 1 Millennium Monster in your GY or that you have banished; add it to your hand, then you can Special Summon 1 Millennium Monster from your hand.

Millennium Trap Hole
Normal Trap
(1) During the Millennium Phase: Destroy 1 face-up monster on the field.

Millennium Judgment
Counter Trap
(1) If a Spell/Trap Card is activated: Return 1 face-up Millennium Monster you control to the hand; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy that card.