OneTurnGaming

Monsters that do not have Levels, such as Xyz Monsters and Link Monsters, cannot be used as Synchro Materials. Token Monsters and Trap Monsters can be used as Synchro Materials.

Synchro Materials are sent to the Graveyard by default, but the Synchro Summon is still successful even if the materials are moved to some other location instead. For example, it is still possible to perform a Synchro Summon while "Macro Cosmos" is active or using Pendulum Monsters as materials, in which case the materials will be banished or placed face-up in the Extra Deck, respectively.

Even if all appropriate Monster Zones are occupied, a Synchro Monster can still be Synchro Summoned as long as at least one of the Synchro Materials used is in one of these zones, so that there is an available zone when the Synchro Monster is Summoned.

A Synchro Summon is a type of built-in Special Summon, so it can be negated by cards like "Solemn Warning" and "Thunder King Rai-Oh". Even if a Synchro Summon is negated, the Synchro Materials do not return to the field.

Even if a monster lists a specific monster as materials, such as "Majestic Star Dragon", the Summon must use exactly 1 Tuner (unless otherwise specified). For example, if you have 2 "Phantom of Chaos", 1 being treated as "Majestic Dragon", and the other equipped with "Synchro Boost" and "Torque Tune Gear" and being treated as "Stardust Dragon", and a Level 1 non-Tuner monster, you can still Synchro Summon. However, if neither "Phantom" is a Tuner, or if both are, the Summon cannot be performed.

Like other Extra Deck monsters, if a Synchro Monster is not Synchro Summoned first, it cannot be Special Summoned from the Graveyard or while banished (unless it specifies another way to properly Special Summon it, in which case it must first be Summoned that way).

For example, if a Synchro Monster is Special Summoned from the Extra Deck by the effect of "Shadow Impulse" and sent to the Graveyard, or was sent from face-down in the Extra Deck to the Graveyard by "Gale Dogra", it cannot be Special Summoned from the Graveyard by "Premature Burial"; however, if it was originally Synchro Summoned, it can be Special Summoned from the Graveyard by "Premature Burial".

While Synchro Summoning, the Tuner monster is said to be tuned with the other monsters.

Many characters in the Japanese anime have chants, often unique to them and each of their Synchro Monsters, which they recite while Synchro Summoning. Before the chants, the Duelist announces the monsters being used, starting with the Levels and names of all non-Tuner monsters, from the lowest to the highest Level, then the Level and name of the Tuner monster. In the English dub, this is reversed; the Tuner monster's name is said first and the non-Tuner monsters' names are said last.

During a Synchro Summon, the Tuner monster transforms into a number of green rings which corresponds to its Level. These rings then "scan" the non-tuner monsters, which first change into a glowing yellow "outline" of themselves before turning into a number of stars which correspond to their Levels. A beam of light then envelops the stars, passing through the rings, and the Synchro Monster appears thereafter. In some special versions of Synchro Summons, the rings are a different color or are completely redesigned, for example, when "Shooting Quasar Dragon" is Limit Over Accel Synchro Summoned, the rings are gold instead of green, and when "Red Nova Dragon" is Synchro Summoned, the Tuner monsters transform into rings of fire, which form a sphere around the non-Tuner monster. Additionally, when "Malefic Paradox Dragon" is Synchro Summoned, the Synchro Rings are black instead of green, and the non-Tuner monsters become a purple outline, and a cyclone of darkness envelops the stars instead of a beam of light. Also, the characters may have personalized backgrounds and other graphics for Synchro Summons (most noticeably Vizor).

Starting with episode 65 and the second season, when the non-Tuner(s) turn into stars, the arithmetic addition of the total Levels involved in the Synchro Summon is briefly shown on the bottom of the screen.

Synchro Summoning appears to be more advanced than it was in Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's as can be seen by the Synchro Rings are surrounded by multiple small rotating rectangles, which gives them a more futuristic look, implying that in the future the actual Synchro Summoning method has evolved. Like in 5D's, when Jack Atlas performs a Double Tuning, the two Tuners become rings of fire rather than Synchro rings.

A Synchro Summon performed using monsters that have been Pendulum Summoned is referred to as a "Pendulum-Synchro".

The summon animation has had a complete overhaul. The monsters used dissipate into energy, which then reforms into sets of rings, one for each material. The ring(s) representing the Tuner involved is a blue-green color whilst the non-Tuner(s) are gold or purple. These rings are made up of varying numbers of concentric circles depending on the level of the monster which is displayed in an information tag that points to the ring. After the rings are generated, they then change to a bright blue color before merging together into a thin ring. The ring then splits into a number of identical rings equal to the sum of the Synchro Monster's Level (that rotate clockwise), while a series of rotating green rectangles appear as a ring formation (that rotates counter-clockwise), forming a tunnel of sorts. The Levels of the Tuner and non-Tuner(s) are shown on a display before the Synchro Monster's Level takes their place. The camera then appears to go through the ring tunnel before flashing back to the Duelist who declares the summon. Afterwards, the Synchro Monster is briefly seen as an outline whilst green energy rings arc over it, solidifying it.[top]