Chain - An In-Depth Explaination (Draft)

Chain
How is it related to another game mechanics in YGO?

Welcome, Duel Academy, and some more introductions blah blah blah,...will do this later.

Reason to do this: I hate people who don't know this and bug me a lot.

Chain - Table of Contents

1. The definition of a Chain

2. Chain's Rules

3. How to start a Chain?

4. How is it related to another game mechanics in YGO?

1. The definition of a Chain

Chain is a way to order the resolution of multiple card effect. It's used when the effects of more than one card are activated at the same time (SEGOC), or when an effect is activated to response to the activation of the effect before. Each response is a new "Chain Link", and the Chain then resolves backwardly in order to know the result after that Chain.

In a Chain, the order of Chain Links will start from Chain Link 1 -> Chain Link 2 -> Chain Link 3 and so on. When we resolve it, we will start from the last Chain -> Chain Link 1. Pretty easy, right? You just need to remember that you need to resolve backwardly and you will be fine.

Examples:

1. Effects are activated at the same time (SEGOC)

For this example, I'll will use Brushfire Knight and Hazy Flame Cerberus.

Scenario: My opponent has a Brushfire Knight on the field in face-up Attack Position. He has a set Torrential Tribute and I have a Hazy monster. This is the Main Phase 1 of my turn and I decide to summon Cerberus in order to summon Photon Strike Bounzer. After that, my opponent activates Torrential Tribute, sends all of the monsters to the Graveyards. Now, we'll need to depend on the SEGOC's chart. But, before to do this, you'll need to look at their effects and see what type of effect they have. In this example, Brushfire Knight's effect is a Mandatory Trigger Effect, and Hazy Flame Cerberus has an Optional Effect. And this is what will happen: This is my turn, so I'll be placed in "Turn Player" and my opponent will be placed in "Non-Turn Player". Now, let's check the SEGOC's chart:

1. Turn Player Mandatory Effect: Since I have no monster that has a Mandatory Effect, I'll pass this.
2. Non-Turn Player Mandatory Effect: This is when Brushfire Knight's effect activates, sends 1 FIRE monster from his/her Deck to the Graveyard. This will be Chain Link 1.
3. Turn Player Optional Effect: It's time to activate my Cerberus, and I choose to add 1 "Hazy" card from my Deck to my hand. This will be Chain Link 2.
4. Non-Turn Player Optional Effect: My opponent has no monster that has an Optional Effect, so his opponent'll pass this just like the first one.

Now, let's resolve this, we'll need to resolve it in backward so my Cerberus will activate its effect first, add 1 "Hazy" card to my hand and then Brushfire Knight will activate its effect, send 1 FIRE monster to the Graveyard.

You guys may see no point of resolving this, but, it will help us in some situations. (Example: A.O.J Catastor vs Grand Mole)

2. An effects are activated to response to the activation of the effect before.

This kind of Chain is way more easier than SEGOC, because what we need to do is to chain and then resolve it.

Scenario: My opponent controls a Evilswarm Ophion, he has a set Infestation Pandemic. I have a Constellar Pleiades (out of materials) and I set a Solemn Judgment the turn before, and a Forbidden Lance in my hand. Now it's my turn and I decide to go in the Battle Phase, attack Ophion with my Pleiades. Now, I activate my Forbidden Lance, target Ophion (Chain Link 1). My opponents then chains Pandemic (Chain Link 2), and I respond to his Pandamic with Solemn Judgment (Chain Link 3). Now, let's resolve this:

1. Solemn Judgment activates, I pay 4000 Life Points, then negates opponent's Pandemic.
2. Pandemic can no longer activate and the card is then sent to the Graveyard.
3. Forbidden Lance activates normally, Ophion's ATK now becomes 1750 and it's destroyed by battle by my Pleiades.

2. Chain's Rules

If you learn them all, you can play a little bit more pro.

1. Only cards/effects that can be activated can form a Chain.
2. The first activation is Chain Link 1, the second activation is Chain Link 2 and so on (I said it up there).
3. You can't chain to a card if the card you want to chain doesn't have equal or higher Speed Spell than the one before it.
4. Spell Speed 1 can't be placed in Chain Link 2, since only Spell Speed 2-3 can have the power to do that, except for Flip, Trigger and Trigger-like Effect if they are activated simultaneously (SEGOC).
5. The last player who perform the lastest Chain will need to wait if his/her opponent has any response.
6. Both players will continue Chain until they have nothing more to Chain.
7. Card effects cannot be resolved until both players decline to start or add to a Chain.

Well,...I can say nothing more but learn it.

3. How to start a Chain?

Most of the time, the "Turn Player" has the right to start a Chain anytime in his/her turn. But you'll need to learn when the "Non-Turn Player" can has the right to start a Chain. The "Non-Turn Player" can start a Chain when:

1. The "Turn Player" doesn't wish to take any actions while the game state is close. (Priority)
2. The "Turn Player" wants to move to the next Step/Phase.
3.The "Non-Turn Player" has a Flip, Trigger or Trigger-like Effect (this effect activation must placed on the Chain first before placing any other card effects; see SEGOC).

4. How is it related to another game mechanics in YGO?

As you can see, Chain is really important that it maybe the most important part in this game. We can see it everywhere, every time that it's even related to another game mechanics.

1. End Phase Rulings

In this, you'll need to learn about End Phase too. You can read it more in here. Let's have an example about Lumina and Effect Veiler again. This time, I'll explain more carefully and why Chain is in there.

I will only explain about chain in here, that's why you need to learn the End Phase Chart first before reading this. We'll have 2 situations like in Irate's ruling lesson:

1. So, if Veiler activates its effect in Non-Turn Play May Activate, the effect will be activated first and become Chain Link 1. Lumina MUST activate her effect in Turn Player Must Activate, so it will become Chain Link 2. Now, let's resolve it:

- Chain Link 2: Lumina mills 3 cards -> Chain Link 1: Veiler negates Lumina.

So basically Veiler will do nothing since Lumina already activated her effect BEFORE Veiler.

2. The same with this one. Lumina MUST activate her effect in Turn Player Must Activate, and it will be placed in Chain Link 1. Veiler will need to activate its effect in Non-Turn Player Must Activate so it will become Chain Link 2. Now, we'll need to resolve it again:

- Chain Link 2: Veiler targets Lumina, prevents Lumina from milling 3 cards out of Turn Player's deck -> Chain Link 1: Lumina can do nothing, she just stands there and has fun.

2. Simultaneous Effect Goes On Chain (SEGOC)

Again, you'll need to learn this before you want to read more in this lesson. In this, I'll explain what will happen if A.O.J Catastor vs Neo-Spacian Grand Mole, which I mentioned above there.

Some players will get confused and wonder what will happen if both of them battle. Will Catastor destroy Grand Mole, since it isn't a DARK monster or Grand Mole will bounce both of them back? The answer is really near to you, if you know how to use Chain. This is SEGOC, so we'll need to look at the chart again. First thing first, like the first example, we'll need to know what type of effect these two monsters have. We can see that A.O.J Catastor has a Mandatory Effect and Grand Mole has an Optional Effect. We'll take a lot on the chart:

1. Turn Player Mandatory Effects: I'll be the one who controls Catastor. So, if Catastor attacks, its effect will be activated in here, also it creates the Chain Link 1.
2. Non-Turn Player Mandatory Effects: Opponent has Grand Mole, but it does not a Mandatory Effect.
3. Turn Player Optional Effects: I only have Catastor.
4. Non-Turn Player Optional Effects: Grand Mole will be activated.

Now, let's resolve this. Grand Mole will resolve first, bounce both of them back to the hand/extra. After that, Catastor won't do anything since it's already in the Extra Deck.

Easy enough? That's why learning this isn't wasting anytime. Well,...I have a lot more examples but that's all. After reading this, you guys can do it yourself.

Fix it. Will add color and decorate later.

Centrik wrote:

Welcome, Duel Academy, and some more introductions blah blah blah,...will do this later.

I think you're addressing the wrong academy...

Some things

Centrik wrote:

Now, let's resolve this:

1. Solemn Judgment activates, I pay 4000 Life Points, then negates opponent's Pandemic.
2. Pandemic can no longer activate and the card is then sent to the Graveyard.
3. Forbidden Lance activates normally, Ophion's ATK now becomes 1750 and it's destroyed by battle by my Pleiades.

You keep confusing that in your article, effects activate during activation, they don't activate during resolution (or target for that matter as I saw it being mentioned), they resolve. Paying half your life points happens at activation, meaning when the chain is formed, it does not happen at resolution. There are other minor things but they could just be grammar, I will mention though that on when the non-turn player can start a chain, it doesn't matter whether the turn player passes from a closed gamestate or an open one. In either case, the non turn player can now activate an effect, so it being closed prior to passing is irrelevant.

Most importantly though, about the end phase.
End phase effects, and generally effects that have to activate in the same phase or step, don't form a chain because they don't activate at the same time. A phase or step can be considered a large timeframe and can host multiple events. So for example if multiple gladiator beasts have to activate at the end of the battle phase, they won't chain to each other. The turn player can activate an effect first, resolve the chain with one chain link, then he can activate another effect and so on until he wishes to deal with all his effects or pass. Afterwards, the opponent can start activating his gladiator beast tag effects, again in single link chains, since no effect here activates at the same time and gladiator beast tag effects are spell speed 1.

The same thing applies in the end phase with Veiler's negation ending and Lumina milling. Both players have to activate/apply their mandatory effects that occur during the end phase there, the turn player can activate/apply his first and can also pass on activating/applying his, the non-turn player though can pass right back and then the turn player has to go on with activating/applying his now. That means the non-turn player can force the turn player to activate the effect of Lumina before veiler stops applying. It will form a single link chain and will resolve while Effect Veiler is still active. After the chain has resolved Veiler may stop applying. Of course Veiler ending his negation in the end phase doesn't activate or form a chain link, it simply stops applying its effect.

Additionally, Irate's article seems to have a mistake there as well (in the chart to be exact since the article itself is only examples).
The turn player has priority to activate and resolve all his effects first whether they are optional or mandatory. This is not relevant to SEGOC, the only thing that is the same is that the turn player goes first, which is the case in all of ygo anyways. Let's say for example that I have a Justice of Prophecy and a Fool of Prophecy that can activate their end phase effects while I also destroyed my opponent's Silver Sentinel in this turn. It is my turn and we enter the end phase.
My opponent wants to destroy one of my 2 monsters with Silver Sentinel before they activate their effects once we enter the end phase.
Even though his effect is mandatory and mine are optional effects, he cannot. Reason being, I am the turn player, I have priority to activate my effects first, being the turn player, regardless of their nature. That means I can activate and resolve Justice, I can activate and resolve Fool and only then permit my opponent to activate and resolve Silver Sentinel.
The only differences between optional and mandatory effects here is that
A) you can always wait out mandatory effects with optional ones, because mandatory effects are forced to activate as soon as they enter their timeframe and the game cannot proceed unless they do. Optional effects on the other hand can be passed infinitely as they don't have to activate at all.
B) you can choose not to activate optional effects at all, meaning that if you pass on them, the gamestate may proceed if your opponent chooses to do the same (would be stalling otherwise) and there are no mandatory effects left to activate/apply, meaning you end up not being able to activate them at all since you have left their timeframe. So be careful with how you pass when only optional effects remain. Not that it will be metagame relevant anytime soon, but maybe, sometime in the future, who knows.

Again, the "turn player goes first" nature as well as treating optional and mandatory differently is similar, but that is the case in ygo generally, there is no reason to say it is a thing similar to SEGOC, because when you do you get these faulty charts and even these chain misconceptions.

It should be mentioned that chain rules are explained just fine on the rulebook (v8, pages 38-41 http://www.yugioh-card.com/en/rulebook/index.html), so there's no need to go in great depth to explain them. SEGOC is a different deal as their explanation is kinda lacking (v8, page 44).

On the bright side, if you actually were addressing duel academy, no one would have noticed, so it's ok.

P.S. : New quoting system sucks

P.S. 2: Monster effects can still resolve properly even if an effect that will return them to the hand is chained to them, unless stated otherwise (in their text or rulings). The reason Catastor won't destroy Mole in this case is that Grand Mole is no longer face up for its attribute to be confirmed.

Pasted wrong ._.

However thanks for correcting bro.