Yu-Gi-Oh! How do Pendulum cards work? Pendulum summons explained

Over the years, the Yu-Gi-Oh! card game has added significant depth, with new card types offering different ways to play. Arguably, one of the most complex are Pendulum Summons, which can become a highly effective tool if played well.

Pendulum cards and their associated summons have the potential to entirely turn the tide of a duel in the right hands or deck. Pendulum summoning is deeply different from other types of summons in the game, allowing players to bring hugely powerful monsters into play under unique conditions.

Though not a necessary feature in many archetype-focused decks, decks with a significant Pendulum element can be difficult to stop. Despite not being foolproof by any means, they are a hugely rewarding card type to learn and play effectively.

Here’s everything you need to know about Pendulum summons.

What are Pendulum cards in Yu-Gi-Oh!

Interestingly, the basic concept behind Pendulum cards is a relatively simple one. Essentially, Pendulum monsters are cards that can function as both a monster card and a spell card. Which element of the card comes to the fore is dependent on where it is placed on the field. If placed in the Monster Zone then it works as a Monster card, while in the Spell/Trap Zone, its Spell effect becomes its purpose.

How Pendulum Summons Work in Yu-Gi-Oh!

The big mechanic behind Pendulum cards is that they allow the player to perform Pendulum Summons. This unique summon is a little finicky to understand at first but fairly easy to master once you have the initial knowledge of how it works.

In the first instance, players must have two Pendulum cards out on the field to perform a Pendulum Summon. This means playing both as Spell cards in the bottom left and bottom right Spell Zone, often referred to as the Pendulum Zone.

On the front of any given Pendulum Monster is a number (just below the red and blue crystal illustration on either side). This is known as the Pendulum scale and serves as the foundation for the rules surrounding Pendulum Summons.

Essentially, the idea is to play a card in each Pendulum Zone with a Pendulum Scale that is significantly higher/lower than the other. This then allows players to summon as many monsters as they like that fall within that Pendulum scale.

To give an example, a player plays two Pendulum Monsters in the appropriate Spell/Pendulum Zone on the field. One of those cards has a Pendulum Scale of 2, while the other has a Pendulum Scale of 8. Once these are in play, it becomes possible to Pendulum Summon monsters between Levels 2 and 8.

There are a few important caveats. Players can Summon as many monsters as they have in their hands that fall between those levels into the Monster Zones. Additionally, it isn’t possible to summon monsters whose levels match the Pendulum Monsters in the Spell Zone. So, in the example above, it is not possible to summon Level 2 or 8 Monsters.

Getting started with Pendulum Summons in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel

With all of that in mind, there are some structure decks in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel that can help introduce this concept effectively. Magician of Pendulum is the obvious choice, with a deck largely centered on Pendulum Summons.

For something a little less dependent on the mechanic, the Hidden Arts of Shadows deck has Twilight Ninja Jogen and Kagen. These are relatively simple Pendulum cards that should offer the chance to try out Pendulum Summons for the first time.