Fusion Summon
A Fusion Summon, in short, is a Summon that involves the combining of monsters on your hand or on your field to form a "chimera" of those monsters. The concept of Fusion Summoning is arguably the most evolved form of Special Summon as far as the different ways to do it. We are gonna look into those different versions of Fusion Summoning, as well as the plethora of support cards for Fusion Summoning.
In the beginning days of Yu-Gi-Oh!, people would only be able to Fusion Summon by having the Fusion Material monsters in their hand and/or on the field (you can have them in either place or both) and using the card Polymerization because that was the only option available (using a single card, along with the applicable Fusion Material Monster). Fusion Summons is a form of Special Summon and therefore can be done regardless if you have Normal Summoned or Set a monster during that turn.
Example of a Fusion Summon:
Turn Player A controls a face-up Elemental HERO Burstinatrix. He Normal Summons (he does not have to but chooses to) Elemental HERO Avian. He activates Polymerization from his hand to Fusion Summon Elemental HERO Flame Wingman.
In the beginning days of Yu-Gi-Oh!, people would only be able to Fusion Summon by having the Fusion Material monsters in their hand and/or on the field (you can have them in either place or both) and using the card Polymerization because that was the only option available (using a single card, along with the applicable Fusion Material Monster). Fusion Summons is a form of Special Summon and therefore can be done regardless if you have Normal Summoned or Set a monster during that turn.
Example of a Fusion Summon:
Turn Player A controls a face-up Elemental HERO Burstinatrix. He Normal Summons (he does not have to but chooses to) Elemental HERO Avian. He activates Polymerization from his hand to Fusion Summon Elemental HERO Flame Wingman.
During the time when Fusion Summoning and Ritual Summoning were the two major forms of Special Summoning, it was quite costly (in terms of number of required cards you had to use to summon the monster, often a minimum of 3.) As such, Konami (creators of Yu-Gi-Oh!) created a group of support cards to make Fusion Summon easier. A list of these cards and their effects are found here.
Later, more and more Spells (and 1 Trap) were introduced to assist in Fusion Summoning monsters, but they are not as universal as Polymerization.
-Dark Fusion: Used to Summon "Evil HERO" monsters. An added bonus to this card is that the Fusion Monster cannot be targeted by the opponent's Spells, Traps, or card effects the turn you Summon it.
-Dark Calling: Used to Summon "Evil HERO" monsters by banishing cards from hand and Graveyard.
-Fusion Gate (Field Spell): You can Fusion Summon monsters without Polymerization, but the fusion material monsters are banished banished.
-Gem-Knight Fusion, Particle Fusion, Pyroxene Fusion: All are used to Fusion Summon "Gem-Knight" monsters.
-Overload Fusion: Used to Fusion Summon a DARK Machine-Type Fusion monster by banishing its Fusion Materials from the Graveyard (Ex. Chimeratech Overdragon, Cyberdark Dragon)
-Miracle Fusion: Used to Fusion Summon "Elemental HERO" Fusion Monsters by banishing the Fusion Material from your side of the field or grave.
-Parellel World Fusion: Same as Miracle Fusion, except you use monsters that are banished as Fusion material by returning them to the deck.
-Vehicroid Connection Zone: Used to Fusion Summon "Vehicroid" Fusion monsters. In addition to being Fusion Summoned, the monsters effects cannot be negated nor destroyed by card effects.
-Super Polymerization: At the cost of discarding 1 card from your hand, you can send Fusion Material monsters from either side of the field to Fusion Summon a monster. Your opponent cannot activate any cards in response to Super Polymerization.
-Tablet Fusion: Used to Fusion Summon "Gem-Knight" Fusion Monsters by banishing the Fusion Material monsters from your Graveyard.
Later, more and more Spells (and 1 Trap) were introduced to assist in Fusion Summoning monsters, but they are not as universal as Polymerization.
-Dark Fusion: Used to Summon "Evil HERO" monsters. An added bonus to this card is that the Fusion Monster cannot be targeted by the opponent's Spells, Traps, or card effects the turn you Summon it.
-Dark Calling: Used to Summon "Evil HERO" monsters by banishing cards from hand and Graveyard.
-Fusion Gate (Field Spell): You can Fusion Summon monsters without Polymerization, but the fusion material monsters are banished banished.
-Gem-Knight Fusion, Particle Fusion, Pyroxene Fusion: All are used to Fusion Summon "Gem-Knight" monsters.
-Overload Fusion: Used to Fusion Summon a DARK Machine-Type Fusion monster by banishing its Fusion Materials from the Graveyard (Ex. Chimeratech Overdragon, Cyberdark Dragon)
-Miracle Fusion: Used to Fusion Summon "Elemental HERO" Fusion Monsters by banishing the Fusion Material from your side of the field or grave.
-Parellel World Fusion: Same as Miracle Fusion, except you use monsters that are banished as Fusion material by returning them to the deck.
-Vehicroid Connection Zone: Used to Fusion Summon "Vehicroid" Fusion monsters. In addition to being Fusion Summoned, the monsters effects cannot be negated nor destroyed by card effects.
-Super Polymerization: At the cost of discarding 1 card from your hand, you can send Fusion Material monsters from either side of the field to Fusion Summon a monster. Your opponent cannot activate any cards in response to Super Polymerization.
-Tablet Fusion: Used to Fusion Summon "Gem-Knight" Fusion Monsters by banishing the Fusion Material monsters from your Graveyard.
Special Types of Fusion Summoning
Fusion Summoning has evolved vastly in the number of ways you can technically "Fusion Summon". Here, we are going to explore the different ways you can do so. All of these forms of Fusion Summoning do NOT require the use of "Polymerization".
1.) Contact Fusion Summon
To conduct a Contact Fusion Summon, you must return the listed Fusion Material Monsters from your side of the field to the deck. The monsters that can be Summoned using this method are the Gladiator Beast Fusion Monsters and all Elemental HERO monsters requiring Elemental HERO Neos and Neo-Spacian Monster(s). (Note: Duelists use the term Contact Fusion to describe the Fusion Summoning of Chimeratech Fortress Dragon because no Spell or Trap Card is used to Fusion Summon it, just as the case for the true Contact Fusion Monsters.)
2.) Fusion Summoning By Banishing
There are several monsters who are Fusion Summoned by banishing the listed Fusion Material from your side of the field. The only monsters that use this method of Fusion Summoning are:
1.) XY-Dragon Cannon
2.) XZ - Tank Cannon
3.) YZ - Tank Dragon
4.) XYZ - Dragon Cannon
5.) VW- Tiger Catapult
6.) VWXYZ - Dragon Cannon Catapult
7.) Armityle, The Chaos Phantom
3.) Instant Fusion
By using Instant Fusion, you can technically "Fusion Summon" any level 5 or lower Fusion monster (except Neo-Spacian Twinkle Moss and Neo-Spacian Marine Dolphin).
4.) Cyberdark Impact! and Miracle Contact
These cards technically Fusion Summons a monster so it'll get its 10-12 seconds of fame. Both of these cards have same general mechanic to it: return the Fusion Material monsters to the deck. However, the major difference is that Cyberdark Impact! is limited only to Fusion Summoning Cyberdark Dragon and the Material Monsters must all be in the Graveyard, while Miracle Contact can be from hand, field, or Graveyard to Fusion Summon any Fusion monster listing Elemental HERO Neos as a Fusion Material monster.
1.) Contact Fusion Summon
To conduct a Contact Fusion Summon, you must return the listed Fusion Material Monsters from your side of the field to the deck. The monsters that can be Summoned using this method are the Gladiator Beast Fusion Monsters and all Elemental HERO monsters requiring Elemental HERO Neos and Neo-Spacian Monster(s). (Note: Duelists use the term Contact Fusion to describe the Fusion Summoning of Chimeratech Fortress Dragon because no Spell or Trap Card is used to Fusion Summon it, just as the case for the true Contact Fusion Monsters.)
2.) Fusion Summoning By Banishing
There are several monsters who are Fusion Summoned by banishing the listed Fusion Material from your side of the field. The only monsters that use this method of Fusion Summoning are:
1.) XY-Dragon Cannon
2.) XZ - Tank Cannon
3.) YZ - Tank Dragon
4.) XYZ - Dragon Cannon
5.) VW- Tiger Catapult
6.) VWXYZ - Dragon Cannon Catapult
7.) Armityle, The Chaos Phantom
3.) Instant Fusion
By using Instant Fusion, you can technically "Fusion Summon" any level 5 or lower Fusion monster (except Neo-Spacian Twinkle Moss and Neo-Spacian Marine Dolphin).
4.) Cyberdark Impact! and Miracle Contact
These cards technically Fusion Summons a monster so it'll get its 10-12 seconds of fame. Both of these cards have same general mechanic to it: return the Fusion Material monsters to the deck. However, the major difference is that Cyberdark Impact! is limited only to Fusion Summoning Cyberdark Dragon and the Material Monsters must all be in the Graveyard, while Miracle Contact can be from hand, field, or Graveyard to Fusion Summon any Fusion monster listing Elemental HERO Neos as a Fusion Material monster.