Xyz Monster

An Xyz Monster (pronounced ik-seez ; Japanese: エクシーズモンスター Ekushīzu Monsutā, abbreviated モンスター in card text since Duelist Alliance; Chinese: 超量怪獸 Chāoliàng Guàishòu "Exceeding Beast") is a type of Monster Card that is colored black. They are stored in the Extra Deck. The card frame is also stylized by having it appear as if one is flying through space with many stars in the frame giving the appearance of one streaking by them and other stars appearing stationary due to relative distance (giving a realistic depiction of moving through space). According to Konami, Xyz Monsters are made of antimatter, and have traveled to Yuma's dimension from the other side of a black hole.

Like other Extra Deck monsters, Xyz Monsters cannot exist in the hand or Main Deck (even with card effects). If an Xyz Monster would be moved to the hand or Main Deck, it is returned to the Extra Deck instead. If a card like "Transmigration Break" or "Degenerate Circuit" is applying, this will override the Xyz Monster's ability to return to the Extra Deck.

Like other Extra Deck monsters, if an Xyz Monster is not Xyz Summoned first, it cannot be Special Summoned from the Graveyard or while banished (unless it specifies another way to properly Special Summon it).

Ranks
Xyz Monsters do not have Levels, and instead have a Rank. An Xyz Monster's Rank determines the required Levels of the Xyz Materials needed in order to Xyz Summon it. An Xyz Monster's Rank is depicted by a row of yellow stars in black orbs (as opposed to the yellow stars in red orbs used to depict a monster's Level) that extend outwards from the left-hand side of the card (the opposite side to Level stars), similar to Dark Synchro Monsters.

Because they do not have Levels, Xyz Monsters cannot be used for Ritual, Synchro, or Xyz Summons (unless otherwise specified). Effects that depend on a monster's Level, such as "Gravity Bind", "Burden of the Mighty", and "Roulette Barrel", have no effect on Xyz Monsters.

Xyz Summoning
A Xyz Summon is the act of Summoning an Xyz Monster from the Extra Deck using 2 or more monsters of the same Level as Xyz Materials. During the Main Phase, the turn player can Xyz Summon an Xyz Monster from the Extra Deck with a Rank with the value as the Levels of the Xyz Materials. When an Xyz Monster is Xyz Summoned, the Xyz Materials are stacked and placed underneath the Xyz Monster.

Xyz Materials
To perform an Xyz Summon, 2 or more monsters with the same Level must be used as the Xyz Materials. Token Monsters and monsters that do not have Levels (such as Xyz Monsters) cannot be used as Xyz Materials; however, Trap Monsters can be used. While the majority of the Xyz Monsters require 2 Xyz Materials, many Xyz Monsters require more or can use a variable number of materials. While attached to an Xyz Monster (underneath the Xyz Monster Card), Xyz Materials are not treated as being on the field; however, being attached as an Xyz Material or used as an Xyz Material in an Xyz Summon is not considered to be leaving the field.

Most Xyz Monsters require the player to detach their Xyz Materials as a cost to activate their effects, limiting their number of activations. If an Xyz Monster is no longer on the field, its Xyz Materials are sent to the Graveyard. Xyz Materials remain attached if an Xyz Monster is flipped face-down.

ATK and DEF
Generally, Xyz Monsters with 3000 or more ATK have either negative effects or rather difficult Summoning requirements, such as "Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction" and "Superdimensional Robot Galaxy Destroyer".

Effects
Usually, Xyz Monsters need to detach an Xyz Material to activate their effects, meaning their effects often have a limited number of uses.

Xyz Evolution
Several Xyz Monsters can be Special Summoned by Xyz Evolution, a kind of Special Summon treated as an Xyz Summon. Xyz Evolution allows an Xyz Monster to be Special Summoned using another Xyz Monster as its Xyz Material, also that Xyz Monster's Xyz Materials are attached to the Summoned Xyz Monster as well.

Some examples of monsters that can be Special Summoned by Xyz Evolution are "Number C39: Utopia Ray" and "Gaia Dragon, the Thunder Charger".

Rank-Up
"Rank-Up-Magic" Spell Cards perform an Xyz Evolution, Special Summoning an Xyz Monster with a higher Rank than the original Xyz Monster. They all only Special Summon "Number C" or "CXyz" Xyz Monsters (except "Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force"). While "Number C" and "CXyz" can also be Xyz Summoned normally, they are usually require large numbers of Xyz Materials (usually with a specific Type or Attribute) making them difficult to Xyz Summon, and most require their base form attached to use some of their effects.

Some examples include "Number C39: Utopia Ray V", "Number C96: Dark Storm", "Number C101: Silent Honor DARK", "CXyz Skypalace Babylon" and "CXyz Coach Lord Ultimatrainer".

Rank-Down
The Spell Cards "Rank-Down-Magic Numeron Fall" and "Rank-Down-Magic Utopia Fall" perform an Xyz Evolution, Special Summoning an Xyz Monster with a lower Rank than the original Xyz Monster. Unlike Rank-Up-Magic, they are not associated with "Number C" and "CXyz" monsters.

In the anime
Similar to how Synchro Monsters played a big role in the plot of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's and were meant to destroy the world, Xyz Monsters play a similar role in Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL and are claimed to be destined to destroy all universes, namely the "Numbers".

Trivia

 * Machine is the Type with the largest variety of Ranks. There are Machine-Type Xyz Monsters that are Rank 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11.
 * The Machine-Type "CXyz Skypalace Babylon" is the only Rank 11 Xyz Monster.
 * "Number F0: Utopic Future" and "Number S0: Hope ZEXAL" are currently the only Xyz Monsters that do not have a printed Rank (although they are always treated as Rank 1)


 * The background image (the black part) of an Xyz Monster card is similar to the card artwork of "Rank-Up-Magic Numeron Force".
 * Xyz Monsters can be seen as a conceptual evolution of Dark Synchro Monsters from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's:
 * This is most evident when comparing the two visually: both Dark Synchro and Xyz Monsters are black cards with a left-aligned row of modified star pips to represent an alternate property to standard Levels: Negative Levels or Ranks, respectively. Both have also been considered "opposite" to standard Synchro Monsters.
 * Gameplay-wise, this is noticeable when looking at the "ultimate" Dark Synchro Monster, Ultimaya Tzolkin, whose Level of 0 required the Dark Tuner and other monster used as its Material to be the same Level, much like an Xyz Summon. While no longer requiring a Tuner - Dark or otherwise - this Level-matching mechanic remains intact for Xyz Summoning, though now requiring the Materials to be of a particular Level.