Card Rulings:Spirit of the Pharaoh

OCG Rulings

• Sending "The First Sarcophagus", "The Second Sarcophagus" and "The Third Sarcophagus" to the Graveyard is a cost to activate the effect of "The First Sarcophagus" which Special Summons "Spirit of the Pharaoh".

• When the effect activates, you target the 1-4 Zombie-Type monsters which are to be Special Summoned.

Mentions in Other Rulings

• When "Book of Life", "Mezuki", "Zombie Master", etc target a monster under the effect of "Zombie World" and "Zombie World" is destroyed before the effect resolves, then no monster is Special Summoned. (However, "Book of Life" will still remove from play the opponent's monster.)

Previously Official Rulings

• "Spirit of the Pharaoh" cannot be Normal Summoned or Set, and cannot be Special Summoned except by the effect of "The First Sarcophagus". So "Spirit of the Pharaoh" cannot be Special Summoned with "Monster Reborn", etc., even if Special Summoned properly first.

• If your opponent chains "Royal Decree" to the effect of "The First Sarcophagus", the effect of Special Summoning is negated and "The First Sarcophagus" is sent to the Graveyard because that is the cost.

• If "Banisher of the Light" is in play and you activate "The First Sarcophagus", you cannot Special Summon "Spirit of the Pharaoh".

• You select the Zombie-Type monsters when you successfully Special Summon "Spirit of the Pharaoh", then activate his effect.

• "Spirit of the Pharaoh's" effect targets.

• You can choose whether or not to activate "Spirit of the Pharaoh's" effect, but if you activate it you must Special Summon at least 1 Zombie-Type monster.

• If you have "Stumbling" on the field and "Spirit of the Pharaoh" is Special Summoned, his effect can be activated but it is a Chain with "Stumbling" as Step 1 and "Spirit of the Pharaoh" as Step 2.

• If a Zombie-Type monster had its Level reduced by "Cost Down", that reduction no longer applies when it is in the Graveyard.

• If you activate "Spirit of the Pharaoh's" effect and "Enemy Controller" is chained, and control of "Spirit of the Pharaoh" switches, the effect is still controlled by the activator of "Spirit of the Pharaoh's" effect.

Mentions in Other Rulings

• Chosen One: You may not select a monster that can only be Special Summoned by a specific effect for this card's effect, such as... "Spirit of the Pharaoh". If the only Monster Card in your hand is a monster such as these, then you cannot activate "Chosen One".

• Enemy Controller: When "Spirit of the Pharaoh" is Special Summoned, and "Enemy Controller" is chained to the effect, the player who Special Summoned "Spirit of the Pharaoh" gets the effect because they activated the effect.

• Pyramid Turtle: You may Special Summon a high-level monster with "Pyramid Turtle's" effect... but not a Special-Summon only monster (like "Spirit of the Pharaoh").

• The First Sarcophagus: If you have multiple copies of "The First Sarcophagus", each will have its own "Second Sarcophagus" and "Third Sarcophagus". So if you have 2 of "The First Sarcophagus", you will have 2 of "The Second Sarcophagus" on the field. If you Special Summon "Spirit of the Pharaoh" or if 1 of the Sarcophagi is removed from the field, all Sarcophagi cards are sent to the Graveyard.