Can I tribute a face down card to activate an effect? It depends on the situation. For example, a Continuous Effect can only be activated while you control one or more monsters. It’s best to tribute a face-down monster to activate an effect, not a face-up one. It is possible to activate an Icarus Attack by tributing a face-down card.
Table of Contents
Effect Monsters cannot be Tributed while the monster is face-down
It is possible to Special Summon Effect Monsters while they are face-down, but it is illegal to activate its Ignition effects while it is face-down. You cannot use “Reasoning” to Special Summon a monster. “Return from a Different Dimension” cannot be Special Summoned, as it is a maintenance cost. It does not begin a Chain, however. Kotodama can destroy Effect Monsters and Sheep Tokens.
In addition to these effects, there are some other cards that target a specific type of monster. For example, “Trap Hole” targets only one monster. And “Cyber Phoenix” cannot target itself. Generally, targeting effects are easily distinguished. If you cannot target a specific card, “Icarus Attack” isn’t an effect. It’s simply a keyword in a card’s name.
“Relinquished” is another card with an interesting effect. It equips itself with a monster during the Main Phase, occupying the Spell & Trap Zone. While equipped, this monster destroys any Equip Spell Cards in the opponent’s hand and gains the ATK and DEF of the monster it equips. The monster equipped with “Relinquished” does not gain its effects, however.
Continuous Effect only applies while you control 1+ monsters
Activate a Continuous Effect while you control 1+ monsters in your Graveyard. Continuous Effects are not chains but instead react to a specific event in a way that is immediate. For example, the Continuous Effect for “Blowback Dragon” would activate while it is in play, then be sent to the graveyard after it is destroyed. This type of Continuous Effect also has no Spell Speed and counts only face-up monsters on the field.
Activating Icarus Attack by tributing a face-down monster
Activating Icarus Attack by relating a face down monster to Lilith is an uncommon trick to play. Lilith will search for traps, then tribute another monster to do the same. This effect will resolve in the Graveyard if there is no monster to sacrifice. During the substep, the target monster is flipped face up. If a Continuous Effect destroys a monster, it will not apply until after the damage calculation. Some cards and Trigger Effects also activate during this substep, however. This is because monsters and Counter Traps can activate during this step.
