Goat format ruling
Dark Paladin
Card effect (current official text)"Dark Magician" + "Buster Blader"
Must be Fusion Summoned. When a Spell Card is activated (Quick Effect): You can discard 1 card; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy it. This card must be face-up on the field to activate and to resolve this effect. Gains 500 ATK for each Dragon monster on the field and in the GY.
Rulings
- Dark Paladin cannot be Special Summoned, EXCEPT by Fusion Summon. So you cannot Special Summon Dark Paladin using Monster Reborn, etc., even if he was properly Summoned before. You cannot Special Summon Dark Paladin using Magical Scientist, etc.
- You can use substitute Fusion Material Monsters such as Goddess With the Third Eye, etc. to Fusion Summon Dark Paladin.
- Dark Paladin's Spell-negating effect is a Multi-Trigger Effect, so it can be activated during your opponent's turn.
- You can activate Dark Paladin's Spell-negating effect multiple times in the same chain.
- Dark Paladin's Spell-negating effect can be chained to.
- If you activate Dark Paladin's Spell-negating effect, and your opponent chains Ring of Destruction to destroy Dark Paladin, the Spell Card is still negated even though Dark Paladin is destroyed.
- If you activate Dark Paladin's Spell-negating effect, and your opponent chains Book of Moon to flip Dark Paladin face-down, the Spell Card is still negated even though Dark Paladin is face-down.
- Dark Paladin's +500 ATK effect is a Continuous Effect. While Skill Drain is applying, the effects of Dark Paladin are negated.
- Q: Can you use "Metamorphosis" to get "Dark Paladin" from the Fusion deck? A: "Dark Paladin" has the text This monster can only be Special Summoned by Fusion Summon. This means that you can Fusion Summon "Dark Paladin" from your Fusion Deck using "Polymerization" or "Fusion Gate." You cannot Special Summon "Dark Paladin" from your Fusion Deck using "Magical Scientist" or "Summoner of Illusions" or "Metamorphosis." 12/16/2003
- Q: Can you use Fusion substitution monsters ("Goddess with the Third Eye," "Versago the Destroyer", etc.) to Fusion Summon "Dark Paladin"? A: Yes, you can use fusion substitutions with Dark Paladin. 2/5/04
- Q: Can "Dark Paladin’s" effect be activated in the Damage Step? A: Yes, you can activate the effect of "Dark Paladin" during the Damage Step.
Rulings data courtesy of Format Library — formatlibrary.com. Spotted an inaccuracy? Flag it in the Goat forum — sourced change requests get reviewed.