Tribute Summon, called Advance Summon (Japanese: アドバンス 召 ( しょう ) 喚 ( かん ) Adobansu Shōkan "Advance Summon") in the OCG and the post-Yu-Gi-Oh! GX anime series, is a form of Normal Summoning a Level 5 or higher monster by Tributing at least one monster you control. It was previously referred to as a Sacrifice Summon ( 生 ( い ) け 贄 ( にえ ) 召 ( しょう ) 喚 ( かん ) Ikenie Shōkan) in the OCG and the Yu-Gi-Oh! and Yu-Gi-Oh! GX anime series.
By default, Level 5 and 6 monsters require one Tribute, while Level 7 and higher require two Tributes. Tribute Summon counts toward the turn's Normal Summon/Set limit.
Tributing a monster for a Tribute Summon is part of a Summoning condition. Therefore, if the Tribute Summon is negated, the Tributed monster(s) will not return to the field.
If no cards are Tributed to perform the Normal Summon of a Level 5 or higher monster (as in the case of "Mausoleum of the Emperor"), the Summon is not a Tribute Summon, unless a card specifies otherwise (such as "Tribute Burial").
Tribute Set is to Set a Level 5 or higher monster.
Some Level 8 or higher monsters can be Normal Summoned with three Tributes, instead of just two, and activate a further effect when Tribute Summoned this way.
Some monsters can only be Normal Summoned with three Tributes, some of which even specify the Tribute requirements (such as "Steelswarm Hercules", and most Main Deck Match winners). Many of those monsters cannot be Special Summoned.
Some monsters allow Spell or Trap Cards to be Tributed in place of monsters, such as "Dinomight Knight, the True Dracofighter" and "Ancient Gear Castle".
Some high-Level monsters are allowed to be Normal Summoned with fewer or no Tributes. "Fog King" can be Tribute Summoned with 1 Tribute, or Normal Summoned without a Tribute. "Mausoleum of the Emperor" allows either player to pay Life Points instead of Tributing monsters. Depending on their stats, these monsters usually have a negative effect when summoned by their reduced Tribute requirement, such as having less ATK, leaving the field at the end of the turn, or not being allowed to attack.