Just making sure this is legal. Can a face down monster attack? Yes it can happen, but can it declare an attack? I'd expect it to be 0 atk until it flips, but just checking since it's the strangest possible thing I can think of and only one way to do it.

I know which card you are referring to and the answer is no, a face-down monster may not declare an attack. You will have to Flip Summon it to face-up ATK position to declare an attack with it.

Bummer. Thanks. We thought you could.

The only monster that flips face-up is the monster that is face-down being attacked. If they attack your face-down ATK Position monster, at the beginning of the damage step, it is flipped face-up and we go through all the shenanigans before ending up at the damage calculations. =0

I do not understand this Simon, why wouldn't a face down monster in attack position not be able to attack? It is in the proper position to attack hence the term attack position.

Because the monster is not officially summoned. Think of it this way .. when a monster is set, it's in the process of coming to the field. Thus not fully there. Until it is fully summoned, it can only defend itself.

The rule book just says a monster has to be in attack position to attack. It's been sent to the judges board so we'll have to wait for an official ruling. I don't see why it couldn't attack other than it's weird, but it shouldn't prevent it by any game mechanic or ruling.

If that logic were true, then cards like Just Desserts would not deal the 500 damage from the set monster on the field.

It is considered to be on the field, but a face down monster has no atk or def value so how can you determine it? Not only that, but only a defending monster can be flipped face up during damage calculation. I have yet to see anything that allows an attacking monster to flip face up.

Why would it be any different than a defending monster? I would think it would flip at the same time a defending monster would flip. What makes it any different?

If you allowed a face-down monster to attack, you would need to give it some form of value for atk and def. If you didn't, then cards like Magic Cylinder or Draining Shield would cause problems because there are no stats to refer to.

Also, if you gave face down monsters a value then what need would there be to flip them up in the first place? Damage Calculation could be performed with them in that position because of their value.

It would require a lot of things to be amended if that ever were to occur.

Why would it be any different than a defense position monster? If it gets to the damage calculation then it flips just like a defense monster, then you check it's value. If it's a flip effect monster it's effect activates just like a def monster. It's atk and def is considered 0 until it flips in the damage calculation step when it flips. That's how I see it. Seems simple to me. I don't see why it couldn't attack if it's in attack position. but I'll just hope the judges board decides to answer the question.

It would have to flip when you attack to show it's stats so i would say no like Simon did.

Darkness approaches
Text
Discard 2 cards from your hand. Select 1 face-up monster and flip it face-down, but do not change its battle position.

That's the card I believe brings up the situation

And I think that if it's in attack mode it can attack but it flips up after battle like a face up defense monster.

It would have to be able to attack... it's in attack mode

A face-down card cannot be used to declare an attack with.

Wait, wait, I'm drawing blanks, I always thought that a face-down monster can only be in defense position ?