Return Triumphant MTG Card

It grants card advantage by returning a creature from the graveyard to your hand. Enhances a creature on the battlefield without extra mana at instant speed. It has versatility across different deck types with combo and meta-relevance.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery
Abilities	Role token
Released	2023-09-08
Set symbol
Set name	Wilds of Eldraine
Set code	WOE
Number	26
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Will Gist

Text of card

Return target creature card with mana value 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield. Create a Young Hero Role token attached to it. (Enchanted creature has "Whenever this creature attacks, if its toughness is 3 or less, put a +1/+1 counter on it." If you put another Role on the creature later, put this one into the graveyard.)

Cards like Return Triumphant

Return Triumphant is a noteworthy card that resonates with players who enjoy reclaiming creatures from the graveyard. It’s akin to other resurrection spells such as Unearth and Breath of Life. Unearth allows you to return a small creature to play at a low cost, but it’s only a temporary revival. Breath of Life, in turn, brings a creature back permanently similar to Return Triumphant, yet it doesn’t target solely your own graveyard.

Excluding the graveyard targeting, we see similarities with cards like Zombify and Resurrection. These cards share the common ground of reanimating creatures, yet Return Triumphant affords a strategic advantage by potentially bringing back a creature with a powerful enter-the-battlefield effect, applying pressure on the opponent.

In sum, Return Triumphant stands as a potent option among rejuvenation spells. Its ability to selectively pull from any graveyard gives it a significant edge, strengthening its position in decks focused on maximizing creature recovery and maintaining board presence.

Cards similar to Return Triumphant by color, type and mana cost

Gather the Townsfolk - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Return Triumphant. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

Name	Format	Archetype	Event
Four-color Mill	Gladiator		Gladiator Games: We're Back
Mono-White Midrange	Gladiator		Sword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 08 2024
Orzhov Ephemerate	Pauper	Orzhov Ephemerate	Monthly Tournament #33
Caw-Gates	Pauper	Caw-Gates	Pauper League 2023-11-15

Card Pros

Card Advantage: What really sets Return Triumphant apart is its ability to bring a creature card from your graveyard to your hand. This not only recovers an important piece from the graveyard but also gives you an extra card to play, effectively nourishing your hand and options on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: In playing Return Triumphant, you’re not just retrieving a creature, but you’re also placing a +1/+1 counter on a creature you control, subtly boosting your board’s potency without the need for additional mana investment. This helps speed up the pace at which your creatures become threats.

Instant Speed: The power to play Return Triumphant at instant speed is a tactical game-changer. It allows you to react to your opponent’s moves by resurrecting a key card at a pivotal moment or after they have committed to their turn, keeping them on their toes and your plans flexible.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Return Triumphant requires discarding a card as part of its casting cost. This can put you at a disadvantage, especially if you are already behind on card advantage or in need of all cards in your hand to maintain board presence and strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: With a color-specific mana requirement, this card is tailored to a particular deck type, potentially limiting its versatility across diverse deck builds. Players not running the necessary colors may find this card difficult to use efficiently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana cost of Return Triumphant can be quite high when considering the card’s overall impact on the game. There are alternative cards that may provide greater value or impact for the same or lesser mana investment, making them more appealing options in a tightly constructed deck.

Reasons to Include Return Triumphant in Your Collection

Versatility: Return Triumphant shines as a card capable of swinging games in your favor, suitable for decks that seek to reclaim key creatures from the graveyard. Its use isn’t bound to just one archetype, making it a flexible addition to various strategies.

Combo Potential: This card can set up powerful plays by returning creatures with enter-the-battlefield effects to the hand, synergizing with strategies that exploit such repeated effects for maximum impact.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the prevalent graveyard interaction in numerous formats, having access to Return Triumphant allows for strategic reutilization of creatures, adapting well to decks that constantly need to maintain board presence against control or graveyard-based adversaries.

How to beat

Return Triumphant is a card that showcases the seamless blend of creature recursion and combat enhancement often sought after by MTG players. When faced with this card, it’s worth noting that its strength relies heavily on the value of the creature it brings back. To counter this, control strategies focusing on graveyard disruption can be highly effective. Running cards that exile cards from your opponent’s graveyard can nip the problem in the bud, rendering Return Triumphant far less impactful. Cards like Relic of Progenitus or Scavenging Ooze work well in this regard.

Moreover, instant speed removal spells that can target creatures as they enter the battlefield can undercut the advantageous timing that Return Triumphant depends on. Think along the lines of cards like Path to Exile or Fatal Push, which can take out a returned creature before it can make an impact in combat. This strategy not only deprives your opponent of their creature but also wastes their resources, providing a significant tempo swing in your favor.

By combining graveyard hate with timely creature removals, you can effectively diminish the card’s potential advantages, keeping your opponent’s board presence in check and maintaining control of the game.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Return Triumphant MTG card by a specific set like Wilds of Eldraine, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Return Triumphant and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Return Triumphant has restrictions

Format	Legality
Standard	Legal
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Alchemy	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Future	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Brawl	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Return Triumphant card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2023-09-01	A permanent can have multiple Roles attached to it if each one is controlled by a different player.
2023-09-01	Cards in the Wilds of Eldraine main set create six different Role tokens: Cursed, Monster, Royal, Sorcerer, Wicked, and Young Hero. A seventh Role token, Virtuous, is created by Ellivere of the Wild Court, the commander of the “Virtue and Valor” Commander Deck.
2023-09-01	Hexproof and shroud won’t prevent a Role from becoming attached to a permanent if the ability creating that Role attached to that permanent doesn’t target it.
2023-09-01	If a permanent has more than one Role attached to it controlled by the same player, each of those Roles except the one with the most recent timestamp is put into its owner’s graveyard. This is a state-based action.
2023-09-01	If two or more Roles controlled by the same player become attached to a permanent at the same time (perhaps due to an effect such as that of Doubling Season), that player chooses which one to keep and which are put into their owners’ graveyards.
2023-09-01	In rare cases, a spell or ability might attempt to create a Role token enchanting a permanent that it can’t legally enchant (because of an ability like protection from enchantments). In such cases, the Role token isn’t created.
2023-09-01	Roles are colorless enchantment tokens. Each one has the Aura and Role subtypes and the enchant creature ability.
2023-09-01	Some spells and abilities that create Role tokens require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won’t resolve. The Role token won’t be created.