Dutiful Return MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. Enables strategic comebacks and card advantage by returning two creatures to hand.
  2. Requires careful deck construction given its specific mana cost and impact on hand advantage.
  3. Despite its higher casting cost, the double creature return can be a game-changer.

Text of card

Return up to two target creature cards from your graveyard to your hand.

"We have a word for enemies too mutilated for military service: furniture." —Taigam, Sidisi's Hand


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Dutiful Return shines by returning up to two creature cards from your graveyard to your hand, setting the stage for a strategic comeback and providing a significant card advantage to outmaneuver your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: While Dutiful Return doesn’t directly accelerate your resources, the ability to retrieve key creatures can be pivotal in rebuilding your board presence and leveraging them for critical plays in subsequent turns.

Instant Speed: Although Dutiful Return is a sorcery and can’t be played at instant speed, the tactical advantage it confers when timed correctly can rival that of instant-speed spells by meticulously planning your graveyard retrieval to coincide with your game plan.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Although Dutiful Return allows you to bring creatures back from the graveyard, it does not do so without its own cost. This card does not have a direct discard requirement, but its inclusion in your hand means one less card available for other actions or strategic plays. Maintaining hand advantage is crucial, and playing Dutiful Return may sometimes conflict with that goal.

Specific Mana Cost: Dutiful Return has a black mana specific cost, which means it slots into decks that run Swamps or have access to black mana sources. If your deck doesn’t support black mana or is already strained on color requirements, including Dutiful Return might be challenging to justify, given the necessity to meet its color demands.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of four mana, two of which must be black, Dutiful Return’s effectiveness needs to be measured against other options available within the same mana range. Considering that some cheaper spells can recur creatures or provide greater value, the mana investment in Dutiful Return can sometimes be seen as steep for the effect it provides, making it less efficient in scenarios where mana economy is key to victory.


Reasons to Include Dutiful Return in Your Collection

Versatility: Dutiful Return offers flexibility across different deck types. This card allows players to bring back two creatures from the graveyard to their hand. It’s particularly useful in decks that capitalize on graveyard mechanics or require consistent creature recovery.

Combo Potential: The real strength of Dutiful Return lies in its ability to set up powerful combos. By retrieving combo pieces from the graveyard, players can re-establish board presence or reinitiate interrupted synergies. This reanimation spell could be a linchpin in recurring engine combos or in decks that sacrifice creatures for greater benefits.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that’s heavy on removal and where creatures are often targets, Dutiful Return gains value. It can help players recover key creatures after a board wipe or targeted removals, keeping them resilient against control strategies that aim to deplete resources.


How to beat

Dutiful Return brings a unique dynamic into MTG as it allows players to retrieve not one, but two creatures from their graveyard to their hand. This kind of resurrection power can be a game-changer, especially in decks that focus on creature synergies. To effectively counter this card, it is crucial to strategize around graveyard disruption. There are multiple ways to achieve this, with cards that exile target cards from graveyards, like Scavenging Ooze or Rest in Peace, that can preemptively remove key creatures before your opponent has the chance to bring them back.

Another tactic is applying pressure with fast-paced aggro decks that minimize the time opponents have to stabilize and utilize their recursion strategies. One more approach is utilizing counterspells to negate Dutiful Return right as it’s cast, preventing any creatures from ever making a return trip. After all, an ounce of prevention in MTG often outweighs a pound of cure, making cards like Dutiful Return less menacing. By understanding how to mitigate its influence, players can navigate around an opponent’s planned comeback and maintain the upper hand.


Cards like Dutiful Return

Dutiful Return serves as a unique option for players looking to regain board presence by returning creatures from the graveyard to their hand. Within the pool of graveyard retrieval spells in MTG, Dutiful Return often gets compared to similar mechanics like Disentomb or Raise Dead which allow for the return of a single creature, but for much less mana. What gives Dutiful Return its edge is the capability to reclaim two creatures at once, providing a strategic advantage in terms of card economy.

Another card that echoes the functionality of Dutiful Return is Morbid Plunder. While both cards provide revival of exactly two creatures, Morbid Plunder requires one less mana to cast. This can be critical for efficiency in gameplay, albeit at the loss of versatility that the spell’s black mana requirement imposes, unlike Dutiful Return’s broader color allowance. Then there’s the spell Endless Obedience, which has a higher casting cost but also includes the convoke mechanic, allowing tap of creatures to pay for the spell. This can be advantageous for decks that deploy numerous creatures, converting board presence into a valuable resource for spellcasting.

Whether players prioritize low-cost efficiency or quantity of returns, Dutiful Return has a well-established position in MTG due to its unique balance between card advantage and casting cost, offering a pivotal effect for late-game comebacks.

Disentomb - MTG Card versions
Raise Dead - MTG Card versions
Morbid Plunder - MTG Card versions
Endless Obedience - MTG Card versions
Disentomb - Magic 2010 (M10)
Raise Dead - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Morbid Plunder - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)
Endless Obedience - Magic 2015 (M15)

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

Stench of Evil - MTG Card versions
Fatal Lore - MTG Card versions
Mind Warp - MTG Card versions
Final Strike - MTG Card versions
Persecute - MTG Card versions
Ancient Craving - MTG Card versions
Unmask - MTG Card versions
Reprocess - MTG Card versions
Befoul - MTG Card versions
Mutilate - MTG Card versions
Extinction Event - MTG Card versions
Terisiare's Devastation - MTG Card versions
Zombify - MTG Card versions
Cranial Extraction - MTG Card versions
Aphetto Dredging - MTG Card versions
Agonizing Memories - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Tutor - MTG Card versions
Memoricide - MTG Card versions
Massacre - MTG Card versions
All Hallow's Eve - MTG Card versions
Stench of Evil - Ice Age (ICE)
Fatal Lore - Alliances (ALL)
Mind Warp - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Final Strike - Portal (POR)
Persecute - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Ancient Craving - Crimson Vow Commander (VOC)
Unmask - From the Vault: Lore (V16)
Reprocess - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Befoul - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Mutilate - Warhammer 40,000 Commander (40K)
Extinction Event - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Terisiare's Devastation - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Zombify - Masters 25 (A25)
Cranial Extraction - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Aphetto Dredging - Premium Deck Series: Slivers (H09)
Agonizing Memories - Tenth Edition (10E)
Diabolic Tutor - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Memoricide - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Massacre - Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)
All Hallow's Eve - Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dutiful Return MTG card by a specific set like Khans of Tarkir and Khans of Tarkir, 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 Dutiful Return and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Dutiful Return Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2014-09-26 and 2015-10-02. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12014-09-26Khans of TarkirKTK 712015normalblackSeb McKinnon
22014-09-26Khans of TarkirKTK 71y2015normalblackAndrew Mar
32015-10-02Battle for ZendikarBFZ 1102015normalblackAnna Steinbauer

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Dutiful Return has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

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