Return to hand

A return to hand or return effect is a card effect whereby a minion, or more rarely a weapon or spell, is returned to the controlling player's hand. The target returns to its original card form, complete with mana cost, and becomes part of the player's hand. Any damage, enchantments and Silences on the minion are removed in the process. Permanent effects such as transformations are not removed.

Return effects are distinguished from shuffle into deck effects, which place a card into the player's unused deck, and then shuffle the deck.

Notes

• Return effects may be used against enemy or allied minions, although some cards may restrict it to one or the other.
• Return effects can be used on uncollectible cards that cannot otherwise be found in a player's hand, such as the Sheep generated by Polymorph, or the Poultryizer generated by Gelbin Mekkatorque. These cards have mana costs and function just like any other card in hand.
• Return effects return the minion to the hand of the controlling player, even if that is not the player who originally summoned the minion. For example, Shadow Madness grants the caster control of an enemy minion until the end of the turn. Using a return effect on the minion while it is controlled will place it in the caster's hand, effectively transferring control of the minion permanently.
• If a card is returned to the controlling player's hand when the player already has 10 cards in their hand, the returning card will be destroyed. Any consequences such as Deathrattles and death-related triggered effects will take place as if the minion had died normally. Because of this, return effects can be strategically used to directly destroy minions when the controlling player's hand is full.
• Return effects remove all enchantments and other card modifications, even those which are present on cards while in the hand, such as those granted by The Mistcaller. However, cards under the effect of Crystal Core do not lose their modifications.
• There is to date only one spell return to hand effect: Headcrack. In contrast to minion return to hand effects, which move the card directly from the battlefield to the player's hand, Headcrack moves the card from the Graveyard at the end of the turn. As such it is reminiscent of a resurrection effect, but unlike that type of effect it is the original Headcrack that is returned and not a copy.

Strategy

• Return effects are best known for allowing players to benefit from repeatedly triggering Battlecry effects. Minions with valuable battlecries can be played, then returned, then played again, in order to maximise the effect.
• Return effects may be used to repeatedly trigger effects from other minions e.g. Southsea Deckhand may trigger Ship's Cannon or Murloc Tidecaller may be buffed with Murloc Tidehunter.
• This is one of the only ways to move a currently active minion to another place on the battlefield, which is crucial for positional effects like that of Flametongue Totem. Other options include minion death, re-summoning, and mind control effects, but only playing the minion from the hand allows for choosing where it goes on the board.
• Return effects can also be very effective for making use of Charge minions multiple times in a single turn. This is a key part of many finishing combos, especially for rogues.
• Since minions lose all damage once returned to hand, return effects can be used to "heal" powerful but damaged minions, improving card efficiency. For example, a 6/7 minion which had been damaged to a 6/1 could be returned to the owner's hand and re-summoned as a fresh 6/7.

Known bugs

When a minion is returned to a full hand, it will be killed and trigger its Deathrattle; it is likely that they are intended to be considered "died" rather than discarded. However, Feugen and Stalagg do not count as "died" when killed by return effects, preventing their counterparts' Deathrattles from triggering properly. It is unknown whether other death-related effects are similarly affected.

Cards

Return effects are a rogue speciality, with almost half of all such cards available exclusively to rogues.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Dream	None	Spell		Any	0			Return a minion to its owner's hand.
Shadowstep	Common	Spell		Rogue	0			Return a friendly minion to your hand. It costs (2) less.
Blackjack Stunner	Rare	Minion	General	Rogue	1	1	2	Battlecry: If you control a Secret, return a minion to its owner's hand. It costs (1) more.
Pen Flinger	Common	Minion	General	Any	1	1	1	Battlecry: Deal 1 damage. Spellburst: Return this to your hand.
Freezing Trap	Common	Spell	Frost	Hunter	2			Secret: When an enemy minion attacks, return it to its owner's hand and it costs (2) more.
Kor'vas Bloodthorn	Legendary	Minion	General	Demon Hunter	2	2	2	Charge, Lifesteal After you play a card with Outcast, return this to your hand.
Sap	Free	Spell		Rogue	2			Return an enemy minion to your opponent's hand.
Tenwu of the Red Smoke	Legendary	Minion	General	Rogue	2	3	2	Battlecry: Return a friendly minion to your hand. It costs (1) this turn.
Youthful Brewmaster	Common	Minion	General	Any	2	3	2	Battlecry: Return a friendly minion from the battlefield to your hand.
Alarm-o-Bot	Rare	Minion	Mech	Any	3	0	3	At the start of your turn, swap this minion with a random one in your hand.
Headcrack	Rare	Spell		Rogue	3			Deal 2 damage to the enemy hero. Combo: Return this to your hand next turn.
Ancient Brewmaster	Common	Minion	General	Any	4	5	4	Battlecry: Return a friendly minion from the battlefield to your hand.
Shadow Hunter Vol'jin	Legendary	Minion	General	Any	5	3	6	Battlecry: Choose a minion. Swap it with a random one in its owner's hand.
Kidnapper	Epic	Minion	General	Rogue	6	5	3	Combo: Return a minion to its owner's hand.
Showing all 14 cards

Forged in the Barrens

The below cards are planned for release with Forged in the Barrens, coming March 30th, 2021.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Shadowstep	Common	Spell	Shadow	Rogue	0			Return a friendly minion to your hand. It costs (2) less.
Youthful Brewmaster	Common	Minion	General	Any	2	3	2	Battlecry: Return a friendly minion from the battlefield to your hand.
Showing all 2 cards

Wild format

This section concerns content exclusive to Wild format.

Name / Desc	Rarity	Type	Subtype	Class	Cost	Atk	HP	Description
Bloodthistle Toxin	None	Spell	Nature	Rogue	1			Return a friendly minion to your hand. It costs (2) less.
Daring Escape	Common	Spell		Rogue	1			Return all friendly minions to your hand.
Doomerang	Epic	Spell		Rogue	1			Throw your weapon at a minion. It deals its damage, then returns to your hand.
Getaway Kodo	Rare	Spell		Paladin	1			Secret: When a friendly minion dies, return it to your hand.
Time Rewinder	None	Spell		Any	1			Return a friendly minion to your hand.
Cheat Death	Common	Spell		Rogue	2			Secret: When a friendly minion dies, return it to your hand. It costs (2) less.
Clutchmother Zavas	Legendary	Minion	Beast	Warlock	2	2	2	Whenever you discard this, give it +2/+2 and return it to your hand.
Freezing Trap	Common	Spell	Frost	Hunter	2			Secret: When an enemy minion attacks, return it to its owner's hand and it costs (2) more.
Gadgetzan Ferryman	Rare	Minion	General	Rogue	2	2	3	Combo: Return a friendly minion to your hand.
Bog Slosher	Rare	Minion	Elemental	Shaman	3	3	3	Battlecry: Return a friendly minion to your hand and give it +2/+2.
Coliseum Manager	Rare	Minion	General	Any	3	2	5	Inspire: Return this minion to your hand.
Elixir of Hope	Common	Spell		Priest	3			Give a minion +2/+2 and "Deathrattle: Return this minion to your hand."
Spirit Echo	Epic	Spell		Shaman	3			Give your minions "Deathrattle: Return this to your hand."
Anub'ar Ambusher	Common	Minion	General	Rogue	4	5	5	Deathrattle: Return a random friendly minion to your hand.
Sahket Sapper	Rare	Minion	Pirate	Rogue	4	4	4	Deathrattle: Return a random enemy minion to your opponent's hand.
Waggle Pick	Epic	Weapon		Rogue	4	4	2	Deathrattle: Return a random friendly minion to your hand. It costs (2) less.
Tentacles for Arms	Epic	Weapon		Warrior	5	2	2	Deathrattle: Return this to your hand.
Grumble, Worldshaker	Legendary	Minion	Elemental	Shaman	6	7	7	Battlecry: Return your other minions to your hand. They cost (1).
The Skeleton Knight	Legendary	Minion	General	Any	6	7	4	Deathrattle: Reveal a minion in each deck. If yours costs more, return this to your hand.
Vanish	Common	Spell		Rogue	6			Return all minions to their owner's hand.
Anub'arak	Legendary	Minion	General	Rogue	9	8	4	Deathrattle: Return this to your hand and summon a 4/4 Nerubian.
Showing all 21 cards

References

	Cards
By type	Hero card Minion (Permanent) Spell Weapon
By class	Demon Hunter Druid Hunter Mage Paladin Priest Rogue Shaman Warlock Warrior Death Knight Neutral Multi-class
By minion type	All Beast Demon Dragon Elemental Mech Murloc Pirate Totem General
By spell school	Arcane Fel Fire Frost Holy Nature Shadow General
By ability	Evergreen keywords	Battlecry Choose One Combo Deathrattle Discover Divine Shield Freeze Lifesteal Outcast Overload Poisonous Rush Secret Silence Spell Damage Stealth Taunt Windfury
	Other keywords	Adapt Casts When Drawn Charge Choose Twice Corrupt Dormant Echo Frenzy Immune Inspire Invoke Jade Golem Lackey Magnetic Mega-Windfury Overkill Passive Quest Reborn Recruit Sidequest Spare Part Spellburst Start of Game Twinspell
	Other abilities	Can't attack Cast spell Copy Deal damage Destroy Discard Draw cards Elusive Enrage Equip Force attack Forgetful Gain Armor Generate Highlander Joust Modify cost Put into battlefield Put into hand Recurring Refresh Mana Remove from deck Replace Restore Health Return to hand Shuffle into deck Spend mana Steal Summon Take control Transform Unlimited attacks Upgradable
	Non-Constructed	Auto-Attack Auto-cast Shrine Start of Combat
By effect type	Area of effect In-deck effect In-hand effect On-discard effect On-draw effect Ongoing effect Positional effect Random effect Resurrection effect Triggered effect
By card set	Standard	Basic Classic Rise of Shadows Saviors of Uldum Descent of Dragons Galakrond's Awakening Demon Hunter Initiate Ashes of Outland Scholomance Academy Madness at the Darkmoon Faire
	Wild	Hall of Fame Curse of Naxxramas Goblins vs Gnomes Blackrock Mountain Grand Tournament The League of Explorers Whispers of the Old Gods One Night in Karazhan Mean Streets of Gadgetzan Journey to Un'Goro Knights of the Frozen Throne Kobolds & Catacombs The Witchwood The Boomsday Project Rastakhan's Rumble
By rarity	Free Common Rare Epic Legendary