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Return the Favor
Instant
uncommon
Spree (Choose one or more additional costs.) + — Copy target instant spell, sorcery spell, activated ability, or triggered ability. You may choose new targets for the copy. + — Change the target of target spell or ability with a single target.
Semantic Tags
A keyword ability that creates copies of a spell. See rule 702.40, “Storm.”
Format Legality
Price history
Printings (4)
| Set | Rarity | TCGplayer | Card Kingdom | Cardmarket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The List#OTJ-142 | uncommon | · | · | · |
| Secret Lair Drop#7080 | rare | · | · | · |
| Secrets of Strixhaven Mystical Archive#47 | uncommon | · | · | · |
| Outlaws of Thunder Junction#142 | uncommon | · | · | · |
Related Concepts
Related Rules
One card (Apocalypse Chime) refers to permanents with a name originally printed in the Homelands™ expansion. Those names are Abbey Gargoyles; Abbey Matron; Aether Storm; Aliban’s Tower; Ambush; Ambush Party; Anaba Ancestor; Anaba Bodyguard; Anaba Shaman; Anaba Spirit Crafter; An-Havva Constable; An-Havva Inn; An-Havva Township; An-Zerrin Ruins; Apocalypse Chime; Autumn Willow; Aysen Abbey; Aysen Bureaucrats; Aysen Crusader; Aysen Highway; Baki’s Curse; Baron Sengir; Beast Walkers; Black Carriage; Broken Visage; Carapace; Castle Sengir; Cemetery Gate; Chain Stasis; Chandler; Clockwork Gnomes; Clockwork Steed; Clockwork Swarm; Coral Reef; Dark Maze; Daughter of Autumn; Death Speakers; Didgeridoo; Drudge Spell; Dry Spell; Dwarven Pony; Dwarven Sea Clan; Dwarven Trader; Ebony Rhino; Eron the Relentless; Evaporate; Faerie Noble; Feast of the Unicorn; Feroz’s Ban; Folk of An-Havva; Forget; Funeral March; Ghost Hounds; Giant Albatross; Giant Oyster; Grandmother Sengir; Greater Werewolf; Hazduhr the Abbot; Headstone; Heart Wolf; Hungry Mist; Ihsan’s Shade; Irini Sengir; Ironclaw Curse; Jinx; Joven; Joven’s Ferrets; Joven’s Tools; Koskun Falls; Koskun Keep; Labyrinth Minotaur; Leaping Lizard; Leeches; Mammoth Harness; Marjhan; Memory Lapse; Merchant Scroll; Mesa Falcon; Mystic Decree; Narwhal; Orcish Mine; Primal Order; Prophecy; Rashka the Slayer; Reef Pirates; Renewal; Retribution; Reveka, Wizard Savant; Root Spider; Roots; Roterothopter; Rysorian Badger; Samite Alchemist; Sea Sprite; Sea Troll; Sengir Autocrat; Sengir Bats; Serra Aviary; Serra Bestiary; Serra Inquisitors; Serra Paladin; Serrated Arrows; Shrink; Soraya the Falconer; Spectral Bears; Timmerian Fiends; Torture; Trade Caravan; Truce; Veldrane of Sengir; Wall of Kelp; Willow Faerie; Willow Priestess; Winter Sky; and Wizards’ School.
Storm is a triggered ability that functions on the stack. “Storm” means “When you cast this spell, copy it for each other spell that was cast before it this turn. If the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for any of the copies.”
Storm
If a spell has multiple instances of storm, each triggers separately.
When casting a spell bestowed, only its characteristics as modified by the bestow ability are evaluated to determine if it can be cast.
Spree
Spree is a static ability found on some modal spells (see rule 700.2) that applies while the spell on the stack. Spree means “Choose one or more modes. As an additional cost to cast this spell, pay the costs associated with those modes.”
Cards with the spree ability have a plus sign icon in the upper right corner of the card, and use a plus sign (+) rather than traditional bullet points. These symbols are a visual reminder that this card requires an additional cost to be cast, and do not have additional rules meaning.
Rulings
If all targets for the chosen modes become illegal before a spell with spree resolves, the spell won't resolve and none of its effects will happen. If at least one target is still legal, the spell will resolve but will have no effect on any illegal targets.
If an effect allows you to cast a spell with spree "without paying its mana cost," you must still choose at least one mode and pay the associated additional costs.
The copy made by the effect of Return the Favor's first mode is created on the stack, so it's not "cast" or "activated."
Each additional cost and associated mode in the text box is also preceded with a + indicator. These symbols also have no rules meaning and serve only to remind players that the listed costs are additional costs.
You choose the modes as you cast the spell with spree. Once modes are chosen, they can't be changed.
Spells with spree have a + (plus sign) indicator in the upper right corner of the card frame. This has no rules meaning and serves only to remind players that at least one additional cost is required to cast the spell.
If a spell that's copied has an X whose value was determined as it was cast, the copy will have the same value of X. The same is true for an ability that's copied and an X whose value was determined as the ability was activated.
You must choose at least one of the listed modes and pay its associated additional cost in order to cast a spell with spree.
If a spell or ability targets multiple things, you can't target it with Return the Favor's second mode, even if all but one of those targets have become illegal.
No matter which modes you choose, you always follow the instructions in the order they are written.
If you copy a spell with the first mode, you can't choose to pay any additional costs for the copy. However, effects based on any additional costs that were paid for the original spell are copied as though those same costs were paid for the copy too.
The mana value of a spell with spree is determined only by its mana cost (in the upper right corner of the card). It doesn't matter which modes you choose or which additional costs you pay, including any additional costs imposed by other effects.
You don't choose the new target for the spell or ability targeted with Return the Favor's second mode until Return the Favor resolves. You must change the target if possible. However, you can't change the target to an illegal target. If there are no legal targets to choose from, the target isn't changed. It doesn't matter if the original target has somehow become illegal itself.
If a mode requires a target, you can select that mode only if there's a legal target available. Ignore the targeting requirements for modes you don't choose.
You can't choose the same mode more than once.
If the copied spell or ability divides damage or distributes counters among a number of targets, the division and number of targets can't be changed. If you choose new targets, you must choose the same number of targets.
The copy created by the effect of Return the Favor's first mode will have the same targets as the spell or ability it's copying unless you choose new ones. You may change any number of the targets, including all of them or none of them. The new targets must be legal.
If you copy an activated ability with the first mode, and the activation cost includes a choice, such as a creature to sacrifice or a number of counters to remove, the copy uses that same information. You can't pay the cost again, even if you want to.
If the copied spell or ability is modal (that is, it says "Choose one —" or the like), the copy will have the same mode or modes. You can't choose different ones.
If a spell with spree is copied, the effect that creates the copy may allow you to choose new targets. You cannot choose new modes.
No player can cast spells or activate abilities in between the modes of a resolving spell. Any abilities that trigger won't be put onto the stack until the spell is done resolving.