<p>No, it can't. Only cards that explicitly state that they can return something from exile can do so. Examples are very few.</p>
<ul>
<li><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Riftsweeper">Riftsweeper</a> returns an arbitrary face up exiled card to library.</li>
<li><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Misthollow%20Griffin">Misthollow Griffin</a> can be cast from exile.</li>
<li><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Torrent%20Elemental">Torrent Elemental</a> can be brought back from exile.</li>
<li><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Pull%20from%20Eternity">Pull from Eternity</a> returns an arbitrary face up exiled card to it's graveyard.</li>
<li><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mirror%20of%20Fate">Mirror of Fate</a> swaps your library for 7 exiled cards (any order)</li>
<li><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Runic%20Repetition">Runic Repetition</a> returns an exiled flashback card to your hand.</li>
<li><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Venser%20Diffusion">Venser Diffusion</a> returns a suspended (i.e. temporarily exiled) card to it's owner's hand.</li>
</ul>
<p>As Jefromi points out in a comment to the answer, Mark Rosewater is not too interested in seeing this as a mechanic that gets deeply developed, because it then becomes a second graveyard. <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/gle-ladies-part-3-2012-05-07" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Link</a></p>
<p>Note: There are on the order of 30 cards that exile cards face down.  Here's a rough search for them on gatherer:  <a href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&amp;text=+%5Bexile%5D+%5Bface%5D+%5Bdown%5D" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&amp;text=+[exile]+[face]+[down]</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-16T09:43:47.020Z
The only other two I've seen are Pull from Eternity and Mirror of Fate, but Mirror of Fate is almost always a bad idea.  Unless you happen to have a Laboratory Maniac handy.
Logan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-16T09:48:44.180Z
Well that sounds like a legit plan. Of course Doomsday could do that easier...
john_leo
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-16T15:09:38.467Z
Runic Repetition is probably the other thing that should be on that list. (It's restricted to cards with flashback, though.)
Cascabel
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-16T17:57:34.577Z
Venser's Diffusion can also unexile exiled cards, but only if they're currently suspended.
jwodder
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-21T20:46:19.757Z
In Battle for Zendikar, it looks like this might become a more common mechanic. For instance, Oblivion Sower can pull your opponent's lands out of exile: http://media.wizards.com/2015/images/daily/EN_jkt2vsve7u.png
Chris Fletcher
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-13T00:02:29.380Z
There are a lot more cards that return cards in exile, as long as they were the ones that exiled them in the first place.
Acccumulation
CC BY-SA 4.0
2015-08-16T09:24:34.803Z
2022-07-12T15:00:51.313Z
2022-07-12T15:00:51.313Z
john_leo
<p>Karakas' ability:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Tap: Return target legendary creature to its owner's hand.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Karakas returns a <em>creature</em>. Creatures only exist on the battlefield, everywhere else they are usually creature <em>cards</em> (or spells, on the stack).</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>109.2. If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes a card type or subtype, but doesn't include the word "card," "spell," "source," or "scheme," it means a permanent of that card type or subtype on the battlefield.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>So Karakas can not target cards in exile.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-16T09:23:05.490Z
2015-08-16T09:28:03.393Z
2015-08-16T09:28:03.393Z
RemcoGerlich
<p>So I stumbled upon this land, <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Karakas">Karakas</a>.  Can this return effect reach a card in exile?  I read the rules regarding exile, and it appears to me that Karakas' effect (and similar return/play/add effects) are fully capable of accessing the Exile Zone.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-16T15:17:47.047Z
Related: the first section of this article talks about why there aren't really cards that can do this: http://archive.wizards.com/Magic/magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/mm/194
Cascabel
<magic-the-gathering>
Can non-exile related return effects bring a card out of exile?
Logan
# Can non-exile related return effects bring a card out of exile?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-08-16)

So I stumbled upon this land, [Karakas](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Karakas). Can this return effect reach a card in exile? I read the rules regarding exile, and it appears to me that Karakas' effect (and similar return/play/add effects) are fully capable of accessing the Exile Zone.

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Related: the first section of this article talks about why there aren't really cards that can do this: http://archive.wizards.com/Magic/magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/mm/194  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_6 on 2015-08-16. Score: 11 | Accepted answer

Karakas' ability:

> Tap: Return target legendary creature to its owner's hand.

Karakas returns a *creature*. Creatures only exist on the battlefield, everywhere else they are usually creature *cards* (or spells, on the stack).

> 109.2. If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes a card type or subtype, but doesn't include the word "card," "spell," "source," or "scheme," it means a permanent of that card type or subtype on the battlefield.

So Karakas can not target cards in exile.


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-08-16. Score: 5

No, it can't. Only cards that explicitly state that they can return something from exile can do so. Examples are very few.

* [Riftsweeper](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Riftsweeper) returns an arbitrary face up exiled card to library.
* [Misthollow Griffin](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Misthollow%20Griffin) can be cast from exile.
* [Torrent Elemental](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Torrent%20Elemental) can be brought back from exile.
* [Pull from Eternity](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Pull%20from%20Eternity) returns an arbitrary face up exiled card to it's graveyard.
* [Mirror of Fate](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mirror%20of%20Fate) swaps your library for 7 exiled cards (any order)
* [Runic Repetition](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Runic%20Repetition) returns an exiled flashback card to your hand.
* [Venser Diffusion](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Venser%20Diffusion) returns a suspended (i.e. temporarily exiled) card to it's owner's hand.

As Jefromi points out in a comment to the answer, Mark Rosewater is not too interested in seeing this as a mechanic that gets deeply developed, because it then becomes a second graveyard. [Link](https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/gle-ladies-part-3-2012-05-07)

Note: There are on the order of 30 cards that exile cards face down. Here's a rough search for them on gatherer: [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&text=+[exile]+[face]+[down]](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&text=+%5Bexile%5D+%5Bface%5D+%5Bdown%5D)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: The only other two I've seen are Pull from Eternity and Mirror of Fate, but Mirror of Fate is almost always a bad idea.  Unless you happen to have a Laboratory Maniac handy.  
> **username_2**: Well that sounds like a legit plan. Of course Doomsday could do that easier...  
> **username_1**: Runic Repetition is probably the other thing that should be on that list. (It's restricted to cards with flashback, though.)  
> **username_3**: Venser's Diffusion can also unexile exiled cards, but only if they're currently suspended.  
> **username_4**: In Battle for Zendikar, it looks like this might become a more common mechanic. For instance, Oblivion Sower can pull your opponent's lands out of exile: http://media.wizards.com/2015/images/daily/EN_jkt2vsve7u.png  
> **username_5**: There are a lot more cards that return cards in exile, as long as they were the ones that exiled them in the first place.  

---

