If the creature this Aura would enchant is an illegal target by the time Rancor tries to resolve, the Aura spell doesn't resolve. It won't enter the battlefield, so it won't be put into a graveyard from the battlefield and its ability won't trigger.

Rancor : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Rancor is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.

Official card text

Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +2/+0 and has trample. When this Aura is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, return it to its owner's hand.

Complete guide

Rancor is one of the most resilient and efficient aggressive Auras ever printed in Magic: The Gathering. For just one green mana, it turns any small threat into a recurring powerhouse that is difficult for opponents to permanently remove. Its unique ability to return to your hand ensures that your momentum rarely stalls, even when your creatures die.

Unpacking the Power

Rancor provides two major benefits: a +2/+0 power boost and trample. This combination ensures that even a small creature can punch through blockers to deal damage directly to your opponent. Unlike most Auras that result in a 'two-for-one' loss when the creature is destroyed, Rancor has a triggered ability that triggers whenever it is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, moving it back to your hand.

Resolution and Timing

When you cast Rancor, you must target a creature on the battlefield. If that creature leaves the battlefield or becomes an illegal target before Rancor resolves, Rancor is moved to the graveyard and its 'return to hand' ability will not trigger because it never entered the battlefield. Once attached, if the creature is destroyed or the Aura itself is destroyed, the ability triggers and the card returns to its owner's hand.

Strategic Considerations

The biggest risk with Rancor is having the target creature removed in response to you casting the spell. To avoid wasting your mana, wait for your opponent to be tapped out or use it on creatures with high toughness. Remember that Rancor's triggered ability works regardless of why it was put into the graveyard from the battlefield—whether the creature died, the Aura was targeted by a 'destroy' spell, or a state-based action occurred.

Interaction examples

Building a Better Construct

Urza's Saga

If you use the second ability of Urza's Saga to create a 0/0 Construct token, that token gets +1/+1 for each artifact you control. By enchanting this token with Rancor, you grant it an additional +2/+0 and trample. If the token is later destroyed, Rancor will trigger and return to your hand, while Urza's Saga remains on the battlefield to potentially create another threat for you to enchant later.

Scaling Up the Aggression

Hardened Scales

While Hardened Scales specifically interacts with +1/+1 counters, playing it alongside Rancor creates a diverse board state. Rancor provides a static power buff and trample, which helps creatures that have been pumped up by Hardened Scales' counter-doubling effect to actually push their damage through blockers. If your opponent uses a removal spell on your heavily-countered creature, you lose the counters, but Rancor safely returns to your hand to be used again.

Persistence Through Removal

Suppose you enchant a simple 1/1 creature with Rancor, making it a 3/1 with trample. Your opponent casts a spell to destroy the creature. When the creature dies, Rancor is put into the graveyard because it is no longer attached to anything. This immediately triggers Rancor's ability, and you return the card to your hand, ready to cast it on a new creature during your next main phase.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.

How it works : Rancor

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1March 16, 2018· Wizards of the Coast
If the creature this Aura would enchant is an illegal target by the time Rancor tries to resolve, the Aura spell doesn't resolve. It won't enter the battlefield, so it won't be put into a graveyard from the battlefield and its ability won't trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.