Return to Sender



Return to Sender is one of the eight Vigors Booker DeWitt obtains in Columbia over the course of BioShock Infinite, granting Booker the power to stop incoming gunfire. Casting the Vigor instantly deploys a shield in front of Booker that protects him from incoming damage. Holding the Vigor allows Booker to absorb the damage from attacks and project it as a ball of molten metal, dealing heavy damage upon direct impact in a small radius. The more damage absorbed, the higher the damage of the projectile. Firing the ball at the scenery will instead deploy it as a stationary trap, exploding in a small radius for heavy damage upon detonation.

BioShock Infinite


Return to Sender is the eighth and final Vigor the player obtains over the course of the game. It can be first obtained in two different locations: if the player follows through with the secondary objective at the start of Emporia, it can be found in a secret room in the Salty Oyster Bar. If not, it can be found later on in Downtown Emporia on the way to Memorial Gardens.

Unofficial

 * Raising a Return to Sender shield before initiating with Charge will protect the player after slamming into a group of enemies.
 * Undertow can pull enemies into a Return to Sender trap.

Combat Strategy

 * Both Return to Sender's cast and charged forms grant the player complete immunity to damage while in use and from all sides. As such, it is a cheap way to guarantee temporary invincibility.
 * Though Return to Sender's charged projectile has an explosive radius, it is extremely short-ranged, meaning it is best to usually fire it directly at enemies. Throwing it into an enemy's path, on the other hand, can give the player time to shoot the newly formed trap, increasing its damage upon detonation.
 * Even if the player hasn't yet absorbed any enemy attacks, a Return to Sender orb deals heavy damage on its own and staggers enemies in a short radius on detonation. Quickly charging and launching a Return to Sender ball can be used to quickly finish off an enemy.
 * The player can lay an empty Return to Sender orb on the ground and fill it up with their currently equipped weapon increasing the damage it deals when enemies trigger it.
 * While charging, firing an explosive weapons at close quarters will absorb the projectile and increase the projectile's damage as if attacked by an enemy.
 * While charging Return to Sender, you may wish not to accept any aid items Elizabeth may offer, as this will clear the orb in the player's hand and force another charge.
 * When charging, the player's metal ball will increase in density as it absorbs damage. More damaging attacks will add more bullets to the projectile, up to a cap.
 * Sender Aid is too situational and expensive an upgrade to have any resources set aside for it, even when playing on the harder difficulty modes. This upgrade will only refill on ammunition if the player's weapon is the same as the attacker's; moreover, cheaper upgrades to other Vigors grant more reliable and powerful effects.
 * Send for Less, on the other hand, is an effective and cost-efficient upgrade. The prolonged shield duration will allow the player to last longer before having to cast another one, and the decreased Salts cost when charging will let the player absorb more damage at a time before sending it back at enemy targets.

Recommended Gear

 * Angry Stompers, when used in Conjunction with Return to Sender, can be used for a prolonged damage boost when low on health.
 * Blood to Salt will replenish the player's Salts as they kill enemies, allowing for more casts of this Vigor. Furthermore, killing an enemy with a charged Return to Sender projectile has a chance to grant the user more Salts than what the attack consumed.
 * Health for Salts can be used to throw a Return to Sender shield or continue charging the Vigor in desperate situations.
 * Last Man Standing can be used with Return to Sender to restore the player's health to manageable levels while protected.
 * Overkill will set off every time an enemy dies from a Return to Sender projectile, letting the player finish off affected foes in close proximity.
 * Rising Bloodlust can let the player charge traps more quickly with the Gear's damage increase upon killing enemies.
 * Urgent Care will let the player fully recharge their Shields while protected by Return to Sender.

Bugs/Glitches

 * When using the secondary function, if you are hit by an enemy with a melee strike, ammo will still be collected as if you are being shot at.

Behind the Scenes

 * Return to Sender is the only Vigor not to be included in an official combination.
 * BioShock Infinite's first gameplay demo featured a prototype ability similar in appearance and function to Return to Sender's charged function: in a scripted event, Elizabeth could telekinetically strip an area of its metal components and fuse them into a molten ball, ready for Booker to throw with a telekinetic power of his own.
 * Return to Sender appears to be a form of ferrokinesis, as it stops bullets and even catches them when charged. It also appears to be the opposite of Telekinesis in function. (e.g. it can stop speeding bullets, but not larger fast moving objects, such as RPGs)
 * The icon and the design of the bottle are that of a Roman gladiator. Gladiators could deliver the finishing blow if the spectators approved.