Does Wages of Pain make gold if opponent flashes unit back?

Yes, you will still create the Gold gear token even if the target of Wages of Pain becomes invalid (e.g., because your opponent used a reaction to return it to their hand).

The Ruling

According to RiftJudge FAQ #9296 and #9472 regarding Wages of Pain:

"Wages of Pain WILL still give the gold token even if the target becomes illegal. [...] Wages of Pain's gold token generation is a separate instruction after a full stop that doesn't reference target information, so it executes even when the damage cannot be dealt."

This is consistent with Rule 356.3.e.6, which states that instructions that cannot be followed are ignored, but instructions that do not reference target information are still executed. Because the creation of the Gold gear token is a separate instruction that does not depend on the success of the damage, it proceeds regardless of the target's status.

The Sequence

1. Playing the Spell: You play Wages of Pain targeting an enemy unit. The target is locked when the spell is placed on the chain.
2. Reacting: Your opponent plays a reaction (such as a card that returns the unit to their hand) in response.
3. Resolution (LIFO):
   • The reaction resolves first, returning the unit to its owner's hand.
   • Wages of Pain then attempts to resolve. Because the target is no longer on the battlefield, it is now an illegal target. The instruction to "Deal 3 to a unit" cannot be performed and is ignored.
   • The next instruction, "Play a Gold gear token exhausted," does not reference the target and therefore executes successfully.