Unleash

Unleash
Keyword Ability
Type	Static (1st ability) Static (2nd ability)
Introduced	Return to Ravnica
Last used	Dragon's Maze
Reminder Text	Unleash (You may have this creature enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it. It can't block as long as it has a +1/+1 counter on it.)
Storm Scale	4
Statistics	13 cards 31% 31% 38%
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keyword:"Unleash"

Unleash is a keyword ability that was introduced in Return to Ravnica as the mechanic for the Rakdos guild. The reminder text for Unleash reads "You may have this creature enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it. It can't block as long as it has a +1/+1 counter on it.".

Examples

Example

Grim Roustabout
Creature — Skeleton Warrior
1/1
Unleash (You may have this creature enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it. It can't block as long as it has a +1/+1 counter on it.)
: Regenerate Grim Roustabout

Rulings

• You make the choice to have the creature with unleash enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter or not as it’s entering the battlefield. At that point, it’s too late for a player to respond to the creature spell by trying to counter it, for example.
• The unleash ability applies no matter where the creature is entering the battlefield from.
• A creature with unleash can’t block if it has any +1/+1 counter on it, not just one put on it by the unleash ability.
• Putting a +1/+1 counter on a creature with unleash that’s already blocking won’t remove it from combat. It will continue to block.

Silver-border

One variant of Garbage Elemental has unleash.