Unblockable

Unblockable
	[[File:{{#setmainimage:MTGA Unblockable.png}}\|70x70px]]
Mechanic
Introduced	Alpha
Last used	Evergreen
Reminder Text	... can't be blocked ...
Other Symbols
	[[File:{{#setmainimage:Duels Unblockable symbol.png}}\|70x70px]]
Scryfall Search
	fulloracle:"can't be blocked"

Unblockable is a slang term used to describe the mechanic that prevents creatures from being blocked.

On cards, it appears as can't be blocked.

Activation

This ability must be present prior to the blocking phase for it to work.

For cards like Frilled Sea Serpent which need to spend mana to activate this ability temporarily, it needs to be activated prior to the actual blocking phase, during the attacking phase.

Activating it after a blocker has already been assigned does not negate that block: the card must be enhanced prior to the blocking declaration.

Examples

Example

Phantom Warrior
Creature — Illusion Warrior
2/2
Phantom Warrior can't be blocked.

History

R&D tried to keyword this evasion ability only to discover that there are so many variations on it that they couldn't.^[1] Officially, it used to be an attribute of a creature, until it was made obsolete in Magic 2014 when the text Is unblockable was changed to Can't be blocked to make it very clear that "unblockable" is not an ability.^[2]^[3]^[4] Cards that used the term have received errata in the Oracle card reference. Can't be blocked is primary in blue, which has both creatures with this ability and grants it through spells and Auras.^[4]

Granting unblockability

A creature's ability that grants unblockability can be static (Covert Operative), triggered (Cunning Survivor) or activated (Blockade Runner). Some spells also grant a creature unblockability, often along with shroud. Additionally, some effects that grant unblockability may only target creatures with power 2 or less (Dwarven Warriors). The latter version is nicknamed tunneling.^[5]

Spells and Artifacts that grant Unblockable

Enchantments target creature

Aqueous Form — (Also grants scry 1 when enchanted creature attacks)
Cloak of Mists —
Protective Bubble — (also has shroud)
Security Bypass — (if attacking alone)
Steel of the Godhead — (as long as enchanted creature is blue)
Sword Coast Sailor — (Commanders)
Tricks of the Trade —
Way of the Thief — (as long as you control a Gate)
Writ of Passage — (enchanted creature with power 2 or less)

Instants

Aquatic Ingress — (Adventure)
Hearth Charm — (target creature with power 2 or less)
Infiltrate —
Sewers of Estark —
Teleport —
Trailblazer —
Veil of Secrecy — (also grants shroud)

Sorceries

Artful Dodge —
Distortion Strike —
Ghostform — (up to two target creatures)
Slip Through Space —
Teleportal — , Overload
Touch of Invisibility —

Artifacts

Glaring Spotlight — (, Sacrifice Glaring Spotlight, also gain hexproof)
Runed Arch — (target creature(s) with power 2 or less)
Tawnos's Wand — (target creature with power 2 or less)
Key to the City — (, Discard a card: Up to one target creature can't be blocked this turn)
Manifold Key — (, : Target creature can't be blocked this turn)

Equipment

Thieves' Tools — if power is 3 or less.
Whispersilk Cloak — (also grants shroud)

Land

Rogue's Passage — , : target creature is unblockable this turn

Cards that allow a player to block an unblockable attacking creature

Instants

Creature

Trap Runner — (activated ability)

"Cannot be blocked (except) by"

A variant of 'unblockable' restricts unblockability to a certain subset of creatures, often naming a color, creature type, number of power or greater, number of blocking creatures or creatures with a certain keyword ability.