How to Force Blocks in Commander: The 20 Best Cards
Does it feel like nobody blocks anymore? I've entered combat probably thousands of times since I started playing Magic, and if there's one thing I've noticed in my Commander games, it's that folks tend not to block until it's absolutely necessary. Most are afraid of losing their fragile Blood Artist or Arbor Elf, while others feel like they're running enough lifegain to counteract whatever damage we manage to rush in. In addition, Commander's 40 life starting total means players often have the choice not to block early threats their opponents might play.
Blocking in combat is an essential part of Magic: The Gathering. It used to be the main way creatures were destroyed. Nowadays, modern Commander games are so stuffed full of removal and board wipes and stax pieces that players won't even bother considering what they might do if they're forced to block.
I recently brewed up a General Marhault Elsdragon deck based around forcing my opponents to block my creatures (I know, I've betrayed my Legends Legends readers by running the DMU update instead of the classic Marhault Elsdragon). Most are stunned at this turn of events. I've flipped the removal in this Gruul deck into the combat step and have found a number of ways to force exactly the creature I want into combat. Whether I'm removing the Teysa Karlov before it can combo off, or forcing their Wall of Hope to block my Llanowar Elves so my commander can deal damage directly, forcing my opponents into combat with my creatures has been incredibly deadly alongside General Marhault Elsdragon's free Giant Growth.
What are the best ways to force blocks in Commander? And why would I want to do this? Today, we're going type-by-type through the best ways to force creatures into combat. Take them back to your table, and replace all the fight effects in your deck with them.
Why Would You Want To Force a Block?
Besides the obvious reasons, like making your suite of rampage creatures actually do something, there are a number of reasons blocking is often the best way to remove creatures.
Generally, Gruul decks do removal through fight and bite mechanics. These are cards like Prey Upon and Rabid Bite. While these might look very similar to forcing a block in terms of removal, there are a few key differences.
The first: any extra damage you deal with your fight/bite is wasted. Forcing the fight to happen in combat means your trampling creature will roll all that extra damage into your opponent, or potentially more creatures if we can force a double block.
Next, even if your creature doesn't have trample, there'll be instances where you two-for-one your opponent when they're forced to double or triple block to kill it, getting two destroyed creatures off of your single Invasion Plans.
Additionally, creatures have gotten generally more resilient in recent years. The advent of ward and hexproof's ubiquity in Commander means targeted removal is often not the best way to destroy a creature.
Finally, there's the value of assigning blocks unfavorably so your biggest creatures can get their damage through. Cards like Gaea's Protector or Taunting Elf can clear the way for our Hand of Emrakuls or what have you.
Instants
Disturbed Slumber / Elemental Uprising / Vengeant Earth
These three instants are about the same. Each turns one of your lands into a 4/4 that can attack this turn and must be blocked. Disturbed Slumber has a little more play than the other two, as it can be cast during an opponent's attack to surprise them with a reach blocker. Each of these is great for the price, but they might end up costing you a land in the process.
Provoke
This is about as basic of a provoke effect as we can get. It has a few strong points: first, it's only two mana; second, it untaps that creature, letting you force blocks even on creatures you wouldn't normally be able to; finally, it's a cantrip! The value of replacing itself in your hand cannot be understated in green, a color which traditionally lacks cantrips.
Blaze of Glory
I didn't expect to see a white card here. Blaze of Glory feels like it was intended to be cast on your own creature: making a selfless sacrifice to save you from an overwhelming attack. However, it works offensively, too. Force a single creature your opponent controls to block every single one of your attackers, and they're almost guaranteed to go down.
Academic Dispute
This Strixhaven instant might be one of the best ways to force blocks in red. Besides only costing one mana, the target creature gains reach until the end of the turn, just in case you need it to block your Shivan Dragon. Unfortunately, it's learn mechanic doesn't function in Commander, since you need those Lessons in your nonexistent sideboard to fetch them from outside the game.
Timely Interference
This Dominaria United instant doesn't force a block unless it's kicked, making it a total of three mana for -1/-0 and the combat. Slower on average than our other instants, but the option to cast it without kicker and draw a card won't be useless.
Sorceries
Enlarge
Enlarge targets our own creatures rather than our opponents' and gives a huge power buff to boot. +7/+7 and trample basically guarantees that we'll get damage through in addition to a dead creature.
Irresistible Prey
The most basic sorcery for forcing blocks. How many green cantrips are there? This has got to be one of the better ones.
Predatory Rampage
The biggest advantage to casting Predatory Rampage is it forces your opponents' creatures to block, rather than making one of our own a "must be blocked" attacker. It also gets around hexproof, shroud, and ward, since it doesn't need to target anything on their field.
Enchantments
Predatory Impetus
Goad is a little antithetical to the General Marhault Elsdragon deck I'm running: typically, Predatory Impetus enchants one of our own creatures to make it a provoker. We don't get any rampage buffs for blocking with our creatures, so forcing a goaded attacker into our ranks usually isn't optimal. Especially if we've already cast our...
Invasion Plans
Invasion Plans is what makes the the pseudo-rampage deck work. A permanent static effect forcing every creature to block whenever able already turns the rampage effect from General Marhault online, letting us, the attacker, choose how they block basically guarantees we'll come out on top.
Lure
Lure's our basic must-be-blocked Aura. For three mana, it's a fine rate, and good consistency for this effect, but we shouldn't count on it as the end-all be-all for our must-blocks.
Indrik Umbra
Indrik Umbra, on the other hand, is an excellent Aura to force blockers. Not only does it also give a power/toughness boost, it grants first strike, helping our creature survive combat with all those blockers. On top of that, its umbra armor effect keeps it alive when it inevitably starts to catch those Cast Downs.
Creatures
The Provoke Cards
The original provoke effects were printed on a cycle of cards in Legions. The effect was subsequently abandoned for reasons I can't begin to fathom. That said, the provoke effect is useful for its ability to untap the creature that you want blocking. The best provoke creatures are probably Brontotherium and Feral Throwback, by virtue of just being the largest.
Anzrag, the Quake-Mole
I've been really hyped about Anzrag, the Quake-Mole since its release. While its "must be blocked" effect costs a resounding seven mana to activate, each forced block on Anzrag generates an additional combat step for us to provoke creatures and force blocks during. Plus, it's a four-mana 8/4. What more could the Timmy in you want?
Nacatl War-Pride
This Future Sight card works so weird; I love it. Nacatl War-Pride makes a number of 3/3 copies of itself equal to the number of creatures the defending player controls. Usually, the best choice for your opponents is to block every creature and attempt to kill the War-Pride so this doesn't happen again. With some smart combat tricks, Nacatl War-Pride can be a one-sided board wipe.
Taunting Elf
Taunting Elf and its cousin cards, like Golgari Decoy or Riveteers Decoy, are just about the best way to clear the path of blockers for your actual damage-dealers.
Maarika, Brutal Gladiator
Maarika, Brutal Gladiator is the in-universe version of Street Fighter's Zangief, the Red Cyclone. Maarika' invincible while she's forcing blocks in combat, and turns her excess damage into a nearly-Annihilator effect. She's a great commander for any "must be blocked" EDH deck since she has her own built-in "must be blocked" effect.
Neyith of the Dire Hunt
Neyith of the Dire Hunt is another excellent choice for a must-be-blocked Commander deck. Doubling the power of a single creature and forcing the block for just three mana is great, even if it's just once per combat. This goes nuts with an Anzrag, the Quake-Mole on the field, or any other creature that wants to become blocked. Toss a Rancor on Anzrag and watch your opponents melt before the awesome might of your combat damage.
Artifacts
Nemesis Mask
Nemesis Mask is our basic must-be-blocked Equipment. It's a fairly expensive investmentL three mana to cast and another three to equip. It's useful if you're running a deck without access to green or red, but otherwise there are much better and more consistent options to run alongside your rampaging creatures.
Ace's Baseball Bat
Okay, now we're starting to reach a little bit. I'm not a Doctor Who guy; I don't know the significance of Ace or their bat or really what it has to do with the Daleks, but I do know that if your homie is running one of the Dalek-heavy WHO Commander decks, this is some sweet tech versus their deck. I guess it still hits those changeling creatures they're running, so at least you can get in there and destroy the Mirror Entity before they make their board into 10/10s.
Marble Priest
Okay, now we're really starting to reach. Only useful versus that damn Arcades, the Strategist Walls deck, Marble Priest forces every Wall to block it and nothing else. Marble Priest is like a Taunting Elf but forWalls only. Don't worry! It prevents all damage it would take from Walls, famously a creature type with super-high powers. (this is sarcasm).
End of Combat
Lately, Commander combats have become nothing but big haymakers thrown back and forth. It's time we get back to the roots of Magic's combat stepnand force opponents to make some choices and do some math. Forcing blocks is one of the best ways to get around the protection on those Lightning Greaves'd and Swiftfoot Boots'd commanders. It makes for some great strategic discussion at the table as opponents weigh which blocks they should make to minimize the damage. Many of my most memorable Commander games come down to very close blocks and stressful combat steps. If you're looking to spice up your regular pod with a new strategy, I can't recommend force-block and must-be-blocked cards enough!
What are some of your favorite force-block cards? When will we see the return of provoke in a main set? Let me know what you think in the comments, or come harass me on Twitter.
Thanks for reading!
