Our Blocks...are ATTACKS? 

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I play commander over other formats, so I'd suggest things like "Deflecting Palm", "Inkshield", "Blazing Sunsteel", "Borus Reckoner", "Brash Taunter", and "Comeuppance". Cards that either redirect damage or turn it creatures to respond with. I've died to the first two several times in games with my husband when I full swung for lethal only to have the lot be thrown right back into my face.

Giving things first strike at instant speed sounds like a good way to make your blocks more offensive.

I play Burn in Modern, I main board at least 3 Deflecting Palms. It's the greatest "got'cha" moment when you opponent is swinging with a 10/6 double strike Primeval Titan and you cast 2 D. Palms and just giggle at them.

Thinking about it didn't give me an idea for deck-building, but a cool keyword. Something like a counterattack, which could work in reverse of trample. So when the creature with that keyword blocks a creature, any excess power of the blocking creature over the attacking creature's toughness would then go to the attacking player. Would make attacking into that an absolute night with stuff like deathtouch or first strike, so that's probably why it doesn't exist already. It would really incentivize turtling up, but seems like it would be a useful tool for pillow-fort strategies.

First episode: you have my curiosity… This episode: but now you have my attention.

The first two cards that immediately come to mind for this type of effect that are really fun are Wrathful Red Dragon and Wrathful Raptors. Pair Wrathful Red Dragon with Miirym and Roaming Throne and then you have a wall but also more than enough attackers that even if they block, you are nuking their board or them. Wrathful Raptors would be a little hard to get going, but there are plenty of ways of making dinosaur tokens, and then just use the tokens to absorb the damage and deal it back.

The Seedcore is another land that works specifically with Phyrexians My idea from The Question involves the Key 3 of Ill-Tempered Loner / Howlpack Avenger, Heliod, the Radiant God / Heliod, the Warped Eclipse and Into the Night The Werewolf deals damage whenever a permanent I control is dealt damage, the God lets me cast spells at instant speed, and Into the Night makes it Night for the Werewolf to affect all my creatures

The Seedcore is another mana fixing option, since all our creatures are Phyrexians. Skrelv might find a spot on the list as well, to protect our blockers from opponents who will try to remove them before declaring attacks.

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I’ve been working on a Selvala, Explorer Returned Deck that focuses on wide Vigilance boards and combat shenanigans. Definitely not as ideal colors as Orzhov or Boros, but it seems like a nice challenge. I like this thought experiment. Thanks Ryan/Nicole!

I'm not sure how well this answers the question since it's purposely not blocking, but three commander favorites are Inkshield, Arachnogenesis and the recent Galadhrim Ambush to punish greedy attacks when i seem to go shields down

I'm a serial "no blocks" player so I'm looking forward to trying to use my blocks as a resource!

I haven’t played standard in a bit because I was bored of the format, but I threw something together with this kind of build in mind. It’s not a perfect list by any stretch, I pretty much just did a search for “phyrexian” and filled the deck with white and black phyrexians and every dual land I had (not running 4 ofs for some of the rare lands because I didn’t want to use my wildcards), but this deck is really fun in B-o-1 ranked. I’ve gone from low silver to platinum, and the only decks it doesn’t really play well against are the boardwipe heavy control decks. Every other deck archetype it pretty much just comes down to if your opponent has the removal or not. Thanks for getting me interested in standard again, even if it’s just casually

Yes, I think we can, and not just because those were the first 2 I thought of, followed by the scamp, and berserker. Beseeching the Mirror seems like a good back up thruster. The snake to bring em back, maybe. No one will leave the snake behind if you practice what I preach. Liesa can guide them. There's enough things that make damage unpreventable. So I like to lean toward the indestructibility or bouncing them back when suns vanish into whirlpools of farewell. Or maybe transform the journal so they come back as vamps for Evelyn. The 2drop white Invasion will strip something from their hand and make it more expensive AND when transformed, it's indestructibility incarnate. Couple this with some adventures........maybe get crafty.......possible research for sifting......if indeed you don't bid a farewell as well...fare? It truly doesn't take much to make Ashiok scary(sum of all your CMC's in exile) which invariably directs us to The End. But Orzhov has this Cult Uv Nothingness thing going on that no one is talking about..........it's all the gnarly gnasty removal for cheap. Finally, if you destroy, look to the Dross and maybe bring Gisa. 🤘😎🤙

Been toying around on a redirect damage style deck featuring Jared Carthalion, True Heir and part of it is building a set of a damage sponger like Brash Taunter or a spitemare then make it combat available either buffing damage or vigilance, pseudo-goading (where they can also attack you) like with Rage Nimbus. The REAL spicy tech is that this is also home to some Banding cards which tl;dr let's you redirect combat damage as you like which is super absurd to work with. The dream is to get a vigilance enchantment, something like a phytohydra and maybe something like a spring leaf-avenger or other [combat damage to player] effect so people are always on their toes of do they block or not since they'll already have it rough not able to attack through without punishment. Also wonder if putting repercussion would be fun or a non-bo considering it hurts you as well

my first thought was to use cards like Brash Taunter and combine it with Valor Made Real or Pariah maybe even Lure if we want to swap from defence to offence the second thought was enrage or abilities like enrage. so if damaged something happens.

Hmm, I think we can add a new keyword ability -- let's call it counter-trample for now-- that goes something like "when this creature blocks, it deals excess combat damage to the blocked creatures' controller." That should portray this idea in its purest form.

"It's very hard to punch yourself" In the chest maybe

Gift of Immortality is one of my pet enchantments in my first Commander deck. Pair it with any number of Blood Artist/Zulaport Cutthroat effects and you have a nice little block engine that can discourage attacks in the first place.

There is a very old card called rolling stones that basically make all your walls to attack, that's a concept I could follow to achieve blocking attackers. Nice idea though I really looking forward to c it in action. Cheers m8 Helios from Greece.

This will actually be great for my Negan commander deck i’m trying to make. Thanks for the tips!

It's an unusual and very interesting idea! I like this pitch a lot!

I assume using blocks as attacks could introduce an effect that’s trample for blockers so you can deal damage while blocking

I have been playing a similar deck (list below) to great success on arena. I add green for ramp and fight. 4 Phyrexian Obliterator (ONE) 105 4 Tail Swipe (DMU) 182 4 Armored Scrapgorger (ONE) 158 4 Deathcap Glade (VOW) 261 4 Secluded Courtyard (NEO) 275 4 The Seedcore (ONE) 259 4 Evolving Adaptive (ONE) 167 2 Llanowar Wastes (BRO) 264 3 Gwenna, Eyes of Gaea (BRO) 185 4 Evolved Spinoderm (ONE) 166 3 Bloated Contaminator (ONE) 159 1 Ascendant Packleader (VOW) 186 3 Archfiend of the Dross (ONE) 82 1 The Filigree Sylex (ONE) 227 4 Phyrexian Vindicator (ONE) 27 4 Razorverge Thicket (ONE) 257 3 Overgrown Farmland (MID) 265 4 Cavern of Souls (LCI) 269

I saw you bring out Obliterator and Vindicator and my immediate instinctual reaction was to start yelling expletives at you. I really freaking hate those cards! This sounds evil as hell and i'm going to make this deck. I'm a bad person.

Phyrexian obliterator, and Phyrexian vindicator, as well as a little red goblin... (can't remember his name) these have done really well for this. But remembering the color combo made is mardu. A color combo that Excells in combat triggers. Is there a way to take advantage of defense in that? Or does it just play out as intended by wizards? I think that we can challenge this idea.

Phyrexian without Preators? Gix and Shelly are must includes ^^ Also Grafted Butcher and skrelv could be nice.

Is there a way to Goad in BW? Forcing the attack seems really funny.

Are we limited to Standard? Because Stuffy Doll and Brash Taunter are basically "block, then deflect the damage back"

I don't think so, given how your opponent can force you to never block.

Vaguely tangential. I nearly considered quitting the game this winter after ten years because of the Declare Blockers step. It is utterly baffling to me that instant speed evasion is meaningless on the Declare Blockers step. In my mind, two generals leading opposing armies at war. General A commands a Unit A to attack. General B tells Unit B to block and counterattack. As the two soldiers near each other. Unit A with sword in the air, Unit B with their shield and sword readied. Just as theyre about to clash a wizard from side A casts a spell that grants Unit A flight, or momentary intangiblity and soar over/pass through the opponent untouched so they can get a direct hit on General B. But nope. Even though there's a whole step in combat for creatures to deal damage to each other. Just raising a sheild is enough to "block" an attack. I truly hate it as it makes 0 sense in a fantasy setting. I do not care if it balances the game. Why have a Declare Blockers step and Combat Damage step in the if the damage has priority over instant speed evasion. Once a creature has been declared a blocker, the damage is pretty much dealt with (yes there are exceptions)

So before finishing this video, I like this, it’s a cool strategy, but it’s a little too defensive I think. And that’s because it does the worst thing in magic, it relies on giving your opponents a choice. Will it be fun? Yes. Will it sometimes stop your opponent from every attacking? Maybe. But will it successfully carom yourself into a win? No probably not, but I’m willing to se you prove me wrong

Probably?