What it does
Unleash lets you choose, as a creature enters the battlefield, whether to put a +1/+1 counter on it. If you do, that creature can't block for as long as it has a counter on it. You make this choice once, on entry—it's not optional later.
The most common mistake: people think the "can't block" restriction is tied to unleashing as an action you can undo, or that removing the counter via some effect would suddenly let it block. The restriction depends on the creature simply having a counter, regardless of source—so an unleashed creature you later pump with other +1/+1 counters still can't block, and an un-unleashed creature that gains a counter from elsewhere also can't block.
In Commander, unleash is a tempo/aggro tool. Since you can decline the counter, these creatures stay flexible—attack big or hold back as blockers when stabilizing against multiple opponents.
Iconic cards with Unleash
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