Interestingly enough, Odric requires 3 other creatures to attack alongside him in order to employ his masterful tactics. That means you need to declare at least 4 creatures (including Odric) as attacking when you begin your declare attackers step. You can’t attack with just Odric and a spirit token and Geist of Saint Traft, because the Angel that will be created wasn’t around in time to trigger Odric’s ability.

Also worth noting is that if you declare that you’re attacking with Odric and 3 spirit tokens, his ability will trigger and resolve normally even if the opponent decides to respond to the trigger by casting an overloaded Electrickery. Odric’s ability only cares that they attacked, and doesn’t care if they’re still around as it resolves. Of course, if the opponent casts Electrickery before you actually get to declare your attackers, then you’ll need 3 other living creatures to attack with if you want Odric to trigger.

Now that we know how to trigger Odric, what do we do once that ability resolves? What exactly does it mean to “choose which creatures block this combat and how those creatures block.”?

Well, it’s pretty self-explanatory. You choose which creatures block. This can be “no creatures” or “all the creatures” or “just this one and that one.” Then, you choose how those creatures block. You can’t change the rules of the game, so you still can’t make a non-flying non-reach creature block your flying creature, and you can’t make their biggest scariest creature block three or four of yours. But as long as the blocks are legal, do whatever you want. You can make all their creatures block one of yours, or split them up in whatever way is best for you. If your attacking creatures can deal enough damage to kill the opponent if they go unblocked, I recommend choosing “no blockers.”

Today’s Rules Tip written by Josh Stansfield