How likely is for Unleash to return in a standard set?

I’d call it a 5 on the Storm Scale.

"Technically, that’s a downside, but it’s minimal in its limitations. "I treated unleash creatures as if they could not block. After my opponent put a counter on my unleash defender to finish me off.

Yes, it was possible and it’s memorable, so the one time it happened, you remember it, but it actually happened a very small percentage of the time.

On the subject of unleash being a downside mechanic: here what the ruling say about it. A creature with unleash can't block if it has any +1/+1 counter on it, not just one put on it by the unleash ability.

Technically, that’s a downside, but it’s minimal in its limitations.

I feel like the biggest problem with Magic right now is that there is still no legendary Monkey in RG, so edh players can not yet unleash their full monkey power. Are you working on fixing this glaring issue?

It’s on our “Serious Issues That Must Be Addressed” List. : )

Instead of virtual high fives may I suggest you hold them all back and unleash them all or once when you get back into the office

I don’t want to harm anyone. : )

We've now seen all 5 mechanics and none of them are entirely new. A Bloodthirst, Monstrous, and Unleash variant. Keywording the text on cards like doomed traveller and careful consideration (and many other cards for each of them). Ravnica had always been the plane where crazy mechanics were tried out: Cipher, Extort, Detain, Haunt, and Transmute just to name a few. What caused such a safe and familiar approach this time? It makes the set feel more like a core set than a new and exciting one.

Ravnica is more about the innovations of the guilds than of the guild mechanics. A set with five mechanics forces us to keep the mechanics simple.

i'm also in the camp that feels that blocks tend to feel "Set up a cool place, then unleash a threat that threatens the world". RTR and RTRTR show that the character of the environment on its own can create a much loved setting. (and for what it's worth, i really love the four Morningtide etc sets).

Ravnica has proven to be a rare thing that serves as a poor precedent for other worlds.

In your Storm Scale article, you said bloodthirst has large design space, while unleash only has medium design space, but both designs, you said, can go on any creature. Why the difference?

Bloodthirst is usable on more creatures. Unleash works best on small creatures because the delta of a +1/+1 counter matters more.

Why did you guys change from mechanics like Unleash where the counter was tied to the cards status to mechanics like Monstrous and Renown where the cards status and the counter are independent of each other?

Unleash has a much narrower variance so we were able to let people affect them by putting a counter in it.

What's more likely to return first? Hellbent or Unleash?

Unleash.