Striped Bears MTG Card


Striped Bears offers card advantage and fits into green-based decks trend with creature synergies. Challenges include a discard requirement and a specific green mana cost that impacts deck diversity. It competes with Elvish Visionary and Wall of Blossoms, which offer similar card draw advantages.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Bear
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

When Striped Bears comes into play, draw a card.

"The bear is never cautious—which is why it wasn't born a human." —Mirri of the *Weatherlight*


Cards like Striped Bears

Striped Bears joins the roster of creature cards in Magic the Gathering that offer a built-in card draw advantage upon entering the battlefield. This feature parallels with that of Elvish Visionary, a commonly played card known for its card draw capability upon arrival. Though Striped Bears comes with a slightly higher mana cost and a bigger body in comparison to Elvish Visionary, the functionality is quite similar, as both provide an immediate benefit in addition to the creature’s presence on the battlefield.

Wall of Blossoms is another card that resonates with the functionality of Striped Bears. It draws a card when it enters the battlefield, like Striped Bears, providing immediate card advantage. While Wall of Blossoms lacks the bear’s power to make an impact in combat, it compensates with its defensive capabilities, making it a better option for a more controlling playstyle. Additionally, there’s Civic Wayfinder, which adds a land card to your hand upon entering the battlefield, not only boosting your card count but also ensuring a land drop for your next turn, although it doesn’t pull directly from your deck like the immediate card draw from Striped Bears.

Assessing Striped Bears within its category, it offers a decent blend of immediate card advantage and combat presence, making it a versatile option for decks in need of both attributes.

Elvish Visionary - MTG Card versions
Wall of Blossoms - MTG Card versions
Civic Wayfinder - MTG Card versions
Elvish Visionary - MTG Card versions
Wall of Blossoms - MTG Card versions
Civic Wayfinder - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Striped Bears by color, type and mana cost

Giant Spider - MTG Card versions
Marsh Viper - MTG Card versions
Scarwood Bandits - MTG Card versions
Carnivorous Plant - MTG Card versions
Erhnam Djinn - MTG Card versions
War Mammoth - MTG Card versions
Aurochs - MTG Card versions
Lhurgoyf - MTG Card versions
Jackalope Herd - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Alligator - MTG Card versions
Golden Bear - MTG Card versions
Argothian Swine - MTG Card versions
Elvish Piper - MTG Card versions
Erithizon - MTG Card versions
Saber Ants - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Cutter - MTG Card versions
Ulvenwald Oddity // Ulvenwald Behemoth - MTG Card versions
Fungusaur - MTG Card versions
Viridian Lorebearers - MTG Card versions
Monkey Monkey Monkey - MTG Card versions
Giant Spider - MTG Card versions
Marsh Viper - MTG Card versions
Scarwood Bandits - MTG Card versions
Carnivorous Plant - MTG Card versions
Erhnam Djinn - MTG Card versions
War Mammoth - MTG Card versions
Aurochs - MTG Card versions
Lhurgoyf - MTG Card versions
Jackalope Herd - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Alligator - MTG Card versions
Golden Bear - MTG Card versions
Argothian Swine - MTG Card versions
Elvish Piper - MTG Card versions
Erithizon - MTG Card versions
Saber Ants - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Cutter - MTG Card versions
Ulvenwald Oddity // Ulvenwald Behemoth - MTG Card versions
Fungusaur - MTG Card versions
Viridian Lorebearers - MTG Card versions
Monkey Monkey Monkey - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Striped Bears shines in dishing out beneficial card interaction by permitting you to draw a card upon its entrance to the battlefield. This seamless card replacement not only enhances your hand but also keeps the pressure on your opponent by maintaining your card count.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly producing additional resources, Striped Bears’ modest mana cost makes it an efficient creature to deploy. This allows you to keep up the momentum and allocate your mana resources to other spells or abilities in your repertoire.

Instant Speed: Despite Striped Bears’ ability not having instant speed, its value lies in its straightforward utility. While it may not provide the strategic flexibility that instant-speed spells do, it compensates by being a reliable and uncomplicated play in your creature-based strategies.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Striped Bears demands discarding a card to harness its full potential, a significant setback when your hand is nearly empty or if every card is crucial to your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost is confined to green mana, presenting a challenge for multicolored decks that may have mana flexibility issues, making it a less than ideal choice for diverse mana bases.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Clocking in at four mana, this bear’s stats and abilities aren’t particularly impressive, especially when considering other creatures in the same cost range that may offer more impactful board presence or synergistic abilities.


Reasons to Include Striped Bears in Your Collection

Versatility: Striped Bears is a straightforward card with a capacity to enhance various green-based decks, not only with its creature presence but also through drawing a card upon entering the battlefield, which can be a boon for decks that thrive on card advantage.

Combo Potential: This creature can be a key part of combos or engine pieces in decks that capitalize on casting creatures or drawing cards, serving as a link in chains that lead to more powerful plays.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames where having a presence on the board while maintaining card flow is crucial, Striped Bears can hold its own by contributing to both fronts, making it a practical choice in certain deck archetypes.


How to beat

Striped Bears presents an interesting challenge on the battlefield in Magic the Gathering. As a creature that allows its controller to draw a card upon entering the battlefield, it blurs the lines between card advantage and board presence. To effectively counteract Striped Bears, removal spells are key. Spells like Murder or Doom Blade offer a simple solution, dispatching the creature before the card draw can benefit the opponent.

Another strategy is to utilize counterspells such as Cancel or Mana Leak to prevent Striped Bears from hitting the field in the first place, thus denying both a creature and a card draw. Effects that prevent your opponent from drawing additional cards, like Notion Thief or Narset, Parter of Veils, can also negate the advantage Striped Bears could provide. Lastly, hand disruption tools like Thoughtseize are potent for removing Striped Bears before it’s even cast, addressing the problem at its source.

Combining these strategies could give a player the upper hand against a creature that, at first glance, offers a straightforward benefit to your opponent. By aligning your deck with efficient responses, the advantage posed by Striped Bears can be minimized or altogether nullified during gameplay.


BurnMana Recommendations

Making the most out of every card is key in MTG, and Striped Bears offers a unique blend of immediate card advantage with a solid creature presence. Versatile and suitable for various strategies, Striped Bears can boost your green deck’s performance. If you’re intrigued by its potential or eager to find similar cards to refine your gameplay, delve into our comprehensive resources. From detailed card analyses to strategizing for victory, we provide the insights you need to make informed decisions on the battlefield. Enhance your collection and your skills—let us guide you to triumph in the world of MTG.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Striped Bears MTG card by a specific set like Weatherlight and Jumpstart: Historic Horizons, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Striped Bears and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Striped Bears Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1997-06-09 and 2021-08-26. Illustrated by Una Fricker.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11997-06-09WeatherlightWTH 1401997NormalBlackUna Fricker
22021-08-26Jumpstart: Historic HorizonsJ21 6482015NormalBlackUna Fricker

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Striped Bears has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
CommanderLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
TimelessLegal