Bastion Inventor MTG Card

Hexproof makes Bastion Inventor resilient, enhancing board stability by nullifying targeted removal efforts. Improvise mechanic of Bastion Inventor enables casting by tapping non-land permanents, ramping up resource efficiency. Inventor’s synergy with instant-speed artifacts or spells enhances the potential for quick and unexpected plays.

Aether Revolt (AER)
2017-01-20 - Number 30

Bastion Inventor - Mystery Booster (MB1)

Mystery Booster (MB1)
2019-11-07 - Number 294

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number AER-30

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Vedalken Artificer
Abilities	Hexproof,Improvise
Power	4
Toughness	4

Text of card

Improvise (Your artifacts can help cast this spell. Each artifact you tap after you're done activating mana abilities pays for .) Hexproof (This creature can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)

"This armor transcends the limitations of mere flesh and bone."

Cards like Bastion Inventor

Bastion Inventor has carved out its own niche within the world of artifact-based decks in Magic: The Gathering. It shares similarities with cards like Gearseeker Serpent, which also reduces its casting cost based on the number of artifacts you control. However, Bastion Inventor introduces hexproof to the table, shielding it from targeted spells and abilities—an asset Gearseeker Serpent lacks.

Looking at Vedalken Engineer, we notice it too can facilitate the casting of artifact creatures by providing additional colorless mana. Whilst this can accelerate the play of heavy hitters like Bastion Inventor, the Inventor stands strong with its built-in protection. And let’s not forget about Foundry Inspector, which reduces the generic mana cost of artifacts, potentially making Bastion Inventor even cheaper to cast. Unlike the Inspector, Bastion Inventor is also beefier, posing a substantial threat on the battlefield.

Evaluating all aspects, Bastion Inventor clearly has significant appeal for players keen on running resilient artifact-centric strategies, making it a distinguished piece in the MTG construct puzzle.

Cards similar to Bastion Inventor by color, type and mana cost

Sun Quan, Lord of Wu - MTG Card versions

Zahid, Djinn of the Lamp - MTG Card versions

Arcanis the Omnipotent - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Bastion Inventor’s Hexproof ability makes it a resilient presence on the battlefield, indirectly contributing to card advantage as your opponent’s removal spells become ineffective against it, preserving your board state.

Resource Acceleration: The Inventor’s spot in MTG decks often aligns with Improvise mechanic strategies, enabling the utilization of non-land permanents for casting spells. This synergy allows for earlier deployment than its actual mana cost would suggest, potentially accelerating your in-game resources.

Instant Speed: While Bastion Inventor itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, it benefits significantly from the instant-speed interactions and spells within the Improvise archetype. Being able to cast cheap instant-speed artifacts or spells on an opponent’s turn primes the stage for a hasty and efficient casting of Bastion Inventor in your turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Bastion Inventor requires the player to discard other cards to utilize its improvise ability efficiently. This can deplete your hand, leaving fewer options for later turns.

Specific Mana Cost: Despite its improvise ability, Bastion Inventor still has a specific mana cost that must be paid with blue mana, which may not always align with a deck’s mana base or strategy, causing potential consistency issues.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of six, including one blue, Bastion Inventor comes into play later than some other creatures. While its hexproof ability is advantageous, players might prefer lower-cost creatures to maintain tempo or alternative spells with immediate board impact.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Bastion Inventor’s hexproof ability makes it a reliable presence on the battlefield, able to fit into and enhance various control or midrange deck strategies.

Combo Potential: As an artifact creature, Bastion Inventor synergizes well with strategies focused around artifact synergies, powering up the likes of Tezzeret’s Touch or Efficient Construction.

Meta-Relevance: The durability provided by hexproof keeps Bastion Inventor relevant, especially in metas filled with targeted removal, ensuring that it remains a staple in many blue-based artifact decks.

How to beat

Bastion Inventor enters the battlefield with quite the protective feature – hexproof. This trait makes targeting it with spells or abilities from the opponent a non-starter. However, don’t let this deter you. To outmaneuver this card, consider using board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation, which impact all creatures collectively without needing to target. Moreover, you could employ cards that change the rules of engagement. Cards such as Arcane Lighthouse or Shadowspear can strip away hexproof, leaving Bastion Inventor vulnerable to your targeted removal.

Other strategies include playing with creatures that can outsize it in combat or utilize evasion tactics. Unblocked attackers or those with trample can bypass the Inventor’s defenses. And let’s not overlook sacrifice effects – compelling the opponent to sacrifice a creature using cards like Diabolic Edict bypasses hexproof because it doesn’t target. Each strategy can effectively neutralize the advantage brought by Bastion Inventor, ensuring your path to victory remains clear.

Adapt your approach accordingly when facing this card, and with careful consideration and choice of tactics, Bastion Inventor will prove to be less of an obstacle on your battlefield conquests.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bastion Inventor MTG card by a specific set like Aether Revolt and Mystery Booster, 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 Bastion Inventor and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Bastion Inventor Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2017-01-20 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Tony Foti.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2017-01-20	Aether Revolt	AER	30	2015	Normal	Black	Tony Foti
2	2019-11-07	Mystery Booster	MB1	294	2015	Normal	Black	Tony Foti
3	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	AER-30	2015	Normal	Black	Tony Foti

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bastion Inventor has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Bastion Inventor card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2017-02-09	Because improvise isn’t an alternative cost, it can be used in conjunction with alternative costs.
2017-02-09	Equipment attached to a creature doesn’t become tapped when that creature becomes tapped, and tapping that Equipment doesn’t cause the creature to become tapped.
2017-02-09	If an artifact you control has a mana ability with in the cost, activating that ability while casting a spell with improvise will result in the artifact being tapped when you pay the spell’s costs. You won’t be able to tap it again for improvise. Similarly, if you sacrifice an artifact to activate a mana ability while casting a spell with improvise, that artifact won’t be on the battlefield when you pay the spell’s costs, so you won’t be able to tap it for improvise.
2017-02-09	Improvise can’t be used to pay for anything other than the cost of casting the spell. For example, it can’t be used during the resolution of an ability that says “Counter target spell unless its controller pays .”
2017-02-09	Improvise can’t pay for , , , , , or mana symbols in a spell’s total cost.
2017-02-09	Improvise doesn’t change a spell’s mana cost or mana value.
2017-02-09	Tapping an artifact won’t cause its abilities to stop applying unless those abilities say so.
2017-02-09	When calculating a spell’s total cost, include any alternative costs, additional costs, or anything else that increases or reduces the cost to cast the spell. Improvise applies after the total cost is calculated.