Restless Bivouac MTG Card
2023-09-08 - Number 257p
2023-09-08 - Number 257s
2023-09-08 - Number 303
2023-09-08 - Number 257
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
Restless Bivouac enters the battlefield tapped. : Add or . : Restless Bivouac becomes a 2/2 red and white Ox creature until end of turn. It's still a land. Whenever Restless Bivouac attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control.
Cards like Restless Bivouac
Restless Bivouac adds a unique flair to the pool of dual lands in MTG. It has a clear parallel to the Ravnica bounce lands such as Izzet Boilerworks, which also return a land to your hand when played. Restless Bivouac, however, offers the additional ability to become a creature, making it a flexible option on the battlefield. In contrast, bounce lands provide no offensive capabilities.
When considering utility lands, Raging Ravine stands out for its reputation in competitive play. Like Restless Bivouac, it can turn into a creature; however, Raging Ravine grows stronger with each attack. On the flip side, Restless Bivouac costs less mana to activate its creature form. We can also look at Lumbering Falls, another manland with hexproof that ensures its durability against targeted removal, an aspect Restless Bivouac lacks.
In essence, while Restless Bivouac may not have the resilience of Lumbering Falls or the growing threat of Raging Ravine, its lower activation cost and synergy potential in multicolored decks make it a notable competitor among transforming lands in MTG.
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Restless Bivouac. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Boros Aggro | Gladiator | Gladiator Proving Grounds: Week 13 2024 | |
 | Naya Control | Standard | Naya Control | Traditional Standard Ranked Decklists: April 29, 2024 |
 | Grixis Control | Standard | Grixis Control | Traditional Standard Ranked Decklists: April 29, 2024 |
| Boros Convoke | Standard | Boros Convoke | Standard Challenge 32 2024-04-06 |
| Boros Midrange | Pioneer | *HALF PRICE FRIDAY* ReCQ - Pioneer - SCG CON Atlanta - Friday - 2:00 pm | |
 | Naya Midrange | Gladiator | Gladiator Proving Grounds: Week 13 2024 | |
 | Boros Tokens | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 14 2024 | |
 | Jeskai Control | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 14 2024 | |
| Boros Exile | Standard | Boros Exile | Standard Challenge 64 2024-03-31 |
 | Naya Winota | Gladiator | Gladiator Proving Grounds: Week 13 2024 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Restless Bivouac offers versatility by transforming from a land to a creature, essentially giving you two types of resources in one card. This can keep your hand free for other strategic plays, maintaining pressure on your opponent without sacrificing land drops.
Resource Acceleration: This unique card taps for green or red mana, contributing to your mana base’s flexibility. In longer games, its ability to become a creature can be a form of resource acceleration as it allows you to apply pressure without using additional cards from your hand.
Instant Speed: While Restless Bivouac itself isn’t an instant, it can turn into a creature at instant speed. This gives you the element of surprise, allowing you to block when your opponent least expects it or become aggressive on their turn without giving away your plan during your own turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Playing Restless Bivouac can be a little taxing since it enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more other lands. If you’re aiming for a quick game, this might slow your momentum, especially in the early turns where every play is crucial.
Specific Mana Cost: Though Restless Bivouac taps for colorless mana, its ability to turn into a creature requires you to tap it and pay specific mana costs—green and red. This can be restrictive as it demands a particular blend of mana sources, potentially limiting the card to certain multicolor decks that can accommodate those colors efficiently.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: To leverage its full potential and transform it into a 3/3 Elemental creature with haste until end of turn, you need a total of five mana, which is a significant investment. The necessity to pour resources into animating a land can put you behind when other cards of a similar cost could progress your board state further or disrupt your opponent’s strategy.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Restless Bivouac adds a layer of flexibility to any deck. Its ability to serve as both land and, with the landfall ability, transform into a creature provides strategic value in a variety of game situations.
Combo Potential: This card’s dual nature works well with decks that are built around landfall triggers. It can surprise opponents by switching roles from mana source to attacker or blocker when least expected.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where the battlefield often dictates the pace, having a card like Restless Bivouac ensures you remain adaptable. Its relevance shines in metagames that emphasize land interactions and value seamless transitions between resources and threats.
How to beat
Restless Bivouac is a versatile card known for its ability to transform into a creature with power and toughness. Its dual nature as both land and creature makes it a valuable asset in various MTG decks. To effectively counter the Restless Bivouac, players must consider strategies that target both aspects of the card. Lands are not common targets in games, but with artifact and enchantment removal spells, players can address the threat before it becomes a creature.
Timing plays a critical role when dealing with Restless Bivouac. By utilizing instant-speed removal on the card’s animated state or employing land destruction when it’s a land, players can prevent it from impacting the battlefield. Such strategies hinder an opponent’s mana development and limit creature-based threats.
Considering Restless Bivouac’s strategic potential, thwarting it requires a carefully crafted approach that targets its multifaceted nature. With preemptive actions and the right removal spells, players can stabilize their position and maintain control against decks that utilize this flexible MTG card.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Restless Bivouac MTG card by a specific set like Wilds of Eldraine Promos and Wilds of Eldraine Promos, 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 Restless Bivouac and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Restless Bivouac Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2023-09-08 and 2023-09-08. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023-09-08 | Wilds of Eldraine Promos | PWOE | 257p | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sergey Glushakov | |
| 2 | 2023-09-08 | Wilds of Eldraine Promos | PWOE | 257s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sergey Glushakov | |
| 3 | 2023-09-08 | Wilds of Eldraine | WOE | 303 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Lucas Graciano | |
| 4 | 2023-09-08 | Wilds of Eldraine | WOE | 257 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sergey Glushakov |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Restless Bivouac has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Restless Bivouac card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2023-09-01 | Counters on Restless Bivouac remain on it when it stops being a creature. If it becomes a creature later, they'll apply to it. |
| 2023-09-01 | If this becomes a creature because of an effect other than its own ability, its last ability will still trigger whenever it attacks. |
| 2023-09-01 | If this becomes a creature but you haven't controlled it continuously since your most recent turn began, you won't be able to activate its mana ability or attack with it that turn. |