River Bear MTG Card

River Bear is a strong board presence with excellent stats for its cost, outperforming peers in the same range. With Islandwalk, it provides a strategic edge, especially useful against opponents with Islands. Despite resource limitations, its straightforward cost and innate abilities make it a reliable addition for green decks.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Bear
Abilities Islandwalk,Landwalk
Power 3
Toughness 3

Text of card

Islandwalk (If defending player has any islands in play, River Bear can't be blocked.)

The bears had been isolated on an island for hundreds of years, until the island sank and the bears didn't.

Cards like River Bear

Within the diverse universe of MTG creatures, River Bear holds a unique position. This creature is akin to the Grizzly Bears, a classic green staple, but it stands out with its islandwalk ability. This means River Bear can be unblockable as long as the opponent controls an Island, which can be critical in certain matchups.

Looking at Autumn Willow, another creature which benefits from unblockability by requiring a cost, River Bear offers this advantage inherently against blue decks. Whereas Autumn Willow shields itself from being targeted without an additional fee, River Bear is primed for offense. On the other hand, Thicket Basilisk offers a different kind of edge – it has the lethal ability to destroy any non-wall creature it blocks or gets blocked by, yet it doesn’t possess the tactical evasion that River Bear naturally enjoys.

Finally, assessing River Bear’s role among green creatures illustrates the card’s potential to be a strategic component in decks that capitalize on opponents’ land types. While it might not carry the additional abilities of some peers, its straightforward utility in the right context can make it a valuable player on the battlefield.

Grizzly Bears - MTG Card versions
Autumn Willow - MTG Card versions
Thicket Basilisk - MTG Card versions
Grizzly Bears - MTG Card versions
Autumn Willow - MTG Card versions
Thicket Basilisk - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The River Bear boasts an inherent advantage. With its solid stats of a 3/3, it outmatches many common creatures in its mana range, which makes it a strong presence on the board and increases your effective card utility during gameplay.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting mana resources, River Bear’s efficiency for its cost can help maintain tempo against an opponent, acting as a form of indirect resource acceleration. It helps by preserving your spells and mana for other uses while demanding serious answers from opponents.

Instant Speed: Although River Bear isn’t cast at instant speed, its ability Islandwalk can create unexpected combat advantages. It allows you to bypass potential blockers if an opponent controls an Island, turning the River Bear into a sneaky and reliable attacker during the combat phase.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: For River Bear, the concern isn’t about discarding, but being aware that it doesn’t offer any card draw or advantage upon being played can be a downside in the game where accumulating resources is key.

Specific Mana Cost: River Bear requires two green mana which makes it a bit restrictive in mana bases that aren’t heavily green, possibly limiting the types of deck it could be effectively played in.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing four mana might be considered steep considering its abilities when you might play other creatures for similar cost that offer more versatility or immediate board impact.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: River Bear is not your average creature card; its straightforward mana cost and solid stats make it a reliable addition to Green decks focused on establishing a strong board presence early on.

Combo Potential: With its inherent Islandwalk ability, River Bear pairs exceptionally well with cards that turn opponent’s lands into Islands, allowing it to become unblockable and secure crucial hits.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where blue decks are prevalent, River Bear shines by bypassing typical aquatic defences, making it a smart choice for those seeking an edge over blue strategies.

How to Beat River Bear in MTG

River Bear might not be the flashiest creature in the metagame, but its characteristics make it an interesting card for players who appreciate a sturdy presence on the battlefield. This particular creature card isn’t just sizable, with a solid 3/3 body, but it also boasts an ability often sought after in green decks – being unblockable by blue creatures. This gives it a niche advantage especially in matches where blue-based control decks are prevalent.

Defeating a card like River Bear requires an understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. For starters, River Bear is still susceptible to removal spells. Spells like Doom Blade or Path to Exile can easily send this bear packing, regardless of its protection from blue creatures. Moreover, River Bear doesn’t have hexproof or shroud, which leaves it vulnerable to direct targeting by abilities or spells from non-blue sources. Additionally, a smart use of combat tricks can often outwit a player relying too much on River Bear’s straightforward attack strategy. Cards that offer temporary buffs or deathtouch to your creatures can be key to outclassing and eliminating the River Bear during combat.

At the end of the day, while River Bear is a respectable component in a green player’s creature base, it is far from invulnerable. Employing efficient removals, strategizing around its limitations, and using utility creatures to their maximum potential are effective ways to tackle this four-legged threat on the board.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase River Bear MTG card by a specific set like Portal Second Age and Ninth Edition, 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 River Bear and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The River Bear Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1998-06-24 and 2005-07-29. Illustrated by Una Fricker.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11998-06-24Portal Second AgeP02 1441997NormalBlackUna Fricker
22005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 2662003NormalWhiteUna Fricker
32005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 266★2003NormalBlackUna Fricker

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where River Bear has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal