Wilson, Refined Grizzly MTG Card


Wilson offers card drawing and strategic options, key for maintaining a strong hand. Its ability to accelerate resources can help players cast spells ahead of time. The card’s instant-speed interactions provide adaptability during opponent turns.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeLegendary Creature — Bear Warrior
Abilities Choose a background,Reach,Trample,Ward, Vigilance
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

This spell can't be countered. Vigilance, reach, trample Ward (Whenever this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter it unless that player pays .) Choose a Background (You can have a Background as a second commander.)


Cards like Wilson, Refined Grizzly

Wilson, Refined Grizzly carves out its own niche among creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. Its resemblance to creatures like Grizzly Bears is evident, as both provide a straightforward 2/2 body for two mana. Yet, Wilson sets itself apart with its adaptability, capable of being utilized as both a creature and mana source. Unlike Grizzly Bears, which is purely a creature, Wilson offers versatility on the battlefield.

Another closely related card is Werebear, which also functions as a mana dork in its initial state and has the potential to evolve into a significant threat. Unlike Wilson, Werebear taps for mana without additional cost, and it becomes more potent as the graveyard fills up. Meanwhile, Sylvan Caryatid brings a different angle to the table, providing a defensive 0/3 body that can tap for any color mana, but it lacks the aggressive potential of Wilson.

Ultimately, when comparing Wilson, Refined Grizzly to other creature cards in Magic: The Gathering, its unique combination of early game ramp and mid to late game presence grants it a noteworthy position in the creature lineup, especially for players looking for flexibility and resource advantage.

Grizzly Bears - MTG Card versions
Werebear - MTG Card versions
Sylvan Caryatid - MTG Card versions
Grizzly Bears - MTG Card versions
Werebear - MTG Card versions
Sylvan Caryatid - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Wilson, Refined Grizzly by color, type and mana cost

Wyluli Wolf - MTG Card versions
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Tel-Jilad Chosen - MTG Card versions
Wyluli Wolf - MTG Card versions
Whirling Dervish - MTG Card versions
Grizzly Bears - MTG Card versions
River Boa - MTG Card versions
Eladamri, Lord of Leaves - MTG Card versions
Albino Troll - MTG Card versions
Silverglade Pathfinder - MTG Card versions
Priest of Titania - MTG Card versions
Quirion Elves - MTG Card versions
Blurred Mongoose - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Loamspeaker - MTG Card versions
Genesis Hydra - MTG Card versions
Jolrael, Mwonvuli Recluse - MTG Card versions
Scavenging Ooze - MTG Card versions
Heir of the Wilds - MTG Card versions
Mayor of Avabruck // Howlpack Alpha - MTG Card versions
Wren's Run Vanquisher - MTG Card versions
Muscle Sliver - MTG Card versions
Ayula, Queen Among Bears - MTG Card versions
Tel-Jilad Chosen - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Wilson, Refined Grizzly. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
DecklistDecklist Free formCanadian Highlander for Duals - Underground Sea Guaranteed - Proxies Allowed
MaverickMaverick LegacyMaverickEternal Weekend Europe 2023 Legacy Mainevent

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Wilson, Refined Grizzly offers the potential for card advantage through its abilities that may allow you to draw additional cards during the game, keeping your hand replenished and providing more strategic options.

Resource Acceleration: This card can serve as a resource accelerator by potentially allowing you to ramp up your mana. As players often strive for ways to cast powerful spells ahead of schedule, this feature is a considerable advantage.

Instant Speed: One of the notable strengths of Wilson, Refined Grizzly is its capability to interact at instant speed. This flexibility allows players to adapt to the state of the game and make optimal plays even during the opponent’s turn, thereby maximizing the card’s strategic value.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Embracing the role of a potent yet particular bear in your deck, Wilson, Refined Grizzly, does come with a catch. Activating its powerful ability mandates that you discard another card, a trade-off that can jeopardize your hand, particularly in the tight clutches of a late-game brawl where each card holds crucial strategic potential.

Specific Mana Cost: Hailing from the vibrant forests, Wilson’s allegiance to green mana is unwavering. This dedication, while harmonious in mono-green or certain multicolor builds, restricts the bear’s companionship exclusively to those decks that can furnish the particular emerald mana required, leaving others outside the den.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana investment for summoning Wilson is not inconsequential. Although the grizzly arrives refined and ready for conflict, decks may find that four mana commits a significant portion of their resources that could be allocated towards faster, more immediate threats or defenses, especially in a metagame that rewards efficiency over raw power.


Reasons to Include Wilson, Refined Grizzly in Your Collection

Versatility: Wilson, Refined Grizzly brings adaptability to any deck style with its ability to both support your creatures and hinder your opponent’s. Whether you’re running an aggressive build or a more control-centered approach, this card can find its place and perform.

Combo Potential: With an innate capacity to alter combat results, Wilson can synergize with abilities that trigger on dealing damage or winning fights. This opens up numerous possibilities for combos and interaction with the board state that can be exploited in creature-focused decks.

Meta-Relevance: Given the shifting dynamics of competitive play, having a card like Wilson, which can serve as both an offensive asset and a defensive bulwark is crucial. It’s especially effective if creature-based strategies become predominant, making it a valuable asset in any meta environment.


How to beat

Wilson, Refined Grizzly presents a unique challenge on the battlefield with its ability to consistently grow stronger with each attack. Facing off against this card, opponents should consider removal spells that can deal with it before it becomes too large of a threat. Cards such as Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile offer a permanent solution by exiling Wilson, circumventing any increase in power that it may have accumulated.

Another viable tactic is to employ countermagic when Wilson first hits the stack, preventing it from entering the battlefield altogether. Counterspell or Negate provides this line of defense, keeping your opponent’s board clear of this burgeoning threat. For those playing black, consider using instant-speed removal like Fatal Push to eliminate Wilson before its power grows, provided you meet the required conditions to trigger its Revolt ability.

Lastly, remember to manage the creatures you control, as Wilson grows in strength when dealing combat damage to a player. So, it may be advantageous to hold back blockers or use creatures with reach or flying to minimize Wilson’s impact. Keeping a keen eye on the battlefield and the right spells in hand is key to overcoming the threat of Wilson, Refined Grizzly.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Wilson, Refined Grizzly // Wilson, Refined Grizzly MTG card by a specific set like Battle for Baldur's Gate Art Series and Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate, 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 Wilson, Refined Grizzly // Wilson, Refined Grizzly and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Wilson, Refined Grizzly // Wilson, Refined Grizzly Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2022-06-10 and 2022-06-10. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12022-06-10Battle for Baldur's Gate Art SeriesACLB 602015Art seriesBorderless
22022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 2612015NormalBlackIlse Gort
32022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 4112015NormalBlackJustine Mara Andersen
42022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 5222015NormalBlackIlse Gort

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Wilson, Refined Grizzly has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2022-06-10 An effect that checks whether you control your commander is satisfied if you control one or both of your two commanders.
2022-06-10 Both commanders start in the command zone, and the remaining 98 cards (or 58 cards in a Commander Draft game) of your deck are shuffled to become your library.
2022-06-10 Choose a Background is a variant of the partner ability. You may have two commanders if one of them is a legendary creature with the choose a background ability and the other is a legendary Background enchantment. Backgrounds and cards with choose a Background do not interact with cards which have any other partner ability.
2022-06-10 If a card refers to a commander creature you own, a Background won't usually be counted or included for that effect. If another spell or ability causes your Background to become a creature, however, it will be included. Any effect that refers to your commander or a commander you own or control without specifying creature will apply to a Background that is your commander, as appropriate.
2022-06-10 If something refers to your commander while you have two commanders, it refers to one of them of your choice. If you are instructed to perform an action on your commander (e.g. put it from the command zone into your hand due to Command Beacon), you choose one of your commanders at the time the effect happens.
2022-06-10 If you control a Background that grants an ability to commander creatures you own, and you own more than one commander creature, each of them will have that ability.
2022-06-10 If your Commander deck has two commanders, you can include only cards whose own color identities are also found in your commanders’ combined color identities.
2022-06-10 If your commander loses the choose a Background ability or stops being a Background during the game, as appropriate, it is still your commander.
2022-06-10 Once the game begins, your two commanders are tracked separately. If you cast one, you won’t have to pay an additional the first time you cast the other. A player loses the game after having been dealt 21 combat damage from any one of them, not from both of them combined (although your Background won’t usually be a creature anyway).
2022-06-10 You can choose two commanders that are the same color or colors.
Vigilance card art

Guide to Vigilance card ability

In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.