Runeclaw Bear

Goblin Cruciverbalist Mechanics

Help me solve an un-rules disagreement please? Goblin Cruciverbalist says that you are "using the first letters of names of permanents you control" to spell words. Does that mean that a card like Runeclaw Bear supplies R and B as letters, or would it only supply R?

Just R.

Bear Goblin Goblin Cruciverbalist Mechanics Permanents Runeclaw Bear Un-sets

Categorizing Eldrazi

I think some people find it strange to put mind bending, planeswalking eldrazi in the same category as, say, a Runeclaw Bear, or even Darksteel Colossus. A creature seems too mundane for their flavour.

Magic has only six boxes to choose from.

Bear Creatures Darksteel Darksteel Colossus Eldrazi Flavor Runeclaw Bear

Bear Name Confusion

"a la a Runeclaw Bear, which is where the name came from" No, it's not.

In my original article, I said Grizzly Bear. I assume my editor changed it.

Bear Runeclaw Bear

Creation Changes

Why did Grizzly Bears turn into Runeclaw Bear, and Llanowar Elves into Elvish Mystic?

Creative decisions. The first because we’re trying to do more things that seem magical and less mundane. The second because the art is better if there is a singular image and thus they prefer singular creatures to plural creatures. Llanowar Elves has always really felt like Llanowar Elf.

Art Bear Creatures Elf Elvish Mystic Grizzly Bears Llanowar Mystic Runeclaw Bear

Runeclaw vs Grizzly Bear

While I understand the reasoning behind printing the functional reprints Lightning Strike and Elvish Mystic, why did you choose to print Runeclaw Bear in M10 over the classic Grizzly Bear? Was it to emphasise the printing of new cards in the M1X Core Sets? To meet a quota? To make a Time Spiiral-esque reference?

The creative team has been trying to do less mundane cards and more things that fit in fantasy.

Bear Card Printing Elvish Mystic Lightning Strike Mystic Reprints Runeclaw Bear

Naming Resources

If names is Magic's most limited resource, why do you print Runeclaw Bears (and others like it), in place of Grizzly Bears? I mean, that was a name you could easily have made some awesome if it is enchanted something somthing, but it's a update Grizzly Bears instead. Thoughts?

The resource I’m talking about are simple names. Runeclaw Bear doesn’t eat up this space. The problem with Grizzly Bears was that the creative team has been trying to make creatures that feel more magical and Grizzly Bears feels very mundane. Also, a 2/2 bear should be just one bear and not plural.

Bear Card Printing Creatures Grizzly Bears Limited Runeclaw Bear

Strictly Better Card Issue

In M11, you included a card that is strictly better than another card in the same set (Runeclaw Bear vs Fauna Shaman). Both 2/2s for the exact same mana cost, but one is vanilla and the other has an ability powerful enough to have placed it in pro decks. I have never seen this happen in previous sets, and honestly it kind of irks me that card balance is seemingly ignored. I guess what I want to know is, how does something like this happen? Is it endorsed by the devs? Or was this a mistake?

Trading card games do “strictly betters”. We don’t often put them in the same set but sometimes it happens because both cards serve a purpose. It happens more often in core sets.

Bear Fauna Shaman Mana Power Level Runeclaw Bear Shaman Vanilla

Creature Names Debate

Regarding the change from Grizzly Bears to Runeclaw Bear, you said it shouldn't have been plural. But what about Corpse Traders, Gang of Devils, Geist Trappers, Heirs of Stromkirk, Kessig Malcontents, Marrow Bats, Riders of Gavony, Spectral Gateguards, and Zealous Conscripts? All are very recent creatures with plural names. I understand making the name more magical, but are plural creatures really an issue?

It wasn’t Magic shouldn’t have plural names. It was that a 2/2 should only be a Grizzly Bear not Grizzly Bears. Remember, a well trained human is a 1/1.

Bat Bat Bear Corpse Traders Creatures Devil Gang of Devils Gates Geist Trappers Grizzly Bears Heirs of Stromkirk Human Kessig Marrow Bats Riders of Gavony Runeclaw Bear Spectral Gateguards Zealous Conscripts

Origin of Runeclaw

Where does the "Runeclaw" in Runeclaw Bear come from?

I have no idea but in my heart of hearts I like to think it has something to do with a bearclaw. (As a general rule of thumb, I like to always assume things happen because of doughnuts.)

Bear Rules Runeclaw Bear

Grizzly-Clone Opinions

Speakig of Runeclaw Bear.. What has the general opinion of the Grizzly-Clone been? From what I've seen, most older players passionately despise it while newer players have no opinion of it. What are the chances of reverting to Grizzly Bears in the near future?

While I understand Grizzly Bears has nostalgia going for it, it has a few strikes against it that lessen its chance of return. First, it’s a bit mundane and the creative team is trying to make cards feel less like something you’d find in the zoo and more like a creature of fantasy. Second, the plural is a problem as a single bear would easily be 2/2.

Bear Creatures Grizzly Bears Runeclaw Bear The General