Colorshifted Balduvian Bears, Barbary Apes, Bear Cub, Cylian Elf, Forest Bear, Fresh Volunteers, Glory Seeker, Grizzly Bears, Knight Errant, Silvercoat Lion.

Hmm, true. But white and green are the colours that get bears (and bears with advantages). Red, black and blue conventionally don't: every red creature that's a 2/2 for has had a drawback. (There are several red 2-drops that are 2/2 with advantages, but they all cost . See Blood Knight, Boros Guildmage, Vexing Shusher and Stigma Lasher.)

There's never been the pure vanilla 2/2 for . Might that be better for this slot? All the s I mention above are at least uncommon, but I think the vanilla version could be common.

­ feels like just pushing things for the sake of pushing them.

When I made this card, I was trying to make development decisions. The game now has better creatures, so, I figured, this kind of changes are reasonable (if for you can get a 2/2 with benefits, a bear should be okay). I didn't understand, however, that vanilla creatures in their majority serve as a basis. Now, I know I wouldn't want to print this.

As a fun fact, though, Patrol Siren is strictly better than this. I actually didn't relize I had made not only a red bear but two, and a blue one!