Decoding the Multicolor Mayhem: A Comprehensive Guide to MTG Color Combo Names
Magic: The Gathering (MTG) is a complex and fascinating game, rich with lore, strategy, and a vibrant community. One aspect that often confuses new players, and sometimes even veterans, is the naming conventions for color combinations. While referring to decks by the colors they contain (e.g., a ‘Red-White deck’) works, understanding the established names elevates your communication and connection to the game’s culture. This comprehensive guide will break down the five two-color combinations, the ten three-color combinations (shards and wedges), and even touch upon the rarer four- and five-color identities, providing you with the knowledge to confidently discuss MTG color combinations.
## Why Bother Learning the Color Combo Names?
Before diving into the specifics, let’s understand why knowing these names is beneficial:
* **Clear Communication:** Instead of saying “a deck that’s Blue, Black, and Red,” you can say “a Grixis deck.” This is far more concise and easily understood by experienced players.
* **Strategic Understanding:** The names often evoke the themes and playstyles associated with those colors, giving you a quick idea of the deck’s likely strengths and weaknesses.
* **Community Connection:** Using the proper names demonstrates your familiarity with MTG culture and instantly connects you to other players who understand the game’s history and lore.
* **Deckbuilding Assistance:** Knowing the names helps you categorize and organize your deck ideas, making it easier to search for relevant cards and strategies.
* **Understanding Card Names and Lore:** Many cards reference these color combinations in their names or flavor text, deepening your understanding of the game’s world.
## The Foundation: The Five Two-Color Combinations (Guilds)
The two-color combinations are the most straightforward, each represented by a Guild from the *Ravnica* block. Each guild has a unique identity, mechanics, and overarching themes.
1. **Azorius (White/Blue):** Represented by the Azorius Senate, this combination focuses on control, law, and order. They excel at drawing cards, countering spells, and delaying the opponent’s plans. Their key mechanic often involves detaining or tapping creatures. The Azorius strategy is often a slow, deliberate game, eventually overwhelming the opponent with card advantage and powerful late-game threats.
* **Key Characteristics:** Control, Card Advantage, Law and Order, Detain, Fliers.
* **Playstyle:** Control, Tempo, Fliers
* **Example Cards:** Supreme Verdict, Teferi, Hero of Dominaria, Sphinx’s Revelation
2. **Dimir (Blue/Black):** Represented by House Dimir, this combination embodies secrecy, espionage, and manipulation. They specialize in controlling information, disrupting the opponent’s hand, and reanimating creatures from the graveyard. Mill strategies (forcing the opponent to discard cards from their library) are also common. Dimir often wins through subtle advantages and exploiting the opponent’s weaknesses.
* **Key Characteristics:** Control, Discard, Mill, Reanimation, Information Control.
* **Playstyle:** Control, Mill, Midrange
* **Example Cards:** Ashiok, Dream Render, Thoughtseize, Counterspell
3. **Rakdos (Black/Red):** Represented by the Cult of Rakdos, this combination is all about chaos, spectacle, and unrestrained aggression. They prioritize fast, aggressive strategies, often sacrificing their own resources for immediate gains. Discarding cards, dealing direct damage, and overwhelming the opponent with creatures are their trademarks. Rakdos decks aim to win quickly, before their self-destructive tendencies become a liability.
* **Key Characteristics:** Aggression, Discard, Direct Damage, Sacrifice, Chaos.
* **Playstyle:** Aggro, Burn, Sacrifice
* **Example Cards:** Lightning Bolt, Terminate, Mayhem Devil
4. **Gruul (Red/Green):** Represented by the Gruul Clans, this combination embodies raw power, primal instinct, and savage strength. They focus on big creatures, land destruction, and overwhelming the opponent with brute force. Trample and other combat-oriented abilities are common. Gruul decks aim to crush the opponent with massive creatures and unblockable attacks.
* **Key Characteristics:** Aggression, Power, Trample, Land Destruction, Creature Focus.
* **Playstyle:** Aggro, Midrange, Stompy
* **Example Cards:** Stomping Ground, Bloodbraid Elf, Atarka’s Command
5. **Selesnya (Green/White):** Represented by the Selesnya Conclave, this combination is all about community, growth, and harmony. They focus on creating tokens, buffing creatures, and overwhelming the opponent with sheer numbers. Lifegain is also a common theme. Selesnya decks aim to build a resilient board presence and overwhelm the opponent with a swarm of creatures.
* **Key Characteristics:** Tokens, Buffs, Lifegain, Community, Creature Swarm.
* **Playstyle:** Tokens, Midrange, Creature Aggro
* **Example Cards:** Selesnya Guildmage, March of the Multitudes, Trostani Discordant
## The Next Level: Three-Color Combinations (Shards and Wedges)
Three-color combinations are more complex, offering a wider range of strategic possibilities. They are divided into two categories: Shards and Wedges.
**Shards:** A Shard is a color combination that consists of a central color and its two allied colors (those directly next to it on the color pie).
**Wedges:** A Wedge is a color combination that consists of a central color and its two enemy colors (those opposite it on the color pie).
Let’s explore each of the ten three-color combinations:
### The Shards
1. **Bant (White/Blue/Green):** Bant is centered on White, with Blue and Green as its allies. This combination embodies growth, harmony, and perfection. It often features creatures with powerful abilities, enchantments, and a focus on long-term value. Bant decks tend to be resilient, adaptable, and capable of overwhelming the opponent with efficient threats.
* **Central Color:** White
* **Allied Colors:** Blue, Green
* **Key Characteristics:** Efficient Creatures, Enchantments, Lifegain, Tempo, Card Advantage
* **Playstyle:** Midrange, Control, Tempo
* **Example Cards:** Rafiq of the Many, Knight of Autumn, Noble Hierarch
2. **Esper (White/Blue/Black):** Esper is centered on Blue, with White and Black as its allies. This combination embodies control, artifice, and perfection through manipulation. It often features artifacts, control spells, and a focus on card advantage. Esper decks tend to be slow and deliberate, gradually grinding the opponent down with superior resources and control.
* **Central Color:** Blue
* **Allied Colors:** White, Black
* **Key Characteristics:** Artifacts, Control, Card Advantage, Disruption, Lifegain
* **Playstyle:** Control, Midrange
* **Example Cards:** Tezzeret the Seeker, Baleful Strix, Sphinx’s Revelation
3. **Grixis (Blue/Black/Red):** Grixis is centered on Black, with Blue and Red as its allies. This combination embodies ambition, necromancy, and unrestrained power. It often features discard spells, reanimation effects, and direct damage. Grixis decks tend to be aggressive and disruptive, aiming to overwhelm the opponent with a combination of threats and control.
* **Central Color:** Black
* **Allied Colors:** Blue, Red
* **Key Characteristics:** Discard, Reanimation, Direct Damage, Card Advantage, Control
* **Playstyle:** Control, Midrange, Aggro
* **Example Cards:** Nicol Bolas, the Ravager, Kolaghan’s Command, Lightning Bolt
4. **Jund (Black/Red/Green):** Jund is centered on Red, with Black and Green as its allies. This combination embodies savagery, destruction, and survival of the fittest. It often features powerful creatures, discard spells, and sacrifice effects. Jund decks tend to be aggressive and relentless, aiming to overwhelm the opponent with overwhelming force and disruption.
* **Central Color:** Red
* **Allied Colors:** Black, Green
* **Key Characteristics:** Aggression, Discard, Sacrifice, Power, Creature Focus
* **Playstyle:** Aggro, Midrange
* **Example Cards:** Bloodbraid Elf, Liliana of the Veil, Terminate
5. **Naya (Red/Green/White):** Naya is centered on Green, with Red and White as its allies. This combination embodies growth, harmony, and overwhelming power. It often features large creatures, creature buffs, and token generation. Naya decks tend to be aggressive and overwhelming, aiming to crush the opponent with sheer force and numbers.
* **Central Color:** Green
* **Allied Colors:** Red, White
* **Key Characteristics:** Power, Creature Focus, Tokens, Buffs, Lifegain
* **Playstyle:** Aggro, Midrange, Stompy
* **Example Cards:** Woolly Thoctar, Mayael the Anima, Qasali Pridemage
### The Wedges
1. **Abzan (White/Black/Green):** Abzan is centered on White, with Black and Green as its enemies. This combination embodies endurance, pragmatism, and tradition. It often features creatures with +1/+1 counters, graveyard recursion, and a focus on outlasting the opponent. Abzan decks tend to be resilient, value-oriented, and capable of winning through attrition.
* **Central Color:** White
* **Enemy Colors:** Black, Green
* **Key Characteristics:** +1/+1 Counters, Graveyard Recursion, Endurance, Lifegain, Removal
* **Playstyle:** Midrange, Control
* **Example Cards:** Anafenza, the Foremost, Siege Rhino, Abzan Charm
2. **Jeskai (Blue/Red/White):** Jeskai is centered on Blue, with Red and White as its enemies. This combination embodies cunning, enlightenment, and swift action. It often features instants and sorceries, prowess creatures, and a focus on tempo and card advantage. Jeskai decks tend to be fast and reactive, aiming to control the board and overwhelm the opponent with efficient threats and spells.
* **Central Color:** Blue
* **Enemy Colors:** Red, White
* **Key Characteristics:** Instants and Sorceries, Prowess, Card Advantage, Tempo, Control
* **Playstyle:** Tempo, Control, Midrange
* **Example Cards:** Mantis Rider, Lightning Helix, Jeskai Ascendancy
3. **Sultai (Black/Green/Blue):** Sultai is centered on Black, with Green and Blue as its enemies. This combination embodies ruthlessness, wealth, and manipulation of life and death. It often features graveyard recursion, delve spells, and a focus on controlling the board and generating value. Sultai decks tend to be slow and grindy, aiming to overwhelm the opponent with superior card advantage and powerful late-game threats.
* **Central Color:** Black
* **Enemy Colors:** Green, Blue
* **Key Characteristics:** Graveyard Recursion, Delve, Card Advantage, Control, Disruption
* **Playstyle:** Control, Midrange
* **Example Cards:** Tasigur, the Golden Fang, Dig Through Time, Sultai Charm
4. **Mardu (Red/White/Black):** Mardu is centered on Red, with White and Black as its enemies. This combination embodies speed, ruthlessness, and honor through conquest. It often features aggressive creatures, removal spells, and a focus on overwhelming the opponent with early pressure and disruption. Mardu decks tend to be fast and aggressive, aiming to win quickly before the opponent can stabilize.
* **Central Color:** Red
* **Enemy Colors:** White, Black
* **Key Characteristics:** Aggression, Removal, Discard, Direct Damage, Creature Focus
* **Playstyle:** Aggro, Midrange
* **Example Cards:** Butcher of the Horde, Lightning Bolt, Crackling Doom
5. **Temur (Green/Blue/Red):** Temur is centered on Green, with Blue and Red as its enemies. This combination embodies savagery, unpredictability, and the raw power of nature. It often features large creatures, ramp spells, and a focus on overwhelming the opponent with overwhelming force. Temur decks tend to be aggressive and unpredictable, aiming to crush the opponent with massive threats and surprise plays.
* **Central Color:** Green
* **Enemy Colors:** Blue, Red
* **Key Characteristics:** Power, Ramp, Creature Focus, Tempo, Card Advantage
* **Playstyle:** Midrange, Aggro, Ramp
* **Example Cards:** Savage Knuckleblade, Growth Spiral, Temur Charm
## Beyond Three Colors: Four and Five-Color Decks
While three-color decks are common, four- and five-color decks are significantly rarer due to the increased mana requirements. These decks often rely on mana fixing and specific strategies to function effectively.
* **Four-Color Decks:** While there aren’t official names for the various four-color combinations in Magic, they are commonly referred to as “[Color]less” where [Color] is the color *not* present in the deck. So, a deck with White, Blue, Black, and Red would be referred to as a “Greenless” deck.
* **Five-Color Decks:** Decks that utilize all five colors are simply referred to as five-color decks. They often require significant mana fixing and may utilize cards like *Kenrith, the Returned King* to leverage the diverse mana base.
## Tips for Remembering the Color Combo Names
* **Associate with Flavor:** Connect each name with the flavor and mechanics of the associated shard or wedge. Think of the Gruul’s brute force, the Dimir’s secrecy, or the Esper’s obsession with artifacts.
* **Use Mnemonics:** Create memorable acronyms or phrases to help you remember the order of the colors within each combination. For example, “**G**ood **B**oys **R**un **J**oyfully **N**ow” for the Shards (**Bant, Esper, Grixis, Jund, Naya**).
* **Practice, Practice, Practice:** The more you use the names in conversation and deckbuilding, the more naturally they will come to you.
* **Use Online Resources:** Numerous websites and apps provide handy references for the color combinations and their associated names.
* **Play the Game:** Experience the colors in action. Playing different decks will help you better understand the strengths and weaknesses of each color combination.
## Conclusion
Mastering the names of MTG color combinations is a valuable skill that enhances your communication, strategic understanding, and connection to the game’s community. By understanding the foundations of the two-color guilds, the strategic depth of the three-color shards and wedges, and even the rare four- and five-color decks, you can elevate your gameplay and become a more knowledgeable and engaged member of the Magic: The Gathering world. So, embrace the multicolor mayhem, learn the names, and unlock a deeper understanding of this incredible game!