Magic: The Gathering has five colors that can be combined in 25 ways, making for many ways to mix and match colors as you craft a deck with Magic: The Gathering color combinations.
Ten two-color, ten three-color, and five four-color combos exist. Combining all five colors in one deck is another option called “WUBRG.”
Below is the entirety of Magic: The Gathering’s color combinations.
Two-color pairs in Magic the Gathering
Here are the two-color combos in MTG:
- Azorius: White/Blue
- Boros: Red/White
- Dimir: Blue/Black
- Golgari: Black/Green
- Gruul: Red/Green
- Izzet: Blue/Red
- Orzhov: White/Black
- Rakdos: Black/Red
- Selesnya: White/Green
- Simic: Blue/Green
Two-color combinations each have a name that is tied to lore based on the MTG plane Ravnica, which has multiple sets named after it. All 10 two-color combos are named after one of the plane’s guilds. Each of these sets uses exactly two card combinations. These pairs are widely referred to as guilds, thanks to Ravnica.
Dimir is known to have some of the most valuable combos in the entire game, so we suggest starting there.
Some cards diminish in quality the more colors you have in your deck. Cards like Spire Barrage, Tendrils of Corruption, Nightmare, and Leatherback Baloth worsen with the more colors you add to your deck. These cards are better suited for single-color decks.
Three-color pairs in Magic the Gathering
Here are the 10 three-color combos in MTG:
- Abzan: White/Black/Green
- Bant: White/Blue/Green
- Esper: White/Blue/Black
- Grixis: Blue/Black/Red
- Jeskai: White/Blue/Red
- Jund: Black/Red/Green
- Mardu: White/Black/Red
- Naya: White/Red/Green
- Sultai: Blue/Black/Green
- Temur: Blue/Red/Green
Though there are 10 three-color combos, half of them are named after the Alara block, cards that were released in the late 2000s. The other half have names that are related to the Tarkir block that came out in the 2010s.
The five Alara combos are named after the five shards of Alara. Each of those color combos is an “arc,” meaning that all three colors are next to one another on MTG’s color wheel.
The five “wedges” are named after the five clans of Tarkir. Wedges in MTG refer to three-color combos that have two colors next to one another on the color wheel joined with one that is on the opposite side.
Bant may be the best three-color pair thanks to its many enchantments granting abilities like trample, flying, and growth, all while stopping your opponents in their tracks.
Four-color pairs in Magic the Gathering
Here are the 5 four-color combos in MTG:
- Glint: No White
- Dune: No Blue
- Ink: No Black
- Witch: No Red
- Yore: No Green
Four-color combinations are named after the four-color Nephilim creatures of Guildpact. Beyond that, only a little lore exists about them. The four-color pairs have the least amount of lore coupled with them among all the pairs. Each different one had all but one of the colors in MTG.
The Five Colors of Magic the Gathering: WUBRG
Very few cards have the pairing of all five colors of mana. Even then, most are considered legendary cards. With Artifact cards being identified with an A, Blue is identified as U rather than B because both it and black start with B and L. So, it’s simply the next available letter that uniquely works.
So, there you have it. Every Magic: The Gathering color combination has names totaling over twenty pairs. Now, you can use the proper name for your deck and avoid simply using the colors if you so desire.
