For anyone learning to play Magic: The Gathering, one of the most significant choices they face will be what colour deck they should choose. As you’ll know, the game is guided by a colour wheel or pie which is represented by the five different mana colours of the game. Red, White, Blue, Black and Green. Understanding the importance behind each colour is essential for understanding the strategies of the game.
What do red cards represent?
This is the colour associated with:
· Speed
· Chaos
· Intense emotion (in particular aggression)
· Individual freedom
· Elements of earth and fire
Red is the most aggressive colour in the colour pie and as such, is known historically as the best colour for those players who are going solo. It gives them the potential to achieve victory as quickly as possible. The cards are often designed with high immediate impact. This allows players to fire off a full hand of spells in just a few turns, overwhelming opponents almost immediately. Well, that’s the theory, but as we all know MTG can be more complex and unpredictable depending on the skill of the opponent.
Why might you play red?
Typically, those who play red believe that a good game is a fast one. Even a slower red deck still has decisive plays during the first few turns. Whilst the mascot of the red deck is undoubtedly a self-destructive, slapstick goblin there are a surprisingly significant number of complicated decisions that need to be made. Lightning Bolt certainly allows for more distinct opportunities in this respect but there is every chance that a person playing red will have the opportunity to use all of their cards before the game is over. This will, of course, provide them with maximum decision-making opportunities.
Less aggressive decks
Those decks that are less aggressive will still feature an element of accelerated decision-making, with “looting” and “rummaging” signature cards forcing many decisions about which cards to discard and which to keep.
Aggressive decks
In many ways the aggressive red deck sets the template for the other colours in the game, they attack early and more often with those creatures that are disposable but can do some damage. This is usually followed by attempts to end the game quickly with direct damage spells. With a constant threat of burn spells red is a good choice for players who enjoy bluffing but want to take a more proactive approach.
Slower decks
Slower red decks usually use damage to control the battlefield rather than looking for a quick win. Planeswalkers are often used to generate card advantage, and also ongoing value as soon as they have gained control.
Combo and prison decks
A red combo deck will seek to use red's ability to speedily throw cards away, drawing additional cards to get the combo pieces they require. They then use rituals in order to cast them quickly and win. A switch from “prison” pieces such as the infamous Blood Moon to combo means denying opponents the opportunity to come back, although a prison deck is more flexible when it comes to orchestrating a win and has the ability to achieve a single turn-one spell victory move.
What’s your favourite colour? Let us know in the comments below.
All Magic: The Gathering (MTG) card images and symbols © Wizards of the Coast
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