Appendix: The Colors of Magic

Multiple Colors

Many mages, especially Planeswalkers, routinely draw on two or more colors of mana. In some worlds, color pairs or triads have such a strong identity that they are manifested in the world. The guilds of Ravnica, for example, are each aligned to a specific pair of mana colors, and each of the clans of Tarkir used three colors. And some lands produce mana of more than one color, so that a highland lake might produce both red and blue mana. Mana pairs similarly suggest certain principles, create certain magical effects, and favor certain personality traits.

Based on the color wheel, it's possible to speak of two colors of mana as either "allied" (adjacent to each other on the wheel) or "enemy" (separated by another color). White's allied colors are green and blue; its enemy colors are red and black. That doesn't mean that creatures associated with allied colors are necessarily on the same side of any conflict, or that creatures associated with enemy colors are actually enemies. But if conflict does arise—for example, in a party of adventurers—it's more likely to arise between a white-aligned and a red-aligned character than between a white-aligned and a blue-aligned one. That's the natural result of the different personalities and principles associated with each color. A white character might put a lot of stress on the value of law and order, and of working together toward a common goal. A red-aligned character values freedom and individuality.

Characters and Colors

In the language of the D&D game, the colors of mana are a means of categorizing the types of magic that suffuse all existence. When a spellcaster draws upon or manipulates the Weave (see 10), part of that process involves tugging on a strand that connects to a land that produces mana of the desired color. Whether consciously or unconsciously, a druid casting barkskin tugs on a strand of the Weave connected to a forest in the world, drawing out the green mana needed to cast the spell.

There's no rules weight to this material; it's simply about roleplaying your character. If you're playing a cleric, you might find it helpful to imagine your character drawing on white mana, and you'll find that a lot of your spells could indeed be white spells in Magic. You might also find inspiration in the personality traits and ideals described in the white mana entry. But there's no rule preventing your character from using spells like divination (a blue spell), stone shape (a red spell), create undead (a black spell), or insect plague (a green spell). On the other hand, you might find that thinking about your cleric as a white-aligned caster shapes your choice of spells as well as your personality.

Color Combinations

Adding blue to white steers it toward lawful neutral, creating archetypes such as the devout monk or the honorable paladin.

Adding black to white steers it toward lawful evil, exemplified by oppressive clerics and fallen paladins.

Adding red to white makes it zealously lawful good, as in the case of a fervent paladin.

Adding green to white steers it toward neutral good and gentler notions of community, embodied in characters such as healing druids, bards, or kindly rangers.

Color Combinations

Adding white to blue steers it toward lawful neutral, creating archetypes such as the devout monk or the honorable paladin.

Adding black to blue steers it toward neutral evil and the behavior of stealthy spies, scoundrels, and infiltrators.

Adding red to blue steers it toward chaotic neutral, exemplified by madcap mages—elementalist wizards or sorcerers.

Adding green to blue solidifies its neutrality, embodied in archetypes such as the sagacious druid or the scholar of nature.

Color Combinations

Adding white to black steers it toward lawful evil, exemplified by oppressive clerics and fallen paladins.

Adding blue to black steers it toward neutral evil and the behavior of stealthy spies, scoundrels, and infiltrators. Adding red to black creates the chaotic evil icons of bloodthirsty barbarians and battle priests.

Adding green to black steers it toward neutral evil, in the form of sinister druids and stalking rangers.

Color Combinations

Adding white to red makes it more zealously lawful good, as in the case of a fervent paladin.

Adding blue to red steers it toward chaotic neutral, exemplified by madcap mages—elementalist wizards or sorcerers.

Adding black to red creates the chaotic evil icons of bloodthirsty barbarians and battle priests. Adding green to red leads to an intense neutral or chaotic neutral, embodied in a totemic barbarian or fierce ranger.

Color Combinations

Adding white to green steers it toward neutral good and gentler notions of community, embodied in characters such as healing druids, bards, or kindly rangers.

Adding blue to green solidifies its neutrality, embodied in archetypes such as the sagacious druid or scholar of nature.

Adding black to green steers it toward neutral evil in the form of sinister druids and stalking rangers. Adding red to green leads to an intense neutral or chaotic neutral, embodied in a totemic barbarian or fierce ranger.