Truth in Zealous Expression [Mardu MTG Color Philosophy] 

Learn more about the colors featured in this video: Red - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-uHJHwqsOZbU.html Black - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-PAlr1_ReQq8.html White - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Kgj4Vb-Bc1g.html

"We protect the weak, because we are strong and they are ours and one day we will make them strong too." My Mardu interpretation

“What if Rakdos had a military”

Personally I really like how the strengths of the other two colors can balance the one's flaws. Red/Black encourages White to not get too comfortable with the status quo. Structure is important, but if you see a way things could be improved, go for it and don't let anything stop you. Black/White takes Red's wild energy, and gives it both focus and discipline. Raging against the machine is great, but if you want to get anything worthwhile done you need a defined goal and a proper plan to get it done. Red/White accept Black's ambition and remind it to think beyond itself. Nothing wrong with doing what's right for you, but don't become the villain you fought against, and remember that helping others and helping yourself are not mutually exclusive goals. In its best form, the Mardu slice is a powerful engine of change and improvement, guided as much by its heart as its head. Without the analytical mind of Blue and serene mind of Green it ends up less than perfect, but if there's a problem, Mardu will be the first to make a plan, jump in and do what it can to fix it to the best of its ability.

The least extreme and (in my eyes) most realistic interpretation is a sort of moral hedonism "I'm going to help you (white) because it makes me (black) fee! (red) good"

Another aspect of white that would influence the warrior focused Mardu is reliance on the supply chain. Being a combat focused game we think about the fighters of MTG a lot and Mardu sounds like it would only value the strongest fighters, but it would probably value the strongest of any occupation. Weapons must be forged, mounts cared for and feasts cooked. The entire system works to support the warriors but this leaves a lot of opportunity in the system. Saying the weak will be left behind sounds extreme, but there's more room to succeed than fail since you can find anything to be good at. You may not be at the top of the pyramid but if that isn't so bad assuming the entire structure is respected, not just the apex.

Something I find fascinating with wedge philosophies, is how they manage to embody ideas of the colors that are not part of it. For example, I imagine despite Mardu’s nature of abandoning the weak, they’d happily accept those who fell behind, picked themselves up, and sprinted ahead of everyone. That personal growth and communal acceptance is something very Green, but in a not so Green way. The innovations required to improve/perfect yourself to catch up to others touches on the very aspect of Blue, while not being Blue. I guess it reflects well because in that plane where the mana is missing, they have to use the tools of the mana they have to accomplish all parts of their “humanity”. They have to create something not possible with the things they do have, which makes Wedges so much more intriguing. A second thing, I really like that point you made. Black’s focus on opportunity allows the breeding of RW’s Heroism. Despite having RB in it, it can result in some of the greatest people mankind can ever see.

So here's the thing I think you're missing a key aspect of Mardu that I think may be due to Rakdos' stigma on RB and what they can do. This version of Mardu is what I'd call the "Mafia Mentality." When we think of Rakdos pairing, we tend to think of it in terms ofthe plane of Ravnica, but there's a subtle version of it as well that deals in subterfuge, brutal assasinations, harrasment, theft, and torture. When combined with the often times overlooked aspect of White's need for control we come to a natural conclusion of control through subtle takedowns. Queen Marchesa is a great example of this and why I think the Monarch mechanic works best in this tri pairing. This version of Mardu wants control and WB's influence can actually make R fall in line. The thing is R still needs an outlet, so it's anger and desire are enhanced and can lead to sudden and brutal takedowns after some planning. W is actually a very controlling color in MtG, forcing taxing payments in order to balance the playing field. Combined with B's desire to control what isn't theirs and we have a very scary usurper type that takes power through subtler yet brutal means. I think of it as "Oh that's a lovely store ya got there, shame if something were to happen to it..." approach to things until it is seated at the top and is controlling everyone else. I think if the Goading mechanic were expanded it could easily fit into this tri pairing. Examples of this are: The Mafia, Corporate takeovers, enhance terrogation techniques, the Usurper to the throne type, etc. Edit 1: Spelling/grammar

I actually think many nations throughout history have embodied Mardu pretty well. I think the strongest example is actually the United States. The US has a strong culture of individualism that places value on freedom, but it is also a very militaristic, and imposing force in the world that will seek to spread its values of liberty through military might. Ironically, the status quo in the US is individualism, and so it forms a collective national identity around individual liberty. That means that to promote collectivist ideologies such as communism puts you at odds with the existing power structure.

And there was me thinking at the ten minute mark i'd have to make the argument for anarchist mardu myself.

for temur: it combines green's wisdom, bule's intelligence and red's creativity in one

DiceTry is the best channel on RU-vid.

The subtlety of the ideas expressed in this video and the conversation it has sparked is highly captivating. I don't know the last time I've read through comments so thoroughly too! Awesome

I really like the idea of Mardu as revolutionaries, and rebels. The anarchist tossing the molotov. With lofty ideas and the belief that in the face of oppression, it is necessary to burn it all down

lol you got real close to saying the words "anarcho-communism" there near the end.

The second ideology is definitely championed by the knights of Eldraine and Syr Gwyn. They fight for the weak and serve with zeal. Their drive is infallible letting them perform super human feats of skill, shown by how they can bend equipment artefacts to their cause. Also they can create new possibilities (drawing) through their sacrifice (life burn).

"If you aren't willing to use your strength in favor of the weak, you are not worthy of it." - my condensation of Mardu's more anarchistic and compassionate incarnation. Wanting for others the fulfillment and dignity you want for yourself is the perfect expression of Black self-interest and Red/White compassion. It's an aspect of this combo I'm happy to identify with.

I've felt drawn to Mardu for a long time, and I think that first philosophy encapsulates why, so very well. "If you're on my team, I will do anything and everything to make us succeed. But if you are against my team, I will do anything and everything to crush you beneath my heel. Good thing is that all it takes to be on my team is to have the same strict set of morals." 😊

I think the initial philosophy hits the nail on the head. Thinking of the Crusades especially, that is something where humanity displays Mardu philosophy at its purest form. Even in current times that philosophy is often found in extremist or very conservative circles affecting even our politics. Even with a minor white influence on the Rakdos colors, it is hard to imagine those colors striving for a free world without reigns, as there are too many eager for power, and within those colors that'll inevitably lead to power struggles. Thanks for another great video!

Nice job, brother. These videos are applicable to DMs in games as much as MTG deckbuilders. Liked, subbed, and sent to friends.

Is there a version of Mardu Philosophy that you could agree with? Or is their way of thinking too extreme?

I can think of two other ways this trio could play out: Passionate lawful-evil - a person or group who cares only about themselves seeking to achieve their goals at any cost, with no regard for others, but while adhering to a strict moral code. They are zealous and impulsive, but with a strong sense of honor. Zealous camaraderie combined with something... dark - a group or society that has a close-knit bond with one another and seeks to achieve what is necessary for the greater good of the whole, but cares little for outsiders. I tend to use a combination of both as they are quite easy to mix and very malleable in combination with each other or on their own.

Essay incoming: I think there's some confusion here about the application of Mardu in terms of political ideology (anarcho-communism) which was mentioned here. I'd argue its a much better representation of voluntarism, also known as anarcho-capitalism, and I'll explain why: As mentioned here, mardu is the combination that best exemplifies ideological fundamentalism (also known as extremism) because when mardu believes in something, it sees no problem in taking those beliefs to their logical conclusion. In fact, Mardu would likely view those who are not ideologically fundamentalist as cowards, because they know if someone really believed in something, they'd follow it to the end. That, or the person in question is so afraid of confrontation that they won't commit to anything to avoid making enemies. Either way, a wishy-washy coward. Mardu has no problem making enemies, because it knows conflict is inevitable in a world of those who are right and those who are wrong. And its OK, perhaps even moral in Mardu's eyes if one makes enemies in the pursuit of what's right. Red and black, the ally colors, embody the importance of the individual - one should not be restricted in any way by tyrannical exploitative forces that would prevent one from living to his full potential/self expression. This exemplifies the correct tendency of Mardu towards anarchism. Mardu hates bureaucracy or exploitative forces that prevent them from following their ideals or goals to the fullest. However, Mardu still believes in the concepts of hierarchy and order, which are part of its white identity. This can be exemplified through one of the examples, the "warrior code". A warrior code is a simple creed which exemplifies the principals Mardu values in order live its life, and it is a standard applied to other warriors in the Mardu culture as well. Those who fail to uphold the code are considered incapable, inadequate, and or undeserving of the society Mardu constructs for itself, leading to the consequences of failure, be it ostracization, exile, etc. In this system, hierarchy exists. Those who abide by the code and thrive, and those who do not. Anarcho-communism is only one half of this framework, because it fundamentally does not believe in the concept of hierarchy or order. It considers any inequality a result of exploitation and therefore immoral. However, this clearly cannot line up with Mardu philosophy. In Mardu philosophy, strength (as in one's capacity) is one of the defining principles Mardu values. However, in terms of the capacity of the individual, there will always be those who are more capable than others, thus producing inequality. On the inverse, voluntarism applies both halves of this framework. It does away with systems that would impede the individual from doing as he wishes. But in this system, order and hierarchy still exist, therefore absorbing the third portion of mardu philosophy. In voluntarism, the code is simple: "You may do as you wish, as long as you respect the right to self-determination of others. Should you break this rule, you revoke your right to self-determination." The right to self-determination: Without your consent, nobody can interact with you or extensions of yourself, aka the right to be left alone. All rules effectively become this rule in a voluntarist system. It's simple, radical, principled, and effective, things Mardu likes. Why do I believe voluntarism better exemplifies Mardu principals? Because it does away with exploitation (not imposing the will of others upon the individual) while still giving room for the strong to be strong (natural hierarchy and order). In voluntarism, inequality is caused by weakness, incapacity, or laziness, which is considered a valid form of inequality within Mardu principles. In Mardu's eyes, hierarchy is good if it makes people stronger. It is easy to imagine a Mardu individual saying "Why should the weak hold back the strong?" or "The strong have no obligation to help those who won't help themselves." Mardu individuals would view the weak who try to enforce equality on the strong as just as much of a parasite as those who would tyrannically impose their will on others. This is much more in the vein of voluntarism as opposed to anarcho-communism, where it is believed that those who are capable have a moral obligation to use their capacities and capabilities to maintain those who are less gifted. In this same framework of voluntarism, the capacity for violence is not considered immoral, but a necessary tool for needed to defend one's right to self determination in the correct circumstance. In the ideal Mardu society, everyone is a warrior, each person able to take care of themselves and others if they wish.

Mardu is my absolute go to, now to me the individual pairings lack the third color. Mardu is really superiority in tribalism, and it has quite some interpretations. My favorite is 'controlled chaos'. You can be free, you can do what you want, you can express and be as you like, and indulge in your passions. But there's focus, structure, and guides to follow. Moderation in pleasure. I usually gather vampires, dragons, and angels in the same deck. In a way, it's quite goth: it can be beautiful; terrible, stunning, dangerous, morbid, and heavenly. I love mardu.

Peace is a lie, there’s only passion Through passion I gain strength Through strength I gain power Through power I achieve victory Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall set me free. - The Sith Code This was what I was thinking all through the video; Albeit it serves to Jund as well, I suppose, due to the denial of Peace being more Green than White. I do however think that the Sith Order after Darth Bane* definitely where more Mardu inclined. *(for those who don’t know Star Wars lore that much, it’s just the Sith as we see it in the movies and tv shows, the lineage that produced Maul, Dooku, Vader and Palpatine)

My absolute favorite wedge and clan, thanks for the deep dive. Just found your channel, subscribing now

Love your content and all the effort you put in your videos. They're great! Hope you'll find a way to a bigger audience - it's what you deserve.

Very insightful video, I think the discussion in the comments means you did a great job!

A very interesting philosophy for a colors.

I think that this color combination, as with others, can be interpreted in a number of ways depending on the dominant color. With White at the helm, it's philosophy of truth is influenced by red's honest emotions and black's self interest. You're not rude, you're simply brutally honest, not sugar coating your interests, emotions, needs, or opinions. With Red in the driver's seat, white's order and black's paranoia makes a very interesting ideology. You ruthlessly control your self, strictness born out of fear of your darker side. Black at the head can combine with white's selflessness and red's freedom to form pure zealous behavior. You're more than willing to throw yourself into the thick of it,l because any sacrifice is gain in the end.

I do agree with the anarchist position of Mardu however when you said it was the position when white has to make the most sacrifice I disagree white is the color of order but their is many way of interpreting it and as far as I'm concerned a society without hierachy can still have order

So for the second philosophy, I thought of Frollo from the hunchback of notra dame. He thinks he is morally superior and is very selfish, lustful, and power hungry. He burns the city to the ground in search of esmeralda, because of his feeling of lust for her masked under zealous retribution.

Using the color for D&D method I've now played one of my favorite bards. Dack "The Banner" Barristan is a Tiefling born to a noble family loyal to the rulers of the kingdom of Varhelt. First born of his generation Dack had a lot of expectations set upon him, but his particular "condition" made him unsuted to take over his family name. He was allowed his freedom. The duties of his name fell to his brothers as they were born. He indulged in his passions, and found he had a knack for politics. His terrifying deemanor allowed him to strong arm others into falling into line behind him. He got the monicker of "devil prince" and he loved it. [He is Rakdos at this point] When war came to Varhelt it fell upon the noble homes to provide military might. Seeing an opportunity the Barristans sent a couple of their knights, a large portion of their militia, and their firstborn son. Dack had difficulties falling into line at first. He craves his previous life, his freedom, the ability to indulge in his passions and desires, but he was a smart man he understood how the world works. He was quick to find that those at the bottom, and those at the top, lived very different lives. Dack was quick to volunteer for assignments. He became pleasant to work with, and with wit and talent he quickly climbed the ranks. Dack made a name for himself as someone capable of inspiring soldiers alongside him. It wasnt long before he found himself leading a detachment of soldiers himself, but by then something had slowly changed inside him. He found himself caring for others in a way he didnf before. It felt GOOD to do good, but it also felt good to win. Dack would push his soldiers to be the best they could be. Not only for themselves and their glory, but for his glory as well. He understood that they where more likely to follow a leader who led from the front, and so he was given the monicker "The Banner" Once the war was done, most of the forces were disbanded, but Dack missed them. He craved that sense of closeness and comroderrie, he craved the thrill of battle, and he craved the sense of power and satisfaction that came with succeeding against your foes, so he set off. He did not return to his family home, insteadnhe found himself headed towards a small town on the outskirts of the Vellen forest. Where he would run into his new adventuring party. His philosophy is "In order to sieze my ambitions (b) and freedom (r) I will need help (w), and my through our victory and strength (wr) i will ensure my group (wb) will be able to live a life of joy and unrestricted fulfilment (br)"

I was trying to think of what color identity a character of mine would be, and had kind of a tough time. I had settled on Rakdos for now, but that didn't feel quite right, and I didn't know what else to go with. But after watching this, I'm realizing Mardu might work for him way better than I initially thought

Love this!

Omg how did i not see this before.... the Facsism comment literally just clicked and wow what an amazing brilliant correlation. Im super impressed.

Red, black and white was my first deck in mtg. the nostalgia of seeing that artwork again as wonderful thank you. it brings back memories of me not attacking with that invincible orc looking warlord to let my little brother prove himself a true warrior and then blowing him away with dragon fire?(infinite mana cost but is 1/1 ratio for single target damage)

Been in a debate with my dungeon master and a friend over my character’s color combination, and I argued red/black because of his desire for freedom, his power source (he’s a warforged blood hunter) and his his acceptance that he’s become a monster. DM argued red/white because despite his darker and relentless methods and approach to combat and social encounters, the intent behind it followed Red/White, because he became a blood hunter to become the turning point (going from a healer in an apocalyptic war to a destroyer) and his one desire is to make sure that everyone he protects makes it back home. After watching this video, Mardu seems to fit him best now I have a better understanding of the color combination. He is unflinching in his ideals, protect the people he holds closest to him, and pushing himself beyond limits. He is very black and white in his beliefs (not in terms of mtg color) and generally refuses compromise, while he is the first to leap into action, he would rather crush a foe so no more may be harmed than rush to the aid of the wounded. This mindset has had him turn on a party member naturally when the party kleptomaniac had stolen artifacts related to great warriors of a bygone age, and having constantly been the target of many accusations of being a traitor by the same party member due to a traumatic dominate person spell, resulted in a PVP situation where we both almost killed one another, with the closest companion he has in the party and his “brother” stepping in, both champions of “live and let live” both had to stop him from succumbing to the monster he accepted himself as

Klingons! Not the smartest or most graceful bunch but they successfully made a massive empire built on the strength and guile of its people and allies, making them in my opinion a great example of Mardu philosophy. Red is their clear emotional expression, white is the empire they build and defend, and black is the subterfuge and selfish glory they all aim to achieve.

I find it interesting how mardu can lead to both extremely tyrranical or extremely free ways of thinking

I always interpret Mardu with being people are pursue and achieve their goals, black, freedom to express themselves, red, without harming others, white. In extremes it could lead to zealous individuals who force their goals on others, but on the other end it could be someone who can advocate for positive change and allow others to be themselves.

great video man and can't wait til sulti and i feel like mardu would be the sith as most sith start out meaning to do well but twist due to power, the sith focus on both power and passion( though usually negative) while trying to shift into control that will never last due to their ambitions causing infighting. the sith takes black in the reins while using white to maintain their own peace and control( black white) though they tend to strip white of most of its beneficial parts to increase their own chances and forcing red into burning pit of passion taking it to an extreme as they focus on hate rage, despair etc to draw power

I love Mardu as a color combination, it’s one of the only ways, other than boros and selesnya, that makes me actually appreciate the qualities of white. Otherwise, I find white only seems to be utilized in oppressive and totalitarian means. Even mono white alone seems to stifling to be enjoyable.

When I think of Mardu, I think of Jaime Lannister from GoT. He became the greatest swordsman in the south to defend his family and King's Landing. He didn't let the warrior's code that he had to adopt get in the way of that and he's willing to do anything to ensure the safety of his loved ones and home. He still respects strength however and seeks to challenge himself (key example being his fight against Ed).

I could see someone who wanna rise to the top but knows that they can't do that alone. So they find the best people in their craft and implements their ambition in their own.

If I could come up with a philosophy for Mardu is “Our Victory, through My Passion”

Will you be addressing Colorless in the future? I’d like to see how the lack of a color impacts the game and maybe how it aligns with entities like the Eldrazi and Devoid mechanics. Thanks!

You deserve so many more subs... I expect growth from you similar to Spice 8rack. Cant wait for more videos.

I feel like Mardu is the philosophy gamers kinda have while playing.

Sounds like the philosophy of every revolution ever. And I'm not saying this in a bad way

Well I came in knowing I was Mardu and then you blew me away by describing my entire personal philosophy and ideology in that last bit, so thanks for validating my perception of myself, that was neat! A small correction is that everyone doing "equal work" is impossible to measure, and if it were possible it would be unrealistic and quite authoritarian. People do not need to push themselves to do an equal or greater amount of good then their neighbor, as long as they are doing what they can to build a better world for themselves and others. Also I don't think there's as much... directionality as you made it seem here. While a Mardu ideology can be reached from the individualism and pleasure seeking of Rakdos, with its selfishness tempered, and its empathy expanded to everyone (not just the loved ones of red) by white. You could also start at the strong moral framework, caring heart, and parental authority of white, that can too often fall into a harsh and cruel "I know what is best, and I am doing this for your own good (or worse, the vague greater good)", and then add red and black to (somewhat ironically) humble it. To give it a more solid grasp of the individual, stop it from thinking in the broad terms of "what is best for this family/city/country/world/etc" and start asking the people what is best for them, and centering them in the decisions that affect them, and eventually, when the three colors reach equilibrium, handing the power to the people directly, allowing each one to have control over themselves and their lives, with only the structures necessary to keep one person from taking that control away from another kept in place. Without making this comment too long, I feel you could more or less start with any color or pair of colors and add the rest to arrive at this. You could take the passionate self expression of red and add the colder realism and political mindedness of Orzhov. Starting with black's selfish individualism and adding the comradery and passionate empathy of Boros plays out very similarly to starting with Rakdos and adding white. Rather fitting to this interpretation of a Mardu ideology there is not a strict hierarchy between the colors, it isn't any color pair with a bit of the 3rd, or any one color with a bit of the other two. It is the unity of the self, the public, and the passion of, and for, both, without care for what lives up to the proclaimed "natural order" of green, or blues detached ideals of "perfection".

The more an more I watch of your videos the more I look into myself an find that I'm all the colors. All the colors on never ending battle for balance.

Big essay incoming 😅😊 recently started getting into MTG and I immediately got drawn into Mardu. My spin on it is that the combination embodies love of human life in the highest form it can and ill break it down as follows: -Red by itself is stright forward. Freedom, adventure, excitement. It's the drive towards a life that grasps every form of experience it can on the individual level and demands of itself to seek it out. -Black by itself factors as selfishness which completes Red's freedom but it brings a form of amoralism that grounds the individual. It can be disregarding and disparaging of weakness but at the same time black is the most disillusioned of the bunch. Lofty ideals are just distractions and peddlers of mental, moral and ideological traps. One cannot be free if the ideals one has are the ones possesing and wielding him or her. Thus black centers pragmatism -White channels respect and purpose. Where Red and Black may become myopic in the drive towards freedom White comes in and adds conscience. By itself it is too moralistic and communitarian but mixed with the rest it finds its balance. Once satisfied with their wants and wandering the world, White draws the Black and Red back into the civilization and community and asks them "Well, you've done all of that, you've found the Golden Fleece or Excalibur you wrestled with monsters for the fun of it, now come back to the rest of us and put all that experience and knowledge you gathered on your journey to use so that we will celebrate the adventure and grow stronger from it. Absent White RB never becomes more than a purposeless vagrant, hoarding experience and smirking but never doing anything with it. The absence of Blue and Green is because in themselves these two colors are the most inhuman A)Mardu looks at green and thinks: you care so deeply for the natural world that you've annihilated what makes you human. You've given up on empathy for others of your kind and the value inherent in their lives for things that are not you nor care about you. Red might relate with the freedom in nature that green finds but black comes in with the disillusionment and calls out green for misplaced altruism and even a higher form of selfish moralism (I'm better than you because I care about the natural world) while white questions for what value the natural world by itself brings when it is a brutal realm to exist in. it's the domein of prey and predator which it can't tolerate as such a life is too brutal B)Mardu looks at blue and thinks: First of all you hoard knowledge like a dragon jealously hoarding treasure and having knowledge for the sake of it has no inherent virtue. You've not added anything of value to the world though it. Its the condemnation aimed towards a detached deity. Having the power to stop suffering and yet closing its eyes and ears to the world just to accumulate more. Red despises the abnegation of humanity it sees. White calls out the detachement from everything and everyone else and black simply questions what good is all you have if you dont use it. So to round up. On the individual level RWB is someone who abhors having any form of strings on them from ideological and moral ones to societal one but at the same time it admits that it has the freedom to choose those and, when it does, it does it with genuine diligence be it towards family or community wanting to see them achive their own furfilment and joy. Its a love and respect for their fellow man that one may find in the likes of King Arthur. In battle it's a knight or samurai who will fight you honorably and give you the credit of calling you a worthy foe but at the same time if you play dirty the pragmatism of black says "You started it so i don't have to hold back just for my honor. It does me no good if I am dead" Societally it is a little hard to predict how it may turn out as the outside stimuli on RWB matter more. Left alone I think it is quite an inward society. Everyone has their "castle" and as long as nothing disturbs that, everyone is happy. Strangers are welcome as they bring in new tales and experience but they are required to leave their prejudices at the door. You can debate and are free to question but it has to be in good faith and without preachiness. Trade is seen as advantageous in adding value. If RWB neighbor societies are peaceful then they are more than happy to share with those societies in any form they can while respecting their differences and when common ground isnt found it's an "agree to disagree" and move on. IF the neighbor societies are not peaceful then RWB is the kind of "F around and find out" military force. You challenge it and it will end a fight with you never being able to challange it again. In this there is a question of proportionality on what side of the psyche wins out. Be it the proportional means part of white to minimaze casualties and fight honorably or the ruthlesness of black which bases itself in a a very pragmatic take on war, namely that the only good war is a short war and the only short war is a brutal one. The logic is that the society that losses is so traumatized by the experience that for generations it won't ever pick up war as a means because it was shown the cost. It may sound very paradoxical but the calculus of war in RWB's mind is that maximum damage inflicted in the moment is preferable to the prolonged suffering of attrition.

*Ghen, Arcanum Weaver* is Mardu at its most lofty. He’s creative (Red), altering Enchantments into new forms. He’s unapologetic when altering other people’s things (Black), but an improved spell is his selfless motivation (White). His card quote wonderfully summarizes his intellectual brand of Mardu: *”This is different. This is art.”*

I'm playing Mass Effect and it is most in tune with the games if you play as one, two or all of the colors of Mardu.

I also like that these different versions of mardu don't have to be exclusive from each other. Some versions could incorporate all three versions that you presented. A zealous society trying to force its views on others, views that values the strength of the invididual to carve a path for those left behind that seek peace through fullfilled desires. You could see it as tiers, with a mardu government of zealots commanding a mardu military to create a world for the mardu citizens. Much like how each individual color works together to form your 3 presented ideologies, each ideology can work together as part of the greater Mardu Whole. Probably my absolute favorite shard simply because it can be as beautiful as it can be terrifying.

Dunno if you still read comments this long after the video is posted but here something I thought about Mardu, on the more 'heroic' side of thing. We see a lot about the extreme in this color combination but I also think that they can shine in time of darkness. In a setting like the Witcher or monster hunter Van Helsing type of thing. Mardu could be a monster hunter maybe not helping people due to moral virtue alone (W) but because it want to (WR), because it makes him feel good doing so, giving him a sense of superiority (RB), because it is payed handsomely (B), - or just because it is a way to canalise its lust for blood and adrenaline (R). But at the end it still help people. Now when it will be against some lost monster, which is fighting against its own nature. See a new vampire not ready to lose its life but tortured by his action and need for blood, a werewolf in human form remorsely clawing at his own skin after having lost its mind in blind rage and murdering innocents. A creature gone mad after that its cub were mistakenly killed by some hunters. Our Mardu character will understand the dilemma, its Red side will allow it to have empathy but where other color combination will have a harder time thinking about what it's the right action here, Mardu will end it swiftly. Understanding but still doing what need to be done. It will not let pity hold its hand and will quickly come to a decision. Maybe not the right decision, maybe the creature could be cured but how long could it take to do so and at which cost? At the same time this kind of Mardu could very easily turn into its contractor if it think that they are fooling and using it to kill someone or something not deserving it. Its sense of hindered justice will not think twice about it. Yes it will act based only on its own morality but in a world where what's good and bad is blurred, where feeling are manipulated - if you don't believe in yourself and believe in what your doing, it exist no hope. And Mardu is the kind of character that will do what need to be done for the better/survival of all (W) or of its loved one/community (R) . It's a kind of them or us philosophy but not devoid of understanding the other party struggle. I hope I made sense (English isn't my first language), and I'd love to have others views on this!

That was deep

Hey Dice, would you be open to doing a Wedge Video on how the color wedges planes would operate? Like how the Shards all have their own distinct planes,creatures, etc. could you do that for the wedge?

2 more real life exaples for mardu: -A mercenary army. -A pirate crew. In both instances individuals with selfish interest (black and red) agree to work together in a unified way (white).

Based on the first philosophy, the shard basically accepts the Sword Logic from Destiny.

Starting to be my fav slice of pie cuz it excludes the cheating colors of blue/green.

The last one is I think what Ayn Rand talked about in her Atlas Shrugged book. By doing what you want, you improve society, because you dedicated yourself to do said things better. This brings the best contribution for all, and thus you help more society by being selfish than by sacrificing your goals for a nebulous greater good.

Mardu. My first tri color i tried and feel in love with. Nomads sort of. And 3 colors that i like. Love blue 2. Green is so so These rooming conquerors love to go raid. White was the army. Red was the speed and destroy and black was death.

I love this wedge faction

Technoblades character on the dream smp is a good example if this i think. He left behind a dog that wouldn't go through a nether portal while traveling, and believes that "Violence is the only universal language." He works tirelessly to destroy oppressive governments that corrupt good people in order to allow all to carve out their own existence from the ash.

Negan is honestly probably the most Mardu of all Mardu cards

I have a Conquest Paladin im about to start playing and i think ive found a good blueprint for him in Mardu

I believe Temur is the wedge that loves nature but understands when knowledge and technology are the best and most convenient way to live. Seeking freedom is the goal, but you need to know as much as you can. Plus when was the last time you got around without gps?

I created a Mardu Half-Orc who is passionate (Red) and willing to do anything to one day overthrow his chieftain (Black) so he can bring his tribe to a new age where they incorporate with greater society and overcome their status as monsters (White). This produces an interesting Mardu character who is Chaotic Good at their core, viewing himself as a rebel who seeks the best for his people, while playing the tribe from the inside. But at the same time, he is also a zealot trying to push his ideals on others.

I think Mardu can take the form of elitist indulgence, someone using their wealth, status, and position to satisfy base urges and thirst for pleasures.

I've always considered Mardu to be perfectly represented by a stereotypical wild west marshal/sheriff. They tend to take the law into their own hands (W/R) to protect their own community (W/B), and they tend to do so quickly and ruthlessly (B/R) They tend to oppose the natural world by helping "conquer" the west (G), and while they aren't necessarily opposed to progress (U), they aren't actively spearheading it either. Blue is the weakest of their oppositions because of W and B being such a heavy part of their Mardu identity.

Mardu reminds me of Eleazar and the Elephant

Omfg literally me!!!

I'd like to mention one thought I had, you mentioned that without Blue mana present there is a lack of introspection. But I do not believe that is the case, there are many White cards that are philosophers and furthermore I would say that the core of Black is the self and wish for fulfillment in life. Wel,l without some understanding of what it is you want you can't ever get going with Black. So while Black is not as introspective for the purposes of improvement, it is introspective for the purposes of who they are and what they want out of life. So there very well could be philosophizing and self-reflection within a Mardu society.

When I took the "what are your colors" test, I scored heavily in nardu

THE ONE

What is the soundtrack that is used in the start of the video? It gives heavy ambience in a soothing manner.

In my point of view as a mardu deck user , i like this: Black+Red= Extreme need of fullfill own desires White= law ,justice and order Black+Red+White= seek peace throught any means necesary ,the absolute benefit at any cost. **All "For the greater good"** -Gellert Grindelwald

Reminds me a lot of the Tal'darim of the star craft universe.

The Qunari from Dragon Age are quintessentially Mardu.

I saw A LOT of the Fremen people of Dune saga in the Mardu

It seems like - For those who have the will to take power and use it, can make society under their will. But if someone else were to take that power from you, they have the right to do so for their own ideals.

Which commander decks better embody the "Peace fulfilled desires" ?

Oh hello!

I feel like no color combo is as prevalent as mardu in embodying war itself. Rage, passion and violence from red, conquest and a disregard for death in black. Its strange because white embodies peace, but in my mind it also embodies a soldier's organization and a warriors code of honor. White would prefer to deal with martial conflict through a straight fight, the classic sea of soldiers in a field, instead of subterfuge or guerilla tactics that maybe the other colors would prefer.

So Rakdos with a military mind (Boros) control by a religious doctrine (Orzhov).

This is why I couldn't build vampires outside of Mardu. They epitomize what it means to be a vampire, imo. Passion, fervor, thirst? Red's got that covered Selfishness, pride, power? Look no further than black Concern for the group, wanting the whole to rise above? Not to mention control. White has that in spades. Though obviously in this case it only really refers to other vampire clans The entirety of Edgar Markov's story involves all three of these and they're on full display time and again in each of the main vampire clans. It's just perfect for them.

The Rakdos Cult The Orzhov Syndicate The Boros Legion All combine to form… *The Mardu Comrades* (It even sounds Russian, this is perfect)

the third version sounds like the pokemon world

i'm surprised by the lack of viewers these videos had been getting, is it just not being sent to your subscribers?

11:58 I disagree on "enjoyment of life's pleasure" for Black. That's a Red thing. I think what Black demands is the pursuit of absolute power.

Luffy? Even if unintentionally

The first iteration is basically Khorne, from warhammer, only with a loooot less red black bloodthirsty.

What if the orzov actually cared about eachother but hated everyone else.

I hate thinking only in absolutes, which Mardu seems to have in spades. So yeah, I can appreciate what it has to offer but in the end it isn't for me.

Fire Nation from Avatar

Seems to me that mardu could be a representation of a martial artist as a martial artist myself I follow my own personal warrior code which is to defend those that cant, to live laugh and love and to me confidence is everything cause without confidence it is hard to do anything and ultimately not to use my abilities to cause pain, as there are tgose out there that would use their ability to fight as a threat all the time, and I don't agree with that not all, a true martial artist will only fight if he has to

The version of Mardu as a color combination that lives in my head is largely influenced by their namesake. To me, the Mardu Horde's red is mostly because of it's zealotry and violence, with self-expression being a much smaller piece of the puzzle (although highlighted because of Mardu's name-choosing policy). The white and black seem like the most significant half of the equation because the Mardu Horde's viking-like "glory for one, glory for all" type fighting belief. Really, I think white is the strongest color in Mardu because they care so much about their own group, moving as one, fighting as one, but the self-interest and self-expression are secondary. A Mardu-colored character could just be a very creative fascist, but I think the philosophy of the Mardu Horde is the most interesting and attractive/relatable version of the color combination.

Wow. I have finally finished the color pie videos. They are so amazing and so incredible. I didn't know Mardu could be so interesting and so deep. I am more of a Jeskai and Temur kind of person, but still. Mardu can be difficult to explain. I think of one with political ideas and the willingness to put them in actions. The last color I cover is white. I like to end with it, because it is the most civilized. It has the community, government and religion of modern society. The last color pair I cover is Borors. It adds in red. It still fits in a civilized society like white. However it does get into fights and wars like anchient people. Mardu adds in black. It takes things even further. One may seem civilized. However they are both aggressive and self centered like an acnchient person. This really is going into full circle. I think of all the three colored combos the most civilized would be the shard of Bant and the wedge of Jeskai. Both have a mix of white and blue. Blue is the second most civilized colors. Both Bant and Jeskai can combine knowlage and spirituality to make really deep and profound teachings. This shows the peak of what society can be. There is a diference. Jeskai has red, so it is more creative. Bant has green so it has growth. Mardu is pretty high up there in ideas. However it isn't quite there. It has interesting ideas. However it are more like a vicious person that doesn't care for deep ideas. Its ideas are more political. They are not as spiritual or philosophical. Mardu has red and black as its allied pair. This is one who is self interested and who will do whatever they want. I thought the Rakdos video was a little unfair in showing Rakdos as bad guys. I am glad that was fixed here. I do understand the confusion since that guild is chock full of demons. Black alligned characters in MTG look evil, but they are really not evil deep down. There is white added. This white gives some moral to justify the self centered acts. These acts are very questionable. There are two enemy pairs. I find that they show the fundimental differences in political ideologies. White is the color of order. It forms an opposite pair with red, which is the color of freedom. All controversies in politics can boil down to order vs. freedom. Red and white can go together in the Boros pair. It is where one fights to uphold the rules. White is also the color of communalism. It forms and opposite pair with black, which is the color of individualism. The main way to describe various cultures by their values is to label them as indvidual or communal. It is tricky to mix white and black together. It can really depend. The main example for me is the Orzhov guild in Ravnica. They rule thier people oppressivly out of thier own self interest. Then there are others. Esper has this pair united by neutral blue in the middle. So the result is advancing technical progress for its own sake. Abzan has this pair mixed with green. It has tribalism as something between individualism and communalism. I thought Mardu was tribalist too. However the video never mentioned that. Oops. My bad. The five factions of Tarkir do fight one another. Maybe they are all tribal to some extent. White and black really are the biggest enimies of colors. Red and blue are contenders too. However they are esier to reconcile. Together they can just be described at creative. The main example is the Izzit pair. Creativity can also apply to Jeskai, Temur and Grixis. I think the best way to reconsile black and white within Mardu is to have the word self-rigteous. The self part is black. The righteous part is white. Mardu has its own morals to justify its actions. However nobody else agrees with them. That can lead to conflicts. When I think of the three colors for Mardu, they actually fit for three main political ideologies. Black is conservative. White is liberal. I know how nasty and polarizing modern American politics are these days. That is perhaps just another example of the conflict between black and white. Black does what it wants without regarding morality. It prefers to have fewer laws to restrict it. They accept the harsh realities of the world, and so work to thier advantage. The conservatives are a lot like that. They keep up with the status quo. They favor the elites to the expence of the poor and the minorities. They prefer a smaller government. White is the color that does work to build a government with more rules. They do good for everyone no matter how weak they are. There is an acceptence of all. It has a stong sense of morality. This is what liberals are like. They stick up for the poor and the minorities. They prefer an expanded government to help out with such disadvantaged people. The third color is red. This is for the libertarians. This is the ideology that values freedom above all else. They value freedom even more than conservatives. They don't want to follow laws on social issues, while conservitives do. These laws are things like banning abortion and gay marriage. This is just like the red desire for freedom. It is amazing that Mardu can have so much. Truth in martial expression is most like Boros. There is fighting in a trained army. There is some black. It is where the army is willing to cull out the weak. Confidence in zealous action is most like orizhov. It is similar in having religion. The religion is oppressive in order and self interest. Red adds in actions. So one fights against those that it deems heathens and heretics. The video didn't give any real world examples. What comes to my mind is the Crusades and inquisition. Peace in fullfilled desires is most like Rakdos. There is a similarity in having the freedom to do what one wants. There is also fullfilment of desires. There is added white. It takes away the cruelty in Rakdos. White cares for all. So it focuses on what good there is for people once they are all freed from the shackles of law and order.