Learn more about the colors featured in this video: Black - th-cam.com/video/PAlr1_ReQq8/w-d-xo.html Blue - th-cam.com/video/_SJWQkWBj6c/w-d-xo.html Red - th-cam.com/video/uHJHwqsOZbU/w-d-xo.html
I feel the quintessential example of Grixis are the Telvanni from Morrowind. Basically they’re a group of super powerful Wizards that don’t like being told being what to do, and have a pretty meritocratic structure... but they also have an anything goes outlook, so you can rise through the rank by murdering their superiors, because if they were weak enough to die to you, then they clearly didn’t deserve their position as much as you.
(screams in joy) Telvanni for the win. Dice, you need to do a rainbow video of the Pie, and maybe even a Nephalim slice vid. For me, please. (I asked nicely.) I am a Grixis/Esper/Temur (in that order) player. You are meta beyond meta, and I love it in my soul (or lack thereof, depending on what ex or ex friend you ask) . I am now subscribed, because EYE love your work. (I can't put emphasis on I without more letters.)
As one of my dnd characters who could be considered Grixis once said "Just because I am willing to hurt people and beholden to no sense of morality doesn't mean I want to hurt others and be needlessly cruel. When the time comes I know I will not hesitate to do what must be done for the good of our group because you all mean as much to me as I do. I just hope I'm correct in my assumption you'd all do the same."
I think that may be the best way to portray a good kind of grixis, which is always kind of hard to visualize since grixis is so often portrayed as evil/morally compromised
My version: "To *overcome* (B), you need *courage* (R) and *intelligence* (U)." I applaud you for usually trying not to say "black=evil." In the REAL WORLD our "black nature" often comes up when we are fighting for our own survival or overcome when we've been put in a hard situation with no one to back us up, or deserted / stabbed in the back by those we once counted as allies.
I feel like Black characters can be really good friends, since nothing says that they can't care about anyone, their selfishness probably doesn't only take form of self-centeredness but also prioritizing the fewest amount of people, focusing around the people that they care the most about instead of caring for everyone. Because would be impractical and dishonest since we can't sincerely care for anyone equally as well as unrealistic, something contrary to blacks pragmatism & sincerity of motivation. A black character isn't likely to care about you because it's the right (white) or the natural (green) thing to do for them, they would care about you because they feel for you and you feel them (red), because you empower them so they'll empower you (black), and because you enlighten them and/or appreciate their knowledge so they'll enlighten you and/or learn from you (blue). They are the kind of friend that can be the picture of reciprocity who would give to you as much as you give them and whose loyalty is hard earned yet valuable and speaks volumes. Black is probably the color that won't settle for anything less but the most beneficial and mutualistic relationship that it can have when it's possible. A Grixis character can be a really good friend if they end up caring about you. They can have Red's Passion & Empathy, Black's sincerity & pragmatism, as well as Blue's logic & pursuit of understanding that would make them both fierce, honest, understanding, & useful allies who would give the same level of devotion as much as you give them. This color combination would probably be the friend that would encourage & help you to pursue your dreams the most with Red's empathic passion, Black's drive & ambition, and Blue's simultaneously idealistic & logical pursuit of perfection, provided you are willing to do the same for them of course. Though there's something I'm not quite sure about. Is it possible for a black character's ambition and pursuit of its goals to not be something they intend of them, but for someone else? Like one or a small few individuals that they care for above all others becoming their dream, at the expense of everyone including themselves? I think & feel like this is something that black can have that makes it similar to red.
A bit late, but I want to throw my answer to your question. This side of black was explored in Amonkhet with the Trial of Ambition. Crop members would sacrifice themselves because they knew another member was better than them, so their life is meaningless unless it is given to allow the others to succeed. A very interesting twist.
That interpretstion of black honestly feels like just the right one i need if i ever want to adapt Homura from puella magi madoka magica into a MTG card, thanks. Also... your comment realy makes me think. That's great
I think it's not just black being misunderstood often. Red is so often just put like some simple impulsive color, and it has to play fast. I ended up not liking the color in mtg because the gameplan is just rush and damage. Red's side of emotion is so often overlooked and I'm glad you brought up empathy.
As a Grixis myself, you are completely correct. In the real world Mono-Black, Red/Black, and Grixis people are very often immensely generous for their friends. Those of us who obtain wealth or have friends who aren't as fortunate as ourselves, if you already proved your worth through the character of your being and the actions you take, then we will gladly improve your lives, often optimizing and helping them get a foot up in life. Why would a person with Black mana be so "selfless"? We aren't being selfless, we're being selfish. I personally love the playful frustration my friends show anytime I'm generous, or twist their words when they ask me for help with something. I often tell my friends "I believe in benevolent manipulation, where I don't impose my own values or desires upon you, but instead manipulate your environment so that you may make your own choices so that you may achieve what you say that you desire. Should you ever take actions to warrant my wrath, only then will I Maliciously manipulate you into disaster."
for the self indulgent creativity section, I think it's important to note that that self indulgence may not necessarily refer only to fame and fortune but also self exploration and self expression. As someone who can see themselves identifying with the philosophy of grixis and someone who also loves making art, I strongly see my art as a means of exploring and expressing myself rather than pleasing others. In this way, there can be the "self-centered" aspect of black without it being all about greed and what it can take from others.
I was about to say the same thing! I completely agree. I wouldn’t necessarily say I would align with grixis myself, but my own form of art, poetry, is entirely based in grixis identity. I don’t write to help people, I write to reveal aspects of my inner self. It’s a way to express my thoughts and understand them. I show some people my poetry, but it’s entirely to let them into my world. Show them a part of who I am. I have only shown people I love and trust enough to be vulnerable around, and I want to keep it that way. I write for myself and for the people I love to understand me. Not to help people, nor to get fame or anything like that.
Also a lack of Green means that there is no willingness to just stop and breathe and do nothing, I think. Especially with Red in the mix, ironically considering that Red is an ally of Green.
Its like Blue's influence with Green... Blue's desire to move forward and Red's passion seek new horizon's basically ramps up Green's plodding stubborn pace...
I imagine Grixis as the ultimate balance between the philosophy of its enemy colors in the shard (red and blue). blue is a philosophy where you are perfect and at your highest potential, even if it means you lose yourself while red is a state of mind where you are yourself to a t, but you are nowhere near what you could be. As a philosophy, Grixis is emotional enough to be itself, smart enough to want to see itself improve and so rooted in the self that it can see when either side is getting toxic or inefficient. For example, if a Grixis being with this philosophy were to live under an oppressive system of government that restricted their rights to individuality, the red side of Grixis would be motivated to overcome or even overthrow the government while the blue side would logically infiltrate this government (even if it means not being true to itself) to either overturn it or take it over. These two seem incompatible until you take Black's perfect capabilities to understand the self as well as its unearthly charisma aided by its red passion and blue reasoning and mix them together to make someone who can draw like minded people in but remain on top and controlling of their revolution, which would be violent, but their more intelligent side would use the discord to overthrow their government.
Another way to put grixis is a hero who does it for fame and wealth, exp. taking the easiest jobs that get the most attention. And mark has said that a grixis character would sacrifice themselves for a friend but not a stranger showing they're not completely self-centered btw great video
I don't think Grixis has to be all doom and gloom. I think it could represent a small group of people who live on the fringe of society, who find modern civilization to be idealistically oppressive. A group of people who see the world for all the pain and misery life has to offer. They understand that a morality and having a moral code are not equal nor the same, where secret knowledge exists outside a common identity and society appears to be made up construct With ever shifting rules and expectations that are as ambiguous as they lawmakers themselves. Grixis thus usurps the status quo and subverts the perception of perceived identity to attack or subjugate any social sphere. Through knowledge and passion they control their own suffering.
As I understand it, it could also about trying to be free. Red being the focus, allowing emotion to rule. Black is about getting there by any means, and blue is about protecting it and allowing it to survive. I think your point about the ever shifting rules is one of the best ways to describe it really. Its about a reaction to the world, how it doesnt allow people to express themselves and be who they truly are, and how you can get there
Like pirates with the influence of blue, black, and red in this universe, more specifically Admiral Brass. They are self induldged in their interests, but aren't necessarily cruel. They tend to fight for their own freedom from an oppressive order, and take what the want or need to get the upperhand or survive. I absolutely love this combination because they are my top three personal favorite colors, and they blend into something unique to me and versatile.
You’re right but I applied this to my life and it’s scarely correct and eye opening. I’m building a grixis inalla deck that’s themed copying control and all of a sudden explosion of game ending hatred. Crazy video tho I dig it!
One of the most fascinating color combos. If Naya is most in line with my way of thinking, Grixis is probably the closest to my base personality, if I'm being honest. Something that's made me sit and think about this particular shard for some time. It's interesting because for as much focus as is given to it's more negative aspects, Grixis can produce some of the most genuinely heroic characters as well. Nicol Bolas's old foe from the Legends era, Tetsuo Umezawa, is also a Grixis character as an example! Which makes sense. Red, after all, is the color of emotion, including empathy. Blue seeks to improve the world, and it's search for knowledge leaves it open minded. And Black is driven and amoral. While that usually leads to incredibly self-centered characters, it doesn't have to. Amorality isn't immorality, after all, and a person's driving goal doesn't necessarily have to be their own benefit. In those cases, black's propensity for sacrifice can become self-sacrifice, as long as it's ambitions are completed by it. When combined like this you get a character who's compassion for others (Red) drives them to use their knowledge and power to improve the world (Blue) without regard to traditions, laws, gods, conventional morality or even their well being (Black). I hope, given Wizard's current trend to play with color philosophy and highlight non-traditional aspects of the colors that we might see more Tetsuo Umezawas and less Nicol Bolases in future sets.
My nephew is really trying to run a pirate themed D&D campaign and to help him out I told him I could run a bard that can support the group who would also be the captain, since no one else wanted to be the captain. I've struggled with how to make his backstory and what type of personality would be believable. After seeing your video on using the color pie instead of the alignment chart, I started thinking Grixis. This video confirms that my next character is going to be a singing captain who uses creativity to inspire his crew to steal lost treasures for his own gain. Great video; thanks!
First time watching and i really enjoyed your approach! Specially showing how Grixis is not simply the BIG BAD GUY. Self-indulgent artists, innovative merchants, hardcore individualists, etc. I've seen it defined with the phrase "The well-behaved rarely make history" and it makes a lot of sense. I kinda wish we got more Grixis cards that don't focus in black, but that might be a bit hard. It's also somewhat curious that the three colors don't have a lot of shared design space. They all have steal effects, card draw and an easier time casting spells outside of a player's hand, but nothing as clear cut as Jund, for example. I think the only thing all three colors share in the official color pie post, besides card draw is +X/-X.
They are also Instant/Sorcery focused. Combine Blue and Red's significant mechanical overlap with the efficiency and brutality of Black's spells, and you get some devastating and efficient spells. Grixis can also be creature-focused, but more in the sense of using creatures as a means to an end, with damage triggers, evasion and speed. It is the home of rogues and wizards, and overall, Grixis can combine to make some unique and creative combinations. Grixis's lack of clear overlap leads to some very interesting deck designs in EDH for example. All of my Grixis decks are built around janky unique ideas, like Sakashima/Vial-Smasher which kills with mana costs, Mishra Artificer Prodigy which makes use of its ability in a singleton deck, Obeka with everyway of abusing "end of turn" triggers, and even Thraximundar, which embodies the creatures of Grixis.
I feel like one avenue in this that could've been delved into more is the greed angle. In a lot of dystopian fiction with mega corporations you could easily argue them as being grixis.
I see it as B. Corruption, death, destruction, decay, power and the ambition for it through means one would consider "dark" R. Passion, fury, (also) destruction, lack of inhibition, and the power of one's self to be able to face challenges. I often associate it with dragons and one quote I find most fitting "the dragon is the perfect marriage of power, and the will to use it" U. Intellect, cunning, magic, progress through knowledge, and the ambition to always seek more knowledge for either power or for knowledge's sake I feel that grixis shows all manners of these aspects, with a focus set on certain aspects more than others.
This one is probably my favorite color video so far! I love how you explained how Grixis is not necessarily evil and some of the more positive aspects it can have. I feel like, a lot of the time, people tend to assume it's just the bad-guy color identity.
I agree. Now lots of colors can drift into evil easier than others but I like to say there is good and evil within each color or combination, it's all a matter of perspective
Feels like WOTC sees it that way now since Bolas is literally the only Grixis planeswalker (there was another, but their latest version is Mardu), and all the Rakdos walkers are Saturday Morning Cartoon villains and the Dimir ones lean far more into blue than black.
The example of the creative waiting for a compliment is everything else but grixis, since grixis does not concern itself with the opinion of others, other than for pragmatic reasons. Other than that I loved the video.
Thanks! I am happy people have been liking this series. As I have said before its a bit harder to write with the lack of examples but the response has been phenomenal.
Me neither! Though, @ThatGuyFromCanada , I accidentally wrote a Wall of Text about Naya if you're interested while we're waiting :) th-cam.com/channels/xF11AGJdE9x5nX7ClOr9jA.htmlcommunity?lc=UgwgvyGHxP0MBHy-Uxx4AaABAg.9FoKxqr_Ics9Fr7iFlpm_O&lb=UgweapqMbchHxhX-T7J4AaABCQ
Here is my take on Grixis, as a Grixis person. A Grixis person could be a person that has found things they believe to be truth (blue) and fervently protects them (red) even if it leads to isolation (black). Since the truth is a rare commodity, it makes sense that a majority of people do not have it, a Grixis person is proud of the knowledge they have and feels superior because of this knowledge. If Jund is survival of the fittest, Grixis is dominance of the wise. This leads to a Grixis character being countercultural, finding the answer "that's what has always been done" poor and actually an argument against that activity. The combination of Red/Blue creativity and ingenuity mixed with Blacks lack of caring for other's opinions, leads to true progress.
This is my favorite color combo. I think another potentially interesting view if it could also be the hedonist? One who indulges in all of life's pleasures purely for their own sake, an values an honest reality over a eutopia of lies. I do think saying they won't enjoy their craft for itself might shoehorn them a bit, though i realize this isn't an essential trait. I adore the idea of a Grixis who is the kind of person to read book after book, paint canvas after canvas, purely to surround themselves with the beauty of existence, and frustrated when their own skills fall short of allowing them to reach those impossible heights. Also could include being a highly dedicated family/friend/follower, their devotion to a person, craft, or goal ruling over all else, if that object is something they feel allows them to experience divinity/enlightenment. Though this is likely a more centrist view of it (less exclusion of other colors and more "leaning away form"). But, that might be me projecting my Autism Creature^TM energy onto it.... XD
there are heroic Grixis characters ,like tetsuo Umezawa, the have Black's pragmatism and perseverance, red's passion and blue's intelligence, Grixis is not inherently selfish and evil, it's just inclined to it
Its interesting that grixis would have this "honest self" view, since green also values being true to your self and ones role in nature. Like what being true to ones self means is different depending on the color's world view.
@@coopertolbertsmith6067 very true. I think the difference lies in Greens need to find and fulfill its role while Grixis or Black creates that role and it can be more fluid. Where Green makes things a bit more rigid in that regard.
I hesitate to associate any color with cruelty; I think it's too specific, and therefore confuses content for structure. Red is the only color one can reasonably attribute such a specific emotional desire to, but I see no reason to make this association as part of the color philosophy itself. Cruelty is just one of a myriad of emotional experiences. For this reason, I don't really agree with characterizing Grixis as hateful and sadistic. This strikes me as an unwarranted fixation on the negative aspects of Red which renders Blue and Black totally unnecessary for the characterization. Red is perfectly capable of being cruel on its own, and cruelty itself is neither materially useful (B) nor intellectually progressive (U). And reducing Red to JUST petulant and violent emotions sells it short. Grixis, to me, can be best understood with two ideas: self perfection and will to power. Grixis has all of mono Black's ambition, but, because of Blue, it's not satisfied with control of its immediate environment: it wants transcendental control, mastery over the realm of possibility as well as reality. But unlike Dimir, which is willing to dehumanize itself to achieve this end, Grixis wants to remain wholly "itself." It's not willing to compromise its sentiments or passions to achieve power - it wants godlike power and knowledge housed within a human heart. Thus, a perfected self: a being able to express its desires and will without compromise. Grixis can also be understood through its relationship with power. Like Black, the desire for power is central, but the nature and purpose of that power are shifted by Blue and Red. Grixis wants, perfect, beautiful power. Power without the pain and indignity of subterfuge and sacrifice. It's enemies ought to be obliterated with the snap of its fingers, its every desire a gesture away. This doesn't translate neatly into authority or fame because the necessity of others would mean the power was incomplete. Nor does it necessarily imply cruelty: what you DO with the power was never the point - the goal is just to HAVE IT. Perhaps you'll pursue glorious vengeance and perhapa you'll create paradise. Or both! Like Black, Grixis is largely amoral, but it's also sentimental, romantic, curious and perfectionist. Ironically, I think this makes it a fair bit more principled than mono Black. It doesn't think in terms of good and evil, but in terms of good and bad taste, elegance and oafishness, good form and bad form, progress and myopia. There are certain things it won't "lower itself" to do. I could see Grixis, say, refusing to kill children or engage in direct combat because it doesn't want to dirty its hands like some common thug. It might reject bigotry on the grounds of it being irrational and petty, unworthy of it. It can have preferences and principles, just not morals. None of this is to say that Grixis CANNOT be cruel or evil, just that these things make up only one of many possible manifestations.
@@DiceTry "but it does lack compassion" Not necessarily ;) It lacks RESPONSIBILITY, but it's still capable of having compassion for others. It just doesn't want others to USE the expectation of compassion as a way to make it do things.
I'm curious over how it would change with a focus on a different bridge colour -blue with secondary red & black - red with secondary blue and black the former give me Ozymandias/Tywin vibes. a Cerebral character who seeks to control by remaking the world along their values. Their type of control is indistinguishable from their self-expression. The game plan is to change the very way the board is even played on. As much as they manipulate the situation, they don't lie. the latter gives me eccentric visionary artist, seeing themselves as an artistic maverick who's self-absorbed in their own creativity. one thing I think is missed, isn't that the reaction to the self-expression is captured by other people is valued, its that the self-expression exists because it is of "of me" and that is what is valued, and valued more so because the "of me" persist despite other's reactions to it. the self-expression is valued in and of itself because it is "of me", and "I" is valued over "other" categorically. if the "of me" cannot be contended or removed by others, then it is a feedback loop validating the "I" evaluation over the "other", as a quality of the "other" cannot overcome the quality of "I" within an "of me". so its not a "others value my expression", but more of a "other's can't deny me". so you could say, by carefully constructing what I express of myself, to such an extent that I can never be denied, my mastery grants me freedom.
I cannot wait to see the update to this. I have a Vampire the Masquerade character who I believe aligns well with Grixis and is your video to progress the character and his methods.
Hey Dice, I know you’ve mentioned a lot that there isn’t many examples of shards and wedges but you should consider looking into groups that may not have three colours in their cards but do in their behaviour. For instance the Kobold from the original Alpha set. After watching Mtgloreseeker’s video on them it seemed like they had a very Mardu-like philosophy. They have the tribalism or Orzhov, the righteousness of Boros and their leader is Rakdos coloured so I’d recommend looking into any more groups in the lore that are similar to this
What about being expressed as the blue and red curiosity with a black selfishness to explore new ideas but not be further corrupted by them keeping the precious individuality black is most concerned by.
I think it would be better if you did three videos on combination of three, I mainly suggest this because any one of the colors can be the bridge it just depends how you use them 😉
My version as an Artist who go this combination in a quiz: To passionatly (R) experiment (U) with one's personal power (B). I enjoy and love to create paintings that express deeply surpressed feelings, basically using art as a catalyst to experiment creatively with my self expression, therefore gaining more self awareness and by that, personal power. I also really and I mean REALLY enjoy seeing people's reactions to my art. It usually captivates them in dark, eerie yet powerful ways. Since I use my art to express my subconscious (supressed feelings, R), I express my curiosity about myself (experimentation, U) and the uncomfortable process turns into something enjoyable when I watch the painting - especially if I indulge in the reaction of someone else looking at them (pleasure, B) To complete the color pie, there is more to this: All of this is done to create and maintain inner peace (W) and by extend societal peace. Subconscious feelings create suffering which in turn create disharmony. Observing my art and going through the internal process it initiates ultimately helps and myself and others with accepting themselves for who they really are, without any alternations to their true nature (G). Going through this inner process as an observer (either me as an Artist or a customer) sends you through the entire color pie: Thoughts (U), Emotions (R), Darkness (B), Peace (W) and acceptance of what is (G). If followed through, this leaves you with a serene, tranquil feeling with no thoughts, just being present, just existing as a being (colorless). I love being a Genius ♡
Just discovered this channel/blog the other day and have been binging each delicious piece of Vorthos content since. Excellence par none, and I can’t wait for more! :)
@Jessica Raven In legends qui gon was considered “grey” because he would play fast and loose with the code, but at the end of the day he was still a Jedi. In terms of magic he’d be Bant with a little bit of red thrown into the mix.
There was a fan made Star Wars Set based on the shards and jedi were Bant and Grixis were the Sith, just like you said(Esper were droids, Jund bounty hunters and Naya big alien monsters.).
I love the idea of artistic grixis, and I agree that the black in there is the answer of why they do art, and it could be for fame or fortune as you say but it could also just be for themselves. They can create art just because that's what they need to suffocate their pain or to explore themselves and don't give a fuck about what others may think about their art, because they do it only for themselves. That made me also think: which colours should we attribute to fame? I believe it should be black white because black for the ambition and selfishness and ego but white because that comes from the population, sociaty... So I don't know if you agree with fame being black white (i would love to know what colour/s you think fame should be) but I don't see a grixis artist doing it for fame, because that means they care what others think and with absence of white and green (being the colours of comunities and population) I don't see how they can care about what others may think about them. I see grixis as a really individualistic kind of creature.
I think you’re spot on and I think Grixis is best exemplified in Marchesa, The Black Rose. She seeks to dethrone the top, but only to put herself in power. She promises rebirth but only after self sacrifice and fails to mention that’s all your life will be. Endless death and rebirth until every resource is drained. She can corrupt and takeover opposing minds and rarely puts herself in the fray. Why risk your own life when you can expend another’s? Great video man, I love the whole series
I think another aspect of Grixis would be an indomitable drive to survive, at any cost. The entire shard isn't filled with genius necromancers, there's also the cult that follows them. Now these people aren't bowing the knee to their master because they share their view, that can't be because it lacks the ability to perceive others way if thinking or think of how the world "aught" to be. Rather its that serving them benefits them in some way. It could be as simple as "this mage is way stronger than me so it's better I serve them and bide my time until I can" change that" or "this mage is further along in my research than I am, I should just work with them until I can take the results for myself." You could easily imagine the political landscape of Grixis would be a game of factions and territories that are ever expanding or being consumed. In the end those who are of Grixis will do anything necessary to survive. They'd be the ultimate doomsday prepers. Food, water, shelter, breeding pit in the basement to secure my legacy, blood contract with the neighbors that I faked my signature on for when they plan to betray me. It's all about making sure you survive without limit.
While I think this is interesting, I think the whole self-indulgence artist part felt a bit wrong for Black's side of "self-focus" What I believe the true form of Black's "Self Matter" Philosophy can be taken as either 1. Fully focused on power/fame as you said, or 2. Its just to satiate own's idea without care of Green's order nor White's hierarchy, with my line of thinking being the Stitchers from Innistrad, which just create abomination because they felt like it without thinking about what these creature would do to nature and others, they just wanted to satiate their inner curiosity
White is the color of hierarchy? Is the weenie color, a bunch of equal or similar creatures. Black is the color of the individual, black is the color of climbing to the top.
When I think of a shard or wedge that contains red and blue, I think about who does this is connected to izzet. When I think of grixis I think of izzet focusing its iner confict through black. Maybe this is an attempt to rest the gnawing feeling inside them.
I like to use Grixis as Izzet+. It's all the passionate lust for perfection and knowledge of izzet, but with the selfishness and willingness to utilize the darker aspects of life and magic of black to me. I adore Izzet's concepts but I'm the type to seek greater power for myself and my own uses rather than for the sake of it. Grixis facilitates that well imo
My favorite concept of a hero, or at least a character that is looking to improve the world around them, is a revolutionary that's both on the streets protesting and/or rioting, but also at the same time well studied on the issue their opposing. A rebel with reason and the will to do what it takes to achieve a better tomorrow. A well studied black panther would be a pretty good analog to our real world's history.
Finally! I've been waiting for this so long! Grixis is my favorite three-color combination to play, alongside with Jeskai (yup, i like noncreature spells), but i was sttrugling to figure out its philosophy. I really liked the video. I've been trying to make a blue-foccused Grixis character that is basically a knowledge obsessed mad scientist that does everything that he does only because he wants and likes it, and doesn't care nothing about what others think about him or what he does, is that a way this three colors could go or it's just a Izzet character that i am callig Grixis? (My english is horrible, sorry)
Well played. I looked at the "Do You Know What Your Colors Are?" video on DiceTry, which took me to a quiz, which took me to this video on DiceTry. I applaud your use of the system!!!
Wow. The Grixis shard is a tricky one. I think of the color combo as being harsher. It is not like green and blue, which can just summon creatures. The three Grixis colors are that that shine in creture removal and noncreature spells. This would go along with personal ambition and amorality of Grixis. I don't think Grixis is extreem at all. It is just more in tune with an individual and cynical worldview. It is harsh in the sense that it won't go out of its way to help other people in society. The main color is black. It is individual. It will do what it wants, without worrying about breaking moral rules. From there, one gets to Dimir. This adds blue. This ads on curiousity and a thirst for knowlage. So one is willing to spy a plot to get what it wants. Then Grixis completes the self interest by adding red. Red mixed with black is Rakdos. Together one has a sense of freedom and ruthless action with no regard for laws. Black is really harsh for its indiviudualism. Then the two parts aid in that harshness. Red and Blue are major enemies. Red is more emotional and social. Blue is logical and intellectual. Yet they both can come together in black. Each other color has a harshness like black. Blue gives a cunning nature and a lack of empathy. Red gives a drive to action to get what one wants. Black can have a bit of both. It plots like blue and act violently like red. Mixing red and blue together form Izzit. Izzit is the guild that mixes both for creativity. It has a constant drive to know more. This can make Grixis go through huge lengths for great power and glory. Unbridled ambition through control is most like Dimir. Dimir is great at control. It can gain a lot of information through its spy network. It can also control people by messing with thier minds. The red ads action and impulsivness. One is activly going for control. There is nothing holing them back. Self-Indulgent creativity is most like Izzit. Izzit is the most creative guild in Ravnica. Then a bit of black is added. This makes the artist selfish and arrogent. They are more into the fame of an artist as opposed to putting genuine work into thier art. This section reminds me of "An Artist Meltdown Story", which is a TH-cam video by Lily Orchard. I am an artist myself. That video taught me a good lesson on how not to behave. The diva artists in the video fit this part of Grixis perfectly. All they care is about fame, money and gaining a fan base. They will freak the heck out if someone uses thier art with fair use. These divas need to chill the heck out. I don't want to end up that way. I do relate to the creativity of Grixis, but Jeskai and Temur are more my style. A long time ago I did check out the artist in the video. I found that artist on DeviantArt. As it turned out, her art wasn't that good. I don't mean to brag, but I was able to do better art when I was still learning how to do digital art. I am significantly better now than I used to be. Nowadays I moved past my sparkledog phase. One doesn't deserve to be a drama queen when thier art isn't that good. Revelry in cruel magic is most like Rakdos. Rakdos is into revelry and entertainment. It is into have chaos in its jests. Then blue is added. There is a trickery involved. There is outwitting victims. That blue cleverness becomes part of the fun.
"Self indulgent artist" Ok then I can see that "Explains it" Wait a second "They care about legacy and people's perception rather than product" Oh wait a second that's... me
Love these videos Production note: while listening to this video with headphones, your mic would cut white noise when you're speaking, and cut to dead silence when you stop, with no other background noise it sounds odd Looking forward to some of the wedges :)
Yeah I know. It comes down to my recording environment there is just background noise. It's something I'll aim to fix when I can. But I am glad you enjoyed the video
Taylor Swift is Grixis... wow... She is a people pleaser and needs for her following to love her. She lives for the arts to express herself. And she constantly goes further into her art and styles to gain more following, money, etc... Wild. Awesome video. 😁🙌
Great video, and according to the test i myself am a grixian, though red is not nearly as prominent as blue and black for me. I can say i think everything you said is accurate for a person, at least looking at myself. Originally I was Temur, but after a few years of introspection and such its changed a bit. And even now part of my own struggles are with my self centeredness, i feel almost a compulsive need to help other and dont know why. My emoathy relies on how id feel in a situation rather than trying to understand the person, and sometimes i worry when I help people im subconsciously doing it for some selfish reason, and one of the reasons is one you brought up, the appearance of ones self to other which is something ive always struggled with throughout my life. I get that this is a fictional thing but its still fun to think about through these lenses
YEs YES YES GRIXIS !!!!!!!!!!! behold everyone for this is Grixis the land of opportunity and conquest or die trying. needless to say Im glad we didn't get last place[still salty about goody two shoes Bant getting ahead of us but the people voted] anyway say it with me people ....... LET THE BLOOD FLOOOOOOOWW!!!!!!💀☠❣💔❣☠💀 so whos next on the chopping block [checking notes and ruffled paper noises] oh Naya...oh no the tree people I'm gonna get some bug spray.
One of the things that makes grixis so difficult to play is the fact that it’s unifying color (black) doesn’t unify red and blue very well. Consider the mechanical differences between rakdos and dimir. One issue with my grixis decks that I’ve always found is that I always feel it’s all over the place.
I feel like Grixis often overlooks its more collaborative desires. Mostly everyone wants to be a part of some kind of group or organisation, even a loose one. I think this is something that grixis would deny itself due to its need for individualism. Think of the people that always say they'd rather be alone, but are always lonely. It can be easy to convince yourself that you don't need or want company (I'd know) but obviously not a neccessity for grixis characters
"I feel like Grixis often overlooks its more collaborative desires" Some Grixises do, other Grixises don't ;) Grixises are capable of having relationships with others, they just don't want to be DEFINED by these relationships. Grixis: "I love you, therefore I want to do this for you" Selesnya: "You love me, therefore you have to do this for me"
@@Simpson17866 I tried to make it clear that it was some, but my real point is that I view isolation as a pitfall grixis should take care to avoid, because they are prone to it. In my opinion anyway. Also I completely forgot that this is Bolas' whole thing, my bad
I consider myself Grixis since I’ve been known to be pragmatic, intelligent, and a perfectionist (U) I have anxiety problems that lead me to mistrust, I have a minimal moral compass, and despite regretting some things, I know my extreme measures are necessary at times (B) and I’m extremely emotional, an artist at heart, and always wishing to experience a emotional event like art, adventure, and culture (R)
@@c.d.dailey8013 I was actually thinking Tesla would be in Bant as he was more than happy being a cog in the machine as long as society benefited from his scientific progress
According to the most popular color quiz on the internet, I'm grixis, with red being my strongest color and black my weakest. I'm definitely the artsy type, and I agree with most of the points made in this video, but would argue that grixis isn't the artist who does things for clout; grixis is the artist who finds satisfaction in both the process and the product of art. Is the clout appreciated? Sure, but it's not the point.
Azorius is one of two colour combinations that I see myself in, the other being Izzet. Azorius is how I think, while Izzet is my heart, my feelings. They are never truly together, never becoming Jeskai, but they are still both a part of who I am
I think a Grixis hero could look like someone who was self reliant and ambitiously driven (B) who cared a great deal for those family and friends who they loved (R) and used an analytical mind (U) to accomplish their goals.
I believe you are coloring this shard in a negative light, meanwhile you colored NAYA in a very favorable way. I also found it especially telling when you attributed a very heated modern day topic favorably as an example.
Self indulgent creativity can also mean creativity focused only for the self. Aka all their creativity seeks no attention or major goal, it seeks to express itself for the sake of themselves.
@@DiceTry man no need to worry people love your shard videos and are eagerly awaiting your wedges. it might take time but your gonna take off due to the work and care you put in your vids
A more relatable non-evil philosophy of Grixis might be an unwillingness to be weak. Without the influence of Green or White mana, Grixis doesn't want to rely on others, it wants to be in control. This doesn't need to drive Grixis characters to evil power-hungry schemes, it can just mean that they refuse to bow down to tyranny, bullying, or anyone that tries to make them feel lesser. Grixis characters will use any means necessary to protect themselves, and if they happen to have friends or loved ones, a Grixis character would want to always be a force of strength and admiration for those cherished allies.
Hey this was my shard. just my blue and black are nearly tied. I've always thought of myself as "3rd in command of the revolution" Not the center and more concerned about the execution. Less red and more blue than a central spotlight.
All in all, while ofc there is an "official" focus colour, I do believe that focusing on either one of the three, changes the reasons behind actions. Why are you like that? What do you deeply desire? It's not just "ambition", it's "ambition for something". It's never just cruelty for cruelty's sake, and it's infantile to evaluate anything as "cruel" out of context. We do things for freedom, sense of self, spirituality and meaning (reasons behind these as well), or whatever. Cruelty and hunger for power or control have motivations. Focus colours provide these and simply saying "ok, black raises the dead and wotc says is grixis focus, ergo, BADDIZ" is kinda boring. (Not saying my man here said that; it's just the most common approach against mindsets such as this)
I am Grixis. I do things because I want to do them. I seek to express myself as who I am in an honest way, and I seek the knowledge to understand what that self is, could be, and will be. above it all is creative expression combined with an indulgence of thoughts and emotions. Yet, at the core, it is my self and what I want that matters to me. I want to see a world that makes sense to me, and that world is one that is as honest with itself as I am. I do not seek to control others, but test them. I challenge others so that they may in turn challenge me. I cannot grow and improve myself without something to overcome; I refuse to be stagnant. The only control I wish to use is zeal. I want to see a loyalty in others that believe in my vision of a world where people live themselves to the fullest. I want them to believe in me. Fear may be honest, but loyalty is priceless. I may want to cause pain for the joy of it, I may want a ring because I like it and someone else has it. Or I may help people. Not out of some obligation for good or some standard or code, but for the simple reason that I want to help them. I may see their potential, or I may simply be feeling magnanimous at that moment. Honesty and personal growth are my philosophy, and I believe that to be the Grixis philosophy.
Whenever I take those guild/shard tests I aways get Rakdos, but with a huge blue part almost getting Grixis, but not just enough for it. As a Rakdos if I could choose a way to live it would be just fun and pleasure all the time, I literally have damaged my body in multiple ways to seek pleasure, I'll spare you the gritty details. Thing is, the blue part in Grixis is very interesting, and I really admire it. More knowledge means more ways to seek for whatever I want to please me, more creativity to come up with more fun things to do, and the artistic side blue brings can also be a source of pleasure. Besides, blue is progress, with progress comes more inhibition, more technology that of course can be used to please oneself. On the other hand my lowest color influence is green usually at 2% or less. Reason is I couldn't care less for the natural order of anything, just the word order already brings me ire. And all traditions may die for all I care, most of them if not all are completly useless and a hinderance for human evolution.
@@DiceTry - Keep up the amazing work. I await Mardu with baited breath. Each of these has been amazing, and I too think way too long and hard about these topics. It is great to see you make such wonderful videos.
I am Forced to contest the statement about an artist creating only for the parse they are given. For a vast majority of artist they will work there entire lives never really getting parse and more to my point now accepting it when they do. Artist are by there nature highly self critical as the better at the craft you become the more you see the faults in your own work. I Feel Grixis is a good example of the artists desire for self improvement and self idealization made manifest. things are not created with the concern for others. Others in Grixis never mater only the self does and thus all art is wholly and entirely an expression of the artist expressing them selves to them selves. This plays well into its aesthetics the HR Geiger esque landscapes suggest a perversion of the human form all existence bent towards the artist lenses. To heighten sensation and aesthetic appreciation the artists of Grixis surround them selves in the things they find beautiful bend the world to satisfy there desires. The Craving for applause is alien to this notion as it suggests a desperate need for approval of the larger civilization that both artists in my experience and Grixis in what I have observed threw the art direction. Both wholly reject.
The part about the praise hungry self-indulgent "artist" reminded me of an old Daily Show segment where they interviewed a guy who gerrymanders election districts for a living. Not just redraws district lines. This guy was proud that he gerrymanders them into completely nonsensical scribblings based on nothing but the skin color and wealth of the people living in those areas. Claimed he was an "artist." It's funny how easy it is to be reminded of low level Republican bureaucrats responsible for the downfall of America when talking about Grixis.
That is interesting. I can see how Grixis would fit 8n. Maybe the gerrymandering guy is cleaver enough to deserve blue. Yet once I thought of that, I figured that there is another shard that fits Republicans the best. That is Jund. Jund is similar to Grixis in that both are shards with two colors in common. The red fits Republicans. They are into action and violence. They like to have thier guns. They also like to fight wars against perceived threats. The value of freedom is there too. Republicans like "small government" so they get more leeway to do what they want. The black part also fits into Rupublicans. The one major trait is capitalism. Capitalism is about people going money for themselves by doing business. The profit motive drives them to run buissiness. Capitalism makes the upper class people more wealthy. If left unchecked it can have a negative impact on the lower class and make them more poor. This is like the individualistic and self serving nature of black. It is difficult to find redeeming values in the red-black combo. One way to figure it out by real world example is think of what Republicans are like.. Then there is a third part in Jund, which is green. This is something Grixis doesn't have. One of the main values of green is tradition. This also suits the Republicans well. They are the conservative party. Being conservative by definition is one that adheres to tradition. There is another video for Jund. I am going to think on it. June is a primal, vicious and brutal shard. It is like being a beast or predater. One sticks to the instinctual nature of a hunter. They are free to hunt down others to get what it wants. There no thought or morals to get in the way and slow one down. One just acts to thier desires regardless of how savage they are. I can imagine Republicans being like this, except for thier phoney attempts to be more civilized. It is interesting to think of the colors that are missing. One is blue. That does fit since Republicans are not into studying and intellect. Thier claims easily crumble if one puts a small amount of thought into fact checking or critical thinking. Republicans oppose scientific ideas, like evolution and global warming. They are also opposed to universities. They incorrectly claim there is a conspiracy to use universities to brainwash students with a liberal agenda. The other missing color is white. This is fitting that Repubicans don't care about the wellbeing of minorities. These minorities can be women, colored people, poor people or anyone else suffering from discrimination. White would aid such people in need. They would also use laws to protect people from being harmed or exploited by others. It even has taxing as a mechanic. White fits the Democrats very well. Democrats are into giving aid to the minorities and taxing the rich. They end up making the government bigger. Since Rupublicans are the opposite, it would be opposed to white. The differences in parties do show the enemy pair of black and white. White is also associated with religion. This part is really confusing. Republicans are the ones that broadcast how Christian they are. So that may make them seem more white than they are. I recently learned that it is another way that Republicans fake themselves being better than what they really are. I have been studying about different denominations of Christianty. One is Evangelicals, which is the ones that really associate themselves with Republicans. They have a quirk where they have relativly low standards of righteousness. Generally a person has to be good into to be saved and go to Heaven after death. However different groups have different standards as to what counts as good enough for Heaven. One with low standards only require faith and worshop in God and Jesus. Then they can be saved by forgiveness. One with higher standards would require that plus require following rules of conduct. If one does enough good works, they can be saved. Overall there is a tradeoff with the two sides. I personally prefer higher standards. The low standards of Evengelicals is not inherently a bad thing. It can be good for avoiding religion from being too totalitarian and harsh on its followers. A good example of Christians with high standards is the Amish. They make huge sacrifices to live what they see as a righteous life. The Republicans take low standards and they really twist them. They can do whatever they want, no matter how horrible or sinful it can be. Yet they think they can get away with it, because they can still be saved if they broadcast thier religion. There are claims to be righteous by opposing things like abortion and gay marriage. However these are distractions. They do not fit righteousness when it comes to major issues of economics. The violence opposes the Christian value of peace. The capitalism opposes the Christian value of charity. So this makes Republicans major hypocrits when it comes to religion. There are Christians that also get called hypocrits. I find it ironic that Ublublicans are more overtly Christian in thier broadcasting, but it is the Democrats that are more Christ-like in thier actions. So I think Democrats fit white partly due to following religious values, whether they realize it or not. Republicans do not get white. They are hypocritical about it. So I don't think white should count.
Again, whenever you talk about Black, especially Black and Red, you always tend towards Evil. It's not all about being cruel, its base line is Hedonism. It isn't necessarily cruel.
Yeah I made sure to say not always is it the case but it is the pair that can find itself fulfilling its deepest desires which can lead it down a dark patch easier than most colors or pairs
@@DiceTry And this can apply to villains like most versions of the Joker, but it can also apply to anti-heroes like Jack Sparrow and heroes like Tony Stark ;)
![Perfection in Ruthless Order [MTG ESPER Color Philosophy MTG Colors Explained]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/D3vO1rwYqEQ/mqdefault.jpg)
![Perfection in Ruthless Order [MTG ESPER Color Philosophy MTG Colors Explained]](/img/tr.png)
![Truth in Zealous Expression [Mardu MTG Color Philosophy]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/np2r_yozwI8/mqdefault.jpg)
Learn more about the colors featured in this video:
Black - th-cam.com/video/PAlr1_ReQq8/w-d-xo.html
Blue - th-cam.com/video/_SJWQkWBj6c/w-d-xo.html
Red - th-cam.com/video/uHJHwqsOZbU/w-d-xo.html
I feel the quintessential example of Grixis are the Telvanni from Morrowind. Basically they’re a group of super powerful Wizards that don’t like being told being what to do, and have a pretty meritocratic structure... but they also have an anything goes outlook, so you can rise through the rank by murdering their superiors, because if they were weak enough to die to you, then they clearly didn’t deserve their position as much as you.
Yeah I would say that sounds spot on
(screams in joy)
Telvanni for the win.
Dice, you need to do a rainbow video of the Pie, and maybe even a Nephalim slice vid. For me, please. (I asked nicely.)
I am a Grixis/Esper/Temur (in that order) player.
You are meta beyond meta, and I love it in my soul (or lack thereof, depending on what ex or ex friend you ask) .
I am now subscribed, because EYE love your work.
(I can't put emphasis on I without more letters.)
As one of my dnd characters who could be considered Grixis once said
"Just because I am willing to hurt people and beholden to no sense of morality doesn't mean I want to hurt others and be needlessly cruel. When the time comes I know I will not hesitate to do what must be done for the good of our group because you all mean as much to me as I do. I just hope I'm correct in my assumption you'd all do the same."
My Love for others (R) causes me to Consider (U) how I use my Power (B)
I think that may be the best way to portray a good kind of grixis, which is always kind of hard to visualize since grixis is so often portrayed as evil/morally compromised
Gosh darnit Nicol Bolas
It’s another tool in the toolbox
But just because you have a hammer, doesn’t mean a wrench isn’t the better pick in this situation
My version: "To *overcome* (B), you need *courage* (R) and *intelligence* (U)."
I applaud you for usually trying not to say "black=evil." In the REAL WORLD our "black nature" often comes up when we are fighting for our own survival or overcome when we've been put in a hard situation with no one to back us up, or deserted / stabbed in the back by those we once counted as allies.
Liliana much?
'To save the world, I did the only thing a hero would never do. I compromised'
This is such an elegant summary, thank you
Imma assume that’s:
Overcome (Black)
Courage (Red)
Intelligence (Blue)
Because black and blue
I feel like Black characters can be really good friends, since nothing says that they can't care about anyone, their selfishness probably doesn't only take form of self-centeredness but also prioritizing the fewest amount of people, focusing around the people that they care the most about instead of caring for everyone. Because would be impractical and dishonest since we can't sincerely care for anyone equally as well as unrealistic, something contrary to blacks pragmatism & sincerity of motivation. A black character isn't likely to care about you because it's the right (white) or the natural (green) thing to do for them, they would care about you because they feel for you and you feel them (red), because you empower them so they'll empower you (black), and because you enlighten them and/or appreciate their knowledge so they'll enlighten you and/or learn from you (blue). They are the kind of friend that can be the picture of reciprocity who would give to you as much as you give them and whose loyalty is hard earned yet valuable and speaks volumes. Black is probably the color that won't settle for anything less but the most beneficial and mutualistic relationship that it can have when it's possible.
A Grixis character can be a really good friend if they end up caring about you. They can have Red's Passion & Empathy, Black's sincerity & pragmatism, as well as Blue's logic & pursuit of understanding that would make them both fierce, honest, understanding, & useful allies who would give the same level of devotion as much as you give them. This color combination would probably be the friend that would encourage & help you to pursue your dreams the most with Red's empathic passion, Black's drive & ambition, and Blue's simultaneously idealistic & logical pursuit of perfection, provided you are willing to do the same for them of course.
Though there's something I'm not quite sure about. Is it possible for a black character's ambition and pursuit of its goals to not be something they intend of them, but for someone else? Like one or a small few individuals that they care for above all others becoming their dream, at the expense of everyone including themselves? I think & feel like this is something that black can have that makes it similar to red.
I feel way too much of this on a personal level
A bit late, but I want to throw my answer to your question.
This side of black was explored in Amonkhet with the Trial of Ambition. Crop members would sacrifice themselves because they knew another member was better than them, so their life is meaningless unless it is given to allow the others to succeed.
A very interesting twist.
That interpretstion of black honestly feels like just the right one i need if i ever want to adapt Homura from puella magi madoka magica into a MTG card, thanks. Also... your comment realy makes me think. That's great
I think it's not just black being misunderstood often. Red is so often just put like some simple impulsive color, and it has to play fast. I ended up not liking the color in mtg because the gameplan is just rush and damage. Red's side of emotion is so often overlooked and I'm glad you brought up empathy.
As a Grixis myself, you are completely correct. In the real world Mono-Black, Red/Black, and Grixis people are very often immensely generous for their friends. Those of us who obtain wealth or have friends who aren't as fortunate as ourselves, if you already proved your worth through the character of your being and the actions you take, then we will gladly improve your lives, often optimizing and helping them get a foot up in life. Why would a person with Black mana be so "selfless"? We aren't being selfless, we're being selfish. I personally love the playful frustration my friends show anytime I'm generous, or twist their words when they ask me for help with something. I often tell my friends "I believe in benevolent manipulation, where I don't impose my own values or desires upon you, but instead manipulate your environment so that you may make your own choices so that you may achieve what you say that you desire. Should you ever take actions to warrant my wrath, only then will I Maliciously manipulate you into disaster."
for the self indulgent creativity section, I think it's important to note that that self indulgence may not necessarily refer only to fame and fortune but also self exploration and self expression. As someone who can see themselves identifying with the philosophy of grixis and someone who also loves making art, I strongly see my art as a means of exploring and expressing myself rather than pleasing others. In this way, there can be the "self-centered" aspect of black without it being all about greed and what it can take from others.
Well said, this is a very good point
I was about to say the same thing! I completely agree. I wouldn’t necessarily say I would align with grixis myself, but my own form of art, poetry, is entirely based in grixis identity. I don’t write to help people, I write to reveal aspects of my inner self. It’s a way to express my thoughts and understand them. I show some people my poetry, but it’s entirely to let them into my world. Show them a part of who I am. I have only shown people I love and trust enough to be vulnerable around, and I want to keep it that way. I write for myself and for the people I love to understand me. Not to help people, nor to get fame or anything like that.
Also a lack of Green means that there is no willingness to just stop and breathe and do nothing, I think. Especially with Red in the mix, ironically considering that Red is an ally of Green.
Its like Blue's influence with Green... Blue's desire to move forward and Red's passion seek new horizon's basically ramps up Green's plodding stubborn pace...
I imagine Grixis as the ultimate balance between the philosophy of its enemy colors in the shard (red and blue). blue is a philosophy where you are perfect and at your highest potential, even if it means you lose yourself while red is a state of mind where you are yourself to a t, but you are nowhere near what you could be. As a philosophy, Grixis is emotional enough to be itself, smart enough to want to see itself improve and so rooted in the self that it can see when either side is getting toxic or inefficient.
For example, if a Grixis being with this philosophy were to live under an oppressive system of government that restricted their rights to individuality, the red side of Grixis would be motivated to overcome or even overthrow the government while the blue side would logically infiltrate this government (even if it means not being true to itself) to either overturn it or take it over. These two seem incompatible until you take Black's perfect capabilities to understand the self as well as its unearthly charisma aided by its red passion and blue reasoning and mix them together to make someone who can draw like minded people in but remain on top and controlling of their revolution, which would be violent, but their more intelligent side would use the discord to overthrow their government.
Another way to put grixis is a hero who does it for fame and wealth, exp. taking the easiest jobs that get the most attention. And mark has said that a grixis character would sacrifice themselves for a friend but not a stranger showing they're not completely self-centered btw great video
I don't think Grixis has to be all doom and gloom. I think it could represent a small group of people who live on the fringe of society, who find modern civilization to be idealistically oppressive. A group of people who see the world for all the pain and misery life has to offer. They understand that a morality and having a moral code are not equal nor the same, where secret knowledge exists outside a common identity and society appears to be made up construct With ever shifting rules and expectations that are as ambiguous as they lawmakers themselves. Grixis thus usurps the status quo and subverts the perception of perceived identity to attack or subjugate any social sphere. Through knowledge and passion they control their own suffering.
I like this breakdown thanks, I'll keep this in mind
As I understand it, it could also about trying to be free. Red being the focus, allowing emotion to rule. Black is about getting there by any means, and blue is about protecting it and allowing it to survive. I think your point about the ever shifting rules is one of the best ways to describe it really. Its about a reaction to the world, how it doesnt allow people to express themselves and be who they truly are, and how you can get there
Very well worded
Like pirates with the influence of blue, black, and red in this universe, more specifically Admiral Brass. They are self induldged in their interests, but aren't necessarily cruel. They tend to fight for their own freedom from an oppressive order, and take what the want or need to get the upperhand or survive. I absolutely love this combination because they are my top three personal favorite colors, and they blend into something unique to me and versatile.
You’re right but I applied this to my life and it’s scarely correct and eye opening. I’m building a grixis inalla deck that’s themed copying control and all of a sudden explosion of game ending hatred. Crazy video tho I dig it!
One of the most fascinating color combos. If Naya is most in line with my way of thinking, Grixis is probably the closest to my base personality, if I'm being honest. Something that's made me sit and think about this particular shard for some time.
It's interesting because for as much focus as is given to it's more negative aspects, Grixis can produce some of the most genuinely heroic characters as well. Nicol Bolas's old foe from the Legends era, Tetsuo Umezawa, is also a Grixis character as an example! Which makes sense.
Red, after all, is the color of emotion, including empathy. Blue seeks to improve the world, and it's search for knowledge leaves it open minded. And Black is driven and amoral. While that usually leads to incredibly self-centered characters, it doesn't have to. Amorality isn't immorality, after all, and a person's driving goal doesn't necessarily have to be their own benefit. In those cases, black's propensity for sacrifice can become self-sacrifice, as long as it's ambitions are completed by it.
When combined like this you get a character who's compassion for others (Red) drives them to use their knowledge and power to improve the world (Blue) without regard to traditions, laws, gods, conventional morality or even their well being (Black).
I hope, given Wizard's current trend to play with color philosophy and highlight non-traditional aspects of the colors that we might see more Tetsuo Umezawas and less Nicol Bolases in future sets.
Took the personality quiz and got Grixis as my typing.
Holy hell you make me sound so badass this ROCKS.
Yeah same got Grixis on the personality quiz thing, somewhat edgy but somewhat accurate.
My nephew is really trying to run a pirate themed D&D campaign and to help him out I told him I could run a bard that can support the group who would also be the captain, since no one else wanted to be the captain. I've struggled with how to make his backstory and what type of personality would be believable. After seeing your video on using the color pie instead of the alignment chart, I started thinking Grixis. This video confirms that my next character is going to be a singing captain who uses creativity to inspire his crew to steal lost treasures for his own gain. Great video; thanks!
First time watching and i really enjoyed your approach! Specially showing how Grixis is not simply the BIG BAD GUY. Self-indulgent artists, innovative merchants, hardcore individualists, etc. I've seen it defined with the phrase "The well-behaved rarely make history" and it makes a lot of sense. I kinda wish we got more Grixis cards that don't focus in black, but that might be a bit hard.
It's also somewhat curious that the three colors don't have a lot of shared design space. They all have steal effects, card draw and an easier time casting spells outside of a player's hand, but nothing as clear cut as Jund, for example. I think the only thing all three colors share in the official color pie post, besides card draw is +X/-X.
They are also Instant/Sorcery focused. Combine Blue and Red's significant mechanical overlap with the efficiency and brutality of Black's spells, and you get some devastating and efficient spells.
Grixis can also be creature-focused, but more in the sense of using creatures as a means to an end, with damage triggers, evasion and speed. It is the home of rogues and wizards, and overall, Grixis can combine to make some unique and creative combinations.
Grixis's lack of clear overlap leads to some very interesting deck designs in EDH for example. All of my Grixis decks are built around janky unique ideas, like Sakashima/Vial-Smasher which kills with mana costs, Mishra Artificer Prodigy which makes use of its ability in a singleton deck, Obeka with everyway of abusing "end of turn" triggers, and even Thraximundar, which embodies the creatures of Grixis.
I feel like one avenue in this that could've been delved into more is the greed angle. In a lot of dystopian fiction with mega corporations you could easily argue them as being grixis.
I see it as
B. Corruption, death, destruction, decay, power and the ambition for it through means one would consider "dark"
R. Passion, fury, (also) destruction, lack of inhibition, and the power of one's self to be able to face challenges. I often associate it with dragons and one quote I find most fitting "the dragon is the perfect marriage of power, and the will to use it"
U. Intellect, cunning, magic, progress through knowledge, and the ambition to always seek more knowledge for either power or for knowledge's sake
I feel that grixis shows all manners of these aspects, with a focus set on certain aspects more than others.
This one is probably my favorite color video so far! I love how you explained how Grixis is not necessarily evil and some of the more positive aspects it can have. I feel like, a lot of the time, people tend to assume it's just the bad-guy color identity.
I agree. Now lots of colors can drift into evil easier than others but I like to say there is good and evil within each color or combination, it's all a matter of perspective
Feels like WOTC sees it that way now since Bolas is literally the only Grixis planeswalker (there was another, but their latest version is Mardu), and all the Rakdos walkers are Saturday Morning Cartoon villains and the Dimir ones lean far more into blue than black.
The example of the creative waiting for a compliment is everything else but grixis, since grixis does not concern itself with the opinion of others, other than for pragmatic reasons.
Other than that I loved the video.
Love these, can’t wait for naya and the wedges
Thanks! I am happy people have been liking this series. As I have said before its a bit harder to write with the lack of examples but the response has been phenomenal.
Me neither!
Though, @ThatGuyFromCanada , I accidentally wrote a Wall of Text about Naya if you're interested while we're waiting :)
th-cam.com/channels/xF11AGJdE9x5nX7ClOr9jA.htmlcommunity?lc=UgwgvyGHxP0MBHy-Uxx4AaABAg.9FoKxqr_Ics9Fr7iFlpm_O&lb=UgweapqMbchHxhX-T7J4AaABCQ
I agree. it's one of my favorite bands
Here is my take on Grixis, as a Grixis person. A Grixis person could be a person that has found things they believe to be truth (blue) and fervently protects them (red) even if it leads to isolation (black). Since the truth is a rare commodity, it makes sense that a majority of people do not have it, a Grixis person is proud of the knowledge they have and feels superior because of this knowledge. If Jund is survival of the fittest, Grixis is dominance of the wise. This leads to a Grixis character being countercultural, finding the answer "that's what has always been done" poor and actually an argument against that activity. The combination of Red/Blue creativity and ingenuity mixed with Blacks lack of caring for other's opinions, leads to true progress.
This is my favorite color combo. I think another potentially interesting view if it could also be the hedonist? One who indulges in all of life's pleasures purely for their own sake, an values an honest reality over a eutopia of lies. I do think saying they won't enjoy their craft for itself might shoehorn them a bit, though i realize this isn't an essential trait. I adore the idea of a Grixis who is the kind of person to read book after book, paint canvas after canvas, purely to surround themselves with the beauty of existence, and frustrated when their own skills fall short of allowing them to reach those impossible heights. Also could include being a highly dedicated family/friend/follower, their devotion to a person, craft, or goal ruling over all else, if that object is something they feel allows them to experience divinity/enlightenment. Though this is likely a more centrist view of it (less exclusion of other colors and more "leaning away form").
But, that might be me projecting my Autism Creature^TM energy onto it.... XD
Do you think Grixis has things figured out. Is this honest approach our true side?
there are heroic Grixis characters ,like tetsuo Umezawa, the have Black's pragmatism and perseverance, red's passion and blue's intelligence, Grixis is not inherently selfish and evil, it's just inclined to it
I agree well said
Its interesting that grixis would have this "honest self" view, since green also values being true to your self and ones role in nature. Like what being true to ones self means is different depending on the color's world view.
@@coopertolbertsmith6067 very true. I think the difference lies in Greens need to find and fulfill its role while Grixis or Black creates that role and it can be more fluid. Where Green makes things a bit more rigid in that regard.
Agreed I think in the end Grixis would end up being its own wrist enemy as it's never satisfied
I hesitate to associate any color with cruelty; I think it's too specific, and therefore confuses content for structure.
Red is the only color one can reasonably attribute such a specific emotional desire to, but I see no reason to make this association as part of the color philosophy itself. Cruelty is just one of a myriad of emotional experiences.
For this reason, I don't really agree with characterizing Grixis as hateful and sadistic. This strikes me as an unwarranted fixation on the negative aspects of Red which renders Blue and Black totally unnecessary for the characterization.
Red is perfectly capable of being cruel on its own, and cruelty itself is neither materially useful (B) nor intellectually progressive (U). And reducing Red to JUST petulant and violent emotions sells it short.
Grixis, to me, can be best understood with two ideas: self perfection and will to power.
Grixis has all of mono Black's ambition, but, because of Blue, it's not satisfied with control of its immediate environment: it wants transcendental control, mastery over the realm of possibility as well as reality. But unlike Dimir, which is willing to dehumanize itself to achieve this end, Grixis wants to remain wholly "itself." It's not willing to compromise its sentiments or passions to achieve power - it wants godlike power and knowledge housed within a human heart. Thus, a perfected self: a being able to express its desires and will without compromise.
Grixis can also be understood through its relationship with power. Like Black, the desire for power is central, but the nature and purpose of that power are shifted by Blue and Red. Grixis wants, perfect, beautiful power. Power without the pain and indignity of subterfuge and sacrifice. It's enemies ought to be obliterated with the snap of its fingers, its every desire a gesture away. This doesn't translate neatly into authority or fame because the necessity of others would mean the power was incomplete. Nor does it necessarily imply cruelty: what you DO with the power was never the point - the goal is just to HAVE IT. Perhaps you'll pursue glorious vengeance and perhapa you'll create paradise. Or both!
Like Black, Grixis is largely amoral, but it's also sentimental, romantic, curious and perfectionist. Ironically, I think this makes it a fair bit more principled than mono Black.
It doesn't think in terms of good and evil, but in terms of good and bad taste, elegance and oafishness, good form and bad form, progress and myopia. There are certain things it won't "lower itself" to do.
I could see Grixis, say, refusing to kill children or engage in direct combat because it doesn't want to dirty its hands like some common thug. It might reject bigotry on the grounds of it being irrational and petty, unworthy of it. It can have preferences and principles, just not morals.
None of this is to say that Grixis CANNOT be cruel or evil, just that these things make up only one of many possible manifestations.
I certainly learned to appreciate Grixis for what it is, even though I am nowhere like it.
Yeah I agree. It's good to recognize this potential side of ourselves but it does lack compassion which I think is important
@@DiceTry "but it does lack compassion" Not necessarily ;)
It lacks RESPONSIBILITY, but it's still capable of having compassion for others. It just doesn't want others to USE the expectation of compassion as a way to make it do things.
I'm curious over how it would change with a focus on a different bridge colour
-blue with secondary red & black
- red with secondary blue and black
the former give me Ozymandias/Tywin vibes. a Cerebral character who seeks to control by remaking the world along their values. Their type of control is indistinguishable from their self-expression. The game plan is to change the very way the board is even played on. As much as they manipulate the situation, they don't lie.
the latter gives me eccentric visionary artist, seeing themselves as an artistic maverick who's self-absorbed in their own creativity.
one thing I think is missed, isn't that the reaction to the self-expression is captured by other people is valued, its that the self-expression exists because it is of "of me" and that is what is valued, and valued more so because the "of me" persist despite other's reactions to it.
the self-expression is valued in and of itself because it is "of me", and "I" is valued over "other" categorically. if the "of me" cannot be contended or removed by others, then it is a feedback loop validating the "I" evaluation over the "other", as a quality of the "other" cannot overcome the quality of "I" within an "of me".
so its not a "others value my expression", but more of a "other's can't deny me".
so you could say, by carefully constructing what I express of myself, to such an extent that I can never be denied, my mastery grants me freedom.
I cannot wait to see the update to this. I have a Vampire the Masquerade character who I believe aligns well with Grixis and is your video to progress the character and his methods.
Hey Dice, I know you’ve mentioned a lot that there isn’t many examples of shards and wedges but you should consider looking into groups that may not have three colours in their cards but do in their behaviour. For instance the Kobold from the original Alpha set. After watching Mtgloreseeker’s video on them it seemed like they had a very Mardu-like philosophy. They have the tribalism or Orzhov, the righteousness of Boros and their leader is Rakdos coloured so I’d recommend looking into any more groups in the lore that are similar to this
What about being expressed as the blue and red curiosity with a black selfishness to explore new ideas but not be further corrupted by them keeping the precious individuality black is most concerned by.
I think it would be better if you did three videos on combination of three, I mainly suggest this because any one of the colors can be the bridge it just depends how you use them 😉
My version as an Artist who go this combination in a quiz:
To passionatly (R) experiment (U) with one's personal power (B). I enjoy and love to create paintings that express deeply surpressed feelings, basically using art as a catalyst to experiment creatively with my self expression, therefore gaining more self awareness and by that, personal power.
I also really and I mean REALLY enjoy seeing people's reactions to my art. It usually captivates them in dark, eerie yet powerful ways.
Since I use my art to express my subconscious (supressed feelings, R), I express my curiosity about myself (experimentation, U) and the uncomfortable process turns into something enjoyable when I watch the painting - especially if I indulge in the reaction of someone else looking at them (pleasure, B)
To complete the color pie, there is more to this:
All of this is done to create and maintain inner peace (W) and by extend societal peace. Subconscious feelings create suffering which in turn create disharmony. Observing my art and going through the internal process it initiates ultimately helps and myself and others with accepting themselves for who they really are, without any alternations to their true nature (G).
Going through this inner process as an observer (either me as an Artist or a customer) sends you through the entire color pie: Thoughts (U), Emotions (R), Darkness (B), Peace (W) and acceptance of what is (G).
If followed through, this leaves you with a serene, tranquil feeling with no thoughts, just being present, just existing as a being (colorless).
I love being a Genius ♡
the long awaited grixis video! Man, talk about polar opposites with bant.
Yeah honestly the order that everything dropped has honestly been perfect bouncing between lots of polar opposite
Just discovered this channel/blog the other day and have been binging each delicious piece of Vorthos content since.
Excellence par none, and I can’t wait for more! :)
Oh awesome thanks. Glad my website has brought people to my channel
I like the idea that Grixis is stretching magic. It has so many copy and addons to spells that one spell with enough of this can do wonders.
Bant = Jedi
Grixis = Sith
Ooooh I like that. You are totally right and now I feel like I need to make a video about that
@Jessica Raven Not really, unless Temur is exclusively isolationist hermits and complete failures. Heck, Grey Jedi don’t exist in the new canon.
@Jessica Raven In legends qui gon was considered “grey” because he would play fast and loose with the code, but at the end of the day he was still a Jedi. In terms of magic he’d be Bant with a little bit of red thrown into the mix.
There was a fan made Star Wars Set based on the shards and jedi were Bant and Grixis were the Sith, just like you said(Esper were droids, Jund bounty hunters and Naya big alien monsters.).
Jund= Mandalorian
I tried to come up with a good guy who could be grixis colors.
The best I can think of is
dr Doofenshmirtz.
I'm not sure that is I'll have to look him then up
I mean he is a "evil" genius(U,B),
who will do anything for the love for her daughter(R).
I mean Rick from Rick and morty seems pretty grixis, not very good tho
do not confuse being incompetent with being good. Early instruction at OWCA
Also, you pieced it beautifully together. Well done!
I love the idea of artistic grixis, and I agree that the black in there is the answer of why they do art, and it could be for fame or fortune as you say but it could also just be for themselves. They can create art just because that's what they need to suffocate their pain or to explore themselves and don't give a fuck about what others may think about their art, because they do it only for themselves.
That made me also think: which colours should we attribute to fame? I believe it should be black white because black for the ambition and selfishness and ego but white because that comes from the population, sociaty... So I don't know if you agree with fame being black white (i would love to know what colour/s you think fame should be) but I don't see a grixis artist doing it for fame, because that means they care what others think and with absence of white and green (being the colours of comunities and population) I don't see how they can care about what others may think about them. I see grixis as a really individualistic kind of creature.
I think you’re spot on and I think Grixis is best exemplified in Marchesa, The Black Rose. She seeks to dethrone the top, but only to put herself in power. She promises rebirth but only after self sacrifice and fails to mention that’s all your life will be. Endless death and rebirth until every resource is drained. She can corrupt and takeover opposing minds and rarely puts herself in the fray. Why risk your own life when you can expend another’s?
Great video man, I love the whole series
Anyone else see themselves in the self-indulgent creativity?
I think another aspect of Grixis would be an indomitable drive to survive, at any cost.
The entire shard isn't filled with genius necromancers, there's also the cult that follows them. Now these people aren't bowing the knee to their master because they share their view, that can't be because it lacks the ability to perceive others way if thinking or think of how the world "aught" to be. Rather its that serving them benefits them in some way. It could be as simple as "this mage is way stronger than me so it's better I serve them and bide my time until I can" change that" or "this mage is further along in my research than I am, I should just work with them until I can take the results for myself." You could easily imagine the political landscape of Grixis would be a game of factions and territories that are ever expanding or being consumed.
In the end those who are of Grixis will do anything necessary to survive. They'd be the ultimate doomsday prepers. Food, water, shelter, breeding pit in the basement to secure my legacy, blood contract with the neighbors that I faked my signature on for when they plan to betray me. It's all about making sure you survive without limit.
definitely matches The Ruinous Powers and the Maestros
Grixis:
You will own your own property, you will filfill your desires, you will take hold of your destiny on your own terms, and you _will_ be happy.
While I think this is interesting, I think the whole self-indulgence artist part felt a bit wrong for Black's side of "self-focus"
What I believe the true form of Black's "Self Matter" Philosophy can be taken as either 1. Fully focused on power/fame as you said, or 2. Its just to satiate own's idea without care of Green's order nor White's hierarchy, with my line of thinking being the Stitchers from Innistrad, which just create abomination because they felt like it without thinking about what these creature would do to nature and others, they just wanted to satiate their inner curiosity
White is the color of hierarchy?
Is the weenie color, a bunch of equal or similar creatures.
Black is the color of the individual, black is the color of climbing to the top.
Grixis also reminds of the studio executive who enables art to be created, but only if it makes them money.
Oh yeah I could see that. The producer at least. Enables creativity but only for gain
When I think of a shard or wedge that contains red and blue, I think about who does this is connected to izzet. When I think of grixis I think of izzet focusing its iner confict through black. Maybe this is an attempt to rest the gnawing feeling inside them.
Just in the firts phrase i feel my Maestros passion growing even more
Eclipsa from star vs the forces of evil is a great example of a grixis character who isn’t necessarily evil.
This video is so comprehensive of Grixis, to me.
I like to use Grixis as Izzet+. It's all the passionate lust for perfection and knowledge of izzet, but with the selfishness and willingness to utilize the darker aspects of life and magic of black to me.
I adore Izzet's concepts but I'm the type to seek greater power for myself and my own uses rather than for the sake of it. Grixis facilitates that well imo
My favorite concept of a hero, or at least a character that is looking to improve the world around them, is a revolutionary that's both on the streets protesting and/or rioting, but also at the same time well studied on the issue their opposing. A rebel with reason and the will to do what it takes to achieve a better tomorrow. A well studied black panther would be a pretty good analog to our real world's history.
Finally! I've been waiting for this so long!
Grixis is my favorite three-color combination to play, alongside with Jeskai (yup, i like noncreature spells), but i was sttrugling to figure out its philosophy. I really liked the video.
I've been trying to make a blue-foccused Grixis character that is basically a knowledge obsessed mad scientist that does everything that he does only because he wants and likes it, and doesn't care nothing about what others think about him or what he does, is that a way this three colors could go or it's just a Izzet character that i am callig Grixis?
(My english is horrible, sorry)
Yeah I think you're spot on. It is the Izzet side of Grixis with the motivation brought on by Black.
@@DiceTry Thanks.
YESH. Thanks for making this. Good stuff.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Well played. I looked at the "Do You Know What Your Colors Are?" video on DiceTry, which took me to a quiz, which took me to this video on DiceTry. I applaud your use of the system!!!
Grixis feels like the True Sith from Star Wars the Old Republic tbh.
As someone who plays this combo I always thought of it as “I can’t afford good cards of my own so ima borrow yours for the game.”
Wow. The Grixis shard is a tricky one. I think of the color combo as being harsher. It is not like green and blue, which can just summon creatures. The three Grixis colors are that that shine in creture removal and noncreature spells. This would go along with personal ambition and amorality of Grixis. I don't think Grixis is extreem at all. It is just more in tune with an individual and cynical worldview. It is harsh in the sense that it won't go out of its way to help other people in society. The main color is black. It is individual. It will do what it wants, without worrying about breaking moral rules. From there, one gets to Dimir. This adds blue. This ads on curiousity and a thirst for knowlage. So one is willing to spy a plot to get what it wants. Then Grixis completes the self interest by adding red. Red mixed with black is Rakdos. Together one has a sense of freedom and ruthless action with no regard for laws. Black is really harsh for its indiviudualism. Then the two parts aid in that harshness. Red and Blue are major enemies. Red is more emotional and social. Blue is logical and intellectual. Yet they both can come together in black. Each other color has a harshness like black. Blue gives a cunning nature and a lack of empathy. Red gives a drive to action to get what one wants. Black can have a bit of both. It plots like blue and act violently like red. Mixing red and blue together form Izzit. Izzit is the guild that mixes both for creativity. It has a constant drive to know more. This can make Grixis go through huge lengths for great power and glory. Unbridled ambition through control is most like Dimir. Dimir is great at control. It can gain a lot of information through its spy network. It can also control people by messing with thier minds. The red ads action and impulsivness. One is activly going for control. There is nothing holing them back. Self-Indulgent creativity is most like Izzit. Izzit is the most creative guild in Ravnica. Then a bit of black is added. This makes the artist selfish and arrogent. They are more into the fame of an artist as opposed to putting genuine work into thier art. This section reminds me of "An Artist Meltdown Story", which is a TH-cam video by Lily Orchard. I am an artist myself. That video taught me a good lesson on how not to behave. The diva artists in the video fit this part of Grixis perfectly. All they care is about fame, money and gaining a fan base. They will freak the heck out if someone uses thier art with fair use. These divas need to chill the heck out. I don't want to end up that way. I do relate to the creativity of Grixis, but Jeskai and Temur are more my style. A long time ago I did check out the artist in the video. I found that artist on DeviantArt. As it turned out, her art wasn't that good. I don't mean to brag, but I was able to do better art when I was still learning how to do digital art. I am significantly better now than I used to be. Nowadays I moved past my sparkledog phase. One doesn't deserve to be a drama queen when thier art isn't that good. Revelry in cruel magic is most like Rakdos. Rakdos is into revelry and entertainment. It is into have chaos in its jests. Then blue is added. There is a trickery involved. There is outwitting victims. That blue cleverness becomes part of the fun.
"Self indulgent artist"
Ok then I can see that
"Explains it"
Wait a second
"They care about legacy and people's perception rather than product"
Oh wait a second that's... me
Lol
Always excited to see these videos!
Awesome! Well I'm glad people love it so much it's a bit of a passion project
Love these videos
Production note: while listening to this video with headphones, your mic would cut white noise when you're speaking, and cut to dead silence when you stop, with no other background noise it sounds odd
Looking forward to some of the wedges :)
Yeah I know. It comes down to my recording environment there is just background noise. It's something I'll aim to fix when I can. But I am glad you enjoyed the video
Grixis, the true anti-hero
Taylor Swift is Grixis... wow...
She is a people pleaser and needs for her following to love her. She lives for the arts to express herself. And she constantly goes further into her art and styles to gain more following, money, etc...
Wild.
Awesome video. 😁🙌
Oh man I think that's a great example
Great video, and according to the test i myself am a grixian, though red is not nearly as prominent as blue and black for me. I can say i think everything you said is accurate for a person, at least looking at myself. Originally I was Temur, but after a few years of introspection and such its changed a bit. And even now part of my own struggles are with my self centeredness, i feel almost a compulsive need to help other and dont know why. My emoathy relies on how id feel in a situation rather than trying to understand the person, and sometimes i worry when I help people im subconsciously doing it for some selfish reason, and one of the reasons is one you brought up, the appearance of ones self to other which is something ive always struggled with throughout my life.
I get that this is a fictional thing but its still fun to think about through these lenses
"Who are you?!"
"Explorers in the furthest regions of experence; demons to some, angels to others..."
-the conobites from hellraiser
Ah yes, the "black is evil" era of DiceTry. Kinda weird to revisit now that this has been re-evaluated in more recent content.
I think it’s one of better explainations,Jund imo prob was the worst,because it’s explains philosophy from fictional standpoint
YEs YES YES GRIXIS !!!!!!!!!!!
behold everyone for this is Grixis the land of opportunity and conquest or die trying.
needless to say Im glad we didn't get last place[still salty about goody two shoes Bant getting ahead of us but the people voted]
anyway say it with me people ....... LET THE BLOOD FLOOOOOOOWW!!!!!!💀☠❣💔❣☠💀
so whos next on the chopping block [checking notes and ruffled paper noises] oh Naya...oh no the tree people I'm gonna get some bug spray.
Well I am glad you are happy that I finally did Grixis, and yup Naya is the last shard on the list
One of the things that makes grixis so difficult to play is the fact that it’s unifying color (black) doesn’t unify red and blue very well. Consider the mechanical differences between rakdos and dimir. One issue with my grixis decks that I’ve always found is that I always feel it’s all over the place.
It reminds me of the dark sun from d&d 2e.
This description sounds very similar to how some might describe the philosophy of identity politics
I feel like Grixis often overlooks its more collaborative desires. Mostly everyone wants to be a part of some kind of group or organisation, even a loose one. I think this is something that grixis would deny itself due to its need for individualism. Think of the people that always say they'd rather be alone, but are always lonely. It can be easy to convince yourself that you don't need or want company (I'd know) but obviously not a neccessity for grixis characters
I agree it's envious and selfish nature would make for an uneasy ally. One that would abandon you if they felt they had to
"I feel like Grixis often overlooks its more collaborative desires" Some Grixises do, other Grixises don't ;)
Grixises are capable of having relationships with others, they just don't want to be DEFINED by these relationships.
Grixis: "I love you, therefore I want to do this for you"
Selesnya: "You love me, therefore you have to do this for me"
@@Simpson17866 I tried to make it clear that it was some, but my real point is that I view isolation as a pitfall grixis should take care to avoid, because they are prone to it. In my opinion anyway. Also I completely forgot that this is Bolas' whole thing, my bad
@@roguepsykerhaaker4813 Not a problem!
@@Simpson17866 I gotta say this comunity/comment section is just really nice and wholesome and that's nice
well done!!!!
I consider myself Grixis since I’ve been known to be pragmatic, intelligent, and a perfectionist (U) I have anxiety problems that lead me to mistrust, I have a minimal moral compass, and despite regretting some things, I know my extreme measures are necessary at times (B) and I’m extremely emotional, an artist at heart, and always wishing to experience a emotional event like art, adventure, and culture (R)
👏
Great video! Some historical figures I would put in Grixis: Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Edison, and Maxollian Robespierre
Good call Thomas Edison for sure
Nikola Tesla would probably fit here too. He is at least Izzet material.
@@c.d.dailey8013 I was actually thinking Tesla would be in Bant as he was more than happy being a cog in the machine as long as society benefited from his scientific progress
@@c.d.dailey8013 You couldn't be more wrong about Tesla. do some research.
According to the most popular color quiz on the internet, I'm grixis, with red being my strongest color and black my weakest. I'm definitely the artsy type, and I agree with most of the points made in this video, but would argue that grixis isn't the artist who does things for clout; grixis is the artist who finds satisfaction in both the process and the product of art. Is the clout appreciated? Sure, but it's not the point.
Awesome video!
Grixis is solipsism. Makes me think of Judge Holden from Blood Meridian.
Azorius is one of two colour combinations that I see myself in, the other being Izzet.
Azorius is how I think, while Izzet is my heart, my feelings.
They are never truly together, never becoming Jeskai, but they are still both a part of who I am
Great vid!
I think a Grixis hero could look like someone who was self reliant and ambitiously driven (B) who cared a great deal for those family and friends who they loved (R) and used an analytical mind (U) to accomplish their goals.
Hannibal Lecter is a good example of one type of Grixis villain in pop culture.
I believe you are coloring this shard in a negative light, meanwhile you colored NAYA in a very favorable way. I also found it especially telling when you attributed a very heated modern day topic favorably as an example.
Damn this is definitely me 😅
Self indulgent creativity can also mean creativity focused only for the self.
Aka all their creativity seeks no attention or major goal, it seeks to express itself for the sake of themselves.
great video man
Thanks! I'm happy people really liked this one I was very nervous
@@DiceTry man no need to worry people love your shard videos and are eagerly awaiting your wedges. it might take time but your gonna take off due to the work and care you put in your vids
Excellent content, keep it up!
My friends see me as this color pair but with a heavy red and dragon supported by blue and black
A more relatable non-evil philosophy of Grixis might be an unwillingness to be weak. Without the influence of Green or White mana, Grixis doesn't want to rely on others, it wants to be in control. This doesn't need to drive Grixis characters to evil power-hungry schemes, it can just mean that they refuse to bow down to tyranny, bullying, or anyone that tries to make them feel lesser. Grixis characters will use any means necessary to protect themselves, and if they happen to have friends or loved ones, a Grixis character would want to always be a force of strength and admiration for those cherished allies.
Also this very nice is, yes yes
Lol I'm happy you found my channel then! Have fun watching through my content
the title is written Bant, not Grixis
There I fixed it thanks for pointing that out. It was early lol
@@DiceTry you are welcome
color wedge of nietzsche
Hey this was my shard. just my blue and black are nearly tied.
I've always thought of myself as "3rd in command of the revolution"
Not the center and more concerned about the execution. Less red and more blue than a central spotlight.
All in all, while ofc there is an "official" focus colour, I do believe that focusing on either one of the three, changes the reasons behind actions. Why are you like that? What do you deeply desire? It's not just "ambition", it's "ambition for something". It's never just cruelty for cruelty's sake, and it's infantile to evaluate anything as "cruel" out of context. We do things for freedom, sense of self, spirituality and meaning (reasons behind these as well), or whatever. Cruelty and hunger for power or control have motivations. Focus colours provide these and simply saying "ok, black raises the dead and wotc says is grixis focus, ergo, BADDIZ" is kinda boring. (Not saying my man here said that; it's just the most common approach against mindsets such as this)
I am Grixis. I do things because I want to do them. I seek to express myself as who I am in an honest way, and I seek the knowledge to understand what that self is, could be, and will be. above it all is creative expression combined with an indulgence of thoughts and emotions. Yet, at the core, it is my self and what I want that matters to me. I want to see a world that makes sense to me, and that world is one that is as honest with itself as I am. I do not seek to control others, but test them. I challenge others so that they may in turn challenge me. I cannot grow and improve myself without something to overcome; I refuse to be stagnant. The only control I wish to use is zeal. I want to see a loyalty in others that believe in my vision of a world where people live themselves to the fullest. I want them to believe in me. Fear may be honest, but loyalty is priceless.
I may want to cause pain for the joy of it, I may want a ring because I like it and someone else has it. Or I may help people. Not out of some obligation for good or some standard or code, but for the simple reason that I want to help them. I may see their potential, or I may simply be feeling magnanimous at that moment.
Honesty and personal growth are my philosophy, and I believe that to be the Grixis philosophy.
Whenever I take those guild/shard tests I aways get Rakdos, but with a huge blue part almost getting Grixis, but not just enough for it.
As a Rakdos if I could choose a way to live it would be just fun and pleasure all the time, I literally have damaged my body in multiple ways to seek pleasure, I'll spare you the gritty details.
Thing is, the blue part in Grixis is very interesting, and I really admire it.
More knowledge means more ways to seek for whatever I want to please me, more creativity to come up with more fun things to do, and the artistic side blue brings can also be a source of pleasure.
Besides, blue is progress, with progress comes more inhibition, more technology that of course can be used to please oneself.
On the other hand my lowest color influence is green usually at 2% or less.
Reason is I couldn't care less for the natural order of anything, just the word order already brings me ire.
And all traditions may die for all I care, most of them if not all are completly useless and a hinderance for human evolution.
When you are part of the notification squad and it said Bant in the title.
Yeah it was early in the morning
@@DiceTry - Keep up the amazing work. I await Mardu with baited breath. Each of these has been amazing, and I too think way too long and hard about these topics. It is great to see you make such wonderful videos.
Thanks I appreciate the kind words. Wedges will be fun to tackle for sure
I am Forced to contest the statement about an artist creating only for the parse they are given. For a vast majority of artist they will work there entire lives never really getting parse and more to my point now accepting it when they do. Artist are by there nature highly self critical as the better at the craft you become the more you see the faults in your own work.
I Feel Grixis is a good example of the artists desire for self improvement and self idealization made manifest. things are not created with the concern for others. Others in Grixis never mater only the self does and thus all art is wholly and entirely an expression of the artist expressing them selves to them selves. This plays well into its aesthetics the HR Geiger esque landscapes suggest a perversion of the human form all existence bent towards the artist lenses. To heighten sensation and aesthetic appreciation the artists of Grixis surround them selves in the things they find beautiful bend the world to satisfy there desires. The Craving for applause is alien to this notion as it suggests a desperate need for approval of the larger civilization that both artists in my experience and Grixis in what I have observed threw the art direction. Both wholly reject.
I cant wait for abzan
Took a personality quiz and got Grixis and now I’m kinda scared that means I’m a bad person, lol.
The part about the praise hungry self-indulgent "artist" reminded me of an old Daily Show segment where they interviewed a guy who gerrymanders election districts for a living. Not just redraws district lines. This guy was proud that he gerrymanders them into completely nonsensical scribblings based on nothing but the skin color and wealth of the people living in those areas. Claimed he was an "artist."
It's funny how easy it is to be reminded of low level Republican bureaucrats responsible for the downfall of America when talking about Grixis.
That is interesting. I can see how Grixis would fit 8n. Maybe the gerrymandering guy is cleaver enough to deserve blue. Yet once I thought of that, I figured that there is another shard that fits Republicans the best. That is Jund. Jund is similar to Grixis in that both are shards with two colors in common. The red fits Republicans. They are into action and violence. They like to have thier guns. They also like to fight wars against perceived threats. The value of freedom is there too. Republicans like "small government" so they get more leeway to do what they want. The black part also fits into Rupublicans. The one major trait is capitalism. Capitalism is about people going money for themselves by doing business. The profit motive drives them to run buissiness. Capitalism makes the upper class people more wealthy. If left unchecked it can have a negative impact on the lower class and make them more poor. This is like the individualistic and self serving nature of black. It is difficult to find redeeming values in the red-black combo. One way to figure it out by real world example is think of what Republicans are like.. Then there is a third part in Jund, which is green. This is something Grixis doesn't have. One of the main values of green is tradition. This also suits the Republicans well. They are the conservative party. Being conservative by definition is one that adheres to tradition. There is another video for Jund. I am going to think on it. June is a primal, vicious and brutal shard. It is like being a beast or predater. One sticks to the instinctual nature of a hunter. They are free to hunt down others to get what it wants. There no thought or morals to get in the way and slow one down. One just acts to thier desires regardless of how savage they are. I can imagine Republicans being like this, except for thier phoney attempts to be more civilized.
It is interesting to think of the colors that are missing. One is blue. That does fit since Republicans are not into studying and intellect. Thier claims easily crumble if one puts a small amount of thought into fact checking or critical thinking. Republicans oppose scientific ideas, like evolution and global warming. They are also opposed to universities. They incorrectly claim there is a conspiracy to use universities to brainwash students with a liberal agenda. The other missing color is white. This is fitting that Repubicans don't care about the wellbeing of minorities. These minorities can be women, colored people, poor people or anyone else suffering from discrimination. White would aid such people in need. They would also use laws to protect people from being harmed or exploited by others. It even has taxing as a mechanic. White fits the Democrats very well. Democrats are into giving aid to the minorities and taxing the rich. They end up making the government bigger. Since Rupublicans are the opposite, it would be opposed to white. The differences in parties do show the enemy pair of black and white. White is also associated with religion. This part is really confusing. Republicans are the ones that broadcast how Christian they are. So that may make them seem more white than they are. I recently learned that it is another way that Republicans fake themselves being better than what they really are. I have been studying about different denominations of Christianty. One is Evangelicals, which is the ones that really associate themselves with Republicans. They have a quirk where they have relativly low standards of righteousness. Generally a person has to be good into to be saved and go to Heaven after death. However different groups have different standards as to what counts as good enough for Heaven. One with low standards only require faith and worshop in God and Jesus. Then they can be saved by forgiveness. One with higher standards would require that plus require following rules of conduct. If one does enough good works, they can be saved. Overall there is a tradeoff with the two sides. I personally prefer higher standards. The low standards of Evengelicals is not inherently a bad thing. It can be good for avoiding religion from being too totalitarian and harsh on its followers. A good example of Christians with high standards is the Amish. They make huge sacrifices to live what they see as a righteous life. The Republicans take low standards and they really twist them. They can do whatever they want, no matter how horrible or sinful it can be. Yet they think they can get away with it, because they can still be saved if they broadcast thier religion. There are claims to be righteous by opposing things like abortion and gay marriage. However these are distractions. They do not fit righteousness when it comes to major issues of economics. The violence opposes the Christian value of peace. The capitalism opposes the Christian value of charity. So this makes Republicans major hypocrits when it comes to religion. There are Christians that also get called hypocrits. I find it ironic that Ublublicans are more overtly Christian in thier broadcasting, but it is the Democrats that are more Christ-like in thier actions. So I think Democrats fit white partly due to following religious values, whether they realize it or not. Republicans do not get white. They are hypocritical about it. So I don't think white should count.
What if Izzet wanted to rule the world and used Necromancy
Again, whenever you talk about Black, especially Black and Red, you always tend towards Evil. It's not all about being cruel, its base line is Hedonism. It isn't necessarily cruel.
Yeah I made sure to say not always is it the case but it is the pair that can find itself fulfilling its deepest desires which can lead it down a dark patch easier than most colors or pairs
@@DiceTry And this can apply to villains like most versions of the Joker, but it can also apply to anti-heroes like Jack Sparrow and heroes like Tony Stark ;)