Are Planeswalkers Colorless? Exploring the Spectrum of Magic’s Iconic Cards

The short answer is: Yes, some planeswalkers are colorless. While the vast majority of planeswalkers in Magic: The Gathering are associated with one or more of the five colors of mana (White, Blue, Black, Red, and Green), there are a select few that exist outside of this color spectrum. These colorless planeswalkers bring unique abilities and strategic possibilities to the game, and understanding them is crucial for any Magic enthusiast.

Understanding Color Identity in Planeswalkers

Before diving into the specifics of colorless planeswalkers, it’s important to grasp the concept of color identity. Each planeswalker card, except those that are explicitly colorless, has a base color or set of colors. This color identity determines which colored mana is used to activate the planeswalker’s abilities, as well as any colored mana required to cast them in the first place. Wizards of the Coast’s Research and Development (R&D) team adheres to a design philosophy where a planeswalker’s identity aligns with the colors they are printed with. They might not always have all the colors present in their cost or activated abilities but will never be outside their base color identity.

The Enigmatic Colorless Planeswalkers

Contrary to the common understanding of planeswalkers as being tied to specific colors, there are a handful that are completely colorless. As of now, there are six such planeswalker cards printed in Magic’s history. These colorless planeswalkers are:

• Karn, Liberated: This is the most well-known of the colorless planeswalkers. He is a golem imbued with a planeswalker spark and serves as a powerful threat in many formats.
• Karn, Scion of Urza: Another iteration of Karn, showing his continuing evolution as a character.
• Karn, the Great Creator: A version of Karn that focuses on artifacts.
• Karn, Legacy Reforged: Karn’s newest iteration.
• Ugin, the Spirit Dragon: Ugin is an ancient spirit dragon with incredible powers. He is another highly powerful colorless planeswalker with abilities that focus on colorless manipulation.
• Ugin, the Ineffable: This version of Ugin is designed around colorless spells and artifacts.

These planeswalkers don’t adhere to any of the five colors; instead, they represent a neutral, powerful force. Their abilities often center around artifacts, colorless spells, and manipulating the very fabric of the game in unique ways.

Why Colorless Planeswalkers?

Colorless planeswalkers offer unique deck-building opportunities. Their absence of color identity allows them to fit into diverse strategies, and they are not limited by the restrictions of colored mana. Karn’s ability to bring artifacts from the sideboard into the game makes him very powerful and disruptive. Ugin, by contrast, excels at manipulating colorless spells and generating value while dealing with problematic permanents. This gives them a versatility that colored planeswalkers can lack. They also add depth to the narrative lore, showing us that not all planeswalkers are tied to the color pie of Magic.

The Best Colorless Planeswalker

While both Karn and Ugin are powerful, Ugin, the Spirit Dragon, is often considered the best colorless planeswalker. His ability to deal with threats through exile and draw cards, plus his ultimate ability to permanently deal with opponent’s board, make him incredibly difficult to overcome. His strategic impact often surpasses that of Karn, especially in longer games.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Are there any 5-color planeswalkers?

Yes, there is one known 5-color planeswalker: “Urza, Academy Headmaster.” However, it is not legal in most sanctioned formats and is only used in casual play. If you want to build a 5-color deck, you are better off using a 5-color legendary creature as your commander in Commander format.

2. What is the legendary rule for planeswalkers?

All planeswalkers have the supertype “Legendary” and are subject to the “legend rule”. This rule states that you cannot control two planeswalkers with the same name on the battlefield. However, you can have planeswalkers with the same subtype (e.g., Jace, Vraska, Liliana) as long as their names are different.

3. Can planeswalkers be killed?

Yes, planeswalkers can be destroyed. Many removal spells can target planeswalkers, including direct damage spells, spells that destroy permanents, and effects that remove loyalty counters. They can also be attacked directly by creatures. A planeswalker is removed from play if their loyalty is reduced to zero.

4. Why are planeswalkers so powerful in lore?

In the lore, planeswalkers are beings with incredible magical capabilities, surpassing most mortal wizards. Their lives can last indefinitely, and their forms are projections of their consciousness. They can travel between planes, granting them immense power and knowledge.

5. Who is considered the weakest planeswalker?

Among the worst planeswalkers is considered to be Vraska, Scheming Gorgon, followed by Tibalt, the Fiend-Blooded, and Tezzeret, Cruel Machinist.

6. Is there a dragon planeswalker besides Ugin?

Yes, Nicol Bolas is a dragon planeswalker. He is known for his cruelty and grand schemes.

7. Can Eldrazi be planeswalkers?

While Eldrazi are powerful and capable of interplanar travel, they are not planeswalkers in the traditional sense. The Eldrazi are powerful beings whose existence predates the concepts of planeswalkers, so they have a unique form of travel.

8. Who are the oldest planeswalker cards?

The first five planeswalkers to be printed were Ajani, Jace, Liliana, Chandra, and Garruk, known as the Lorwyn Five.

9. Can a planeswalker have 0 loyalty?

Yes, if a planeswalker’s loyalty reaches zero, it is put into its owner’s graveyard. This is a state-based action.

10. Are Eldrazi colorless?

Yes, Eldrazi are colorless. This characteristic was used to showcase their alien and otherworldly nature. They are often paired with colorless spells and artifacts.

11. Is there a werewolf planeswalker?

Yes, there is a werewolf planeswalker named Arlinn Kord. She can transform between her human and werewolf forms.

12. Is there a non-legendary planeswalker?

There have only been a few nonlegendary planeswalkers, created by Jace and Ob Nixilis, that exist as Token Planeswalkers, but beyond this, no there aren’t any other non-legendary planeswalkers.

13. Which planeswalker is the strongest in lore?

Based on recent discussions and lists, Jace, The Mind Sculptor is often considered among the strongest in the lore. This is closely followed by Oko, Thief of Crowns and Liliana of the Veil.

14. Why did some planeswalkers lose power?

An event known as The Great Pruning, caused by the multiverse attempting to heal itself, resulted in the loss of many planeswalkers’ sparks. This was a consequence of the Phyrexian invasion and other massive events.

15. Can a planeswalker have indestructible?

Yes, a planeswalker can gain indestructible through certain effects. However, it’s important to remember that even indestructible planeswalkers will be put into the graveyard if their loyalty becomes zero. Indestructible only protects from being destroyed by damage or effects that explicitly destroy.

Conclusion

While the majority of planeswalkers are tied to specific colors of mana, colorless planeswalkers like Karn and Ugin offer fascinating and powerful exceptions. They present unique deck-building opportunities and strategic advantages. Understanding these nuances of color identity is essential for mastering the complexities of Magic: The Gathering. Whether you prefer to utilize their colorless magic or the traditional colored planeswalkers, they will surely continue to be iconic figures for Magic players for years to come.