What comes to mind when you think of Jund? Hungry fierce dragons? Ruthless warriors with Jagged weapons? Claws and teeth? Well you wouldn't be all that wrong in thinking so, at least in the earliest days of this combination of colors, but the truth is there's a lot more to this set of colors, that of Black, Red and Green, than people give it credit. We saw as much with the set Streets of New Capenna and the Riveteers, but I want to dig even deeper than that, in order to truly understand the characters who fit the combination of Jund. So I compiled every example in the game, and leveraged my own understanding of the colour pie to really get to the core of this combination of colors. What I found was a philosophy that I have grown to admire, that of Strength, of a fortitude of self and a wisdom that touches on our notion of self and our place in this world. So if you are unafraid to venture deep into the vicious jungle with me, then let us begin, as we talk the philosophy of Jund.
The Core
The best way to understand the color pie is to first observe it, then use those observations to extrapolate deeper ideas. When it comes to Jund there are two main factions that you need to understand first in order to see how varied the shard of Black, Red and Green can be. The first is that of the mini Plane of Jund from Alaraa, the source of this combinations name. Here we have world defined by vicious strength. One where power is leveraged to take what one wants. It's a world of hunters, and apex predators. A land where the weak are culled by a matter of nature, and only the most vicious may thrive. This Plane is something that takes Black's ruthlessness and pairs it neatly with Gruul's wild, almost animal nature.
Lending itself to a philosophy devoid sympathy for those who are not strong enough to justify their existence. The other example comes to us from the Streets of new Capenna, and the faction called the Riveteers. A factions whose hands built the great towering sky scrapers of the Plane, and by whose hands each building may fall. It's said the Riveteers hands are calloused by hard Work and even harder play. To me they represent a form of this combination that falls into the wrestles need to keep the body busy, born from a core in Red, while revelling in the cycle of destruction and creation found in Golgari. From this understanding of factions its then important to observe what sort of creature types or classes are most common in the combination you are studying, and what I found to be the most common creature type in Jund was that of the Dragon.
Dragons, especially those of Jund, are devourers of all that stand in their way. They fear no one and count themselves at the top of the food chain. It is here that they exist for their own sake. They do not fear, nor do they want for anything. This all comes down to the power inherent to their nature. But what can we learn from them. Applied to ourselves it tells us that we must exude strength, and if we do so, while confident in our actions, people will step out of our way. We will not fear the other, nor will we be taken from by them. With these examples pulled straight from Magic: the Gathering, you begin to see what I mean, that there is something deeper here. So let's go deeper still as we discuss three potential variation of this combination, by focusing on one of the three colours present within Jund more than the others.
Hungry Strength – Black Focus
What does strength mean to you? What do we gain from it's application? To Jund strength is a state of being, a way of carrying ones self which provides a means to take from this life what it wishes. Strength has always separated those who feed from the best stock and those who watch from the sidelines. But don't simply think of this as merely physical prowess but a fortitude of personality. The mindset of an alpha predator. It is the willingness to stand tall and proud, to puff ones chest and proclaim that this life is mine. In this version of Jund, one that focus' on Black mana, the way one carries oneself is the determining factor in the quality of ones life.
Jund is like the dragon who fears none or the lion who stands at the front of the pride. In Jund, strength is not just an individual trait but a lens through which the entire world is seen. The weak exist to be consumed, to fuel the hunger of those bold enough to claim what they desire. Every choice, every action, is a test of one’s resolve, a challenge to prove that you are not merely surviving but thriving. It’s not just about towering might, but the cunning to seize opportunities as they arise, the resilience to endure and adapt, and the instinct to know when to strike and when to bide your time.
This is where Black mana thrives—it teaches that survival is not guaranteed, but earned. Strength, in this context, is intertwined with a ceaseless drive to take what you can before someone else does. There are no apologies, no regrets. Jund’s philosophy is that of the predator, and in the wilds, only the fiercest, the most resourceful, hold sway. Gruul, meanwhile, fuels the primal engine of this relentless force. It's the raw, untamed energy that surges beneath the surface—the howl of the wolf, the stampede of beasts, the breaking of chains that seeks freedom at any cost. In Jund, you don’t ask for your place ion this world; you claim it.
Restless Cycle – Red Focus
This version of Jund represent the wrestles dichotomy of creation and destruction, of working hard and playing hard, of loving and fighting. It is the salt of the earth men and women who get their hands dirty building something tangible, but not reliant on its preservation. They may be construction workers, farmers and the like. Simple in action but hearty in constitution. We see this sort of circle play out in Golgari, who often represents the cycle of life and death, of growth and decay. But when anchored to Red there is a simplicity to it, rather than some deeper philosophical meaning. Its the push and pull of at their heart that makes them never sit still. There is no overthinking, no existential crisis—just a rhythm, a pulse that drives the heart to act.
Life must be lived through the body, through muscle and grit, where every drop of sweat is a testament to something earned. It’s a philosophy that finds meaning in motion. To build, to fight, to laugh, and to love—all of it comes from the same primal core. It’s not about pondering the “why,” but about feeling the satisfaction in the doing. Anchored in Red, Jund’s soul is restless, always pushing forward. It’s the spark that fuels every swing of the hammer, every footfall in the fields, and every roar of laughter shared over a hard day’s labor.
There’s a purity in this drive, something raw and simple. It’s not concerned with legacy or preservation but with the act of living fully in the moment. The farmer who tills the land, knowing that what grows today will wither tomorrow, doesn’t lament the cycle but embraces it. The construction worker who builds a home understands that time may one day wear it down—but that’s not the point. The point is in the doing, in the creation, in the satisfaction of bringing something to life, however fleeting. In Jund, it’s about living in that endless push and pull, that constant motion. Jund doesn’t need to sit still, because in its restlessness, it finds peace.
Wisdom and self – Green Focus
I am therefore I am. A statement of self confidence born from the wisdom to know ones self and ones place; to be confident in ones existence because of the connection we hold to the ground we lay our feet and the awareness to understand it. Jund may come off as mindset for those who act with bravado, but there is a level of introspection there, even if it may not go deeper than a feeling. In these quiet spaces Jund finds peace within itself through the turbulence of life. Look to the wisdom that Green provides, and the calm that washes over when we understand our place. Then pair that with Rakdos and Jund becomes a way of thinking that is pure in who it is.
One that never questions what its place is, and where it belongs, it just is, and in this space it thrives. Jund’s introspection is not the kind born of books or quiet meditation; it is the primal understanding that comes from feeling the earth beneath your feet and knowing your place within the web of life. This wisdom is instinctual, raw, and immediate—a recognition of self that does not need the affirmation of others. To be Jund is to be unshaken by doubt, for doubt has no place in the heart of the predator. When one understands that they are both a part of the world and a force that shapes it, they find a profound peace amid the chaos.
Somehow they find balance, but balance does not mean passivity. It's still a philosophy with a zest for life that is expressed through action, through revelry in one’s own existence. Where Green grants understanding, Rakdos supplies the fire, the will to act on that understanding without hesitation. Together, they form a worldview that does not flinch, does not waver. Jund knows its place, and it claims it without question. There is no need to wonder or second-guess when you know, deeply and truly, that you belong. And in that knowledge, Jund thrives—wild, untamed, and unshakable.
Conclusion
Jund is a force that thrives on instinct, action, and an unshakable sense of self. It is a way of life that refuses to be confined to one definition, embracing the contradictions of creation and destruction, of introspection and ferocity. Whether it’s the strength to take from the world what you need, the tireless energy to keep moving forward, or the deep connection to your place in the grander scheme of things, Jund is a way of thinking that never falters. It is the philosophy of the devourer, the builder, and the apex predator. There’s a freedom in this, a release from overthinking and doubt—because in Jund, you don’t just live, you thrive. And in doing so, you become as unyielding as the dragons themselves, standing at the top of the food chain, unafraid and undeterred. This is the way of Jund: fierce, relentless, and un-apologetically alive.
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