Viridescent Wisps is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Target creature becomes green and gets +1/+0 until end of turn. Draw a card.
Complete guide
Viridescent Wisps is a versatile green instant that offers a subtle yet effective way to manipulate the color of your creatures while keeping your hand full. For a single green mana, you can transform a creature into a green threat and gain a slight power boost. It is a staple for decks that care about color identity or simply need cheap ways to cycle through their library.
What it Does
Viridescent Wisps performs three distinct functions upon resolution: it changes the color of a target creature to green, it provides a +1/+0 power bonus until the end of the turn, and it allows you to draw a card. Crucially, the color change effect overwrites all previous colors the creature had. If a creature was white and black, it becomes solely green after this spell resolves. However, it does not change the creature's abilities or text; a creature with protection from green will still have protection from green even if you turn it green.
Step-by-Step Resolution
First, you cast Viridescent Wisps by paying one green mana and choosing a legal target creature. If the target is illegal or missing when the spell tries to resolve, the entire spell is removed from the stack and none of its effects happen—you won't even draw a card. If the target is legal, the creature becomes green (losing all other colors), gains +1/+0 until end of turn, and then you draw one card from your library.
Common Mistakes
A frequent misconception is that the creature remains its original colors in addition to being green. Because the card does not state 'in addition to its other colors,' it completely replaces the color palette. Another mistake involves the draw mechanic: players sometimes forget that if the target creature is destroyed in response to the spell, the spell 'fizzles' and no card is drawn. Lastly, remember that 'colorless' is not a color, so you cannot use this to make a creature colorless.
When to Play It
The best time to use Viridescent Wisps is during your turn to push for extra damage or when you need to dig deeper into your deck. It is also highly effective in response to spells that target specific colors; for example, if an opponent plays a spell that destroys 'non-green creatures,' casting this in response can save your vital unit. It is also excellent for triggering 'whenever you cast an instant' abilities at a very low cost.
Interaction examples
Heroic InterventionIf your opponent attempts to destroy your creature, you can cast Heroic Intervention to grant it hexproof. While Viridescent Wisps is on the stack, you can also use it to ensure your creature is green for other synergies. If you cast Viridescent Wisps first and then Heroic Intervention in response, your creature will be green, indestructible, and hexproof, and you will still draw a card when the Wisps resolve.
Worldly TutorThis is a classic 'cantrip' interaction. During your upkeep, you can cast Worldly Tutor to search for a powerful creature and put it on top of your library. You then cast Viridescent Wisps targeting any creature on the battlefield. When the Wisps resolve, you immediately draw the creature you just tutored for, effectively putting it into your hand for just one extra mana.
Even without other cards, you can cast Viridescent Wisps on your own creature at the end of your opponent's turn. The creature becomes green and slightly stronger temporarily, but the main goal is to spend one mana to cycle the card, replacing Viridescent Wisps with the next card in your library to improve your hand quality for your upcoming turn.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Viridescent Wisps
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
An effect that changes a permanent’s colors overwrites all its old colors unless it specifically says “in addition to its other colors.” For example, after Cerulean Wisps resolves, the affected creature will just be blue. It doesn’t matter what colors it used to be (even if, for example, it used to be blue and black).
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Changing a permanent’s color won’t change its text. If you turn Wilt-Leaf Liege blue, it will still affect green creatures and white creatures.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Colorless is not a color.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Patron of the Orochi + Quicksilver Elemental + Viridescent Wisps
- 1Cast Viridescent Wisps by paying
, causing Quicksliver Elemental to become green until end of turn. - 2Activate all Forests and green mana-producing creatures you control by tapping them, adding at least
. - 3Activate Quicksilver Elemental by paying , causing it to gain all abilities from Patron of the Orochi until end of turn.
- 4Activate Quicksliver Elemental using Patron of the Orochi's ability by tapping it, untapping all Forests and green creatures you control.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Viridescent Wisps
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.