Wily Goblin 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

When this creature enters, create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with ", Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.")

Complete guide

Wily Goblin is a small but efficient Pirate that helps you jump ahead of your mana curve. By providing an immediate resource upon arrival, it ensures you have the flexibility to cast bigger spells or fuel artifact synergies.

What It Does

Wily Goblin is a 1/1 creature for two red mana with a triggered ability that occurs when it enters the battlefield. The ability creates a Treasure token, which is a predefined colorless artifact. This Treasure can be sacrificed at any time you could activate a mana ability to provide one mana of any color you choose.

Step-by-Step Resolution

First, you cast Wily Goblin by paying its mana cost. Once it resolves and enters the battlefield, its triggered ability is put onto the stack. When that ability resolves, you place a Treasure token onto the battlefield. You now have a 1/1 creature and a separate artifact that can be used for mana or other sacrifice costs immediately.

Common Mistakes

Players often forget that the Treasure token is a permanent and an artifact. If Wily Goblin is destroyed in response to its entry trigger, you still get the Treasure token because the ability exists independently on the stack. Also, remember that you must tap the Treasure to activate its mana ability; you cannot use it if it is already tapped by another effect.

When to Play It

This card is best used in aggressive decks that need to fix their mana colors or in 'Treasure matters' decks. It serves as a bridge, letting you cast a four-mana spell on turn three, or providing a body to block while you stockpile resources for a larger play.

Interaction examples

Mana Acceleration

Ornithopter of Paradise

On turn two, you play Wily Goblin and create a Treasure. On turn three, you can use your three lands, the Treasure token, and an Ornithopter of Paradise played previously to cast a spell costing five mana, significantly ahead of the normal turn schedule.

Strategic Sacrificing

Professional Face-Breaker

With Professional Face-Breaker on the field, playing Wily Goblin gives you a Treasure that can be used for more than just mana. Instead of sacrificing the Treasure for mana, you can use the Face-Breaker's ability to sacrifice that Treasure and exile the top card of your library to play it, gaining card advantage.

Standard Treasure Creation

Treasure

When Wily Goblin enters the battlefield, it creates a Treasure token. This token stays on the battlefield indefinitely until you decide to activate its ability by tapping and sacrificing it to add one mana of any color to your mana pool.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.