Viridescent Wisps MTG Card


Viridescent Wisps - Shadowmoor
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Released2008-05-02
Set symbol
Set nameShadowmoor
Set codeSHM
Number132
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byJim Nelson

Key Takeaways

  1. Viridescent Wisps is valuable for cycling your deck and finding essential cards while disrupting opponents.
  2. Its synergy with green mana sources boosts resources, enhancing manadorks and land enchantments.
  3. Offering flexibility at instant speed, it allows surprise plays, turning the tide in tight situations.

Text of card

Target creature becomes green and gets +1/+0 until end of turn. Draw a card.

In the wisps that night, the once timid boggart saw all the terrible, bloody things he was capable of. And it was glorious.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Viridescent Wisps offers a low-cost opportunity to cycle through your deck by drawing a card after the spell resolves. This can be a subtle yet effective way to sift through your deck for key pieces or answers to your opponent’s threats.

Resource Acceleration: By turning any creature temporarily green, the card can synergistically work with decks utilizing manadorks or land enchantments that tap for green mana. The temporary color change might just be what you need to trigger abilities or meet spell requirements, indirectly accelerating your resources.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Viridescent Wisps at instant speed gives players the flexibility to react to in-game situations. Whether it’s a surprise blocker that’s now larger or using the spell during your opponent’s turn, you retain the element of surprise while progressing your own game state.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Viridescent Wisps comes with the upside of being a low-cost cantrip, it does not overcome the inherent drawback that you lose card advantage when you play it. Unlike some other spells that draw cards, which can be played simply for their effects without losing another card from hand, Viridescent Wisps asks you to replace itself without offering additional card gain.

Specific Mana Cost: Viridescent Wisps requires green mana to cast. This specificity can sometimes be a limiting factor, especially in multicolored decks that need to manage mana resources carefully. If you are not able to generate green mana consistently, the card may remain unplayable in your hand at crucial moments.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While one green mana might seem low, in comparison to other one-mana cantrips available in MTG, Viridescent Wisps offers a very narrow effect. The ability to only target creatures and the temporary nature of the +1/+0 stat boost can be underwhelming, especially when there are other spells at similar cost that provide better flexibility or permanent effects.


Reasons to Include Viridescent Wisps in Your Collection

Versatility: Viridescent Wisps is a low-cost spell that can easily fit into decks that require instant speed interaction or desire to cantrip, efficiently cycling through your deck while modifying the board state, even if just momentarily.

Combo Potential: This card shines in combo-oriented decks, particularly those built around creatures with tap abilities or prowess triggers. It can turn an unassuming creature into a sudden threat and, with the right setup, become a catalyst for a game-winning play.

Meta-Relevance: In a landscape where speed and resourcefulness are key, Viridescent Wisps can play a vital role. Its relevance grows in environments that reward you for casting spells on your opponent’s creatures or when needing to push through damage with an unexpected color change. Its impact is subtle but should not be underestimated.


How to Beat

Viridescent Wisps is a unique instant spell in MTG that can quickly turn the tides of a game by providing a burst of both card draw and the capacity to strengthen a creature. To outmaneuver this card, savvy MTG players should consider leveraging instant-speed removal or counterspells. Instant-speed removals like Path to Exile can eliminate the buffed creature before the added power translates into damage. Countering the spell outright with options such as Counterspell ensures the Wisps’ effects never come into play, and your opponent wastes their card advantage. Moreover, if you can predict when your opponent is most likely to cast Viridescent Wisps, holding back during your own turn to keep mana open for these responses can be a crucial tactic. By staying one step ahead and reacting swiftly, you can neutralize the advantages Viridescent Wisps offers and maintain a strong defensive stance in your MTG games.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the ins and outs of Viridescent Wisps is key to seamlessly integrating it into your MTG strategies. It’s more than a simple spell—it’s a building block for decks that thrive on quick card cycling and surprise maneuvers. Its synergies with green-centric abilities can unlock new levels of play, and knowing when to employ it is a skill in itself. For those eager to refine their deck strategy or are just curious about how this card can complement their playstyle, we encourage diving deeper into its potential. Ready to discover the subtle art of utilizing Viridescent Wisps? Walk with us as we explore the strategic depths of MTG.


Cards like Viridescent Wisps

Viridescent Wisps is an intriguing option for players looking to temporarily boost a creature’s power in MTG. It’s part of a unique family of spells that include not only a power buff but also the added perk of card draw. Comparable to Crimson Wisps, Viridescent Wisps offers a similar effect by giving a creature +1/+0 until end of turn and allows a player to draw a card. The main difference lies in the mana color—Viridescent focusing on green, while Crimson is red-aligned.

Another relative, Cerulean Wisps, swaps the power enhancement for a temporary speed boost, untapping the targeted creature and also drawing a card upon resolution. Though these Wisps don’t permanently impact the board, they act as a catalyst for combo strategies, churning through the deck swiftly. Peek is another card to consider for those in search of instant speed information and deck cycling, although it doesn’t influence the creature’s stats.

The finesse of Viridescent Wisps lies in its ability to subtly enhance green’s creature-focused gameplay by adding power and maintaining card flow. In a game where every small advantage counts, this card finds a cozy niche among its instant spell brethren in MTG.

Crimson Wisps - MTG Card versions
Cerulean Wisps - MTG Card versions
Peek - MTG Card versions
Crimson Wisps - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Cerulean Wisps - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Peek - Odyssey (ODY)

Cards similar to Viridescent Wisps by color, type and mana cost

Fog - MTG Card versions
Natural Selection - MTG Card versions
Berserk - MTG Card versions
Giant Growth - MTG Card versions
Lifelace - MTG Card versions
Crumble - MTG Card versions
Sandstorm - MTG Card versions
Seedling Charm - MTG Card versions
Shrink - MTG Card versions
Choking Vines - MTG Card versions
Crossbow Ambush - MTG Card versions
Crop Rotation - MTG Card versions
Worldly Tutor - MTG Card versions
Gaea's Might - MTG Card versions
Reclaim - MTG Card versions
Serene Sunset - MTG Card versions
Sprout - MTG Card versions
Gather Courage - MTG Card versions
Nature's Claim - MTG Card versions
Prey's Vengeance - MTG Card versions
Fog - Magic 2012 (M12)
Natural Selection - Collectors' Edition (CED)
Berserk - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Giant Growth - The List (PLST)
Lifelace - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Crumble - World Championship Decks 1997 (WC97)
Sandstorm - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Seedling Charm - Mirage (MIR)
Shrink - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Choking Vines - Weatherlight (WTH)
Crossbow Ambush - Stronghold (STH)
Crop Rotation - The List (PLST)
Worldly Tutor - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Gaea's Might - Dominaria United (DMU)
Reclaim - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Serene Sunset - Judgment (JUD)
Sprout - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Gather Courage - The List (PLST)
Nature's Claim - The List (PLST)
Prey's Vengeance - The List (PLST)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Viridescent Wisps MTG card by a specific set like Shadowmoor, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Viridescent Wisps and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Viridescent Wisps has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Viridescent Wisps card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2008-05-01 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).
2008-05-01 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.
2008-05-01 Colorless is not a color.

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