Channel MTG Card
1993-08-05 - Number 188
1993-10-04 - Number 189
1993-12-01 - Number 189
1993-12-10 - Number 189
1993-12-10 - Number 189
1994-04-01 - Number 188
1994-04-01 - Number 188
1994-06-21 - Number 188
1995-04-01 - Number 236
1995-04-01 - Number 236
2009-08-28 - Number 3
2011-01-10 - Number 145
2014-06-16 - Number 200
2017-11-17 - Number 157
2021-04-23 - Number 113
2021-04-23 - Number 50
2022-11-28 - Number 481
2022-11-28 - Number 184
| Card sets | Released in 18 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Sorcery |
Text of card
Until end of turn, you may add colorless mana to your mana pool for 1 life each. These additions are played with the speed of an interrupt. Life spent this way is not considered damage.
Cards like Channel
Channel is a unique card in the pantheon of Magic: The Gathering’s mana acceleration spells. To begin with, it shares space with cards like Black Lotus for its potential to deliver an explosive amount of resources in a single turn. However, unlike the no cost payout from Black Lotus, Channel requires payment in life points equal to the mana generated. This trade-off can be both a powerful advantage and a risky maneuver.
Exploring further, we find Mana Vault, another card that provides a considerable mana boost – albeit, it’s a colorless one. While Mana Vault doesn’t demand life as a resource, it incrementally saps one’s life if not untapped. In comparison, Channel’s life payment is upfront, offering a burst of green mana at a fixed and immediate cost. Lastly, there is the renowned Elvish Spirit Guide, which can be exiled from hand for one green mana. It presents a more conservative approach by providing a smaller yet safer mana increase without the need for a life exchange.
In the realm of MTG, while each card has its pros and cons, Channel’s capacity to unlock formidable mana while trading with one’s own life points undoubtedly places it in a distinctive spot among the game’s various quick mana generation strategies.
Cards similar to Channel by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Channel. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Gruul Combo | Gladiator | Gladiator Team Unified League | |
 | Four-color Planeswalkers | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 12 2024 | |
| Jund Combo | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 12 2024 | |
 | Decklist | Free form | 0() | |
 | Belcher | Belcher | The Arena Coliseum - Timeless Trials $1K #001 | |
| Sultai Combo | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 06 2024 | |
| Gruul Ramp | Gladiator | Gladiator Games: We're Back | |
 | Temur Combo | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 06 2024 | |
 | Mono-Green Devotion | Other | The Arena Coliseum - Timeless Trials $1K #001 | |
 | Mono-Green Ramp | Gladiator | Gladiator Team Unified League |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Channel provides a unique edge by allowing you to exchange life points for mana, potentially drawing you into a powerful spell or combo much earlier in the game than expected. This can overwhelm your opponents with a sudden influx of resources while they’re still setting up their board.
Resource Acceleration: The mana gained from Channel can be a game-changer, instantly accelerating your resource pool. This can lead to casting high-cost spells way ahead of the normal mana curve, giving you a critical tempo boost against your adversaries.
Instant Speed: While Channel itself is not an instant, the resources it provides you with can be used right away, including during your opponent’s turn. This freedom opens up a host of strategic instant-speed plays that might otherwise be unavailable due to mana constraints, keeping your opponents guessing and on their toes.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Channel card stipulates that the player must discard a card, which can backfire when working with a tight hand. Losing a potential resource can lead to diminished in-game options, especially in high-stakes scenarios where every card counts.
Specific Mana Cost: Channel requires an exact pairing of mana types to cast, narrowing its flexibility. This specificity in mana cost means that decks not running green could find the card incompatible with their strategy, limiting its overall versatility across various builds.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Channel does offer a unique benefit, its mana cost, at two green mana, might be deemed steep compared to other ramp or mana-fixing options available to players. The investment into Channel could potentially be allocated to resources that provide a more immediate or impactful advantage to the state of play.
Reasons to Include Channel in Your Collection
Versatility: Channel is a powerful card that allows for instant access to a large amount of mana, giving you the flexibility to quickly deploy high-cost spells, creatures, or activate abilities that could change the tide of the game.
Combo Potential: As a classic combo enabler, Channel works with numerous cards to create potent interactions. It pairs especially well with cards that can use life as a resource or benefit from big mana plays—think Eldrazi titans or game-ending X spells.
Meta-Relevance: In formats where it’s legal, Channel can define the meta by enabling fast wins. A well-timed Channel can outpace many slower, grindier decks, securing a victory before opponents can establish their board presence or defenses.
How to beat
Channel is a potent card known for its ability to unlock vast amounts of mana, enabling game-winning moves. This green sorcery allows a player to pay 1 life for each colorless mana, potentially casting powerful spells much earlier than usual. To counteract Channel, strategic removal of key cards is essential. Hand disruption tactics such as Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek can preemptively remove Channel before it’s played.
Counterspells are also an effective measure against this card, with options like Negate or Counterspell ready to stop it from resolving. Graveyard strategies can be thwarted using cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void, preventing any potential from graveyard recursion. Moreover, maintaining pressure with a fast-paced aggressive deck can limit the window in which Channel can be effectively used, making it more of a liability for its player. Vigilance in the early game coupled with ready responses ensures your opponent’s channels of mana do not lead to an untimely defeat.
In sum, overcoming the challenge presented by Channel involves a mix of foresight, deck building decisions, and opportune play execution, confirming the rich tactical landscape of MTG.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Channel MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Channel and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Channel Magic the Gathering card was released in 16 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by 4 different artists.
Show/hide all sets| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-08-05 | Limited Edition Alpha | LEA | 188 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas | |
| 2 | 1993-10-04 | Limited Edition Beta | LEB | 189 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas | |
| 3 | 1993-12-01 | Unlimited Edition | 2ED | 189 | 1993 | Normal | White | Richard Thomas | |
| 4 | 1993-12-10 | Collectors' Edition | CED | 189 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas | |
| 5 | 1993-12-10 | Intl. Collectors' Edition | CEI | 189 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas | |
| 6 | 1994-04-01 | Foreign Black Border | FBB | 188 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas | |
| 7 | 1994-04-01 | Revised Edition | 3ED | 188 | 1993 | Normal | White | Richard Thomas | |
| 8 | 1994-06-21 | Summer Magic / Edgar | SUM | 188 | 1993 | Normal | White | Richard Thomas | |
| 9 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 236 | 1993 | Normal | White | Richard Thomas | |
| 10 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 236 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas | |
| 11 | 2009-08-28 | From the Vault: Exiled | V09 | 3 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Rebecca Guay | |
| 12 | 2011-01-10 | Masters Edition IV | ME4 | 145 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas | |
| 13 | 2014-06-16 | Vintage Masters | VMA | 200 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Rebecca Guay | |
| 14 | 2017-11-17 | Iconic Masters | IMA | 157 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Rebecca Guay | |
| 15 | 2021-04-23 | Strixhaven Mystical Archive | STA | 113 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Shie Nanahara | |
| 16 | 2021-04-23 | Strixhaven Mystical Archive | STA | 50 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Kristina Collantes | |
| 17 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 481 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas | |
| 18 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 184 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Channel has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Restricted |
| Historicbrawl | Banned |
| Commander | Banned |
| Historic | Banned |
| Legacy | Banned |
| Oathbreaker | Banned |
| Premodern | Banned |
| Vintage | Restricted |
| Duel | Banned |
| Predh | Banned |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Timeless | Restricted |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Channel card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2017-11-17 | Once your life total is 0, you can't pay any more life, even if you've somehow not lost the game yet. |