Channel
Limited Edition Alpha 188 • uncommon
- Set
- Limited Edition Alpha
- Collector number
- 188
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Mana cost
- green mana green mana
- Type
- Sorcery
- Colors
- Green
- Artist
- Richard Thomas
- Market price
- €169.24
What it does
Until end of turn, any time you could activate a mana ability, you may pay 1 life. If you do, add colorless mana.
Where you can play it
- StandardNot legal
- PioneerNot legal
- ModernNot legal
- LegacyBanned
- VintageRestricted
- CommanderBanned
- PauperNot legal
- BrawlBanned
- HistoricBanned
- TimelessRestricted
- Penny DreadfulNot legal
- OathbreakerBanned
Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC. Card text via Scryfall. Not approved or endorsed by Wizards. As of the last catalogue refresh.
Where to find one
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Where it came from
Channel was released in 1993 as part of the Limited Edition Alpha set for Magic: The Gathering, the inaugural trading card game designed by Richard Garfield and published by Wizards of the Coast. Conceived as a strategic resource-management game, the set was printed in limited quantities to test the market, quickly establishing the foundation for a global hobby that blended fantasy art with complex mathematical interactions. The card's design features distinct, classic fantasy illustration by Christopher Rush, who was instrumental in defining the visual language of the game's early years.
The card functions as a sorcery that allows a player to convert life points into mana, a high-risk mechanic that represents the extreme magical power depicted in the early game lore. Due to its ability to facilitate rapid, explosive play, Channel became a subject of debate within the community regarding balance and game health. It was eventually restricted or banned in various competitive formats to preserve the integrity of the play experience, a testament to its enduring influence and status as one of the most iconic cards from the Alpha print run.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
Who's collecting this
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About Channel
Channel is a card in the Magic: The Gathering catalog on collecto.rs. Limited Edition Alpha 188 • uncommon. Catalog data is sourced from Scryfall. No public cards collectors track this one yet — adding yours would make you the first on collecto.rs.
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Where does the Channel catalog entry come from?
The catalog entry for Channel is sourced from Scryfall. Catalog-level facts stay consistent across every collector; your own data (condition, edition, acquisition notes) is yours.
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