Channel + Fireball

direct damage Strategy

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The Payoff

"One-shot burn kill"

Prerequisites

• Channel resolved or in hand with {G}{G}
• Fireball in hand with a red source
• Enough life to float lethal mana

Requirements

Channel

BannedConverts life into a huge burst of colorless mana

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Fireball

X-damage payoff aimed at the opponent's face

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The Combo: Storyboard

Step 1

Have Channel and Fireball in hand with a green and red source available (Channel costs {G}{G}, Fireball {X}{R}).

Step 2

Cast Channel.

Step 3

Activate Channel, paying a large chunk of your life total to make that much colorless mana (keeping yourself above 0).

Step 4

Cast Fireball for X equal to your floating mana minus one, targeting the opponent.

Step 5

Fireball deals X damage to the opponent for the win.

⚠ Rules Note

Channel's life payment is not a cost that can reduce you below 0 voluntarily; you must leave yourself alive, so the kill needs enough life cushion to float lethal mana. Under modern (Sixth Edition+) rules the old 'pay to zero and still resolve Fireball' trick no longer works; you keep at least 1 life and Fireball must cover the opponent's full total. Channel is banned in Premodern; Fireball is legal.