Nanonox's 1vs1 cube

[Erik Twice]

I love the idea of this card as a big ritual to fuel combo turns. Turn 2 Myr Battlesphere isn't very fun for me though and held the card back. Turn 2 The Endstone? Go nuts! In addition to fueling Scrap Trawler loops, the scariest thing Channel can do is cast mana creatures. Walking Ballista and friends can be 9/9s on turn 2, but that isn't exactly game ending. Stonecoil Serpent would be a 19/19 if you wanted to. On turn 3, Goldvein Hydra comes down for a hasty 19 damage which isn't great, honestly. So maybe that one has to go.

I don't think Channel is a good card even when it autowins games. Just the double green cost is enough to make it extremely narrow. It doesn't just lock you to one colour, it locks you in green and artifacts because otherwise you don't have enough coloured sources to do anything.

All your examples? Easy wins, right? Yeah, unless the opponent has Swords to Plowshares or bounces the creature with Brazen Borrower, or hits you with Lightning Bolt plus haste. It's even a problem if it gets countered, because then you are a card down and you have an uncastable card in your hand.

The fact that you must have the card in your hand puts it a good nudge below Tinker or other cheaty cards that are a bit more flexible. If I would make a comparison with one card, it's with Show and Tell. It shares the same flaws and the same awful win/lose dynamic that somehow can backfire on you.

It's worth testing but I dislike the card and consider it a trap.

 

[Nanonox]

I don't think Channel is a good card even when it autowins games.

I don’t want auto wins! And that’s why I cut the artifact fatties.

All your examples? Easy wins, right?

I was going for the opposite lol, and even cut the cards likely to give you that win (like Goldvein Hydra). Turn 2 The Endstone gives you a good engine, but not a win. Turn 2 5/5 Hangarback Walker puts pressure, but hardly wins.

If I would make a comparison with one card, it's with Show and Tell

I think this is the difference between us (and I am readily willing to admit I am wrong!). I don’t see this as Show and Tell, I see Channel (in this context) as Seething Song. Instead of going Song, Petal, Elemental Eruption, you go Channel, Scrap Trawler, Grinding Station and Chromatic Star.

You are 100% right that it’s narrow, but it’s from Alpha and (to me at least) exciting! I have some free slots and struggle to reliably bridge artifacts into Green. This seems like a decent signal at the very least.