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Puzzle: How Much Fireball Can You Channel? *Solution*

By / October 10, 2019

Still looking for that perfect New Year’s resolution?

How about this one: Solve a fresh new Magic puzzle from Possibility Storm right here on ChannelFireball every Monday. (There might even be the occasional prize opportunity in it for you—like there is this week!)

This week, the Possibility Storm team wants to see just how much Channel you can pump into a Fireball. Submit your solution at the link below by midnight tomorrow and find out later this week if you’ve won!

Click to enlarge.

Come back each Monday for a new challenge, leave your best attempt in the comments, and come back on Wednesday to see the official solution.

Show the Solution

Clever, clever—this winning line submitted by Justin Francis found a way to deal the most damage (2,363) without using Fireball at all!

Either way, all strong lines used the same general approach:

  • Cast High Tide twice.
  • Replace all colorless mana costs with life paid via Channel.
  • Maximize the number of spells cast.
  • Loop Man-o’-War with itself for as long as your blue mana supply will let you.
  • Extract a tiny bit of extra damage by casting instants while Aetherflux Reservoir triggers are still on the stack, since the amount gained is equal to the spells cast as the trigger resolves. (Tricky!)

Without further ado, here’s Justin’s winning line:

    1. Cast High Tide, resolve it.
      Storm count: 1
      Lands untapped: Breeding Pool [4] Steam Vents untapped [3]
      Life: 1 + Aetherflux trigger (1) = 2
    2. Cast Channel, resolve it.
      Storm count: 2
      Lands untapped: Breeding Pool [2] Steam Vents untapped [3]
      Floating blue mana: 2
      Life: 2 + Aetherflux trigger (2) = 4
    3. Cast Walking Ballista for X=1, don’t resolve it.
      Life: 4 – 2 (mana from Channel) = 2
      Storm count: 3
      Lands untapped: Breeding Pool [2] Steam Vents untapped [3]
      Floating blue mana: 2
    4. Cast Snapcaster Mage, resolve it, ETB targeting High Tide.
      Life: 2 – 1 (mana from Channel) = 1
      Storm count: 4
      Lands untapped: Breeding Pool [2] Steam Vents untapped [3]
      Floating blue mana: 1
      Life: 1 + Aetherflux trigger (4) = 5
    5. Flashback High Tide (exiled), resolve it.
      Storm count: 5
      Lands untapped: Breeding Pool [2] Steam Vents untapped [3]
      Floating blue mana: 0
      Life: 5 + Aetherflux trigger (5) = 10~ Resolve Walking Ballista and its Aetherflux Reservoir trigger.
      Life: 5 + Aetherflux trigger (5) = 15~ Tap five untapped lands for 14 blue mana and 1 red mana.
      Floating blue mana: 14
      Floating red mana: 1
    6. Cast Fireball targeting Beamsplitter Mage, for X=0, DON’T resolve it
      Storm count: 6
      Floating blue mana: 14
      ~ Put Beamsplitter Mage’s trigger on top of Aetherflux Reservoir’s, target Manowar with it
    7. Cast Snap, targeting Beamsplitter Mage, DON’T resolve it
      Life: 15 – 1 (mana from Channel) = 14
      Storm count: 7
      ~ Put Beamsplitter Mage’s trigger on top of Aetherflux Reservoir’s, target Snapcaster Mage with it, resolve only the copy, and untap two Steam Vents
      Lands untapped: Steam Vents [2]
      Floating blue mana: 13
    8. Cast Rewind, targeting the original Fireball spell, resolve it, untapping four Breeding Pools
      Life: 14 – 2 (mana from Channel) = 12
      Storm Count: 8
      Lands untapped: Steam Vents [2] Breeding Pool [4]
      Floating blue mana: 11
      Life: 12 + Aetherflux trigger (8) = 20~ Tap six untapped lands for 18 blue mana
      Floating blue mana: 29
    9. Cast Snapcaster Mage, resolve it, ETB targeting Rewind
      Life: 20 – 1 (mana from Channel) = 19
      Storm Count: 9
      Floating blue mana: 28
      Life: 19 + Aetherflux trigger (9) = 28
    10. Flashback Rewind (exiled) on the Fireball copy, resolve it, untapping four Breeding Pools
      Life: 28 – 2 (mana from Channel) = 26
      Storm Count: 10
      Lands untapped: Breeding Pool [4]
      Floating blue mana: 26
      Life: 26 + Aetherflux trigger (10) = 36~ Resolve the original Snap from step 7 and its Aetherflux Reservoir trigger, untapping two Steam Vents
      Lands untapped: Breeding Pool [4] Steam Vents [2]
      Floating blue mana: 26
      Life: 36 + Aetherflux trigger (10) = 46~ Resolve the Aetherflux Reservoir trigger from the original Fireball cast in step 6 (countered by Rewind)
      Lands untapped: Breeding Pool [4] Steam Vents [2]
      Floating blue mana: 26
      Life: 46 + Aetherflux trigger (10) = 56~ Tap six untapped lands for 18 blue mana
      Floating blue mana: 44
    11. Cast Baral’s Expertise, targeting Snapcaster Mage, Man-O’-War, and Walking Ballista, resolve it
      Life: 56 – 3 (mana from Channel) = 53
      Storm Count: 11
      Floating blue mana: 42
      Life: 53 + Aetherflux trigger (11) = 64
    12. Cast Beamsplitter Mage for free off Baral’s Expertise, resolve it
      Storm Count: 12
      Floating blue mana: 42
      Life: 64 + Aetherflux trigger (12) = 76
    13. Cast Walking Ballista for X=1, resolve it
      Life: 76 – 2 (mana from Channel) = 74
      Storm Count: 13
      Floating blue mana: 42
      Life: 74 + Aetherflux trigger (13) = 87
    14. Cast Man-O’-War, resolve it, ETB targets Walking Ballista
      Life: 87 – 2 (mana from Channel) = 85
      Storm Count: 14
      Floating blue mana: 41
      Life: 74 + Aetherflux trigger (13) = 99
    15. Cast Walking Ballista for X=1, DON’T resolve it
      Life: 99 – 2 (mana from Channel) = 97
      Storm Count: 15
      Floating blue mana: 41
    16. Cast Snapcaster Mage, resolve it, ETB targeting Snap
      Life: 97 – 1 (mana from Channel) = 96
      Storm Count: 16
      Floating blue mana: 40
      Life: 96 + Aetherflux trigger (16) = 112
    17. Flashback Snap (exiled), targeting Beamsplitter Mage, DON’T resolve it
      Life: 112 – 1 (mana from Channel) = 111
      Storm Count: 17
      Floating blue mana: 39~ Put Beamsplitter Mage’s trigger on top of Aetherflux Reservoir’s, target Snapcaster Mage with it, resolve only the copy, and untap two Steam Vents
      Lands untapped: Steam Vents [2]
      Floating blue mana: 39
    18. Cast Snapcaster Mage, resolve it, ETB targets Baral’s Expertise
      Life: 111 – 1 (mana from Channel) = 110
      Storm Count: 18
      Floating blue mana: 38
      Life: 110 + Aetherflux trigger (18) = 128~ Resolve the original Snap from step 17 and its Aetherflux Reservoir trigger, untapping the other two Steam Vents
      Lands untapped: Steam Vents [4]
      Floating blue mana: 38
      Life: 128 + Aetherflux trigger (18) = 146~ Resolve the Walking Ballista cast in step 15 and its Aetherflux Reservoir trigger
      Life: 146 + Aetherflux trigger (18) = 164~ Tap four Steam Vents for 12 blue mana
      Floating blue mana: 50
    19. Flashback Baral’s Expertise, targeting Walking Ballista, Manowar, and the opponent’s Sorcerous Spyglass, resolve it
      Life: 164 – 3 (mana from Channel) = 161
      Storm Count: 19
      Floating blue mana: 48
      Life: 161 + Aetherflux trigger (19) = 180
    20. Cast Beamsplitter Mage for free off Baral’s Expertise, resolve it
      Storm Count: 20
      Life: 180 + Aetherflux trigger (20) = 200
    21. Cast Walking Ballista for X=1
      Life: 200 – 2 (mana from Channel) = 198
      Storm Count: 21
      Floating blue mana: 48
      Life: 198 + Aetherflux trigger (21) = 219
    22. Cast Man-O’-War, resolve it, ETB targets itself
      Life: 219 – 2 (mana from Channel) = 217
      Storm Count: 22
      Floating blue mana: 47
      Life: 217 + Aetherflux trigger (22) = 239

This creates a finite loop bounded only by how much blue mana we have, so let’s repeat it 46 more times.

    1. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 46| Storm Count: 23| Life: -2 + 23 = 260
    2. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 45| Storm Count: 24| Life: -2 + 24 = 282
    3. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 44| Storm Count: 25| Life: -2 + 25 = 305
    4. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 43| Storm Count: 26| Life: -2 + 26 = 329
    5. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 42| Storm Count: 27| Life: -2 + 27 = 354
    6. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 41| Storm Count: 28| Life: -2 + 28 = 380
    7. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 40| Storm Count: 29| Life: -2 + 29 = 407
    8. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 39| Storm Count: 30| Life: -2 + 30 = 435
    9. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 38| Storm Count: 31| Life: -2 + 31 = 464
    10. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 37| Storm Count: 32| Life: -2 + 32 = 494
    11. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 36| Storm Count: 33| Life: -2 + 33 = 525
    12. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 35| Storm Count: 34| Life: -2 + 34 = 557
    13. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 34| Storm Count: 35| Life: -2 + 35 = 590
    14. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 33| Storm Count: 36| Life: -2 + 36 = 624
    15. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 32| Storm Count: 37| Life: -2 + 37 = 659
    16. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 31| Storm Count: 38| Life: -2 + 38 = 695
    17. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 30| Storm Count: 39| Life: -2 + 39 = 732
    18. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 29| Storm Count: 40| Life: -2 + 40 = 770
    19. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 28| Storm Count: 41| Life: -2 + 41 = 809
    20. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 27| Storm Count: 42| Life: -2 + 42 = 849
    21. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 26| Storm Count: 43| Life: -2 + 43 = 890
    22. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 25| Storm Count: 44| Life: -2 + 44 = 932
    23. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 24| Storm Count: 45| Life: -2 + 45 = 975
    24. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 23| Storm Count: 46| Life: -2 + 46 = 1019
    25. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 22| Storm Count: 47| Life: -2 + 47 = 1064
    26. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 21| Storm Count: 48| Life: -2 + 48 = 1110
    27. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 20| Storm Count: 49| Life: -2 + 49 = 1157
    28. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 19| Storm Count: 50| Life: -2 + 50 = 1205
    29. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 18| Storm Count: 51| Life: -2 + 51 = 1254
    30. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 17| Storm Count: 52| Life: -2 + 52 = 1304
    31. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 16| Storm Count: 53| Life: -2 + 53 = 1355
    32. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 15| Storm Count: 54| Life: -2 + 54 = 1407
    33. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 14| Storm Count: 55| Life: -2 + 55 = 1460
    34. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 13| Storm Count: 56| Life: -2 + 56 = 1514
    35. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 12| Storm Count: 57| Life: -2 + 57 = 1569
    36. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 11| Storm Count: 58| Life: -2 + 58 = 1625
    37. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 10| Storm Count: 59| Life: -2 + 59 = 1682
    38. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 9| Storm Count: 60| Life: -2 + 60 = 1740
    39. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 8| Storm Count: 61| Life: -2 + 61 = 1799
    40. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 7| Storm Count: 62| Life: -2 + 62 = 1859
    41. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 6| Storm Count: 63| Life: -2 + 63 = 1920
    42. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 5| Storm Count: 64| Life: -2 + 64 = 1982
    43. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 4| Storm Count: 65| Life: -2 + 65 = 2045
    44. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 3| Storm Count: 66| Life: -2 + 66 = 2109
    45. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 2| Storm Count: 67| Life: -2 + 67 = 2174
    46. Man-O’-War loop | U Floating: 1| Storm Count: 68| Life: -2 + 68 = 2240
    47. Cast Man-O’War, resolve it, ETB targets Walking Ballista
      Life: 2240 – 2 (mana from Channel) = 2238
      Storm Count: 69
      Floating blue mana: 0
      Life: 2238 + Aetherflux trigger (69) = 2307
    48. Walking Ballista for X=13
      Life: 2307 – 26 (mana from Channel) = 2281
      Storm Count: 70
      Floating blue mana: 1
      Life: 2281 + Aetherflux trigger (70) = 2351
    49. Activate Aetherflux Reservoir 47 times to deal 47 x 50 = 2350 to the opponent
      Damage dealt: 2350
    50. Activate Walking Ballista 13 times to deal 13 to the opponent
      Total damage dealt: 2363

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Normally, the puzzle will challenge you to find a way to win this turn, and Possibility Storm even holds 2-month competitive seasons for each new set that you can join via their Patreon. The Ravnica Allegiance season opens January 25th. Good luck!

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