Essence Channeler is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
As long as you've lost life this turn, this creature has flying and vigilance. Whenever you gain life, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature. When this creature dies, put its counters on target creature you control.
How it works : Essence Channeler
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
Essence Channeler’s first ability cares whether you’ve lost life this turn, not how your life total has changed. For example, if you’ve gained 2 life and lost 1 life so far this turn, you’ve still lost life.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Once Essence Channeler has been blocked by a creature without flying or reach, losing life to give it flying and vigilance won’t cause it to become unblocked.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Essence Channeler’s second ability triggers just once for each life-gaining event, no matter how much life was gained.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If Essence Channeler is dealt lethal damage at the same time that you gain life, it won’t receive a counter from its second ability in time to save it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Each creature with lifelink dealing combat damage causes a separate life-gaining event. For example, if two creatures you control with lifelink deal combat damage at the same time, Essence Channeler’s second ability will trigger twice. However, if a single creature you control with lifelink deals combat damage to multiple creatures, players, planeswalkers, and/or battles at the same time (perhaps because it has trample or was blocked by more than one creature), the ability will trigger only once.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
If you gain an amount of life “for each” of something, that life is gained as one event and Essence Channeler’s second ability triggers only once.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
In a Two-Headed Giant game, life gained by your teammate won’t cause Essence Channeler’s second ability to trigger even though it caused your team’s life total to increase.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
Essence Channeler’s last ability puts all counters that were on Essence Channeler onto the target creature, not just its +1/+1 counters.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
Essence Channeler’s last ability doesn’t cause you to move counters from Essence Channeler onto the target creature. Rather, you put the same number of each kind of counter Essence Channeler had when it died onto the target creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
In some unusual cases, you may end up putting the appropriate counters on more than one permanent. For example, if you control The Ozolith when Essence Channeler dies, you’ll put the appropriate number of each kind of counter onto both The Ozolith and the target creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #11· Wizards of the Coast
If Essence Channeler has -1/-1 counters on it when it dies, that ability will include those as well. This may result in the recipient of the counters also dying.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #12· Wizards of the Coast
If enough -1/-1 counters are put on Essence Channeler at the same time to make its toughness 0 or less, its last ability will see all of the +1/+1 counters it had when it died as well as the -1/-1 counters it had, and an equal number of each of those types of counters (plus any other applicable counters) will be put onto the target creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Shalai and Hallar + Essence Channeler
- 1Give Shalai and Hallar lifelink, if needed.
- 2Gain life.
- 3Essence Channeler triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on it.
- 4Shalai and Hallar triggers, dealing damage to an opponent and causing you to gain life.
- 5Repeat from step 3.
Agatha's Soul Cauldron + Walking Ballista + Essence Channeler
- 1Activate Essence Channeler by using Walking Ballista's ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, dealing 1 damage to any target and causing you to gain 1 life due to its lifelink.
- 2Essence Channeler triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on it.
- 3Repeat.
Agatha's Soul Cauldron + Triskelion + Essence Channeler
- 1Activate Essence Channeler by using Triskelion's ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, dealing 1 damage to any target and causing you to gain 1 life due to its lifelink.
- 2Essence Channeler triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on it.
- 3Repeat.
All Will Be One + Exquisite Blood + Essence Channeler
- 1Gain life.
- 2Essence Channeler triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on it
- 3All Will Be One triggers, dealing 1 damage to an opponent.
- 4Exquisite Blood triggers, causing you to gain 1 life.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
All Will Be One + Essence Channeler + Bloodthirsty Conqueror
- 1Gain life.
- 2Essence Channeler triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on it
- 3All Will Be One triggers, dealing 1 damage to an opponent.
- 4Bloodthirsty Conqueror triggers, causing you to gain 1 life.
- 5Repeat from step 2.
Agatha's Soul Cauldron + Deathbringer Thoctar + Essence Channeler
- 1Activate Essence Channeler by using Deathbringer Thoctar's ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, dealing 1 damage to any target and causing you to gain 1 life due to its lifelink.
- 2Essence Channeler triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on it.
- 3Repeat.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Essence Channeler
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.