When a card instructs you to channel runes without specifying a state, do they enter the board ready or exhausted?

Ruling: Runes channeled by a card effect enter the board ready unless the effect explicitly specifies otherwise. For example, when Jhin's Virtuoso legend ability instructs you to "channel 4 runes," those runes enter ready.

Nuances:

  • Rule 430.2 establishes that channeled runes default to the ready state.
  • Effects must explicitly state "channel X runes exhausted" if they want the runes to enter exhausted.
  • The example in Rule 430.2 ("Channel 1 rune exhausted") demonstrates an exception to the default ready state, confirming that specification is required for exhausted entry.
FAQ #10639May 25, 2026Rule 430.1Rule 430.2