diff --git a/scripts/hv-unified.user.js b/scripts/hv-unified.user.js
index 77b2594..72cf818 100644
--- a/scripts/hv-unified.user.js
+++ b/scripts/hv-unified.user.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // ==UserScript==
 // @name         HV Unified
 // @namespace    hvunified
-// @version      0.13.20
+// @version      0.13.21
 // @description  HV Unified — battle automation, guidance, and UI enhancements for HentaiVerse
 // @author       GaboGG + Hermes
 // @match        *://*.hentaiverse.org/*
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 // CONFIG — default settings
 // ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
 
-const VERSION = '0.13.20';
+const VERSION = '0.13.21';
 
 const CFG = {
     // — Battle automation
@@ -915,15 +915,23 @@ function findBestChannelingTarget() {
         const dur = buffDuration(b.icon);
         if (b.icon === 'regen' && STATE.hp >= CFG.cureRegenHP) continue;
         const sp = findSpell(b.spell);
-        // Use a reasonable MP cost: ignore Mana Conservation-reduced values
-        // (the DOM may show 1 MP at high proficiency, but the real base cost
-        // determines the savings from a free channeling cast)
-        let mpCost = sp ? sp.mp : 0;
-        if (mpCost > 0 && mpCost < 5 && sp) {
-            // Try to get base cost from knowledge-base
-            const kb = SPELL_COSTS[b.spell];
-            if (kb) mpCost = kb;
+        // Read base MP cost from the magic pane tooltip (always the full base cost,
+        // unaffected by channeling's 1-MP display or Mana Conservation)
+        let baseCost = 0;
+        const paneEl = $$('.btsd[onmouseover*="' + b.spell.replace(/'/g, "\\'") + '"]', 
+            document.getElementById('pane_magic'))[0];
+        if (paneEl) {
+            const costM = (paneEl.getAttribute('onmouseover') || '')
+                .match(/set_infopane_spell\('[^']+',\s*'[^']*',\s*'[^']*',\s*(\d+)/);
+            if (costM) baseCost = parseInt(costM[1]);
         }
+        let mpCost = sp ? sp.mp : 0;
+        // Use base cost from DOM instead of Mana Conservation-reduced cost
+        if (baseCost > 0) mpCost = baseCost;
+        // Skip if we can't afford the base cost — game pre-checks even when
+        // channeling makes the effective cost 1 MP
+        const maxMp = parseInt((document.getElementById('vrhd') || {}).textContent) || 414;
+        if (mpCost > 0 && (mpCost / maxMp) > STATE.mp) continue;
         // Fill level: how empty is this buff relative to its max observed duration
         let maxDur = STATE.maxBuffDur[b.icon] || 0;
         // If max matches current (first observation, no learning yet), assume min 30 turns
@@ -1141,6 +1149,8 @@ function strategyAdept() {
         if (ib) return ib;
     }
     // If channeling is active, prioritize most expensive buff for best value
+    // Note: channeling reduces cost to ~1, but the game pre-checks base MP,
+    // so we skip spells we can't afford at base cost
     if (STATE.channeling && STATE.mp > 0.10) {
         const ch = findBestChannelingTarget();
         if (ch) return ch;
diff --git a/scripts/latest.user.js b/scripts/latest.user.js
index 77b2594..72cf818 100644
--- a/scripts/latest.user.js
+++ b/scripts/latest.user.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // ==UserScript==
 // @name         HV Unified
 // @namespace    hvunified
-// @version      0.13.20
+// @version      0.13.21
 // @description  HV Unified — battle automation, guidance, and UI enhancements for HentaiVerse
 // @author       GaboGG + Hermes
 // @match        *://*.hentaiverse.org/*
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 // CONFIG — default settings
 // ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
 
-const VERSION = '0.13.20';
+const VERSION = '0.13.21';
 
 const CFG = {
     // — Battle automation
@@ -915,15 +915,23 @@ function findBestChannelingTarget() {
         const dur = buffDuration(b.icon);
         if (b.icon === 'regen' && STATE.hp >= CFG.cureRegenHP) continue;
         const sp = findSpell(b.spell);
-        // Use a reasonable MP cost: ignore Mana Conservation-reduced values
-        // (the DOM may show 1 MP at high proficiency, but the real base cost
-        // determines the savings from a free channeling cast)
-        let mpCost = sp ? sp.mp : 0;
-        if (mpCost > 0 && mpCost < 5 && sp) {
-            // Try to get base cost from knowledge-base
-            const kb = SPELL_COSTS[b.spell];
-            if (kb) mpCost = kb;
+        // Read base MP cost from the magic pane tooltip (always the full base cost,
+        // unaffected by channeling's 1-MP display or Mana Conservation)
+        let baseCost = 0;
+        const paneEl = $$('.btsd[onmouseover*="' + b.spell.replace(/'/g, "\\'") + '"]', 
+            document.getElementById('pane_magic'))[0];
+        if (paneEl) {
+            const costM = (paneEl.getAttribute('onmouseover') || '')
+                .match(/set_infopane_spell\('[^']+',\s*'[^']*',\s*'[^']*',\s*(\d+)/);
+            if (costM) baseCost = parseInt(costM[1]);
         }
+        let mpCost = sp ? sp.mp : 0;
+        // Use base cost from DOM instead of Mana Conservation-reduced cost
+        if (baseCost > 0) mpCost = baseCost;
+        // Skip if we can't afford the base cost — game pre-checks even when
+        // channeling makes the effective cost 1 MP
+        const maxMp = parseInt((document.getElementById('vrhd') || {}).textContent) || 414;
+        if (mpCost > 0 && (mpCost / maxMp) > STATE.mp) continue;
         // Fill level: how empty is this buff relative to its max observed duration
         let maxDur = STATE.maxBuffDur[b.icon] || 0;
         // If max matches current (first observation, no learning yet), assume min 30 turns
@@ -1141,6 +1149,8 @@ function strategyAdept() {
         if (ib) return ib;
     }
     // If channeling is active, prioritize most expensive buff for best value
+    // Note: channeling reduces cost to ~1, but the game pre-checks base MP,
+    // so we skip spells we can't afford at base cost
     if (STATE.channeling && STATE.mp > 0.10) {
         const ch = findBestChannelingTarget();
         if (ch) return ch;
diff --git a/src/config.js b/src/config.js
index efe273a..89a26f4 100644
--- a/src/config.js
+++ b/src/config.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 // CONFIG — default settings
 // ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
 
-const VERSION = '0.13.20';
+const VERSION = '0.13.21';
 
 const CFG = {
     // — Battle automation
diff --git a/src/header.user.js b/src/header.user.js
index 39f3de4..af55819 100644
--- a/src/header.user.js
+++ b/src/header.user.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // ==UserScript==
 // @name         HV Unified
 // @namespace    hvunified
-// @version      0.13.20
+// @version      0.13.21
 // @description  HV Unified — battle automation, guidance, and UI enhancements for HentaiVerse
 // @author       GaboGG + Hermes
 // @match        *://*.hentaiverse.org/*
diff --git a/src/strategy-engine.js b/src/strategy-engine.js
index be3a344..a0dc481 100644
--- a/src/strategy-engine.js
+++ b/src/strategy-engine.js
@@ -238,15 +238,23 @@ function findBestChannelingTarget() {
         const dur = buffDuration(b.icon);
         if (b.icon === 'regen' && STATE.hp >= CFG.cureRegenHP) continue;
         const sp = findSpell(b.spell);
-        // Use a reasonable MP cost: ignore Mana Conservation-reduced values
-        // (the DOM may show 1 MP at high proficiency, but the real base cost
-        // determines the savings from a free channeling cast)
-        let mpCost = sp ? sp.mp : 0;
-        if (mpCost > 0 && mpCost < 5 && sp) {
-            // Try to get base cost from knowledge-base
-            const kb = SPELL_COSTS[b.spell];
-            if (kb) mpCost = kb;
+        // Read base MP cost from the magic pane tooltip (always the full base cost,
+        // unaffected by channeling's 1-MP display or Mana Conservation)
+        let baseCost = 0;
+        const paneEl = $$('.btsd[onmouseover*="' + b.spell.replace(/'/g, "\\'") + '"]', 
+            document.getElementById('pane_magic'))[0];
+        if (paneEl) {
+            const costM = (paneEl.getAttribute('onmouseover') || '')
+                .match(/set_infopane_spell\('[^']+',\s*'[^']*',\s*'[^']*',\s*(\d+)/);
+            if (costM) baseCost = parseInt(costM[1]);
         }
+        let mpCost = sp ? sp.mp : 0;
+        // Use base cost from DOM instead of Mana Conservation-reduced cost
+        if (baseCost > 0) mpCost = baseCost;
+        // Skip if we can't afford the base cost — game pre-checks even when
+        // channeling makes the effective cost 1 MP
+        const maxMp = parseInt((document.getElementById('vrhd') || {}).textContent) || 414;
+        if (mpCost > 0 && (mpCost / maxMp) > STATE.mp) continue;
         // Fill level: how empty is this buff relative to its max observed duration
         let maxDur = STATE.maxBuffDur[b.icon] || 0;
         // If max matches current (first observation, no learning yet), assume min 30 turns
@@ -464,6 +472,8 @@ function strategyAdept() {
         if (ib) return ib;
     }
     // If channeling is active, prioritize most expensive buff for best value
+    // Note: channeling reduces cost to ~1, but the game pre-checks base MP,
+    // so we skip spells we can't afford at base cost
     if (STATE.channeling && STATE.mp > 0.10) {
         const ch = findBestChannelingTarget();
         if (ch) return ch;