If they are state-based actions then here’s a question for you (or @sharpobject, I guess):
I have a midband Orpal in play. My opponent has a L1 River, with 2 damage (2/1), a Timely Messenger (1/1), and an Older Brother (2/2).
- Orpal casts Sickness, targeting River and Timely Messenger.
- Spell resolves, placing a -1/-1 rune on both units.
- State based effects mean both go to the discard pile, and Orpal gains 2 levels hitting maxband (River moves from discard to Hero zone also as a state-based effect, but I don’t think this is relevant).
I’m pretty sure it’s been previously ruled that Orpal’s max band ability doesn’t trigger here, as even though gaining 2 levels is a state based effect, it still happens after Messenger dying, and so he wasn’t actually maxband when it triggered.
Now suppose the situation is the same, but Two-Step is in play targeting Timely Messenger (3/3) and Older Brother (4/4).
- Orpal casts Sickness, targeting River and Timely Messenger.
- Spell resolves, placing a -1/-1 rune on both units.
- State based effects mean River goes to discard pile (Messenger is now a 2/2). Orpal gains 2 levels hitting maxband,. Two-Step is sacrificed. Messenger stops receiving Two Step’s buff. Messenger dies (as it’s now a 0/0).
- Does Orpal maxband trigger, placing a -1/-1 rune on Older Brother?
I should note that if Channeled spells are a triggered effect, not a state-based one, I’m pretty sure that Orpal’s maxband will trigger here. If it’s a state-based one it depends on whether there’s a priority-based system (@sharpobject’s post implied that some effects might not be as fast as others), or whether the active player gets to pick how they resolve.