I was thinking about Mantra counters the other day. I don't know if I ever included a description of what Mantra counters are or do before. Mantra counters represent the player repeating a mantra, so each mantra counter is a repetition. Mantra counters exile themselves at the end of the turn they are gained. Mantra counters are not spent. (Ideally many) Instant and sorcery spells with begin with "Gain a mantra counter."

Concerns: Many instants and sorceries or creatures that check mantra counters such as this one, want to use X. X is not NWO compliant for commons. Possible fix: Reword to not include X when possible?

Other concerns: In order to provide the best representation, should entities like Asura, Deva, and Rakshasha be given their own, new creature type?

Massively parasistic mechanic is one problem.

To avoid the X; could do plain old "If you have gained a mantra counter this turn" instead.

Or "~ deals damage to target player equal to the number of mantra counters you have." My only concern is that temporary counters are really weird and fiddly

Vitenka- parasitism is something I accepted. Energy has shown that parasitic mechanics can be justified to hone and direct flavor.

@dude1818: Makes sense on the wording. What are the specific concerns about temporar counters here? If they were on permanents, I would agree, but I think for the player, they should know that counters are removed at the end of each turn, and that wouldn't be hard to physically represent.

I feel like counters are the wrong way to track it. Counters are expected to mark things over multiple turns, rather than just one. Compare to any mechanic like storm or prowess, where it's simple enough to remember what happened during the same turn.

That's fair. I need something to ocunt though that's only temporary. Would Wish Harm still look fine if it said for "Target creature gets -1/-1 for each instant or sorcery spell that you have cast this turn."

> Would Wish Harm still look fine if it said for "Target creature gets -1/-1 for each instant or sorcery spell that you have cast this turn."

Not worse than its current second ability and you'd save the need to have the first at all.

You could also go the devotion route ("Your mantra is equal to the number of instant and sorcery spells you cast this turn.") Though mantra probably is no longer the best term for that use, but with the right term it might make for abilities that read very well.