I still really don't like this card. Not only does it use counters that no other card uses but it also seems really bad. Can we change it to something like...

Corroded Boiler Artifact (COMMON) ­: Add to your mana pool. Sacrifice ~: ~ deals 3 damage to target creature.

We already have a cycle of 3cc colorless producers which are all good so I'm not sure we need a sixth that's even stronger by also being removal.

I personally like this card just fine, so we'll see if there are any other opinions.

Could make it Time counters, as those are at least a currently used type.

I really don't think there's any problem with using a counter type that no other card currently uses.

Admittedly this would be fine using charge counters, which are the default for artifacts unless there's a reason not to use them. Charge counters play nicely with Power Conduit, Energy Chamber, Coretapper, Surge Node and Vedalken Infuser.

But if you're deliberately avoiding charge counters, I think it's good to use an entirely new counter type rather than duplicating some obscure counter type.

The problem is that a new counter is appropriate on a single Common. If it were a Rare the unique counter would be fine but as a Common it should conform to the rest of the set.

The solution, clearly, is many more cards that use and play with tick counters :)

Do they cancel out tock counters, the way +1/+1 and -1/-1 cancel out? They should.

Changed to charge counters.