So when Dauntless Bodyguard was spoiled it kinda reminded me of this mechanic I've been playing with, Focus.
Focus counters have no effect themselves but go on any permanent and other cards have effects for focus counters.
Human Mercenary W
Creature - Human Mercenary (C)
When Human Mercenary enters the battlefield, add a focus counter to another creature you control.
Sacrifice Human Mercenary: A creature of your choice you control with a focus counter on it gains indestructible until end of turn.
2/1
Crab King 1U
Creature - Elder Crab (U)
Creatures you control with focus counters on them gain hexproof.
2/2
Zombie Bird 4B
Creature - Zombie Bird (U)
Flying B, T, Sacrifice a creature with a focus counter on it: Destroy target non-Zombie creature.
3/1
Giant Wizard 4RR
Creature - Giant Wizard (R) R: Add a focus counter to a creature you control. 1RR: Target creature with a focus counter on it gains indestructible until end of turn. 4RR: Create a 6/6 red Beast creature token. Add a focus counter to it. 7RR, sacrifice any number of creatures with focus counters on them: Giant Wizard deals damage to target player equal to the total power of the sacrificed creatures.
3/3
Treefolk Druid 1G
Creature - Treefolk Druid (C) T: Add a focus counter to a creature you control. T: Add G for each focus counter among creatures you control.
1/3
Focus Golem 4
Creature - Golem (U)
Whenever a Golem enters the battlefield under your control, add a focus counter to a permanent you control.
Tap two untapped permanents with focus counters on them: Creatures you control named Focus Golem get +2/+2 until end of turn.
2/2
Monk's Monastery
Land (U) T: Add a focus counter to a permanent you control. T, Remove a focus counter from a permanent you control: Add one mana of any color.
So just like charge counters from Mirrodin. Not a bad idea, some of the cards do some scary things but that's the specific cards fault. The name needs work as 'focus' brings to mind several specific images and this kind of general counter you want to have a generic energy like name.
This mechanic has a few problems. First of all, it's really slow. Not only do you have to spend time distributing counters to make it work, but not all of these cards can even do anything the turn they get counters. The land, in particular, is terrible. Either it's a land that doesn't tap for mana, a 5 color land that ruins your deck's synergy, or a bad Mirrodin's Core. Except, it's the only way here to benefit from multiple counters on the same creature, which brings me to my next issue. Beyond "merely" being a parasitic AB mechanic, you pretty much need a focus counter-creature ratio of 1:1 to be worthwhile. Too many counters is useless because there's no point in doubling up, and too few weakens your cards that rely on them. The tiny amount of wiggle room afforded simply can't support a mechanic in which you intend to include creatures that need counters yet can't make them.
So just like charge counters from Mirrodin. Not a bad idea, some of the cards do some scary things but that's the specific cards fault. The name needs work as 'focus' brings to mind several specific images and this kind of general counter you want to have a generic energy like name.
Yes, it's basically a generic charge counter and very similar to energy as well. I'm trying to find ways to differentiate it. Also, I agree the name could be better but I wanted something generic and focus was the best I could come up with. Open to suggestions.
This mechanic has a few problems. First of all, it's really slow. Not only do you have to spend time distributing counters to make it work, but not all of these cards can even do anything the turn they get counters. The land, in particular, is terrible. Either it's a land that doesn't tap for mana, a 5 color land that ruins your deck's synergy, or a bad Mirrodin's Core. Except, it's the only way here to benefit from multiple counters on the same creature, which brings me to my next issue. Beyond "merely" being a parasitic AB mechanic, you pretty much need a focus counter-creature ratio of 1:1 to be worthwhile. Too many counters is useless because there's no point in doubling up, and too few weakens your cards that rely on them. The tiny amount of wiggle room afforded simply can't support a mechanic in which you intend to include creatures that need counters yet can't make them.
I agree with pretty much all of what you said although there's a few things I'd like you to consider. Yes they're slow, but I figured with the right cards you could speed them up. For example:
Attune with Focus G
Sorcery
Search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, then put it into your hand. Shuffle your library afterwards. Add a focus counter to up to two permanents you control.
Suddenly, they become much better. And yes, the land is terrible, what about this one?
Training Facility
Land
T: Add 1.
T: Add one mana of any color that shares a color with a permanent you control that has a focus counter on it.
As to your other points, I intentionally left off "ETB add focus" on purpose on most cards so you'd have your focus makers and focus users on seperate cards. It makes it different than energy.
There will be cards that scale off focus and as long as you have at least 1 focus most of the cards will "turn on". You do make a good point about useless cards though, the Zombie Bird is a dead card without ener...focus. But thats intentional.
I agree with pretty much all of what you said although there's a few things I'd like you to consider. Yes they're slow, but I figured with the right cards you could speed them up. For example:
Attune with Focus G
Sorcery
Search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, then put it into your hand. Shuffle your library afterwards. Add a focus counter to up to two permanents you control.
Suddenly, they become much better.
I figured as much, though it's hard to tell with such a small "sample platter."
As to your other points, I intentionally left off "ETB add focus" on purpose on most cards so you'd have your focus makers and focus users on seperate cards. It makes it different than energy.
Keep in mind that Wizards did energy in Kaladesh in that way specifically to avoid the pitfalls of AB mechanics. In hindsight, energy was a flawed mechanic, but I don't think going full AB is the answer here. That aspect made populate a particularly troubling mechanic to use back in RTR even though the token half was at least usable without populate cards. I don't think making both halves useless without the other is a step in the right direction here.
Keep in mind that Wizards did energy in Kaladesh in that way specifically to avoid the pitfalls of AB mechanics. In hindsight, energy was a flawed mechanic, but I don't think going full AB is the answer here. That aspect made populate a particularly troubling mechanic to use back in RTR even though the token half was at least usable without populate cards. I don't think making both halves useless without the other is a step in the right direction here.
Energy wasn't a flawed mechanic. They made a few mistakes including not having a way to interact with it as the opponents resource and pushing several cards just to make sure the mechanic was playable. But as a mechanic it was nice, the most important aspect to keep from energy and charge counters is that any card that cares about them somehow allows self access to them.
That makes a lot of sense. What about something more like this:
Focused Guy G
Creature - Human Monk
Attune (As the enters the battlefield, add a focus counter to another permanent you control. It's focused.)
Focused guy gets +1/+1 as long as it's focused.
1/1
Human Mercenary W
Creature - Human Soldier
Attune (As the enters the battlefield, add a focus counter to another permanent you control. It's focused.)
Sacrifice Human Mercenary: Another focused creature you control gains indestructible until end of turn.
Now only works on other permanents and name change so as not to be confusing.
Focus counters have no effect themselves but go on any permanent and other cards have effects for focus counters.
Human Mercenary W
Creature - Human Mercenary (C)
When Human Mercenary enters the battlefield, add a focus counter to another creature you control.
Sacrifice Human Mercenary: A creature of your choice you control with a focus counter on it gains indestructible until end of turn.
2/1
Crab King 1U
Creature - Elder Crab (U)
Creatures you control with focus counters on them gain hexproof.
2/2
Zombie Bird 4B
Creature - Zombie Bird (U)
Flying
B, T, Sacrifice a creature with a focus counter on it: Destroy target non-Zombie creature.
3/1
Giant Wizard 4RR
Creature - Giant Wizard (R)
R: Add a focus counter to a creature you control.
1RR: Target creature with a focus counter on it gains indestructible until end of turn.
4RR: Create a 6/6 red Beast creature token. Add a focus counter to it.
7RR, sacrifice any number of creatures with focus counters on them: Giant Wizard deals damage to target player equal to the total power of the sacrificed creatures.
3/3
Treefolk Druid 1G
Creature - Treefolk Druid (C)
T: Add a focus counter to a creature you control.
T: Add G for each focus counter among creatures you control.
1/3
Focus Golem 4
Creature - Golem (U)
Whenever a Golem enters the battlefield under your control, add a focus counter to a permanent you control.
Tap two untapped permanents with focus counters on them: Creatures you control named Focus Golem get +2/+2 until end of turn.
2/2
Monk's Monastery
Land (U)
T: Add a focus counter to a permanent you control.
T, Remove a focus counter from a permanent you control: Add one mana of any color.
Yes, it's basically a generic charge counter and very similar to energy as well. I'm trying to find ways to differentiate it. Also, I agree the name could be better but I wanted something generic and focus was the best I could come up with. Open to suggestions.
I agree with pretty much all of what you said although there's a few things I'd like you to consider. Yes they're slow, but I figured with the right cards you could speed them up. For example:
Attune with Focus G
Sorcery
Search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, then put it into your hand. Shuffle your library afterwards. Add a focus counter to up to two permanents you control.
Suddenly, they become much better. And yes, the land is terrible, what about this one?
Training Facility
Land
T: Add 1.
T: Add one mana of any color that shares a color with a permanent you control that has a focus counter on it.
As to your other points, I intentionally left off "ETB add focus" on purpose on most cards so you'd have your focus makers and focus users on seperate cards. It makes it different than energy.
There will be cards that scale off focus and as long as you have at least 1 focus most of the cards will "turn on". You do make a good point about useless cards though, the Zombie Bird is a dead card without ener...focus. But thats intentional.
I figured as much, though it's hard to tell with such a small "sample platter."
Keep in mind that Wizards did energy in Kaladesh in that way specifically to avoid the pitfalls of AB mechanics. In hindsight, energy was a flawed mechanic, but I don't think going full AB is the answer here. That aspect made populate a particularly troubling mechanic to use back in RTR even though the token half was at least usable without populate cards. I don't think making both halves useless without the other is a step in the right direction here.
Focused Guy G
Creature - Human Monk
Attune (As the enters the battlefield, add a focus counter to another permanent you control. It's focused.)
Focused guy gets +1/+1 as long as it's focused.
1/1
Human Mercenary W
Creature - Human Soldier
Attune (As the enters the battlefield, add a focus counter to another permanent you control. It's focused.)
Sacrifice Human Mercenary: Another focused creature you control gains indestructible until end of turn.
Now only works on other permanents and name change so as not to be confusing.