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I have a card called Calciform Pools. It uses something called a storage counter. What is it and how do you use it?
Card Text:
Tap: Add {1} to your mana pool.
{1}, Tap: Put a storage counter on Calciform Pools.
{1}, Remove X storage counters from Calciform Pools: Add X mana in any combination of {w} and/or {B} to your mana pool.
Most counters in MTG don't do anything by themselves. Their function is defined by the text of various cards which use them or place them. The names of the counters are a bit like creature types — they don't have any stand-alone rules significance but cards interact with them.
The exceptions are:
In the case of Calciform Pools, the "storage counters" are there to be used for its second and third ability.
{1}, Tap: Put a storage counter on Calciform Pools.
This lets you slowly "charge up" the land. If you have untapped mana on your opponents end step, you can spend some of it to put a storage counter on the Pools.
{1}, Remove X storage counters from Calciform Pools: Add X mana in any combination of {w} and/or {B} to your mana pool.
This lets you "release" all of the mana you've stored up. The extra cost of 1 colorless is there to encourage you to take out a bunch of mana all at once. Note that you don't have to tap pools to activate this ability, so you can use Pools' first mana ability to pay the 1 colorless if you want to. You can also activate this ability multiple times per turn if you have 1 mana floating around to pay for it.
Well it's exactly like it said, you can use the pool to store mana for future purpose. Can be usefull if you are planning to play a card that needs a lot of {W} or {B} mana.
I think the labelling of storage counter instead of charge counter is to prevent the use of the Pool in a combo with the Energy Chamber card that could have enable putting additonnal counter on the pool for free.
I think you are asking what the counters are?
They are just something you use to keep track of how many counters you have on the card. You can use button, glass beads, or a 20 sided die that you increments when you add and decrement when you remove counters.
