I was checking out this other post about card game resources and it reminded me that I have yet to formalize the resource system for my own card game! So, here it is:

Stockpiles

A Stockpile is a type of card that holds resources represented by stock counters. Stockpiles usually come into play with 1-3 stock counters on them. The type of the Stockpile determines what the stock counters can be used for.

"Lumberyard" - Wood Stockpile [ Enters play with 2 stock counters. Stock counters on this card may be spent to pay Wood costs. ]

If a Stockpile has more than 1 type, it's stock may be used as any of the types listed in the Stockpile. It is assumed that the Stockpile is capable of converting resources between types, or exchanging one type of resource for another.

"Artifact Reclamation Lab" - Mana Metal Stockpile [ Enters play with 1 stock counter. Stock counters on this card may be spent to pay Mana or Metal costs. Sacrifice an item, tap this card: add 2 stock counters to this Stockpile.]

Stock Manipulation

Some cards and abilities may add, subtract, or even steal stock from Stockpiles. There are all kinds of fun things you can do with resources that don't just disappear at the end of your turn.

"Armed Robbery" - Action [ Tap a creature you control with at least 3 power. Remove 1 stock from target Material Stockpile. You may add 1 stock to a Stockpile you control with the same type as the target Stockpile. ]

Some Stockpiles manipulate their own stock counters, representing things like factories or farms.

"Thriving Farm Village" (2 Wood, 1 People) - Grain Stockpile [ Tap Thriving Farm Village: add 1 stock counter to Thriving Farm Village. ]

Stock Types and Categories

The above card "Armed Robbery" introduces the idea a Material Stockpile. Material is a Stock Category that includes all Stock Types that represent physical resources like wood or metal. All Stock types fall into a Category. This allows me to add any number of Stock Types to the game without sacrificing interaction between decks that care about totally different types of Stock.

Stock Types and Categories can represent pretty much anything:

• Material resources like wood, stone or food
• Immaterial resources like mana or electricity
• People resources like laborers, scientists, or parasitic C-level execs
• Abstract concepts like faith, fear, or joy.

"Crystal Cathedral" - Faith Stockpile [ Enters play with 3 stock counters. At the beginning of your upkeep, if there are no stock counters on Crystal Cathedral, sacrifice it.]

Stock Costs and Thresholds

Stock Costs work just like you would expect. In order to satisfy a cost of a particular Stock Type, you must remove a number of stock counters from a Stockpile you control whose Type matches the cost. Some costs may only require Stock of a particular Category, in which case you can expend stock counters from any Stockpile with a Type that belongs to that Category.

Stock Thresholds are like costs, in that you must have a certain quantity of a Stock in order to play the associated card. Unlike Costs, cards and abilities with Thresholds only require the existence of that Stock and do not deplete that stock when played or activated. Thresholds are graphically distinct from Costs.

"Zealous Templar" ( 2 Metal, __2 Faith__ ) - Unit Knight [ In order to play Zealous Templar, you must expend 2 Metal stock, and you must control at least 2 Faith stock. ]

Feedback

Let me know what you think! I'd love to hear about any holes you see or inspiration it gives you!