- Rowan
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Member for 13 years, 10 months, and 9 days
Last active Mon, Jun, 6 2016 18:19:20
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- 505 Total Posts
- 12 Thanks
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Jun 2, 2011Rowan posted a message on How to Build a Tasty Deck... NOM NOMSo after playtesting, guess what? This deck sucks :/ Mono black spirits are pretty darn weak... gonna try some adding more removal...Posted in: Rowan Blog
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Jun 2, 2011Rowan posted a message on Super Bad Luck.LOL, maybe you should quit while your ahead? ... I like the sensation of opening new packs too, but I learned long ago that I have bad luck with them... still haven't pulled anything really nice yet. SO, I just go to drafts where I can enter in for $10 and get 3 packs... I then get to choose which cards to keep... plus I can have the experience of battling it out for a chance to win more packs as prizes... It just seems like a better investment to me. :/ Just my 2cPosted in: Matt Blog
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May 29, 2011Rowan posted a message on [DECK] Mono-Blue Air ControlYeah, it seems pretty darn good. I like decks where you can easily tell what it's trying to do. I think those are the most effective and fun to play. Unfortunately, those kinds of decks are vulnerable to things like surgical extraction and memoricide taking out your key cards.Posted in: darkspellcards Blog
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May 29, 2011Volt Charge seems like a really good option for this deck, what do you think? Proliferating chalices and spheres at the same time as removing your opponent's early attackers seems really viable. I really don't like that's it's a phyrexian card though.Posted in: Rowan Blog
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May 29, 2011I really like your suggestion of Hellkite Charger. I think he might go in instead of the Phoenixes. As much as a I like them they feel a little awkward with the mana "curve" which is actually more of a boxy shape, lol. I'm not sure what else I would swap charger for. A good reason to swap Charger for Phoenix is that phoenix just doesn't have the damage potential that Charger does. We HAVE the mana for it, so it's probably best to use it. Plus he's got haste, which means he can attack on turn three for 5 dmg.Posted in: Rowan Blog
Bogardan Hellkite is awesome too, but not standard. Maybe they will reprint him. -
May 29, 2011You don't need pyretic ritual to attack with hellkite igniter on turn 3, just an iron myr or a sphere on turn two, then geosurge on turn three. You CAN use it INSTEAD of the iron myr or the sphere though, and actually it might better to have 4 Ritual and 4 Sphere, and ditch the iron myr all together - maybe a sideboard card? As much as they help with metalcraft and Igniter, the myr are too easily removed by contagion clasp, bolt, etc... HOWEVER, the lack of a permanent mana source is a little bit of a letdown for the dragons. That's what everflowing chalice is for though. The only other option is get land out more than once per turn, but I don't think that's doable in mono red.Posted in: Rowan Blog
The reason I opted for dragons over battleshperes is primarily for the flying, and also the ability to pump them. Steel Hellkite is just a beast, I love him immensely for his ability to board wipe and the fact that he gets around colored protection (swords).
Battleshperes are great especially if you are running any myr already. Probably a worthy addition to the arsenal. Not sure if I would rather have a battlesphere or an igniter though. Haste has allowed me to do damage when I would otherwise not have been able to.
Chimeric mass is definitely something to consider. I don't like the fact that it takes 1 to turn it into a creature though. It does have pseudo haste though, which I like, and you can pour as little or as much mana as you want into it. However, it works A LOT better in a proliferate deck. It's immunity to sorceries is very noteworthy though... ultimately I think I'd have to playtest it to determine if I really want to use it.
I don't have any koth or titans, so I'm not using them yet, but they are good for this deck without a doubt.
Red Sun's Zenith or Fireball is very necessary for this deck to work well. If your creatures get countered or locked down again and again, you still have the ability to do direct damage with all that mana you've ramped up to. NOT too mention that "shuffle back into your library" thing. Crystal ball helps to dig them out. It shouldn't be uncommon to do two RSZ in a row, later in the game when you have more than one ball out. Not to mention the exile thing is useful for MANY creatures.
I'm curious why you chose bolts instead of galvanic blast, or actually why you're using them at all. I swapped my blasts for RSZ because of the scalability. Whipflare should deal with rush type decks quite nicely.
I wish we could do simulations with these decks... like battle it out to see which build works the best consistently. -
May 29, 2011Hey do you mind posting your deck list, I'd be curious to see how it differs. Originally, I did use Iron Myr, but I switched them for Sphere of the Suns. Creature ramp wasn't working out for me because they always got pinged.Posted in: Rowan Blog
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May 29, 2011Rowan posted a message on As Many First Blogs Go, This Won't.*applause*Posted in: Lantern Blog
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May 29, 2011Rowan posted a message on [DECK] Mono-Blue Air ControlI might sideboard the bounce cards in favor for Guard Gomazoa Another great flying creature that can be buffed by gravitational shift.Posted in: darkspellcards Blog
I know it doesn't have flying, but Æther Adept might be useful in place of your 1 for 1 bounce. Combo with Æther Tradewinds.
Wind Zendikon Is also a good card to play on that first turn. It's in keeping with your air theme, and might help swing the game in your favor earlier. A 4/2 flyer for U aint bad (after you get gravitational shift onto the battlefield).
I might trade the Gitaxian probe for Preordain. I don't think you want to be paying life with this deck, although knowing what's in your opponents hand can be useful... I haven't played with it, so I can't speak from experience.
Dissipation Field might help you against aggro.
Redirect? Useful against burn decks.
Have you considered Sphinx of Magosi? Amazing card draw, gets ridiculous with training grounds, but I can see you aren't going the activated ability route.
How about something like Volition Reins or Mind Control?
Twisted Image might be an interesting card alongside your Gravitational Shift, protecting your own creatures and possibly killing your opponent's? Also, kills anything with 0 attack like ornithopter, wall of omens, spellskite, etc... possible sideboard?
That's about all I got for ya. I hope at least some of that is useful.
Oh, and btw, here are a few cards I made that I thought you might like:
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May 29, 2011Rowan posted a message on ANGELFIRE - Boros CasualHey, thanks for the comment. I hadn't seen either of those before now either. Wojek Embermage hoses token decks, but that's about all. Brightflame does a better job I think. Leave no trace is interesting, but obviously only good against enchantress decks, which I HAVE played against. So, I'll side board it when I play against him again. Mwahahaha!Posted in: Rowan Blog
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May 28, 2011Rowan posted a message on TUMBLEBLASTActually I hadn't even though about it. That's pretty epic though, and I will definitely see if I can procure one or two of him. It fits the theme quite nicely. Thanks for the suggestion!!Posted in: Rowan Blog
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May 28, 2011Rowan posted a message on UW Venser ControlHey! This is another deck that I've been mulling over for a while.Posted in: yarpus Blog
Æther Tradewinds might also be good. Gives you a second chance to counter whatever it is you target.
Mine is a lot different than yours and is mono white, but here ya go, Tumbleblast:
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/blog.php?b=5445
It uses Glimmerpoint stag instead of Venser, and focuses a lot more on wiping out their side of the battlefield with sunblast angel, utilizing white's tap capabilities. From the looks of your deck, glimmerpoint might not be a bad addition to back up venser. -
May 28, 2011Rowan posted a message on G/B Rock-ggroWhat about something like Reassembling Skeleton?Posted in: Decks
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May 28, 2011Rowan posted a message on Price of Progress: Mono U InfectFirst off, I'm totally with you on the flavor - my aim is to build decks that sit well with me "aesthetically" while still being pretty competitive. This means no mirran phyrexian mingling! I'm leery about multicolored decks too unless they have an overarching theme flavor-wise.Posted in: yarpus Blog
That said, I've been trying to come up with a mono blue infect for a while now... mine's a little different though and focuses a little more on card draw for psychosis crawler which is a card I like a lot.
My fear though is that it just doesn't fit into a deck that's also trying to do infect. I'm thinking about taking out cards that only do infect in favor of ones that help out psychosis crawler also. I just feel like using proliferate without infect would be a waste.
Cards that I thought might fit in somehow with this are
Mitotic Manipulation - to help with ramp, maybe get a second chalice out earlier or a proliferate engine.
Culling Dais - proliferated card draw
Corrupted Conscience - helpful infect + removal
Oculus - sack to culling dais
Vivisection - awesomely evil flavor - but in practice not as useful as I'd like.
Darkslick Drake - sack to the dais, also decent body for defense and attack
Plague Myr - ramp and possible early infect?
Thrummingbird - great little beast. that is all.
Grafted Exoskeleton - goes onto thrummingbird or other big threats
Mana Leak - very decent counter - when are they going to have 3 extra mana left to counter your counter?
Phyrexian Metamorph - Copy your biggies for only three?
Viral Drake - pretty neat card, probably will include him eventually
Gitaxian Probe - perfect for the deck flavor wise but idk if it's worth a card slot.
Phyrexian Ingester - NOM NOM
I'm curious though how you fared with so few land. Did it work out alright?
My hope is that the two of us can spread the enlightenment that is phyrexia! mwahahaha! - To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Some unexpected all-stars that I don't foresee cutting - like ever:
Decimate - this is pure value. In 1v1 matchups recurring it will downright win games.
Chancellor of the Forge - I'm so glad this has found a home in my deck. Seriously one of the best cards in the list. His ETB value is simply outstanding with my ability to sac and reanimate.
Dread Return - I love milling this into my graveyard with Hermit Druid. The flashback cost is really where it shines.
Birthing Pod - Seriously one of the best tutors for the deck. It's incredibly efficient thanks to the phyrexian mana option. Tutoring all my best creatures into play turn after turn can't be beat. The synergy with reanimation is perfect.
Cards that I'm eyeing with great interest and will be testing:
Noxious Revival - I really see myself maindecking this. It's awesomely versatile. Able to combat my opponents' graveyard shenanigans or give them a terrible topdeck at instant speed while greatly assisting my own gameplan. Being potentially free to cast is just superb.
Vampiric Tutor - of the more expensive black tutors, this is the most affordable.
Dimir Machinations, Shred Memory, Dimir House Guard - Of the transmute options these are the best, able to search for the most things. A lot of great targets for these.
Elvish Harbinger - MOAR tutors. This would tutor for Oracle of Mul Daya 90% of the time.
Exploration - I don't have much reason not to run this other than that I have Oracle and Asuza already whome are tutorable/reanimateable creatures.
Bitter Ordeal - If I resolve this, it will be crippling at least one deck at the table beyond reparation.
Fleshbag Marauder - Pretty beastly if I can get a recursion loop going. It's efficient, global, and tutorable.
Nostalgic Dreams - This is a potential replacement for Ill-Gotten Gains. What do you think? Doesn't help our opponents, and is significantly more efficient.
Unearth, Exhume, Victimize - All of these are attractive reanimation spells, each with a significant drawback. Still worth considering.
Survival of the Fittest, Summoner's Pact, Worldly Tutor, Pattern of Rebirth, Time of Need - these are the best creature tutors available that I'm NOT already running.
Cards that I'm thinking about cutting:
Silverglade Pathfinder - this isn't very reliable when I need it to be. Hermit Druid and Fauna Shaman are just so much better 2 drops.
Helm of Possession - needs more testing but it's rather mana intensive and situational. Could be better options or I could slot in more tutors for things that work better.
Fecundity - the redundancy is nice but Greater Good is what I really want in play. I really dislike this being a global effect.
Crop Rotation - probably coming out for Vampiric Tutor. If I'm about to lose, Gaea's Cradle probably won't help me much. I just really like the ability to get certain key lands directly into play without losing mana or card advantage.
As always feedback and ideas are more than welcome.
I've been taking on more and more of an equipment/voltron theme for my multiplayer deck. Just trying to find a balance. I can knock people out with Hero of Bladehold (and friends) + Breath of Fury once in a while, and I'm running Idyllic Tutor to make that happen more reliably.
On the equipment themr, I'm really liking Quest for the Holy Relic and find it to be a great turn 1 drop. Often Aurelia puts the fifth counter on it and I grab Argentum Armor and swing. Its a very fun play to pull off and budget friendly to boot. I'd suggest cutting Batterskull for Argentum Armor. Batterskull does a lot less for nearly the same cmc and equip cost.
Godsend is another great equipment, and while I wouldn't run it over Sword of Feast and Famine or Umezawa's Jitte it's worth considering since it makes Aurelia's vigilance that much more relevant. It also means you can get the damage through a little more reliably since the defender WILL be losing creatures to her.
Veteran's Armaments is incredible in my deck and is standing in for Jitte because I can't afford one. It's less good in yours without the token subtheme but worth mentioning as a budget option.
Here's my current list. I'm really happy with it.
DAMAGE MULTIPLIERS
1 Aggravated Assault
1 Breath of Fury
Equipment
1 Argentum Armor
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Godsend
1 Umezawa's Jitte
RAMP
1 Mana Crypt ($$$)
1 Sol Ring
1 Wayfarer's Bauble
1 Boros Signet
1 Knight of the White Orchid
1 Coldsteel Heart
1 Worn Powerstone
1 Coalition Relic
1 Kor Cartographer
LANDS
Basics
6 Mountain
5 Plains
Duals
1 Mana Confluence ($)
1 Command Tower
1 Cavern of Souls ($)
1 Reflecting Pool
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Plateau ($$$)
1 Battlefield Forge
1 Rugged Prairie
Fetches ($$$)
1 Arid Mesa
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Marsh Flats
1 Windswept Heath
1 Strip Mine
1 Dust Bowl
1 Wasteland ($$)
Other Nonbasics
1 Buried Ruin
1 Flagstones of Trokair
1 Ancient Tomb ($)
1 Darksteel Citadel
1 Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion
1 Homeward Path
CREATURES
Token Makers
1 Goblin Rabblemaster
1 Hero of Bladehold
1 Emeria Angel
1 Brimaz, King of Oreskos ($)
1 Krenko, Mob Boss
1 Rakka Mar
Face Smashers
1 Hellrider
1 Sublime Archangel
1 Eidolon of Countless Battles
1 Purphoros, God of the Forge
TUTORS
1 Enlightened Tutor ($)
1 Gamble ($)
1 Quest for the Holy Relic
1 Land Tax ($)
1 Weathered Wayfarer
1 Stoneforge Mystic ($$)
1 Steelshaper's Gift
1 Goblin Matron
1 Imperial Recruiter ($$$$)
1 Ranger of Eos ($)
1 Idyllic Tutor
1 Stonehewer Giant
1 Angelic Renewal
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Resurrection
1 Sun Titan
REMOVAL/CONTROL
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Path to Exile
1 Grand Abolisher
1 Wear // Tear
1 Oblation
1 Chaos Warp
1 Retribution of the Meek
1 Austere Command
1 Aurelia's Fury
MANA DENIAL (AKA NUCLEAR WEAPONS)
1 Winter Orb
1 Armageddon
1 Cataclysm ($)
1 Global Ruin
1 Razia's Purification
EVASION
1 Odric, Master Tactician
1 Iroas, God of Victory
CARD ADVANTAGE
1 Skullclamp
1 Faithless Looting
1 Mentor of the Meek
1 Puresteel Paladin
Phone, looking at the list I can certainly cut a few things for tutors. I want to find space for Idyllic Tutor, Steelshaper's Gift, Entomb, Buried Alive and possibly some of the black transmute cards, while simultaneously bringing down the curve. Doing this would make the list a bit more consistent and competitive. The Worldgorger combo is the easiest way to get a win in a larger multiplayer environment and finding ways to make that happen reliably is a good thing.
I'm planning on acquiring this deck soon so I will be revamping the OP and the list itself in time.
I will probably throw in Exsanguinate or something similar as a backup to Skithiryx.
I could tell you what I would cut and add, but then it would end up looking just like mine. Best of luck!
This is mono black stax/voltron on a $300 budget. Edits in progress.
RAMP
1x Charcoal Diamond
1x Worn Powerstone
1x Wayfarer's Bauble
1x Lotus Petal
1x Basalt Monolith
1x Extraplanar Lens
1x Bubbling Muck
1x Dark Ritual
1x Mana Vault
1x Sol Ring
1x Cabal Ritual
1x Coldsteel Heart
1x Jet Medallion
1x Caged Sun
1x Gauntlet of Power
DRAW/CARD CONTROL
1x Sensei's Divining Top
1x Skeletal Scrying
1x Necropotence
1x Night's Whisper
1x Syphon Mind
1x Sign in Blood
1x Waste Not
1x Phyrexian Arena
1x Necrologia
TUTORS
1x Expedition Map
1x Insidious Dreams
1x Shred Memory
1x Dimir Machinations
1x Demonic Tutor
1x Beseech the Queen
1x Brainspoil
1x Diabolic tutor
1x Dimir House Guard
1x Netherborn Phalanx
1x Smother
1x Hero's Downfall
1x Snuff Out
1x Ashes to Ashes
1x Black Sun's Zenith
1x Dismember
1x Decree of Pain
1x Toxic Deluge
1x Mutilate
1x Forced March
1x All is Dust
STAX/CONTROL
1x Deathcloud
1x Torpor Orb
1x Winter Orb
1x Contamination
1x Desolation
1x Static Orb
1x Tangle Wire
1x Smokestack
1x No Mercy
TECH/DISCARD
1x Exsanguinate
1x Duress
1x Mind Twist
1x Temporal Extortion
1x Null Profusion
1x Sinkhole
1x Sudden Spoiling
1x Imp's Mischief
1x Hatred
1x Lashwrithe
1x Cabal Coffers
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1x Bojuka Bog
1x Buried Ruin
1x Cathedral of War
1x Glacial Chasm
1x Gemstone Caverns
1x High Market
1x Homeward Path
1x Shizo Death's Storehouse
1x Strip Mine
1x Thespian Stage
1x Barren Moor
1x Polluted Mire
BASIC
24x Swamp
It's inefficient next to Diabolic Intent. For five mana we can be casting better things.
RichardKatten, if you take a look at my list I've actually only got 2 major win conditions. Purphoros, God of the Forge, and Craterhoof Behemoth. Granted, there are other ways to win (especially if Food Chain is involved) but those are the ones I tutor up 90% of the time. It works. I'd venture to say that anything other than these two win cons is unnecessary redundancy BECAUSE we've got such great tutors in these colors. I'd consider cutting out your subpar redundancy for more tutors, removal, card draw, or ramp.
Since we aren't playing U I feel that tutors are main way to stay competitive. U just doesn't have the kind of tutor power that G and B do. The best we can ask for is Mystical Tutor or Intuition.
For ramp I focus on getting either Oracle of Mul Daya, Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger, or Gaea's Cradle into play early with Hermit Druid as a land fetch self mill engine. Vorinclex wins games pretty fast if unanswered. I can get him out as early as turn 1 if I'm lucky. Dick move though.
Because of the sheer number of quality tutors and recursion available in these colors, I've only choosen the best of the best options to maindeck.
Food Chain is in here as a primary win condition alongside Purphoros, God of the Forge or Chancellor of the Forge and I tutor for those things first most of the time because they make for easy wins.
To address the issue of a haste enabler, I've slotted in Anger who works quite well with Buried Alive and Entomb but can also be fairly easily NOM NOMED.
Primary draw engines are Greater Good and Skullclamp because they are the best. Plenty of tutors available to grab them. Fecundity and Disciple of Bolas can be used as well but I'm wondering if there's something better. I'll probably just swap one of these out for another tutor.
There are so many broken interactions in here, you'll be hard pressed to find them all. For example, Lotus Cobra, Crucible of Worlds, and fetchlands... add in Oracle of Mul Daya and it's disgusting.
I'd like to note that Azusa, Lost but Seeking (wouldn't fault you for using Exploration instead to save $$) and Oracle work AMAZING with self mill/discard and Crucible of Worlds. It's a lot of fun. Just watch out for that grave hate. Crucible is just the best answer to land destruction as well. I like feeling like my butt's covered.
Here's the list:
RAAAAMMP
1 Mana Crypt
1 Sol Ring
1 Llanowar Elves
1 Birds of Paradise
1 Fyndhorn Elves
1 Elvish Mystic
1 Deathrite Shaman
1 Elves of Deep Shadow
1 Lotus Cobra
1 Priest of Titania
1 Silverglade Pathfinder
1 Azusa, Lost but Seeking
1 Wood Elves
1 Somberwald Sage
1 Ashnod's Altar
1 Food Chain
1 Oracle of Mul Daya
1 Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger
LANDS (35)
Any Color
1 Command Tower
1 Mana Confluence
1 City of Brass
1 Cavern of Souls
1 Reflecting Pool
1 Forbidden Orchard
Duals
1 Dragonskull Summit
1 Fire-Lit Thicket
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Graven Cairns
1 Blood Crypt
1 Rootbound Crag
1 Stomping Ground
1 Woodland Cemetery
1 Twilight Mire
1 Grove of the Burnwillows
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Verdant Catacombs
Utility Lands
1 Gaea's Cradle
1 Ancient Tomb
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Kessig Wolf Run
1 Phyrexian Tower
1 Strip Mine
1 Dryad Arbor
Cycling Lands
1 Barren Moor
1 Tranquil Thicket
1 Forgotten Cave
Basic Lands
2 Forest
2 Swamp
2 Mountain
DRAW/CARD QUALITY
1 Skullclamp
1 Faithless Looting
1 Disciple of Bolas
1 Greater Good
1 Fecundity
REMOVAL/CONTROL
1 Chaos Warp
1 Beast Within
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Krosan Grip
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Pernicious Deed
1 Helm of Possession
1 Decimate
1 Grave Pact
1 Decree of Pain
TUTORS
1 Entomb
1 Crop Rotation
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Fauna Shaman
1 Hermit Druid
1 Buried Alive
1 Diabolic Intent
1 Fierce Empath
1 Diabolic Tutor
1 Defense of the Heart
1 Birthing Pod
1 Natural Order
1 Tooth and Nail
1 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Chord of Calling
1 Reanimate
1 Life // Death
1 Regrowth
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Eternal Witness
1 Ill-Gotten Gains
1 Dread Return
1 Living Death
1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
HASTE ENABLERS
1 Anger
1 Urabrask the Hidden
TOKEN MAKERS
1 Avenger of Zendikar
1 Chancellor of the Forge
GAME ENDERS
1 Purphoros, God of the Forge
1 Craterhoof Behemoth
I've considered using Mana Echoes or Black Market to generate insane amounts of mana and then killing everyone with Exsanguinate and that's quite viable but I think it takes away from my current strategy a bit too much.
Because my paper deck is lacking a lot of the high dollar power cards, it runs a bit slower. In addition to what I'm running in the Primer, I also have Blasphemous Act, Devastation Tide, and Boomerang slotted in right now.
Chaos Warp is a good answer (less so with the rule change), but I've wondered if another counterspell might be give us more versatility still.
Dig Through Time is worth consideration but maybe a little too risky for my liking. Temporal Trespass is also kind of in the same boat. But if any deck can use these cards effectively it'd be mine, so they're worth a try.
I can see how you may very well be right on all points about Counterbalance. I haven't played with it enough to know for sure. I still need a paper copy. Scroll Rack just seems too beastly with it to ignore haha.
I like Dig through Time and I will likely be finding a spot for it.