Must've missed the Untethered - looks like a good replacement for the Renegade (1 more CMC, but otherwise better all around; one more toughness, one less crew and counters are permanent and cumulative - I do like Renegade's art better though). Or could just shift things around to put in 3 of each.
Permalink
I did consider Academy Rector for it, but then saw what they're selling for and decided not to. I haven't actually playtested it yet (hopefully this weekend), but I think using the M11 scrying stuff and Rhystic Study to speed up card draw will be fun while keeping some challenge to it.
Thanks for the suggestion; I think I do have one Cabal Coffers laying around so if I pick up a couple more or a few Lakes at some point I'll try 'em out in this deck. This deck also has some nostalgia value to me as I'm pretty sure one of the Specters in it was in the first pack of Magic cards, a 4th ed. starter pack, I bought back in '95 soon after 4th came out (like you, I've played on-and-off since then), and a lot of the cards are from 4th and Fallen Empires, which were still some of the newest sets when I started. I'll take a look at some of your decks when I have a chance!