the reason i went with aether is that it is established as the "copy" element. fractal, twin universe, mind gate. also, the quanta drain would provide a mechanism to prevent using a fractal and a coalesce in the same turn (unless you get really lucky and copy 8 upped towers/pends). if it were another element, it could use coalesce, plop down all the pillars/pendulums, and then use fractal.