for shading the prodigy v2 is the best - similar to the dragonfly x2 / the edge x is more hart and better for colorpacking and lining ,but some prefer a more hart machine for shading too. So its not easy to choose. Its more preference and the own style. When you like to shade and color with the thunder i would go with edgex - when you more on the give site and love to work with the spirit its the prodigy v2. When you knowing the dragonfly x2 so you knowing how the prodigy is working