When shoudl you build the Psy Lab?

[Zehm]

It seems like there's always something better to spend the money, building slots or research on.

Research wise, you need to get Mag Weapons and Plated armour ASAP, mixed in with coms technology and a few choice foundry techs. Only then does Psyonics become a viable distraction.

Building wise, you need the Ring to get covert ops going, Tactics School for the squad size increase, and the Foundry to start making items. After that you need more power. Then you have a bit more freedom of choice, but the psy-lab is still compeating with some other interesting facilities. Infirmary for one, but the coms center and possibly the workshop seem important.

The problem is that by the time I feel I can build the psy lab and train up a psy-trooper, they feel more like a liability when they are replacing a high level soilder. It feels like to get the most from psys, you need to start fielding them early. I'm just not sure how to do that without screwing myself.

[Allivan]

Keep doing what you are doing. The Psy Labs are something you should build if you want the utility. It's something extra and cool to have around really, more for the X-MEN feel. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Harmania]

I usually build it when my campaign is going really well, or if it's just starting to go really bad.

[Kalys]

there used to be a mod which made psy soliders part of the normal soldier pool and they ranked up like normal soldiers, think the psy lab was then used to give them extra skills if you wanted to for cost
not sure if it has been updated to work with WotC though

[drake_hound]

You don´t really need Psi OPs same as Sparks they are usefull, but not really OP compared to some combinations of troops.

I thinki locking those two classes out of the training center was a bad Decision.
Especially while the spark got boosted in stats (except hacking again some oversight problems Fireaxis?)

The other troops getting boosted in Training center, makes the Spark again last of the line.
Especially since it can´t be bonded with anyone.
While the Psi Ops getting it early wouldn´t be that much benefit. without getting dominate early.
Since inspire isn´t that unique anymore with bonded soldiers.
Also there damage are left far behind compared to boosted weapons.

[sirgreybeard]

they added more buildings, but didnt add more slots to be able to use them, Com and power should have another upgrade level (once you get the tech you can tear down a power and replace it with a better one, which should then free up a slot, but, by then, you wont need it)

[Drakilian]

As soon as you begin to regularly encounter andromedons.

[drake_hound]

Originally posted by sirgreybeard:

they added more buildings, but didnt add more slots to be able to use them, Com and power should have another upgrade level (once you get the tech you can tear down a power and replace it with a better one, which should then free up a slot, but, by then, you wont need it)

You need to do covertops and scan missions to get more free Power and Resistance contacts.

Power is easily solved by using one of those shielded rooms. infact one power relay inside shielded rooms with 2 staffed engineers. is enough to power 80% of the base.
They did think about that issue. that is why covertops beside those scan missions are essential to base building. sadly the scan mission is semi RNG. (semi cause you can force those power and resistance contacts to show up. with being always NEED more power, or full contacts)

But the beter options is the covertops.

[Player]

I always build it late after t3 gear

[Akadai]

Foundry is really only important to build the quest related items, as well as a couple choice upgrades, but only after they've been researched, which you wont be doing right away. The more important upgrades are done through Shen. You can put off story related stuff for quite a while. You wont exactly have that many cores to use either. Not to mention rushing certain story related items has been known to spike difficulty

If you want Psi Ops, it is indeed better to get it up sometime early, as it takes a while for a Psi to become truely useful and powerful

Once communications is researched, you get 3 free contacts, and sometimes you can extend that even further through Covert Ops or new Geo rewards. So coms isn't something to really stress about right away, even when you're maxed. I'd sooner spend 100 intel on a new engineer than making contact with another region

I'd do whatever it takes to get to the first power conduit to build power there. Once you have power there, you're usually free to do whatever you want. Don't station engineers in any facilities if they can be used to speed up building or clearing space. Even without an engineer being stationed in facilities, the facility will still function. Just not at it's peak

Sometimes you can also get extra power through Geoscape rewards

Just my 2 cents

[Archmage MC]

Whenever I get an exposed power coil cleared out I plop a psy lab on that and upgrade it. It saves 3 power over putting a power coil there since upgraded psy lab is 10 power and a power relay only gives 7 extra over a power coil.

when it comes to foundry vs psy lab, its if you want sparks or psi units first.

[Drakilian]

I mean, on legendary I feel like you kindof need to station an engineer in the infirmary at least. The heal times are just ridiculous, a gravely wounded soldier can be out for 42 days

[Drakilian]

Originally posted by Archmage MC:

Whenever I get an exposed power coil cleared out I plop a psy lab on that and upgrade it. It saves 3 power over putting a power coil there since upgraded psy lab is 10 power and a power relay only gives 7 extra over a power coil.

You don't ever really need to upgrade your psi lab though, you'll never need more than one or two fully upgraded psionics. Unless you're just spamming them.

[Akadai]

I believe a fully staffed power conduit room should provide more power than an upgraded Psi lab would consume. At any rate, there's usually 2 power conduit rooms. Unless numbers have changed with WotC. I don't remember at the top of my head

[Archmage MC]

Originally posted by Drakilian:

Originally posted by Archmage MC:

Whenever I get an exposed power coil cleared out I plop a psy lab on that and upgrade it. It saves 3 power over putting a power coil there since upgraded psy lab is 10 power and a power relay only gives 7 extra over a power coil.

You don't ever really need to upgrade your psi lab though, you'll never need more than one or two fully upgraded psionics. Unless you're just spamming them.

Long War and playing on legendary taught me that being able to change an alien onto your side is amazing since thats one less thing shooting you, one more target for the aliens to shoot at AND one more thing for you to use to shoot with.

Originally posted by Akadai:

I believe a fully staffed power conduit room should provide more power than an upgraded Psi lab would consume. At any rate, there's usually 2 power conduit rooms. Unless numbers have changed with WotC. I don't remember at the top of my head

Conduits only give 7, upgrading doesn't change that.

Psi Lab and Shadow Chamber use 10 and 9 respectfully, everything else uses less.

[Akadai]

Yes, a Psi lab consumed more power than a relay, on it's own. But as I said, a fully staffed one. You get +5 power per engineer, and can have up to 2 engineers staffed. That's +10 on top of the power provded by the relay