When and why should i build a lab?

[Trash Panda]

I have put 400+ hours into thsi game mainly on commander ironman and some legend runs. I have never-EVER built a lab - ever. The first xcom game i always had like 1-2? But this one they just don't seem worth it? A workshop pretty much is just a BETTER option?

[rzL]

increased research speed and more breakthroughs? yes please
usually the third bulding after gts and resistance ring for me

[Abrakadabra]

Never used one.

I used a workshop 2 times but never laboratory. Honestly though....you need neither of those buildings. Its not worth it to delay gts or resistance ring or resistance coms or training center or infirmary or psi lab or even defense matrix. Id much rather build a defense matrix (even if i could get workshop + laboratory for the price or one building. Id still take the matrix. And that is the only building where I would at least hesitate one moment to consider if I would swap e.g. that building for a lab or workshop.

But after like half a second of earnest contemplation Id then immediately choose a matrix over either one or even both of those buildings.

They are obsolete.

[bureau44]

Laboratory is worth discussing in L/i context only.
In all other difficulties it is useless due to very fast research rate, you are mainly held back with lack of funds to buy all upgrades the eggheads have to offer.

Now I am trying a L/i run with lab as a first building. Let's see how it turns out.

[Garatgh Deloi]

Originally posted by bureau44:

Laboratory is worth discussing in L/i context only.
In all other difficulties it is useless due to very fast research rate, you are mainly held back with lack of funds to buy all upgrades the eggheads have to offer.

Now I am trying a L/i run with lab as first building. Let's see how it turns out.

That may have been true before breakthroughs were a thing, but now the extra breaktrough % is rather good on any difficulty.

[Major Moolah]

Laboratory is not bad per se, but the payoffs are so random it is hard to know what to make of it. If you get permanent value breakthroughs one after another, upping all your weapon damage and mod capacities without slowing anything down, then you have made a good purchase. Things may not pan out like that, though. I would call it a luxury item. With everything else you know exactly what yo get and when, but with a Lab all is uncertain by design. I try to squeeze it into my second base level, if I am confident that Matrix is windind up as a pointless luxury item instead

[Myshkin]

My current BO in WOTC is as follows:

1. GTS
2. RR
3. Power
4. Lab
5. Contacts
6. TC
7. Inf
8. PG
...

Lab loses it's relevance, if built late.

What I seldom use anymore is the workshop.

[Major Moolah]

Originally posted by Myshkin:

Lab loses it's relevance, if built late.

What I seldom use anymore is the workshop.

Workshop is currently the most pointless facility. You are spending 6 power, a build slot, monthly upkeep and building costs for two extra engineers!

[Abrakadabra]

Lab is useless cause you need resources for certain reseraches. Whenever I was actually rdy to research mag and gauss I got the resources via supply raids and/or excavation and black market not that long ago. Meaning, if I reserach everything ultra fast what good is that to me if I dont have the resources yet.

I think not once in all my runs did I ever notice that researach lags way behind the resources available. Meaning, I got enough to do mag and gauss but research is still a long way off. Since that never was a problem and definitely also no problem on l/i (research still more than fast enogh) building a lab just seems like a complete waste of resources, not only that, but delaying way more important facilities.

Id never build a lap. Its just not necessary.

[Abrakadabra]

Oh and the early to midgame, when the lab would actualyl at least be a tiny bit useful, youd never want to use an engineer to build that useless building when the engineer could be building training center or infirmary or gts or just clear another room. Those tasks are just way more important than spending that kinf of resources on a lab. An engineer and prolly like 10 - 14 days?

Never worth it. The lab would have to give major buffs, like much more benefit to make it worth it. As it is its even less of a benefit than a workshop and workshops arent needed either.

lab is prolly without a doubt the single most obselete building in the game.

[Eggy]

Research breakthroughs. +2 to all sword Attacks, extra mod on rifles, 30% reduced cost of all proving grounds projects, next excavation instant, +1 armour to heavy armour, +1 armour to light armour. Extra mod on shotguns. Increase effectiveness of all mods, increase effectiveness of all PCs, etc etc etc etc.
Even those ones I don't need I plow through just to trigger the next one.
GTS - resistance ring - lab. Every play through. Never bother with a Worksop. Chain breakthrough after breakthrough.

[Sovereigndrake]

Never - just buy research boosts or scientists from black market if you're in a rush

Even if you take your sweet ass time, it's difficult to be out-paced by the aliens.

[Commander Gorda]

Lan isnt worth it, so many other things thats need to be build before like gts, resistance ring, proving ground, the thing that heals your soldiers faster, resistance comms for example.

[easytarget]

Clearly their puspose is completely lost on me, I've never built one. At any point in a campaign I've got a better choice to make.

[bureau44]

Originally posted by Sovereigndrake:

Never - just buy research boosts or scientists from black market if you're in a rush

Even if you take your sweet ass time, it's difficult to be out-paced by the aliens.

How come? On legendary it takes 2 (two) freaking months to research magnetic with 1 scientist you get at the start. If you are lucky to find a scientist in black market, it costs 185 intel, an amount you won't have unless you mine/pick missions for intel. So go figure.
Right now lab gave me an inspiration on magnetic and it is now only one month. Hallelujah!

[Sovereigndrake]

Originally posted by bureau44:

Originally posted by Sovereigndrake:

Never - just buy research boosts or scientists from black market if you're in a rush

Even if you take your sweet ass time, it's difficult to be out-paced by the aliens.

How come? On legendary it takes 2 (two) freaking months to research magnetic with 1 scientist you get at the start. If you are lucky to find a scientist in black market, it costs 185 intel, an amount you won't have unless you mine/pick missions for intel. So go figure.
Right now lab gave me an inspiration on magnetic and it is now only one month. Hallelujah!

I dont start researching plated armour or magnitic weapons until about the time mutons show up. Even with conventional weapons, the aliens will drop like flies. If you wanna rush through the research, sure go ahead a build a lab but you don't NEED it at all even on legend.

It's a waste of valuable space, i prefer to spend the early game going for important things like the Proving ground (for experimental ammo) or the AWC / Training center.