What does a Laboratory actually do?

[Ryvaken Tadrya]

Every scientist I recruit says he decreases research time, wether he's in a laboratory or not. I've searched for answers and found the common wisdom seems to be "don't build labs" which kinda matches my own conclusions, but I haven't found the hard numbers on what the labs, and scientists assigned to the labs, are actually supposed to do.

Can anyone share the actual game effects?

[Eggy]

A scientist staffed in the lab is the same as having 2 scientists and no lab.

With legend difficulty magnetic weapons research with 0 scientists takes over 60 days, over 40 with one scientist and still over 30 with two scientists.

There is a continent bonus thats makes research 20% quicker if you have a lab.

A lab also increases the rate at which research breakthroughs occur.

[SeriousCCIE]

That last part--the breakthroughs-- can make or break portions of the game, depending on just how many and what types of breakthroughs you receive.

It's hard to argue against extra slots and extra damage. You can't just buy those things most of the time, and the lab is sometimes worth it just for those opportunities.

[Ryvaken Tadrya]

So to break it down, a laboratory is roughly an extra scientist, triggers one of the game's passive bonuses (it's a templar order on my current playthrough), and increases the chances of getting the random breakthroughs that aren't exactly rare to begin with.

I'll admit, that last part is more valuable than I was expecting, but I'm still putting it fairly down on the priority lists. There's a lot of "you need this ASAP" training facilities.

Just checking, I assume an upgraded lab with two scientists is worth four without the lab?

[Abrakadabra]

Breakthroughs can be powerful upgrades. +1 dmg for standard weapons, is an awesome early game boost if you catch that specific breakthrough very early. You could argue, that laboraty rush has a good chance to significantly reduce early to midgame challenges.

You would have to look at what you will have to delay in terms of facilities and tech, if you choose the laboratory approach. And the drawbacks are huge. Having an infirmary is a major asset. Same goes for training center, or reistance ring, or gts or proving ground.

Laboratory breakthrough bonus is great, but you have to pay a significant price for that and my experience was, that it simply isnt worth it. If somebody really struggles with a certain difficulty and dies a lot, then even early reseach breakthroughs wont be the deciding factor. He or she wont just own everything because of e.g. + 1 dmg for regular weapons. And somebody that already at least survives in a difficulty, wont necessarily depend on these bonuses.

I never saw laboraty as competitiv when it comes to what else you could build in that time.

Its just not competitive.

And by the time I reach engame, I got the relevant breakthroughs anyway and ususally soem dmg boosts in early and midgame. Even without lab.

So I never saw a reason to delay juicy tech and skills for a lab.

Id much rather build an early defense matrix in case of early to mid game standard ufo ambush. Those can be tough if it happens very early. Matrix saved me two times when some dark event I coudlnt prevent let a ufo hunt and shoot me very early. I would have died without the matrix in two runs not so long ago.

A lab would not have saved me.

had I traded the matrix for lab, I would have been very dead.

One run I struggled, when first trying to beat l/i with aba and abc+. I got training center and the first random skill my young, low ranking grenadier was gifted with....was serial. That skill that early made things infinitely easier in a number of scenarios. That was a powerful skill that early.

A lab would not have been as great a help as that skill alone that early in the game.

I dont see any value in lab.

Never needed it and would even have died several times if I had actually delayed other stuff for lab.

Which makes lab the worst option you can go for early game in my opinion.

[gimmethegepgun]

Originally posted by Ryvaken Tadrya:

Just checking, I assume an upgraded lab with two scientists is worth four without the lab?

Every staffed scientist counts as 2 scientists. So yes.

[SeriousCCIE]

Also remember, some covert ring missions have an optional 'use a scientist' component to help reduce risks of injury or capture, or just because it's required.

You lose the scientist's research time when on the mission, if you choose to send the scientist along with the mission. That can add many days depending on your present staffing and what you're researching--early on, you really miss out on keeping those scientists busy with research--or having someone in the sick bay because you cheaped out against providing the scientist on the mission.

It's less of a problem on the lower difficulty levels, but it's a much more tactical provision decision when on the higher level of difficulties. If you ever do ironman, you'll feel it when someone good is down and out (if not gone). Likewise, every extra point of damage done or protected against is appreciated as provided by breakthroughs.

So really, the question is--are you proverbially one that has gitten gud yet. If not, don't bother with the lab because it's benefits are dubious.

If you are playing the much harder skill levels, try out the lab, despite what others might say, because they may just be acing the easier skill levels and writing based on their superior lower level of difficulty experiences.

Also, there are those that got so good they put people to shame--and they probably don't need the lab too, just because they mind control the AI through a webcam on their computer.

For the rest of us in between those levels of skill, the lab can really help in the game, up through to the later stages since by then you've researched everything and Tygan becomes irritating about how excited he is about yet another inspired data pad he can look at, despite the fact it sort of is like an Advent tablet intended for low level soldiers and restricted to just the Advent Play store for young soldiers that still need psionic supervision or something.

[Ryvaken Tadrya]

Can't help but notice, was asking for crunch, getting lots of opinions without the crunch.