I was reading of Experimental Philosophy in Arts and Academe and some questions come up regarding labs. The Lab total is Intelligence + Academic Ability + Philosophic Bonus, for which Philosophic Bonuses are either Shape and Material Bonuses, Risk Modifiers and Laboratory Bonuses, with Laboratory Bonuses coming from the Virtues and Flaws built into the Lab. Now, with Hermetic Labs, you create the lab and then refine it, limited to your Magic Theory to provide space for the Virtues. Is there a comparable ability for Experimental Philosophy? Since there is no dice roll on the Lab total, is there any reason not to use size modifiers to pay for all the Virtues? Is there any reason to limit the lab to being used for Experimental Philosophy. The grog who is considering making such a lab is the covenant teacher, what if he built the lab and then picked virtues that gave bonuses to teaching?
I can imagine tahtn the size is far less needed. Teaching bonus can be arranged not by the Virtues from Philosophy = Magic Theory, if not from one good construction with Craft: Mason on the time to build or make the arrangment before. If i am not wrong, there are not Teaching bonus in labs.
According to Artes and Academe, philosophical labs will benefit from any non magical virtue because the same resonances apply, so setting up a +3 teaching philosophical lab (or +15 texts philosophical lab) should be no problem whatsoever...
My first post was somewhat disorganized, but let us flesh out what I am asking with an example
Anselm
Characteristics: Int +1, Per -2 Pre +0 Com +4 (1), Str +0, Sta +0, Dex -1 (1), Qik -3 (1)
Size: 0
Age: 59 Height :5’6” Weight: 140 lbs, Gender: Male
Decrepitude: 2 (3)
Warping Score: 0
Confidence: NA
Virtues and Flaws: Custos, Good Teacher, Great Communication, Pious, Viaticarus, Weak Characteristics
Personality Traits: Gentle: +2 Loyal: +1 Truthful:+3
Combat:
Dodge: Init: -3 Attack -, Defense -1, Damage : NA
Fatigue levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20)
Abilities: Artes Liberales: 7 (music) Athletics: 1 (climbing) Awareness: 1 (searching) Brawl: 1 (dodging) Charm: 4 (parents) Etiquette: 4 (magi) Folk Ken: 5 (students) Guile: 1 (lies of obmission) High German: 5 (teaching) Latin: 6 (formal language) Medicine: 4 (lungs) Order of Hermes Lore: 5 (history) Philosophae: 5 (natural philosophyTeaching: 7 (Latin) Theology: 5 (sinfulness of magic)
Equipment: Robe, small knife
The covenant he is with has taken Healthy Feature twice and is using the Expenditure costs for a Summer/Autumn covenant, so he already has a +3 living conditions modifier, but every little bit helps. The covenant also took Legendary Wealth and he is a very valuable grog, so they are not going to care how much this "lab" costs
Suppose he plans for the following features, with what I feel are the important bonuses
Palatial: (Major Virtue) +1 General Quality, +3 Upkeep, +2 Health, +2 Teaching, +1 other specialization (lets say Artes Liberales)
Opulent: (Minor Virtue) +1 Upkeep, +1 Health, +2 Teaching
Superior Heating (Minor Virtue) : +1 Upkeep, +1 Health
Superior Equipment: (Free Virtue) +1 General Quality, (Covenant has glassblower with Craft score of 11, so no additional upkeep)
Greater Feature: Astronomical Device: + 3 Artes Liberales
So, Anselm starts with a Lab size 8. As far as I can tell, there is no additional cost for building a lab that big, other than it having to take the Empty Flaw 4 times. Then, once it is set up, he adds +3 to teaching totals, +2 to his aging roll and +6 for a lab bonus for Astrological events.
Other than the additional upkeep and the seasons adding this to the lab, is there any downside to doing this?
When Anselm passes on, does whoever takes on his teaching duties also able to take advantage of the bonus to teaching?
Does everyone feel comfortable having the exposure XP of putting these virtues into the lab be Philosophae?
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