If you are using a Lab Text, can you still experiment?
Thanks.
I certainly believe you can. I can't recall anything explicitly stating you can't. Since the process of experimentation adds a simple die to your lab total, and the purpose is to stretch beyond your normal capabilities, it should be possible with a lab text, too.
I thought the experimentation is essentially opting to take risks to get better results. So it would be ok to experiment with a lab text that does not specify experimentation; and also to ignore a lab text which was created with experimentation.
For some reason though I think there used to be a ruling about using a lab text which had experimentation used also required experimentation, but I cannot find that in the core book now.
The rules for lab texts explicitly state that using one requires the magus' lab total to exceed the level of effect (granted, a later sentence says a magus with to low a lab total needs to raise it until it is at least equal to level, so a slight discrepancy here).
Also, using a lab text is described as being an exact reproduction, so no variations can be made.
So, as I see it a lab text needs to include Experimentation from the start of the project generating it, or not. And if your lab total is not high enough, you can't just decide to experiment to get the remaining points. Use non- standard lab routines from Covenants for this.
Experimentation boosts the lab total. It is conceivable that in cases where the boost isn't enough the season is completely wasted. If the experimentation is successful there are still other results to deal with.
And using a lab text isn't exact, it's almost exact.
Producing a lab text is like a list of things a magus did to get the effect to behave consistently. It's not hard for me to see that the methods of getting consistent results require adapting the instructions in a lab text to his own idiosyncrasies. If a magus needs further experimentation to get there, it's not a matter of the text providing the instructions. Further if the lab text itself were the product of experimentation, I'm not sure it would be obvious to another magus, unless there is a side or modified effect.