This thread is to discuss lab customization. Since nobody has put time into refinement to date they are considered unrefined, but already set up. There are 463 build points left (the three are essentially worthless in terms of building labs) which could allow everyone to have a size+3 lab with one minor virtue and a size +1 spare lab, or allow some people to have major virtues, etc. Also any free virtues and flaws should be worked out- especially anything structural since these are much more difficult to gain after the lab is built.
If we take size +3, could we also assume they have Superior construction and Superior equipment as a result of our glassblowers, masons and carpenters? Just so we can offset the -3 safety penalty we'd be taking.
Assuming the labs were constructed with the fortress, and given the existence of the glassblower- yes. Most other free virtues can be taken as well- the main use of the glassblower is that Superior equipment has no upkeep modifier.
And I guess spacious to top it off.
If you do not want a size 3 lab you do not have to take it- it was simply a suggestion that is far less complicated that balancing the build points and lab design to get a better lab design.
For the record, I'm going to have each person work for the lab of the parens they control rather than the one they created...
Also note that every 2 levels the size is above the used size results in an "empty" flaw- which reduces aesthetics by one and either decreases health by 1 or increases upkeep by 1. Installing any additional virtue will remove the empty flaw, though if it is a major virtue it will also remove the spacious virtue.
Please note Taurus included 2 seasons of lab set-up time in character creation. Will that get converted into refinement for Taurus' lab?
I'd certainly take a lab with size+3. It would add a season to specialize the lab, but honestly the safety alone would be worth it.
Change it to what you will, your choices there are not set in stone at this point. However keep in mind the rules for refinement- the maximum level of refinement is the lower of the number of years you have worked in that lab and your magic theory ability-3.
That spare lab... We had been talking about a teaching lab to share at one point, hadn't we? It could be smaller, lack a few things, and have a Lesser Feature/Focus of a Throne pretty easily. That keeps Upkeep and all low while giving the maximum +3 for Teaching.
Should we assume these labs and all become available during the later years for parens? For instance, this would mean an Aura of 5 instead of the assumed 3.
Evandrus would have: Minor Feature: Summoning Circle (+1), Spacious (+1 - but free to take), Superior Construction (free), Superior Equipment (free). That would leave him with Size +3 (+2), so no Empty Flaw.
I would assume that anyone has been at the covenant for up to 50 years.
Spacious does count in terms of build points, requiring 10 BP as a minor virtue.
What specialization do you want for the summoning circle? (also it would cost the same point wise to take a major feature of summoning circle if you would be interested)
OK. He'll work with this lab from here on out.
Ah, OK, I'll drop that. It's not needed. Upkeep will just be a touch higher due to Empty.
Spells seems the best for him since he's mostly developing healing spells and is otherwise developing mostly spells. Creo would be a good alternative, but Spells seems better. Wouldn't it cost more to have a Major Feature?
We have spare BP, an extra 10 won't be an issue.
I've added a page to the wiki for Taurus' lab http://praesidiumorae.wikidot.com/taurus-ex-bjornaer, but I will need someone to double check it. Basically, I used:
Starting values for characteristics were all 0, except for size, which was +3.
I added Superior Construction (free), Superior Equipment (free), and one minor virtue, Spacious, based on the first post in this thread. I updated the characteristics based on these.
Have I missed anything?
The labs heading under people is for people maintaining the labs, not the labs themselves. The labs themselves are summarized in resources or should be under the magus using them.
Anyone have any thoughts on my teaching lab proposal for the spare lab?
A teaching lab is useful, but needs to have the full +3 teaching bonus and if it's to be used for anything else no penalty to General Quality. I'd suggest a Gallery (for safety and one point of Teaching), and a focus would be less expensive in upkeep than Palatial.
checks Covenants book Ah, General Quality has no effect on Teaching or Scribing texts, so a lab with a Focus would work if we only need it for those
Actually, if it's only for teaching you may as well add "Missing equipment" as a flaw to balance build points and remove some of the activities we're not going to use it for.
A true focused teaching lab would use the Elementary flaw since that saves cuts out a season, then you toss a minor teaching feature in and a lesser focus, to bring it up to +3 teaching -3 gen quality. You can do a similar thing for a scribal lab. Presumably they would be designed for transient use so anyone can use it.
I also note a teaching lab can be used to teach spells, so general quality isn't totally pointless.
We can give the lab to foci, right? If we make it a teaching lab, could we also give it a focus in some task we can set apprentices to on their own? Vis extraction comes to mind.