Most Efficient Researcher

Lore Master, Sage are found from sites and Lore Masters are also from Events.. Look for Library's for Sages. And Citadel's of the Lore Master's for Sages/Loremasters.

Daughter of Avalon is Man (Base).

[PvK]

Originally posted by Zurai:
... every mage character (other than sages) have a base of 3 research, +1 per point in each path. ...

Typically, yes, but not true of all of them. There are many that have zero bonus research (plus one per point in each path), or some research bonus number less than 3. For example, Pyromancers have 1 research, not 4. Others with zero research bonus include Spectral Mages, Amazons, and Witch Doctors.

PvK

[Graeme Dice]

Originally posted by PvK:
For example, Pyromancers have 1 research, not 4. Others with zero research bonus include Spectral Mages, Amazons, and Witch Doctors.

Pyromancers have 1 fire, and therefore 3 research in a magic 0 dominion. Other than Witch Doctors, the other mages you identified all have the standard amount of research. Are you sure you weren't playing with drain?

[PvK]

Laugh! Yes, you're right - I am playing with Drain - I'd just forgotten about it. My mistake.

PvK

[PDF]

It seriously depends on your Magic/Drain scale...
The more the scale is "magic", the more the weak 1-path mages are good researchers... With a Drain scale you need better ones.
The national paths also play a role, with Air, Fire and Death having good research boosters.
AFAIK with limited -1/+1 scales the usual winning couple should be Sages (due to bonus) and Appr Theurg (sacred).With Drain scales Ulm Smiths are obvisouly fine, more so when given Fire lanterns.
Spectral mages are also quite good : no upkeep, access to death (Skull mentor).

[PhilD]

IIRC, the base RP of a Sage is 7, for a cost of 80 Gold.

The Daughter of Avalon has only 5 RP in a neutral dominion, for the same base cost, but since she's Sacred, she only costs half the upkeep.

It takes Drain 3 for two Daughters to have the same research potential as a single Sage, otherwise they are always higher. So, unless you're doing your research in a Drain 3 environment, Daughters of Avalon are always better in the long run (for research) than Sages. Plus, 2 Daughters will eventually get experienced and get a +1RP each, while the Sage will get a single point.

Of course, Daughters are capital-only, but in my book, anything that makes Sages uninteresting for research is a good buy (but that may be biased by the nations I usually play).

The Vaetti Hag of Jotunheim (55 Gold, not capital-only for 4 RP in a neutral environment) is also a good researcher; she will have a slightly better RP-to-cost ratio, since 7/80 is slightly less than 5/55, as soon as you're not in a Drain environment.

(I hope I don't have my numbers wrong...)

It would be nice to have a chart that lists, for each Nation/theme and each possible Magic/Drain scale, the best RP-to-cost mage available. Of course, you'd have to balance this against the upkeep-free undead (mostly, take initial costs into account)...

[Sandman]

A contender for best researcher has to be the Arcoscephale Golden Era philosopher, with 5 research for 50 gold. They've not got any magic, however, so they're useless for anything else.

Note that sages are worth buying even for a maximum drain Ulm. 4 research for 80 gold is considerably better than 5 research for 140 gold.