Research Table (Thaumcraft 6)

The Research Table is a tile entity added by Thaumcraft 6. It is used to create theories for use in research. It is created by right-clicking a Table with filled Scribing Tools.

Theorycrafting
The main use of the table is the theorycrafting minigame, used to obtain theories. It consumes Paper, ink from Scribing Tools, and inspiration (represented by lightbulb icons). The amount of inspiration available increases with the player's progress in the research tree.

Mechanics


To start a theory, click the "Create Theory" button on top of the GUI. An ongoing research session may be abandoned at any point by clicking the "Scrap Theory" button. Clicking on the stack when no cards are drawn will draw two. If there are bonus draws available, one will be spent and one additional card will be drawn.

Each research card has an inspiration cost and an effect. Some cards require items listed on the bottom of the card to be picked; if the items are marked with a yellow exclamation mark, they will be consumed. Picking a card will apply its effect and allow for the next draw. The effect of most cards is adding research progress in a specific category, a few other common effects are granting extra inspiration at a cost of some research progress, or gaining bonus draws.

Once the player runs out of inspiration, it is refilled, the research is completed and their research progress is added to their knowledge. Every 100% of stored progress in a category grants 1 theory of that category. Only the category with most progress will get the full bonus, all others will get a 33% penalty to the gained knowledge.

Research aids
Certain objects placed in a 9×9×3 area centered on the table function as research aids, which can be selected for a cost of one unit of inspiration. Each research aid adds a set of extra cards to the pool, marked with runes on the edges. Only one card per drawn set can be added by aids, and once drawn, it will be removed from the available pool for the current research session. Some cards only appear when added by research aids.

The objects and their cards added are:
 * - 3× Study, 2× Notation, Balance
 * - Dark Whispers
 * - 1x Study Glyphs
 * End Portal - Voices from Beyond
 * Nether Portal - Voices from Beyond
 * Lesser Crimson Portal - Voices from Beyond
 * - Concentrate, Reactions, Synthesis
 * - Calibrate, Tinker, Mind over Matter
 * - Measure, Channel Essentia, Experimental Infusion
 * - Spiritual Focus, Awareness, Spellbinding
 * - Sculpting, Scripting, Synergy
 * - Study Enchantment
 * - Aural Influence

Research cards
Some card names and text is dynamic and changes depending on context - text in italics is to be replaced with appropiate categories, aspects, or numbers.