Laboratory Research Analysis

The Research gain on this card is very interesting. Unless you have the maximum Lab Equipment (Fate-locked level 9), the Widow card is always the worse option. Even then, the trusted intermediary option is still only 2 Research less on a regular success and breaks even on the alternative success. The fact that it's an alternative success and not a rare success makes it all the more better.

You're on average going to get around 1 less Research than the Widow option AND the stat checks are far more lenient. Even if you have lower stats and can't 100% the Persuasive check, it's still very much the better option due to the 50 level difference. Of course, if you have any of the Ambition reward options available, that one is always the best (30 Research at Level 9 compared to 28, 26 Research at Level 7 compared to 22, no stat check).

Having the Widow option be consistently bad is just strange to me. It isn't profitable, it's much more difficult, it has a Connected requirement and if you fail you don't even clear the card from your hand AND gain suspicion, which is consistently one of the hardest menaces to lower. Really should get a serious buff if it's that hard to get a success and involves expensive (and likely potent) illicit materials.