Either the lab station or more likely the workbench is bugged for item breakdowns. The lab station's chemical return value for items depends on the character using it. If you have NPCs with higher Treat Injury values, they can get more chemicals back for item breakdown.

 

The workbench, on the other hand, is rigged so that it only gives back components based on the main character's Repair skill level, no matter what character is using the bench. As item creation is also dependent on the character using the workbench or lab station, I'm inclined to believe the workbench breakdown behavior is a bug. This is a major disappointment for the upgrade creation aspect of the game for me, as you simply cannot get a good component return on items without having a main character with Repair as a class skill, which is the case for me. Love the game in general, but this game needed a good amount more testing before heading to the presses...

Either the lab station or more likely the workbench is bugged for item breakdowns.  The lab station's chemical return value for items depends on the character using it.  If you have NPCs with higher Treat Injury values, they can get more chemicals back for item breakdown.

 

The workbench, on the other hand, is rigged so that it only gives back components based on the main character's Repair skill level, no matter what character is using the bench.  As item creation is also dependent on the character using the workbench or lab station, I'm inclined to believe the workbench breakdown behavior is a bug.  This is a major disappointment for the upgrade creation aspect of the game for me, as you simply cannot get a good component return on items without having a main character with Repair as a class skill, which is the case for me.  Love the game in general, but this game needed a good amount more testing before heading to the presses...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Atleast you can use the workbench i have not been able to use 1 all GAME!?.

I was thinking about this. The bug could go either way. They went through pains to have the skills your character chooses be more important. Not being able to get many components, chemicals would impact your character's ability to utilize the system... making skill choice have a bigger impact on the game. Since the game is so easy, its probably a good idea too. If they were to "fix" this, I'd say they should make the medical lab the same way, chem breakdown depends on main character's skill only...

While I see the logic, I don't agree. Item creation is a significant new aspect of the game compared to the first KotOR, and doing as you suggest would essentially remove that aspect from the game unless the character has Repair and/or Treat Injury. Since item creation is dependent on the character using the workbench or lab station, item breakdown should be as well (unless creation is also supposed to be only determined by the main character, which I'm not sure would make anyone happier...) The point of having companions is to utilize their skills. If you have a tech specialist on your team, it makes no sense to me that you cannot use his skills when doing something tech-related.

Interesting. Got myself off Telos, and the first workbench I reached once I stepped off the Ebon Hawk (the one in Nar Shadaa) behaved differently. I was able to get vastly different rates between my main and Bao Dur when I checked. I wonder if the bug is tied to the workstation in use rather than the game mechanics as a whole?

Ah, man, now the workbench has gone back to breaking down by my main's skill. What gives? With this, broken Force powers, dialog trees that inexplicably skip through conversations, glitchy cut scenes, dangling missions.... I'm starting to get rather ticked.

Yeah I came across this problem as well. I wasn't aware that the PC has to have a high repair skill inorder to get a decent amount of components from breaking down items. I created a guardian with 10 INT and 0 repair, it sucks. I have to equip an exchange utility belt that gives me +3 repair skills just to get any component value greater than 1 from breaking down items. I guess I gotta waste a feat level up on getting "repair cross class ability". BOOOOOOO :angry:

Look on the bright side - it might just make the game more difficult :/

It's kinda a choice now.

It actually seems to work off of the first PC in the party currently.

Usually the main character, but certain circumstances will cause this to change. Use these sepcial occorances to cash out$$$$, so you have the components later.l