This is a suggestion from one of my KD-mates:
The science system should have a chance to generate an "epic scientist" in addition to regular scientists (e.g., a "Dean" or "Laureate").
Epic scientists would appear fully ranked-up and would have a cap higher than a professor (e.g., 2x professor bonus to the category). These epic scientists would be the equivalent of scientific breakthroughs in a field of study. To keep with this theme, epic scientists would become regular professors once leaving the field of study in which they spawned (i.e., a breakthrough in crime won't necessarily translate to a breakthrough in housing).
How this might work
Epic scientists wouldn't be a rank that could be achieved through normal learning. They would spawn randomly, similar to how the original scientists spawned. This would simulate a randomness to the "Eureka" moment.
However, unlike the original science system, you would need to invest in Laboratories to have a chance to spawn an epic scientist. Currently there's a base science generation rate. Building laboratories increases the base scientist generation rate by X%. With this proposed change, laboratories would also have Y% rate to generate an epic scientist. For example, the first 1% of laboratories gives a 3.96% increased spawn rate for regular scientists. Under this proposed change, it would also give 0.396% CHANCE to spawn an epic scientist. There would be no guarantee on spawning one and there would be no accrual of generation, like there is for regular scientists. (Note: this would not change the current system for regular scientists.)
Potential impact of change
- Increases the value of laboratories and introduces a strategy of running laboratories more frequently to provide even a chance of generating these scientists.
- Adds value to universities once epic scientists spawn, since you may want to provide greater protection for them due to their rarity.
- Indirectly enhances the (unfavored) sage personality by enhancing their inherent protection of scientists from abduct attacks.
- Provides a little dynamism to scientist generation, rather than just watching a static increase in generation %.