What if you could guarantee certain mats via different combinations of characters at certain levels? The characters become a key of sorts to guarantee or increase the odds of producing X. You could even generate a unique and specific Alchemy Lab set of characters and have a few of them TC20 eligible, too. The Alchemy characters link with each other and/or others to open up a possibility or increased odds at receiving X. You could even run it like a challenge event. Beat three bosses with these 5 characters and you unlock the alchemistic ability to create_______. People would grind and/or spend to create this kind of key. SG still gets the net positive effect of people playing and players get a carrot that allows them a legit and inexpensive shot at the carrot they want.
I wouldnât be opposed to alchemy lab operating with special events that allow making a certain number of non-farmable 3* or 4* materials once a month (almost like a monthly event period). You get to choose from a list of rare materials only during that period. Keeping to the theme of the game, think of it like being able to do create a special ascension material during the full moon! 
I would probably faint if I had to do said maths of my own spending. And we are a low income family. Itâs true when they say itâs exactly like gambling!
Do you know when you will post at least level 1 transmutation materials and results. Do the put the probabilities of getting AM like when summoning heroes?
I suppose that if it cost gems, they have to show the numbersâŠ
They didnât show probabilities in the first version, much like Training Camps donât, I suppose.
As itâs very clear Alchemy Lab is undergoing a major overhaul, Iâm not planning to post the outdated information from the first version.
Iâll post full information on whatever is released as a second version when it returns to Beta. 
Training camp doesnât cost gems.
I think that when it cost gems they show the probabilities. Maybe not in beta, but in the release version yes.
I meant in the same way that rushing a Training Camp with gems doesnât show outcome probabilities.
Did the developer indicate it will be major?
They didnât use that word, but did indicate that it would be undergoing ânecessary changes,â and that they were removing it from Beta and moving on to testing other new functionality while those were completed.
That was 3 weeks ago.
My interpretation is that their approach of removing it from Beta, moving on to testing other items, and the duration of time since are indications that the changes arenât just minor tweaks like adjusting item costs.
But itâs just my interpretation.
I hope they do smart things with this alchemy lab. Not only to trade 1* items for 2* items. Most players want to trade 2* for 1*. I want to trade thousands of ropes and wooden shields for backpacks and practice swords, for example. Or even 1* for 1*, because all of us have thousands and thousands of training manuals.
Same with 3* mats. I have more boots and chainmail shirts I will ever need. I wish I could exchange those for backpacks.
I have no idea what the next version will look like, but I proposed an idea that would ultimately make it possible to Transmute any item into another item of the same type (i.e. Battle Items to Battle Items, Ascension Materials to Ascension Materials, and Crating Ingredients to Crafting Ingredients), regardless of the rarity.
The idea I proposed was a fairly radical departure from the original design, so they may not do anything even vaguely like it â but Iâm hopeful theyâll solve the underlying desire of turning âjunkâ into items you want.
True StoryâŠ
With all these new blogs and levels coming out, you think it would behoove the devs to allow one of the levels in the upcoming buildings or swap out a level in an existing building, in order to swap out an old 5* hero for a chance of a New 5* hero or something to that effect. Especially if you have dupes of a hero you are not fond of or have no intention of leveling ever. It seems taboo to feed a 5* hero based on the fact they are already difficult to come by. The new costumes are cute, but how about a chance for a better hero like an event hero or hotml that has already passed. I have noticed a lot of âold onesâ losing interest or leaving over the past few months. Some others in chats teetering on the thought of possibly leaving as well. The game dynamics have changed so much. I am in several chats and forums trying to keep faith and positive inspiration for the game we all love and are vested in. I believe so much that something like the idea of this, that I am willing to bet my junior account that something as simple as that, may keep alot of people from leaving, and bring a breath of relief to both old gamers and new. So what do you say Devs? Btw⊠next available spot in beta⊠count me in! Send me the invite. All in! 
Good to hear all about new updates, but on the other hand the game is focused on spending money. No more 4* object in monster chest, non more level up objects. Very very disappointed of the game changes in about the last two months. Now with all this new building the game is very confused.
Letâs see in the near future
Beta Update
Version 22.1 has now entered Beta, and is intended for release before Version 23 that is covered in this thread.
For the Beta Beat on Version 22.1, please see: 
The Beta Beat (v22.1) â August, September & October HOTM, Bug Fixes
Hi @zephyr1. Am trying to plan ahead, and just wondering why you have specified one Level 6 Advanced Food Storage, and one Level 5 Advanced Food Storage for researching the first level of Alchemy Lab?
By my reckoning that is 689 + 689 + 777 + 795 = 2950k food required
But why wouldnât one Level 10 Advanced Food Storage, and one Level 1 Advanced Food Storage not be equally viable - and probably more rapidly attainable?
Again my reckoning for that is 689 + 689 + 873 + 708 = 2959k
Am I missing something?
Thanks
Short answer: build time
But surely, we can get to Advanced Food Storage level 10 NOW - i.e in the current release, and then as soon as the version with SH23 is released we can immediately build a 2nd Advanced Food Store to Level 1 as soon as we have built SH23.
That would be more rapidly obtainable if Alchemy Lab isnât released for a long while, since we can be working on maxing out one Advanced Food Storage now.
But assuming you were starting from scratch as I was when testing the minimum building requirements, these are the durations of each of those two approaches in hours:
Approach 1: Advanced Food Storages to 10 & 1
Getting an Advanced Food Storage to 10: 54 + 69 + 84 + 101 + 119 + 142 + 165 + 188 + 211 = 1,133 hours
Storage Capacity: 1,581k + 1,378k = 2,959k
Approach 2: Advanced Food Storages to 5 & 6
Getting an Advanced Food Storage to 5 = 308 hours
Getting an Advanced Food Storage to 6 = 427 hours
Combined Time = 735 hours
Storage Capacity: 1,572k + 1,378k = 2,950k
So the split leveling approach is 16 days, 14 hours faster.
OK. Now I understand your thinking. Thank-you.
So really, the earliest you can do Level 1 research in Alchemy Lab will depend on how soon it is released.
If we have already managed to get to Advanced Food Store 10, BEFORE it is released, then the 10+1 approach will get us to our goal earlier than a 6+5 approach.
Thanks again @zephyr1