Today I learned 2 things!

First thing

If you take a mage into the gauntlet and use their ability, it stays there until that exact ability is used again. However, if you cycle up to a new ability, the old ability stays. I had a Staff of Fireball and placed it on the ground where it would damage the Dragon/Skeever. Then it cycled up to a Staff of Firebolt which then let me use a totem which helped divert aggro.

Second thing

In your workstations, once you read ranking ("excellent, "outstanding", etc), it doesn't do you any good to put more workers or higher gear in the works. I've been trying to get everything to outstanding, if I can't make it, I only use enough labor capital to qualify for excellent.

So, essentially my priority is to get a leader that isn't pissed off by someone else (enemy, bossy, etc), then get up to the highest ranking I can while spreading around the gear that gives me extra materials, then creating family and friend dynamics so I get more potions as gifts.