The way classic TS combines work, specifically at low levels, simply being at a skill level above where a combine trivials, does not give you a 95% success rate.
For example, being at 62 Skill on a 62 Combine, you still only have 66% Chance of success.
How it breaks down is this:
IF(SKILL<68, SUCCESS RATE = (SKILL - TRIVIAL_OF_COMBINE + 66)/100
IF(SKILL>68, SUCCESS RATE = (SKILL - 0.75*TRIVIAL_OF_COMBINE + 51.5)/100
So in your example, the trivial of Magician pet at 29 is 82, and at skill of 82, plugging in those values you get a success rate of 72%. To reach 95% (which is the cap), you need to obtain a skill of 105. Which coincidentally requires level 36 to unlock.
Research really blows due to the level based skill-cap. Researching spells as you level up is very RNG dependent. I failed 7 combines in a row at max skill for my level for spells that are the same level. That was with an expected 49% Success chance.
See here -
https://web.archive.org/web/20151024...hould-I-expect