@ Supreme and Kip.
One of the challenges with debating Tchalla's intellectual acumen in comparison to Victor, Reed and Tony is the wide breadth in between the Black Panther's scientific accomplishments. There was of course the precedent set by Lee and Kirby in Black Panther's 1966 Fantastic Four debut and 1968's Tales of Suspense. While subsequent showings in Tchalla's early Avenger appearances showed signs of inventive genius it was during this time that the gulf between scientific inventions began to widen. There were almost no scientific inventions of notice during McGregor's Panther's Rage, Panther vs. the Klan, Panther's Quest and Panther's Prey; nothing in Kirby's Black Panther series or Gillis' four issue limited series.
This chasm of non scientific genius arguably spans from 1971 to 1998. Unfortunately this not only holds true for Tchalla but for Wakanda as well. However during this same time period the pages of the Fantastic Four, Iron Man and where ever Dr Doom appeared are littered with great scientific achievements and advancements. It wasn't until Priest in 1998 that Tchalla became three steps ahead of his friends and enemies and not til Hudlin in 2005 that Wakanda became the unconquered nation.
Another challenge is how Tchalla does in direct competition with Reed, Tony and Victor. In regards to standard equipment, with their armors, both Iron Man and Dr Doom are far better prepared with a much greater range of protection, offensive and defensive capabilities, multiple environs and transportation than the Black Panther. If it weren't for Priest and Hickman (yes I said Hickman) the Black Panther would be little more than Liss' Man Without Fear. Notice I inferred Daredevil and not Batman, the latter to whom has constant upgrades, almost always saves himself and consistently has his own transportation.
Tchalla (and Wakanda) has been taking Ls from Victor since their inaugural meeting in Astonishing Tales. Hudlin himself delivered one of the Black Panther's greatest defeats by Dr Doom, contradicting a previous prep upgrade he gave Tchalla in the light armor. Even McDuffie had to mention that Tchalla borrowed the idea of the cosmic ray harness from Victor. Dr Doom invents a time machine, the Black Panther has two stolen temperamental, temporal crossing frogs. Reed discovered the consistently used and constantly referenced Negative Zone while Tchalla has the single use plot device Nowhere Room.
These and many other examples are what make it difficult for the Black Panther to be seen on par with Richards, Stark and Doom. Priest is the only writer who got it right. He consistently delivered (much to the chagrin of some fanboys) a Black Panther that could be seen on the same level and in some cases exceeding said levels of Reed, Tony and Victor. Priest's secret lied in not just demonstrating the scientific intellectual ability of Tchalla but in accenting the shrewd and strategic manipulation he employed by mastering the psychology of others, due to his paramount motivation of preserving Wakanda at all cost.