Guardians

Version

This article has been verified for the current PC version (3.10) of the game.

Spaceborne aliens

Enclaves

Guardians

Marauders

Caravaneers

Guardians are extremely powerful Spaceborne aliens added in various DLCs. They can be found in special predetermined systems and rival moons in size and mass. They are marked with a skull icon both in the fleet power box and on the galactic map, and the exact strength number can only be seen with debug mode on. Each guardian has a unique event chain. While one can just stumble over a guardian during exploration, they can also be found with the help of the Curator Enclave. Guardians have an immense amount of health and should only be engaged mid-late game. Defeating most guardians starts a Leviathan Parade Opportunity situation.

Guardians get various bonuses to make them stronger based on the game difficulty. AI empires only attack a guardian if their fleet power is at least 40k.

If a guardian spawns next to a Fallen Empire, the Fallen Empire typically sends a fleet and defeats the guardian. Most rewards from defeating the guardian, such as relics or the Parade Opportunity are lost if this happens.

Empires with the Reanimators, Permanent Employment or Cordyceptic Drones civic or the Mechromancy ascension perk that kill an organic guardian gain the option to issue a special project that costs 10000 society research to resurrect the guardian as a controllable fleet. Reanimated guardians cannot be merged into other fleets or be commanded by commanders, but they retain their original strength and power while taking up only 32 naval capacity, making them very useful even well into the late-game. Unlike conventional warships which consume energy and alloys, owned guardians must be kept fed and thus have a very high food upkeep.

Asteroid Hives[]

A random system may have an asteroid belt containing 5 unique crystalline asteroids with deposits of 6-8 minerals and 6 unselectable asteroids with one of them producing a chirping-like sound. Entering the system for the first time displays an event window hinting that there is more to the system than meets the eye.

If a starbase is built in the system, the Asteroid Hives awaken with the following MTTH based on the number of constructed mining stations:

Mining Stations	0	1	2	3	4	5
MTTH	100 years	33.3 years	11.1 years	3.7 years	1.2 years	0.4 years

The Asteroid Hives use only strike craft as their weapons. As a result carrier ships are the ideal counters, as the Asteroid Hives have no point-defense themselves and launched strike craft engage and destroy the enemy ones before attacking the guardians. In addition, carrier ships have point defenses themselves.

Defeating all 6 Asteroid Hives grants 500 Energy and 2000 Society research in addition to allowing the system to be safely mined.

Automated Dreadnought[]

A random system with two habitable worlds may be defended by the Automated Dreadnought, an ancient warship of old locked in patrol mode. The Automated Dreadnought uses regular ship components and can be countered appropriately.

Weapons	Utility	Core
1 Perdition Beam 2 Launcher T2 7 Plasma T3 3 Plasma T3 2 Disruptor T3 3 Point-Defense T3	11 Armor T5 11 Shields T5 3 Shield Capacitor 2 Regenerative Hull Tissue	Dark Matter Reactor Jump Drive Dark Matter Thrusters Tachyon Sensors Sapient Combat Computer (Line) Inspiring Presence

Defeating the Automated Dreadnought gives the following two choices:

Salvage the dreadnought for 5000 energy and 1000 alloys and 30x monthly Engineering output (1000 ~ 5000) Engineering research.
Issue a special project to repair and use it that costs 50000 Engineering research. The repaired Dreadnought is the same as listed above except that it loses Leviathan modifiers for Hull and Shields. Its Jump Drive will be upgraded to a Psi Jump Drive if the empire has the technology. The components cannot be upgraded or changed even if better tech is available (jump drive included after fully repairing it).

Defeating the Guardian also starts the Automated Dreadnought Leviathan Parade Situation regardless of the previous mentioned choice.

Enigmatic Fortress[]

A random system with a class A star may house the Enigmatic Fortress, a massive space station guarded by numerous unique defense platforms. The Enigmatic Fortress uses regular components and can be countered appropriately. The installation consists of the following stations:

	1 Ancient Vault	2 Ancient Guardian	2 Ancient Warden	4 Ancient Defender	8 Ancient Sentinel
Weapons	7 Artillery T2	1 Artillery T2 1 Autocannon T3 1 Point Defense T3	1 Artillery T2 1 Autocannon T3	1 Autocannon T3 1 Point Defense T3	1 Autocannon T3
Utility	8 Shield T6 7 Armor T5 1 Enigmatic Decoder 1 Shield Capacitor	8 Shield T6 4 Armor T5 1 Enigmatic Decoder 1 Shield Capacitor	4 Shield T6 3 Armor T5 1 Shield Capacitor	2 Shield T6 2 Armor T5 2 Shield T6 1 Shield Capacitor	1 Armor T5 4 Shield T6 1 Shield Capacitor
Core	Dark Matter Reactor Tachyon Sensors	Dark Matter Reactor Tachyon Sensors	Dark Matter Reactor Tachyon Sensors	Dark Matter Reactor Tachyon Sensors	Dark Matter Reactor Tachyon Sensors

Defeating the Enigmatic Fortress starts a lengthy event chain that must be completed to gain its rewards. Letting the timer expire at any point results in the Fortress repowering, thus requiring it to be defeated again.

No.	Choice	Outcome
1	Demolitions Team (1 army transport)	Expedition proceeds but the army is lost
	Local Power Surge – Go with the higher estimate ( −500 energy) (science ship)	Vault repowers
	Local Power Surge – Go with the lower estimate ( −50 energy) (science ship)	Expedition proceeds
2	Place metal rings around the remaining two poles	Vault repowers
	Search for torus-shaped indentations on the bulkhead	Vault repowers
	Rearrange the metal tori on the poles	Expedition proceeds
	Remove center and rightmost poles from the pedestal	Vault repowers
3	Home System Research – The beginning	Vault repowers
	Home System Research – The middle	Event success
	Home System Research – The end	Vault repowers
	Supply Dark Matter ( −10 Dark Matter) (science ship)	Event success
	Use Force (1 military ship)	Event failed – The vault and all ships in the system are destroyed, every habitable planet is turned into a Tomb world and every uninhabitable one into a Molten world.
	Black Hole Research (special project)	Event success

Successfully investigating the Enigmatic Fortress grants 1000-5000 Research across all fields as well as unlock the Enigmatic Encoder and Enigmatic Decoder technologies.

Infinity Machine[]

Evt technosphere — Infinity Machine orbiting Gargantua

The black hole system named Gargantua houses the Infinity Machine, the only guardian in the game that is not hostile. At first no interaction with the Infinity Machine is possible, but a year or two after being discovered the guardian sends a transmission and starts a special project that requires 360 days and at least a level 3 scientist leader to be finished. Completing the special project allows the following options:

Materialist empires can attempt to hack the Infinity machine. The chance of success is 50% and permanently grants a +5% research output empire modifier as well as either the Positronic AI or the Zero Point Power technology on a success. If both were already researched, it grants 1000-5000 Society research. For Gestalt Consciousness empires, this is the only option. This approach destroys the Infinity Machine.
Spiritualist empires can declare the Infinity Machine a divine object, granting a +5% Happiness empire modifier.
Militarist empires can destroy the Infinity Machine with an army without fighting it to gain the same bonuses as when defeating it.
All empires can communicate with the Infinity Machine after the special project is completed. Militarist and Fanatic Egalitarian empires can tell it the liar's paradox but the guardian merely finds paradoxes boring. The empire can offer to help it and start a special project that requires 1800 days and a science vessel to be finished. Finishing the project has one of the following outcomes.
- 50%: The project fails but the Infinity Machine rewards the empire with the Positronic AI technology. If already researched, it grants the Zero Point Power technology. If both were researched, it grants the empire a +5% research output empire modifier.
- 25%: the project succeeds and the Infinity Machine enters the black hole. It grants the Positronic AI technology. If already researched, it grants the Zero Point Power technology. If both were researched, it grants 150 Influence. In addition, the black hole gains a 4 Research deposit.
- 25%: the project succeeds and the Infinity Machine enters the black hole and shrinks it to a smaller size renamed Pantagruel, which gains a 10 Research deposit. The empire gains 200 Influence and permanently gains the Mirror of Knowledge modifier ( +10% Research Speed). In addition, a Curator Enclave can be contacted and given some info for 500 Engineering Research.

Alternatively, the Infinity Machine can be attacked, forcing it to open and become aggressive. The guardian comes equipped with lasers, strike craft, heavy shields and regeneration components and has good evasion. As a result, shielded fleets using kinetic weapons are the ideal counter. Destroying the Infinity Machine allows it to be broken down for 700-4000 Minerals and 250-500 Influence. Alternatively, empires that are not Gestalt Consciousness can study its nature to permanently unlock the next tier of Mechanical Pop research. Destroying the Infinity Machine removes any empire modifier.

Total stats	Armaments	Utilities	Core components
50,000 Hull Points 20,000 Armor 125,000 Shields0 Base 0 Utilities 21,800 Leviathan Modifiers 104,000 140 Speed 50% Evasion / 1750 avg dmg / day	1x Infinite Gun0 500-1000 Damage 150% damage against Shields 11.50 day cooldown 85% Accuracy 0% Tracking 120 Range / 55.43 4x Advanced Strike Craft 3x Large Gamma Laser 7x Medium Gamma Laser 5x Small Gamma Laser 6x Defense of Infinite Points0 15-20 Damage 0.60 day cooldown 80% Accuracy 50% Tracking 10 Range / 20.33	2x Regenerative Hull Tissue 20x Hyper Shields 2x Shield Capacitors	Jump Drive Impulse Thrusters Tachyon Sensors Sapient Combat Computer (Line)

Horizon Signal[]

If the Horizon Signal event chain has been started, entering the Gargantua system (whether it is the first time or not) causes the Infinity Machine to initiate contact and ask for 800 Energy and Minerals. Refusing either of the two options results in the guardian asking again next time a ship enters the system. Accepting results in the Infinity Machine disappearing like the Horizon Signal science ship and adding a 10 society research deposit to Gargantua.

Spectral Wraith[]

The Spectral Wraith is a guardian that can only appear during the mid-game. A random pulsar may reveal the unique Pulse Germination modifier when surveyed. The first empire that surveys the pulsar is shown an event window pointing to the date when the mid-game starts and hinting that is the system where the Spectral Wraith spawns.

Unlike other guardians, the Spectral Wraith is completely mobile and can travel anywhere in the galaxy. It spawns in one of three colors: red, yellow or blue. In systems whose star has the same color (M for red wraiths, G for yellow wraiths, and A or B for blue wraiths) the Spectral Wraith gains −50% Armor and Evasion. Other star types do NOT trigger this debuff, even if the color mentioned in the star's description matches (e.g. Red Giants have no effect); and it also does not trigger in binary or trinary systems. Aside from the debuff, the color variation is purely cosmetic.

Combat:

The hull has 20k HP, 10k Armor and a serious 75% Evasion. With the aforementioned debuff reducing it to 5k Armor, 25% Evasion. Accordingly, small Energy Weapons offer the necessary amount of Tracking and bonus vs. armor, but with the high hull/armor ratio most fleets perform fine.
Its Weapons deal 100% to hull, 200% to Armor, 50% to Shields, at 80% Accuracy, 75% Tracking.
Destroyers or Cruisers with small to medium guns and heavy shields or crystal plating should be ideal and available.
Defeating it is possible starting at ~5k Fleet power, assuming a perfect counter-build. With ~10k, the player is able to defeat it trivially even with suboptimal conditions like large guns and a pulsar system. This makes it one of the weakest Leviathans, although it is difficult to catch.

Total stats	Armaments	Utilities	Core components
20,000 Hull Points 10,000 Armor 0 Shields 80 Speed 75% Evasion / 520 avg dmg / day	6x 450THz Emitter0 150-250 Damage 50% damage against Shields 200% damage against Armor 1.85 day cooldown 80% Accuracy 75% Tracking 150 Range / 86.48	2x Regenerative Hull Tissue	Bio-Drive (Guardian)0 −80% FTL charge time Tactical jump Bio-Propulsion (Guardian) Bio-Sensors (Guardian)00 Sensor range 4 Hyperlane detection range 8 Basic Combat Computer

Defeating the leviathan gives a permanent empire modifier with the following effects:

+5% Physics Research Speed
+5% Energy Weapons Damage
+10% Energy from Jobs

Stellar Devourer[]

Evt stellarites — Real scale of the Stellar Devourer

A random unary star system may appear empty on sensors but reveal the Stellar Devourer when entered, a glowing spaceborne entity that feeds upon stars. Technically, the Stellar Devourer is spawned by event that is triggered when any player ship enters this system. Before an empire discovers it, even the Curator Order cannot mark that system's location with the Tell us about something new option. However, if the Stellar Devourer has been discovered, the Curators dialogue options available for all other Guardians are enabled instantly, including option that grants a damage bonus against it. If the Stellar Devourer is engaged and does not lose at least 67% HP, it attacks one of the attacker's systems until the starbase is disabled and then stays for 90 days until retreating. If the system is colonized, all planets gain −25% happiness and habitability until the guardian leaves.

The Stellar Devourer's weapons are mostly energy and torpedoes, so shields and point defense are an effective counter. It has extremely high hull and point-defenses, but no armor or shields, making hull-damaging weapons such as plasma weapons and particle launchers the most effective counter.

Total stats	Armaments	Utilities	Core components
200,000 Hull Points 0 Armor 0 Shields 45 Speed 40% Evasion / 2250 avg dmg / day	1x Devouring Beam0 5000-12000 Damage 75% damage against Shields 200% damage against Armor 200% damage against Hull 8.00 day cooldown 85% Accuracy 0% Tracking 100 Range / 906.89 4x Stellar Torpedo0 100 Hull Points 100% Evasion 500-750 Damage Ignore Shields 150% damage against Armor 5.50 day cooldown 100% Accuracy 50% Tracking 150 Range / 113.63 4x Stellar Plasma0 250-352 Damage 50% damage against Shields 1.85 day cooldown 80% Accuracy 75% Tracking 150 Range / 124.32 8x Stellar laser0 10-12 Damage 50% damage against Shields 200% damage against Armor 1.10 day cooldown 80% Accuracy 50% Tracking 10 Range / 8.00	2x Regenerative Hull Tissue	Bio-Drive (Guardian)0 −80% FTL charge time Tactical jump Plasma Thrusters Subspace Sensors Stellarite Combat Computer (Guardian)0 +10% Fire rate +4 Chance to Hit

Defeating the Stellar Devourer gives the choice to either study the egg sac, or to study the corpse, which issues a special project to investigate its remains that takes 60 days to be finished. Once the body is examined it gives the following options:

Harvest the body's energy deposits for a large bonus of 10000 Energy, 2000 Minerals and 80 Influence.
Try to reignite the Sun in the leviathan's home System. The Project has a 30% chance to kill the scientist and its ship but is guaranteed to turn the whole System more habitable: All Frozen Planets become Arctic planets. All other planets undergo a temperature increase as well, rerolling them completely.

If option to study the egg sac was chosen, the Leviathan Parade Opportunity situation starts. Halfway through the parade, the player is offered similar options as when first defeating the Stellar Devourer:

Try to reignite the star using the egg sac.
Take the egg sac to the empire's capital.

If the option to reignite the star in the Devourer's system is chosen, the parade is aborted. If the option to take the egg is chosen instead, the parade proceeds and after finishing, the player's empire gains the Devourer's Egg Sac planetary modifier on the capital, which enables the Consume Star operation.

Corrupted Avatar[]

A random system with a wormhole opens an event window when first entered, mentioning a signal coming out of the wormhole and hinting that this specific wormhole is different from the rest. Exploring the wormhole reveals its connection to a trinary system with no hyperlane connections to other systems. This system is guarded by a Corrupted Avatar (aka Psionic Entity). The Avatar uses only energy weapons that ignore armor but do −75% damage to shields. It has moderate hull and strong shields but no armor or PD, making missiles and strike craft very effective.

Total stats	Armaments	Utilities	Core components
15,000 Hull Points 0 Armor 75,000 Shields 160 Speed 25% Evasion / 423.52 avg dmg / day	4x Psionic Blast0 300-700 Damage 25% damage against Shields Ignore Armor 4.25 day cooldown 90% Accuracy 100% Tracking 85 Range / 105.88 avg dmg / day	None	Psi Jump Drive Chemical Thrusters Radar System Basic Combat Computer (Line)

Defeating the Corrupted Avatar allows free access to the system, which contains a Gaia World which when surveyed reveals a level V anomaly. Investigating the anomaly grants access to the Neural Tissue Engineering technology to organic empires or 300-1000 Society Research if Machine Intelligence. The gas giant in the system also has an Exotic Gases deposit.

The Corrupted Avatar can be avoided by setting a science ship's stance to passive and guiding it around the guardian. This approach does not allow colonizing the Gaia World, but it does allow the research reward to be claimed.

If a Sentry Array has been completed, the system housing the Corrupted Avatar can be seen but cannot be entered with Jump Drives until the system has been entered via the wormhole first.

Unlike other guardians, the Corrupted Avatar is always present if the Distant Stars DLC is enabled. Its system is accessible only via a wormhole which appears even if wormholes were disabled on game startup.

With the Utopia DLC, Corrupted Avatars can also appear for 10 years following Shroud failures. They have the same stats but do not grant any reward upon being defeated.

With the Nemesis DLC, Corrupted Avatars also appear some time after finishing stages III and IV of the Aetherophasic Engine.

Tiyanki Matriarch[]

Evt ancient tiyanki — Tiyanki Matriarch; can be reanimated

A random system with a Gaia World and another habitable world may be home to the Tiyanki Matriarch, the eldest member of the species and the only one to be aggressive when approached. The Matriarch has two weapons – one that ignores armor and does −75% damage against shields and one that deals double damage against both shields and armor. The Matriarch has a buff which gives it +100% weapon damage. It also has significant armor and very high hull but no shields and as a result should be engaged with energy weapons.

Total stats	Armaments	Utilities	Core components
125,000 Hull Points 25,000 Armor0 Base 3,000 Utilities 22,200 0 Shields 60 Speed 15% Evasion / 1000 avg dmg / day	1× Tiyanki Bite0 5000-12000 Damage 200% damage against Shields 200% damage against Armor 21.75 day cooldown 85% Accuracy 0% Tracking 150 Range / 333.57 1× Tiyanki Siphon0 250-1000 Damage 25% damage against Shields Ignore Armor 2.70 day cooldown 80% Accuracy 75% Tracking 250 Range / 185.18	1× Regenerative Hull Tissue 10× Tiyanki Armor	Bio-Drive (Guardian) Bio-Propulsion (Guardian) Bio-Sensors (Guardian)0 Sensor range 2 Hyperlane detection range 4

Defeating the Tiyanki Matriarch breaches Galactic Law if the Tiyanki Conservation Act Resolution was passed and the empire is a member of the Galactic Community. Doing so also incurs a fine of −5000 energy Credits.

Defeating the Tiyanki Matriarch gives the following rewards:

Start the Tiyanki Matriarch Leviathan Parade Situation
If the empire has researched the Leviathan Transgenesis technology, it unlocks the Polymelic trait for genetic modification.
Reth Unddol, a renowned paragon. Genocidal empires can only kill him for 24x research output (each 500 ~ 1 000 000) instead.
AH4B, a custom class battleship. It comes equipped with the following components:

Weapons	Utilities	Core components
4× Devastator Torpedoes 1× Stormfire Autocannon 4× Plasma Cannon	4× Neutronium Armor 4× Hyper Shields 1× Shield Capacitor 1× Advanced Afterburners	Hyper Drive III Plasma Thrusters Advanced Combat Computer (Artillery)

Voidspawn[]

The Voidspawn is an unborn guardian, hidden within a size 20 Dry world orbiting a class G star. Within a year after colonizing the planet in the system, an event mentions how the dry world has a pulse. Within the next half a year, the planet changes its appearance and gains 30 Devastation and 3 Rifts Blockers. Within another half a year, one of two things happens: either the pulse stops or the planet once again changes its appearance and gains 30 Devastation and 3 Rifts Blockers. Should the latter happen, the Voidspawn hatches a few months later, destroying the colony and turning the planet into a Cracked World with a 20 society research deposit. A month later, the Voidspawn becomes hostile.

The Voidspawn uses only guided weapons. It has high hull and armor but no shields, making energy weapons effective against it.

Total stats	Armaments	Utilities	Core components
100,000 Hull Points 111,100 Armor0 Base 100,000 Utilities 11,100 0 Shields 100 Speed 25% Evasion / 312 avg dmg / day	6× Void Spawn0 250-500 Damage Ignore Shields 80% damage against Armor 200% damage against Hull 5.00 day cooldown 100% Accuracy 80% Tracking 120 Range / 85.00	2x Regenerative Hull Tissue 10x Dragonscale Armor	Bio-Drive (Guardian) Bio-Propulsion (Guardian) Bio-Sensors (Guardian)0 Sensor range 2 Hyperlane detection range 4 Specialized Combat Computer (Artillery)

Defeating the Voidspawn grants 600-6000 Unity and brings the option to start a special project to research what was left of the egg planet that takes 140 days. Finishing the project grants the Gargantuan Evolution technology. Alternatively, empires that have researched the Leviathan Transgenesis technology can choose to unlock the Voidling trait for genetic modification.

If the Voidspawn did not hatch, the planet returns to its original appearance once all Rifts Blockers are removed.

Scavenger Bot[]

A random system with a class M Red Giant star may contain an ancient battlefield debris field patrolled by the Scavenger Bot, an ancient construct constantly scrounging the debris field for new parts.

The guardian uses only guided weapons. It uses equal amounts of shields and armor but has no point-defense and barely any evasion, making both guided weapons and strike craft very effective against it.

Total stats	Armaments	Utilities	Core components
100,000 Hull Points 60,000 Armor0 Base 50,000 Utilities 10,000 70,000 Shields0 Base 50,000 Utilities 20,000 90 Speed 10% Evasion / 750 avg dmg / day	1x Scrap launcher0 5000-10,000 Damage 200% damage against Shields 80% damage against Armor 200% damage against Hull 21.75 day cooldown 85% Accuracy 0% Tracking 150 Range / 293.10 7x Proximity Mines0 100 Hull Points 0% Evasion 100-150 Damage Ignore Shields 80% damage against Armor 150% damage against Hull 2.10 day cooldown 80% Accuracy 75% Tracking 80 Range / 47.61	1x Nanite Repair System 11x Neutronium Armor 9x Hyper Shields 2x Shield Capacitors	Cold Fusion Reactor Hyper Drive II Plasma Thrusters Subspace Sensors Sapient Combat Computer (Line)

Defeating the Scavenger Bot grants the following rewards:

Nanite Repair System technology
Nanite Autocannon technology
Nanite Flak Battery technology
Two random tier V component techs or a large amount of Engineering research if all techs were already researched.
The system has two broken worlds that bring in a total 20 Minerals and 1 Nanites when mined – one of very few sources of Nanites outside the L-Cluster.

Toxic Entity[]

Toxic God appears at the end of the Quest for the Toxic God situation.

If the guardian is killed by the empire with the Knights of the Toxic God origin, the empire has the option to either take control of it as a special colossus or gain the Maw of the Toxic Entity relic. Taking control of the guardian grants a very large amount of Unity but the number of jobs from the Order's Keep building no longer increases with the number of Pops.

If the guardian is killed by an empire without the Knights of the Toxic God origin, the empire gains the Maw of the Toxic Entity relic, and if the empire with the Knights of the Toxic God origin later enters the system, it gains −25% output from Lord Commander and Knight jobs for 16-20 years.

The system has a unique star type, Viridescent Lightbringer, which removes all armor from ships while in the system. The Toxic Entity has high shields and hull and uses strike craft and weapons that ignore shields as well as numerous point-defense. As a result, fleets that use hull components, point-defenses and kinetic weapons are the ideal counter.

The star also has a deposit of 5 Exotic Gases and Volatile Motes.

Space Dragons[]

Space Dragons are giant dragon-like guardians that are the sole survivors of the universes they were born in. Despite their different appearances, they all fight identically. Space Dragons use only energy weapons that do slightly less damage to shields and have high hull and armor but no shields itself. As a result, shielded fleets equipped with energy weapons are the ideal counter.

Total stats	Armaments	Utilities	Core components
150,000 Hull Points 105,000 Armor0 Base 100,000 Utilities 5000 0 Shields 160 Speed 25% Evasion / 825 avg dmg / day	1x Dragon's Breath0 5000-12000 Damage 75% damage against Shields 200% damage against Armor 200% damage against Hull 21.75 day cooldown 85% Accuracy 0% Tracking 150 Range / 333.57 8x Wing Skewer0 100-150 Damage 80% damage against Shields 2.1 day cooldown 80% Accuracy 75% Tracking 80 Range / 47.62 4x Drake's Lightning00 10-12 Damage 80% damage against Shields 1.1 day cooldown 80% Accuracy 50% Tracking 10 Range / 8.00	2x Regenerative Hull Tissue 4x Dragonscale Armor	Bio-Drive (Guardian)0 −80% FTL charge time Tactical jump Bio-Propulsion (Guardian) Bio-Sensors (Guardian)00 Sensor range 4 Hyperlane detection range 8 Basic Combat Computer (Line)

If a Commander leads a fleet that defeats either the Ether Drake or the Sky Dragon, that commander gains the Dragonslayer trait. If multiple fleets fought the guardian, the commander of the first fleet that engaged it gains the trait. In addition, the empire that defeats a dragon eventually unlocks the Artificial Dragonscales technology, or 100-4000 Minerals and 1000-100000 Society research if the technology was already obtained from the other dragon.

Empires that have researched the Leviathan Transgenesis technology prior to defeating a Space Dragon unlock the Drake-Scaled trait for genetic modification.

Ether Drake[]

Evt space dragon — Ether Drake; can be reanimated

A random class F star system in the galaxy may feature a Molten World called Dragon's Hoard guarded by the Ether Drake, a dragon-like guardian the size of a moon. Initially, the Ether Drake guards Dragon's Hoard, but if it loses more than 20% HP to an attacker, it destroys two random starbases belonging to the attacker. After the Ether Drake leaves, if the systems are colonized the starbases are rebuilt into frontier outposts. If the Ether Drake loses 85% HP, it retreats to Dragon's Hoard and heals. Dragon's Hoard has a deposit with 30 Energy and 30 Minerals.

Defeating the Ether Drake grants the following rewards:

300 Influence
The Ether Drake Trophy Relic
Building a mining station above Dragon's Hoard reveals both of the following within 50 years, though not necessarily at the same time:
- Remains of the Ether Drake's mate: The remains can be studied to unlock the Artificial Dragonscales technology. Alternatively, they can be ground down for 100-4000 Minerals and 1000-100000 Society research.
- Ether Drake's egg: The egg can be smashed for 300 Influence or used in a timed special project that takes 50000 Society research to hatch a controllable Ether Hatchling with about 7K Fleet Power. Unlike the controllable Space Amoeba, the Ether Hatchling never grows to a full sized Ether Drake.

Shard[]

Evt space dragon blue — Shard; can be reanimated

Shard appears upon the conclusion of the Kleptomaniac Rats archaeological site excavation. Defeating her grants the Rubricator Relic and begins the A Dirge for the Shard Leviathan Parade Situation.

If the Relic World is colonized, Shard destroys the colony after two years if she is not defeated.

As the excavation already requires claiming the system, the starbase can be upgraded into a bastion citadel in preparation for the fight. Alternatively, the final chapter of the site can be delayed to better prepare technologically.

Sky Dragon[]

Evt here be dragons — Sky Dragon; can be reanimated

All empires with the Here Be Dragons origin start the game with a Sky Dragon guardian. The guardian is allied with the owner of its system and can only be attacked by empires who are at war with the system owner.

Between 6.5 and 13.5 years after the game has started, the owner of the system receives a notification that the Sky Dragon is hungry and is given the option to allow it to land on the capital, refuse, or observe.

If refused, the Sky Dragon kills 2 pops and adds two blockers on the capital.
If observed, the Sky Dragon kills 1 pop and then feeds.
Allowing it to land costs 75 Influence and the Sky Dragon feeds.

Feeding the Sky Dragon takes 14-16 years, during which the capital gains the Feeding Dragon planetary feature. When feeding is complete, the empire is the choice between a small amount of Research or 1000 Energy and 100 Exotic Gases. The Sky Dragon does not protect the system while feeding, but if another empire attempts to invade the planet the Sky Dragon stops feeding and protects the system.

If the system owner researches at least 2 Society and 2 Engineering technologies during the first 13-49 years, it gains the option to issue one of two special projects:

Remote Dragon Scanning special project which grants a moderate amount of Society research.
Dragon Specimen Gathering special project which has the following outcomes:
- 30% chance the science ship and scientist are destroyed and the project can be attempted again with a different outcome
- 55% chance the project can be attempted again with a different outcome
- 15% chance the project succeeds and the empire unlocks the next armor technology.
- If the project is attempted a second time, there is a 75% chance the Sky Dragon kills 2 pops and adds two blockers on the capital. The chance is reduced to 25% if the dragon was fed. If this second attempt is successful, gain 50% progress for the next armor technology instead of unlocking it directly.

After either special project has completed and the empire has established communications with at least 70% of the galaxy, a first contact is started with the Sky Dragon. Finishing the first contact grants 150 Influence and an increased amount of Unity.

After establishing first contact with the Sky Dragon and picking 6 ascension perks, or 5 ascension perks and finishing a tradition tree unlocked by an ascension path, the Sky Dragon asks the empire to help raise its children. Refusing grants 500 Influence but the Sky Dragon disappears. If the offer is accepted, the empire gains control of Sky Dragon and unlocks the Dragon Hatchery starbase building.

If the empire with the Here Be Dragons origin attacks and kills the Sky Dragon, it gains an empire modifier that gives +20% Governing Ethics Attraction and +10% monthly unity in addition to the usual space dragon rewards.

Sky Dragon gains only half of the usual guardian bonuses from higher game difficulty.

Dimensional Creatures[]

Evt dimensional horror — Dimensional creature emerging in the current dimension

Dimensional Creatures are nightmarish guardians that originate from a different dimension. Defeating any of them starts the Horrific Inverse Mass Leviathan Parade Situation.

Dimensional Creatures cannot move. but their tentacles can strike across the entire system. Their weapons ignore armor but do −75% damage to shields. They have equal amounts of shields, armor and hull as well as no evasion, making shielded fleets using the long-ranged Kinetic Artillery or size X weapons the ideal counter.

Total stats	Armaments	Utilities	Core components
100,000 Hull Points 100,000 Armor 100,000 Shields / 900 avg dmg / day	1x Dimensional Beam0 500-5000 Damage 25% damage against Shields Ignore Armor 17.50 day cooldown 85% Accuracy 0% Tracking 250 Range / 133.57 2x Dimensional Ripper0 250-1000 Damage 25% damage against Shields Ignore Armor 2.70 day cooldown 80% Accuracy 75% Tracking 250 Range / 185.18 2x Dimensional Render0 100-400 Damage 25% damage against Shields Ignore Armor 2.50 day cooldown 80% Accuracy 50% Tracking 250 Range / 80.00 2x Dimensional Striker0 50-200 Damage 25% damage against Shields Ignore Armor 2.30 day cooldown 80% Accuracy 25% Tracking 250 Range / 43.47 4x Dimensional Guard0 10-50 Damage 1.60 day cooldown 80% Accuracy 50% Tracking 250 Range / 15.00	3x Regenerative Hull Tissue	Bio-Sensors (Guardian)00 Sensor range 4 Hyperlane detection range 8 Specialized Combat Computer (Artillery)

The Worm[]

The Worm appears in the capital system of an empire at the end of the Horizon Signal event chain if its offer has been refused. Defeating it grants the following rewards:

1500-3000 Energy
1000-8000 Physics Research
If the Ancient Relics DLC is enabled, it gives the Scales of the Worm relic

Dimensional Horror[]

A random black hole system may appear empty on sensors but reveal the Dimensional Horror when first entered. There are no interactions with it beyond killing it. Defeating the Dimensional Horror leaves behind a dimensional rift with a special project that takes 140 days to be researched. Once examined, it gives the following rewards:

4000-6000 Physics Research
4000-6000 Society Research
Unlocks the Jump Drive technology with 50% progress if not already researched

The Elder One[]

A random planet in the galaxy might contain an archaeological site named The Broken Gates. It has 4 chapters, each one granting small minor artifacts reward (10, 30, or 50). Upon completing the final chapter, the Elder One begins manifesting and the empire receives the choice to either prevent it and gain 18x engineering output (350 ~ 100 000) or release it. Releasing it destroys the system identically to a Star-Eater and the Elder One emerges but does not immediately become hostile. If released, the Elder One contacts the empire 10 days later and offers to rebuild the starbase of the destroyed system and grant an empire modifier that gives +6% Research Speed and −10% Growth Speed. Refusing grants 24x influence output (150 ~ 300), but the Elder One becomes hostile.