Technology

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This article is for the PC version of Stellaris only.

Technology

Technology

Engineering research

Physics research

Society research

Technology in Stellaris is divided into 3 research areas with each area corresponding with one of the research resources: Engineering, Physics and Society. Additionally, each of the ~400 techs belongs to one of 12 subcategories divided between the areas (most appearing pre-dominantly in one area though not exclusively).

The user interaction aspect utilizes a card shuffle approach rather than a traditional tech tree presentation, thereby introducing an element of semi-randomness into the system.

Each technology has a base cost which is modified by empire size. The research cost is increased by 0.1% for each point of empire size above 100.

Research areas & fields

Technology interface. Every slot here can have one research project active at a time and every research area has its own slot.

There are three different main research areas in-game, with each area corresponding with one of the research resources. Additionally, each research area has multiple subcategories, for a total of 13 such subcategories, and every tech belongs to one of these subcategories.

The areas and their subcategories are as follows:

Physics research

• Computing: Science Labs, research, science ships, ship computers, point-defense, sensors.
• Field Manipulation: Power Plants, shields, some strategic resources.
• Particles: Ship reactors, energy weapons, FTL, some strategic resources.

Society research

• Biology: Food production, leader lifespan and policies, species modification, army types, some strategic resources.
• Military Theory: Fleet command limit, naval capacity, army buildings and statistics, claim cost.
• New Worlds: Habitability, tile blocker clearance, terraforming, starbase capacity.
• Statecraft: Unity, edicts, leader pool and recruitment, planetary and empire capitals.
• Archaeostudies: Minor artifacts, archaeotechs.
• Psionics: Exotic mid- to late- game technologies. Unlocked through the Psionic Theory technology.

Engineering research

• Industry: Mineral production and storage, robots, building construction.
• Materials: Armor, strategic resources.
• Propulsion: Kinetic and explosive weapons, thrusters.
• Voidcraft: Ship types and hulls, starbases, strike craft.

The card system

The "card" system. Every time a research project is to be initiated, the game will draw a hand of cards like this one from which the player then can pick one technology to research.

Although the underlying technology system is based on the familiar tech tree structure, it does away with its standard interaction/presentation in favor of the card shuffle approach. This injects a semi-random element into research, making it somewhat less predictable as well as less linear.

Whenever the player is prompted to initiate a research project, the game gives them a "hand of cards" consisting of a semi-random selection of technologies available for research, which are picked randomly from a hidden "deck of cards" consisting of all valid research options that can appear.

Technologies are divided into 6 levels (T0 to T5) of advancement. Higher tier technologies require obtaining a certain number of technologies from the preceding tier in the same area of research (set at 6 for all tiers) before they become available as research alternatives.

Every time the player meets the requirements for a given technology to become obtainable, the technology in question is added into the main "card deck" and will then have a chance of appearing in the "card hand" whenever the game draws a new hand for the player to pick from. There is one basic parameter affecting a tech's chances of appearing in a given card hand:

• Weight – A base value denoting the relative chance (out of all the valid options) of a particular technology to be drawn as an alternative. This may be further modified by an empire's composition (ethics, civics, etc.) and its current state (scientist's traits, past tech, etc.).

To further increase variation, a tech which appeared as an alternative in the previous card hand will have its weight multiplied by 0.5 in the next draw.

As a rule of thumb, the more advanced a technology is, the lower its weight (and the higher its cost). Systematically important techs (e.g. terraforming) have a higher weight (typically between 150% and double normal) to help ensure empires get a chance to research them, whereas rare technologies have significantly lower weight (typically one-eighth normal without the matching expertise). Some factors increase the weight of rare techs:

• Being in a level 3 or higher Research Cooperative federation with another member who knows the tech doubles the weight.
• The Technological Ascendancy ascension perk increases the weight of rare technologies by 50%.

Research can be automated, in which case the game will pick the cheapest technology to research unless a rare technology is available for research.

Example

Let's assume the game draws a card hand of 3 techs: Armored Torpedoes, Autocannons, and Exotic Gas Refining. Additionally, the lead engineering scientist has a Propulsion field expertise (matching Armored Torpedoes), and the previous card hand had Autocannons as an available option.

$\text{Total weight} = \text{Armored Torpedoes weight}\, \cdot\, \text{expertise bonus} +\, \text{Autocannons weight}\, +\, \text{Exotic Gas Refining weight}$

$\text{Total weight} = 60 \cdot 1.25\, +\, \frac{75}{2}\, +\, 170 = 75 +\, 37.5 +\, 170 = 282.5$

If these were the only three valid techs and only one tech were to be drawn, then each tech's chances of being drawn would be 26.5%, 13.3%, and 60.2% respectively (rounded to 1 decimal place). Realistically there are usually many more valid picks and so the probability of picking any given tech is significantly lower than the figures given here.

Research alternatives

Each card hand drawn will contain 3 research alternatives, which may be further increased by a variety of factors. Additionally, some research cards may be gained as permanent alternatives. They appear below the regular alternatives and are distinguished from them by a golden border surrounding the tech card's bezel. These alternatives are usually acquired (along with some partial progress) through post-battle debris analysis, from special projects, or from event chains. These options will always appear as available options when drawing a new card hand and will remain as such until completed.

If need be, it is possible to change an on-going research project at any point – without losing research progress – and continue researching it at a later time. It is important to note, however, that the saved progress does not scale with changes to technology costs (for better or for worse). This tends to lead to the tech's completion percentage getting lower as the empire increases its empire size.

Unlike a permanent alternative, there is no guarantee that the technology in question will appear in the next card hand drawn.

The number of research alternatives can be increased by the following:

Source	Research alternatives
Technocracy civic	+1
Natural Neural Network civic	+1
Static Research Analysis civic	+1
Erudite ruler trait	+1
Scientific Revolution edict	+1
Science Division / Mindlink / Research Path Optimization discovery tradition	+1
Self-Evolving Logic technology	+1
Settled Differences empire modifier	+1
Scholarium	+1
Scholarium Hypotheses trade deal (overlord)	+1
Scholarium Hypotheses trade deal (subject)	−1

Research progress

In general, research time can be summarized as the following formula:

$\text{Research time} = \sum\frac{\text{Research cost} -\, \text{Partial research done} }{ \text{Monthly research progress} }$

Research progress is one of the key elements affecting the time it takes to discover new technologies. It is formulated as follows:

$\text{Monthly research progress} = \text{Research resource produced}\, \cdot\, \sum\text{Research speed modifiers}\, +\, \text{min}[\text{Research resource stored},\text{Research resource produced}]$

While it is possible for the monthly research progress to remain constant during the course of researching a certain technology, it is more than likely to fluctuate – for better or for worse – due to consequences of various actions (such as exploration, empire development, expansion, etc.). This, in turn, may increase or decrease the total research time of a given tech.

Example

The empire from the previous examples (same setup) has just finished debris analysis granting it +10% research progress in Armored Torpedoes along with +1000 engineering research (stored research).

This setup generates the following monthly research progress:

$\text{Monthly research progress} = 24\, \cdot\, (1\, +\, 0.05\, +\, 0.15)\, +\, \text{min}[1000, 24] = 52.8$

Assuming no further changes impact the above setup, the total research time of the tech would be:

$\text{Research time} = \frac{1862\, -\, 1862 \cdot\, 0.1 }{ 52.8 } = \text{31.74 months}$

Note: Partial research can refer to debris analysis, previous research, event rewards, etc.

Debris

Debris has a chance of spawning when at least a ship from enemy fleet is destroyed. They are capable of providing progress on most of the components, weapons and defences, but not ship upgrades. The following are examples of technologies that cannot be obtained from debris:

• Standardised Corvette Patterns
• Improved Corvette Hulls
• Destroyers
• Synapse Interceptors
• Psionics Shield

Each component can only spawn if the components are above the technology level of the attacker. Each component will provide 10% progress on the technology, or 10% progress on the pre-requisites technology if the pre-requisites technology is unresearched.

Salvager trait and Scavengers civic

The Scavengers civic Enables the Research & Salvage Debris debris policy.

Both Salvager trait and Scavengers civic increase the chance for a salvage to yeld a ship:

$\text{Chance salvage ships from debris} = ( \text{Salvage-chance-add} \cdot 100 + \text{Base Chance} + \text{Salvager bonus} + \text{Scavengers Bonus}) \cdot \text{Salvager Trait Level}$

Salvage-chance-add is the sum of is additional external bonuses. Base Chance = 10; Salvager bonus = 5; Scavengers Bonus = 5; Salvager Trait Level = 1; 2; 3.

With Salvage-chance-add = 0:

Chance salvage ships from debris %	Salvager Trait Level
	1	2	3
Scavengers Bonus	15	40	75
Scavengers Bonus	20	50	90

Research output

Each research area employs the use of a different research resource.

Each of these individual resources has a base production of 10 research points a month. Most research output comes from pops working the appropriate Jobs or research stations on space deposits.

Research production can be modified for total empire production, job output, research stations (and starbase buildings), or for Researcher category jobs. The following modifiers apply to all three areas of research:

	Empire General Modifiers	Empire/Species Job Modifiers	Planet Job Modifiers	Research Station Modifiers	Researchers Category Job Modifiers
+100%	—	—	Too Late	—	—
+50%	—	—	Horrific Inverse Mass Stabilized	Extradimensional Experimentation	—
+40%	Scholarium level 3	—	—	Ethical Guideline Refactoring Scholarium Processors level 3 (for overlord)	—
+30%	Scholarium level 2	—	Valley of Zanaam feature  Alien Studies (Enigmatic Cache in orbit)	Advanced Xenostudies Scholarium Processors level 2 (for overlord)	—
+25%	—	Precursor Data Cache	Destabilized Horrific Inverse Mass	—	—
+20%	Scholarium level 1	Elevated Synapses Erudite	Magnetic Miracle	Astral Studies Network  Databank Uplinks (also starbase buildings) Scholarium Processors level 1 (for overlord)	Extradimensional Experimentation  Wenkwort Custodian
+15%	—	—	Brain Slug Host governor Central Spire feature Dense Ruins feature  Horrific Inverse Mass Research Ring World designation	—	Research Institute/Planetary Supercomputer
+10%	Brain Slug Host ruler Scholarium Advisory (overlord)	Academic Privilege living standards Augmented Intelligence Brain Slug Host Intelligent Latent Psionic Logic Engines Natural Intellectuals Psionic Somewhat Uplifted Uplifted	The Evermore  Ever More Science Former Relic World feature Intellectual/Analytical governor  Sea of Consciousness  Uncertain History	Cooperative Research Channels Zero-G Laboratories Miniature Containment Fields Quantum Probes Autonomous Station Protocols Multi-Dimensional Analysis	Ethical Guideline Refactoring Research Station (habitat) designation Research Subsidies edict Scholarium Tutelage overlord relay network  Wenkwort Gardens
+5%	—	—	Erudite governor	—	—
+3%	Technological Advancement	—	—	—	—
+2%	—	—	Assist Research, per Scientist level	—	—
−5%	—	Exotic Inebriants	—	—	—
−10%	—	Ghost Signal (level 1) Hampered Research	Oracle governor	Scholarium Processors level 1 (for subject)	Energy Shortages Minor Deficit
−15%	—	Proles	—	Scholarium Processors level 2 (for subject)	—
−20%	—	—	—	Scholarium Processors level 3 (for subject)	Energy Shortages Major Deficit Consumer Goods Shortages Minor Deficit Mineral Shortages Minor Deficit
−25%	—	Ghost Signal (level 2) Ghost Signal (level 4)	—	—	Mineral Shortages Cut Investments approach
−30%	Prospectorium level 1	—	—	—	—
−33%	—	—	—	—	Energy Shortages Severe Deficit
−40%	Prospectorium level 2	Ghost Signal (level 3) Ghost Signal (level 5)	—	—	Consumer Goods Shortages Major Deficit Mineral Shortages Major Deficit
−50%	Prospectorium level 3	—	—	—	Energy Shortages Catastrophic Deficit Energy Shortages Cut Scientific Investment approach Consumer Goods Shortages Cut Investments approach
−55%	—	Ghost Signal (level 4)	—	—	—
−60%	—	Unlifted	—	—	Consumer Goods Shortages Severe Deficit Mineral Shortages Severe Deficit
−70%	—	Ghost Signal (level 4)	—	—	—
−75%	—	Docile Livestock	—	—	—
−80%	—	—	—	—	Consumer Goods Shortages Catastrophic Deficit Mineral Shortages Catastrophic Deficit

Each research area has specific modifiers as well, with a few modifiers applying to two areas.

	Empire General Modifiers	Empire/Species Job Modifiers	Planet Job Modifiers	Researchers Category Job Modifiers
+30%	—	—	Liquid Sands	—
+20%	—	—	Ancient Bombardment Craters feature Ancient Particle Accelerator feature Living Snow Reserve feature Lotus Corrie feature  Sky Dragon's Plume  Wild Storms	Quantum Theory Applied Quantum Physics Space-Time Theory
+15%	—	Natural Physicists	Zone A feature	—
+10%	Cloud's Boon Dismembered Cloud Technological Advancement - Physics	Void Loops	A Cloud Ensnared  Atmospheric Hallucinogen  Filtered Atmospheric Hallucinogen Molten Wastes blocker Toxic Water blocker	—
+5%	Harvesting Negative Mass Interstellar Flow Prediction	—	Strong Magnetic Field	—
−10%	Bulwark Technology Sharing Prospectorium Technology Sharing	—	—	—

	Empire General Modifiers	Empire/Species Job Modifiers	Planet Job Modifiers	Researchers Category Job Modifiers
+33%	—	—	Exofungus Infestation	—
+30%	—	—	Watery Grave	—
+25%	—	—	Odd Animal Life  Titanic Life	—
+20%	Studying the Decaying Fang	—	Acid Jungles  Hostile Fauna  Pharmaceutical Innovation  Rifts  Planet Uslurp  Seismological Phenomena Flooded Mounds feature Irradiated Ruins feature Living Snow Reserve feature Migrating Forest Reserve feature Mutant Landfill feature Underground Vault feature (no survivors)	Biodiversity Studies Xenobiology Secrets of Life
+15%	Deep Reflections	Natural Sociologists	Enslaved Nemmas  Moving Islands  On the Backs of Nemma Fungal Study Zone feature	—
+10%	The Last Baol  Dreams Become Manifesti Technological Advancement - Society Universal Translator	Well Rested Scientists	Cleansed Voidspawn's Venom Gland  Predatory Plants  Subterranean Civilization Abandoned Primitive Homesteads feature Barren Lands blocker Nemma Corpses feature Metal Boneyards feature Organic Landfills feature Savage Wildlands feature Toxic Waste blocker Toy Factory Complex feature Tree of Life feature Tree of Life Sapling feature	—
+6%	Genius Caeli: A Time of Knowing	—	—	—
+5%	Cloud's Boon	—	Radiotrophic Preserve feature	—
+2.5%	—	—	Juvenile Nemma feature	—
+2%	Genius Caeli: Balanced Prosperity Peeyeps' Legacy	—	—	—
−10%	Prospectorium Technology Sharing	Loss of Personnel	AI Failure	—
−20%	—	—	Unproductive Without Experiments	—
−50%	—	—	Raging Researchers	—
−100%	The Vengralian Trium: Vengralian Trium Invoice	—	—	—

	Empire General Modifiers	Empire/Species Job Modifiers	Planet Job Modifiers	Researchers Category Job Modifiers
+30%	—	—	Tamed Nanite Swarm	—
+20%	—	—	Ancient Battlefield feature Toy Factory Complex feature Wetware Computer feature  Unstable Tectonics	Nanomechanics Supersolid Materials Superfluid Materials
+15%	—	Natural Engineers	—	—
+10%	Bunker Bot Technological Advancement - Engineering	—	Underground Vault feature (survivors)	—
+5%	Peeyeps' Legacy	—	—	—
+2%	Genius Caeli: A Time of Knowing	—	—	—
−5%	Helpful Overlord	—	—	—
−10%	Bulwark Technology Sharing Prospectorium Technology Sharing	—	—	—
−30%	Genius Caeli: A Time of Knowing	—	Subterranean Tech Provision	—

Stored research

Whenever research output is not actively used, it accumulates as stored research. Stored research also includes research resources gained from other avenues, such as debris analysis, anomalies, events, etc.

This allows for a more "relaxed" approach research by eliminating the possible loss of research points due to forgetting to pick a research project while, at the same time, also simulating accelerated periods of research (as opposed to sudden "jumps") caused by newfound knowledge sources. The current storage levels can be seen by hovering over the appropriate resources.

Stored research effectively doubles research speed, as it is spent at a rate matching current output, as long as there is enough stored research.

Example

An empire produces +24 engineering research each month and has just finished a debris analysis granting it +1000 engineering research (stored research).

$\text{Stored research expenditure length} = \frac{\text{1000}}{ \text{24}} =\, \text{41.67 months}$

The empire will supplement its engineering research by an additional +24 research points for the first 41 months and by another +16 research points in the following month, after which the stored engineering research will be completely depleted.

Research speed

Research speed represents a given expertise in a particular research area or field leading to shortened research time of related technologies.

Research speed boosts the effective research production in the following manner:

$\text{Effective research production} = \text{Research resource produced}\, \cdot\, \sum\text{Research speed modifiers}$

The most immediate sources of research speed modifiers are the scientists in your council. As the applied bonus depends on a scientist's skill level and overall traits, it is recommended to assign newly recruited scientists to command a science ship. Scientists on exploration duty tend to gain experience faster and, if one is in luck, they may also gain a new trait beneficial to research while leveling up.

Example

An empire is a Materialist and produces +24 engineering research a month. It has a lead engineering scientist with a Propulsion field expertise while researching Armored Torpedoes.

$\text{Effective research production} = 24\, \cdot\, (1\, +\, 0.05\, +\, 0.15)\, = 28.8$

Note: A research area without a leading scientist receives a −25% penalty to research speed.

Research Speed is affected by the following permanent or renewable modifiers. Other temporary modifiers to research speed may be gained from events or anomalies.

Source	Research speed (empire)
Scientific Revolution edict	+20%
Scales of the Worm relic activation	+20%
Science Nexus (Stage III)	+15%
Nanite Actuators edict	+10%
Discovery tradition tree finish	+10%
Technological Ascendancy ascension perk	+10%
Reverse-Engineer Arcane Technology minor artifacts action	+10%
Curator enclave research aid deal	+10%
Science Nexus (Stage II)	+10%
The Mirror of Knowledge empire modifier	+10%
Neural Bank empire modifier	+10%
Whisperers in the Void covenant (50 favor)	+10%
Fanatic Materialist ethic	+10%
Materialist ethic	+5%
Administrative AI technology	+5%
Positronic AI technology	+5%
New Numbers technology	+5%
Research Cooperative federation level 2	+5%
Miniature Galaxy relic	+5%
Science Nexus (Stage I)	+5%
Radiation-Hardened Components empire modifier	+5%
The Singularity Processor empire modifier	+5%
Spurred by the Past empire modifier	+5%
Full Circle empire modifier	+5%
Goes Around, Comes Around empire modifier	+5%
Whisperers in the Void covenant	+5%
Ministry of Science holding	+3%

Source	Research speed (scientist area)
Chosen of the Whisperers scientist trait	+25%
Chosen One scientist trait	+20%
Chosen of the Composer scientist trait	+15%
Chosen of the Instrument scientist trait	+15%
Curator scientist trait	+15%
Psychic scientist trait	+10%
Shroud-Touched scientist trait	+10%
Scholarium Investigator scientist trait	+10%
Spark of Genius scientist trait	+10%
Brain Slug Host scientist trait	+10%
Sapient AI Assistant scientist trait	+10%
Custom AI Assistant scientist trait	+5%
Maniacal scientist trait	+5%
Cunning scientist trait	+5%
Cyborg scientist trait	+5%
Synthetic scientist trait	+5%
Erudite scientist trait	+5%
Paranoid scientist trait	−5%
Traumatized scientist trait	−10%

References

Game concepts