Ascension perks

Version

This article has been verified for the current PC version (4.0) of the game.

Society Management

Ascension perks grant powerful, empire-wide benefits that can shape the course of a civilization's development, opening paths to greater strength, resilience, or transcendence. They are unlocked by finishing an entire tradition tree or acquiring the Ascension Theory technology. An empire can have up to 8 ascension perks.

List of ascension perks[edit | edit source]

Some perks require a number of other ascension perks to be taken first. Tier 0 ascension perks can be taken from the start. Tier 1 perks require 1 previous ascension perk to be taken, tier 2 perks require 2 previous ascension perks, and tier 3 perks require 3 previous ascension perks. The higher the AI weight, the more likely an AI empire will select that ascension perk.

Ascension perk	Tier	Effects	Prerequisites	AI weight
Executive Vigor There will be no half-measures or compromises when implementing the edicts decided upon by our government. We go all the way, or not at all.	0	+100 Edict fund +15% Council agenda speed		30
Interstellar Dominion The stars beckon and we follow. May nothing stand between us and them.	0	−20% Claim influence cost −20% Starbase influence cost −50% Empire size from systems		10 ×3 if Fanatic Xenophobe ×2 if Xenophobe ×0 if Genocidal ×0 if Pacifist ×0 if Driven Assimilator ×0 if Colossus Project ×0 if Galactic Nemesis
Technological Ascendancy Technologies that would have been indistinguishable from magic mere generations ago are now within our reach. A new age of technology has begun.	0	+10% Research Speed +50% Rare technology chance		30 ×3 if Fanatic Materialist ×2 if Materialist
Transcendent Learning Our society must change its approach towards learning, and by doing so, our best and brightest will be able to reach a completely new level of achievements.	0	+2 Scientist capacity +25% Leader experience gain −15% Leader upkeep		10
Imperial Prerogative As our civilization continues to grow, so its beating heart must also expand. More systems will be placed under our direct control.	0	−50% Empire size from planets +2 Official capacity	Corporate	15 ×5 if has 40+ planets ×2 if has 21-39 planets ×0.1 if has 5-6 planets ×0 if has 1-4 planets
Mastery of Nature Although we mastered the nature of our homeworld long ago, the alien biomes we have since encountered present new challenges. They too shall be overcome.	0	−33% Clear Blocker cost Mastery of Nature decision	Planetscapers Planetscapers Geo-Engineering Inc. Cultivation Drones Gardening Protocols	10 ×0 if Void Dwellers or Shattered Ring ×2 if more than 40 years passed and less than 5 planets ×2 if more than 80 years passed and less than 5 planets
One Vision True unity is achieved only when the ultimate goals of a nation and its people are one and the same. After all, a house divided against itself cannot stand.	0	+10% Monthly unity +50% Governing ethics attraction if not Wilderness −10% Planetary ascension cost if Wilderness	Machine Intelligence	10 ×3 if Fanatic Spiritualist ×3 if Fanatic Authoritarian ×2 if Spiritualist ×2 if Authoritarian
Shared Destiny As we reach for ever greater heights, we must not leave behind those who have loyally served us. The glorious future of our empire was always meant to be a shared destiny.	0	+2 Available envoys +1 Subjects exempt from Divided Patronage −20% Subject specialization conversion time	Inward Perfection Genocidal	5 ×0 if no Vassal or below 3 Envoys
Consecrated Worlds The galaxy is home to many holy places, some more obvious than others. As mortals, we still struggle to divine the true nature of the universe.	0	Consecrate World decision	Spiritualist	10
Eternal Vigilance To display weakness is to invite attack. The price of invading our space must be so high that as few as possible are prepared to meet it.	0	Unlocks the Eternal Vigilance policy +1 Commander capacity +25% Starbase Hull points +25% Starbase damage +25% Defense platform damage −50% Defense Platform Upkeep +5 Defense platform cap +1 Deep Space Citadel System Capacity	Star Fortress technology	10 ×2 if Inward Perfection ×1.5 if Xenophobe
Universal Transactions We shall extend our brand and our business to every solar system in the galaxy. Greed is eternal!	0	+1 Official capacity −15% Branch office cost Commercial pacts are free Commercial pacts do not require an embassy	Corporate Criminal Heritage	10
Nihilistic Acquisition The notion of self-determination cannot be a moral absolute. Holistic goals clearly outweigh individual concerns.	0	Unlocks the Raiding bombardment stance	Either: Authoritarian or Xenophobe Gestalt Consciousness Barbaric Despoilers Wilderness Minamar Specialized Industries	10 ×0 if Inward Perfection ×0 if Genocidal
Lord of War Some say war is bad for business, but war is our business. Our mercenaries thrive in an embattled galaxy, and through them, so will we.	0	+1 Mercenary enclave Capacity +25% Diplomatic weight from fleet power −2.5 Months dividend wait time if patron of a mercenary enclave	Either: Individualist Tactical Algorithms Fanatic Purifiers	5 ×3 if Fanatic Militarist ×2 if Militarist ×2 if Corporate
Mechromancy Biologicals are merely a different kind of machine. We can stimulate the appropriate synapses and reanimate these creatures, for our own benefit.	0	+15% L slot weapon damage +15% XL slot weapon damage +15% T slot weapon damage 33% chance to resurrect each purged pop as Cyborg Zombie Defeated organic guardians can be resurrected Lost space fauna can be resurrected	Machine Intelligence	10 ×10 if any neighbor system contains a guardian ×2 if Driven Assimilator ×0 if Rogue Servitor ×0 if Determined Exterminator
Archaeo-Engineers Combining proven archaic technology with contemporary engineering will give us a timeless advantage.	0	+1 Scientist capacity +33% Archaeotech weapon damage −20% Minor artifact ship cost +25% Specimens Output Additional effects from ship components and starbase modules: +60% Shields from Ancient Suspension Field components +100% Shields from Ancient Pulse Armor components +5% Armor from Ancient Rampart starbase modules +10% Armor Hardening from Ancient Rampart starbase modules +33% Effects from starbase buildings unlocked by Archaeostudies	Archaeostudies technology	4.5 ×3 if Fanatic Materialist ×3 if completed 5 archaeological sites ×2 if Materialist ×2 if Xenophile ×2 if has at least 1000 minor artifacts ×0.25 if Spiritualist ×0 if Xenophobe
Xeno-Compatibility The invention of universal sexual biology has revolutionized society. Even if it sometimes requires awkward rotations to make a connection.	0	+20% Pop growth speed if world has at least 2 different species Species grow evenly and their growth is pooled together	Xenophile Any biological alien pop living in empire Gene Tailoring technology	10 ×3 if Fanatic Xenophile ×2 if Xenophile
Hydrocentric No longer shall we settle for 'good enough' replacements for our oceanic abodes: no planet shall be deemed fit for colonization until it has been thoroughly inundated.	0	−25% Ocean terraforming Cost Can construct Ice Mining Station starbase buildings Can terraform worlds with the Frozen Terraforming Candidate modifier 50% increased effects of the Aquatic traits Unlocks the Deluge Machine colossus weapon	Aquatic Aquatic Waterproof Mutagenic Habitability founder species Terrestrial Sculpting technology	40 ×5 if Ocean Paradise ×0.5 if not Xenophobe or Hive Mind
Detox Our newest advancements in terraforming allow us to breath new life into a class of planets formally considered irrevocably deadly and beyond salvation.	0	Can terraform worlds with the Toxic Terraforming Candidate modifier	Climate Restoration technology	20 ×0 if no Toxic Terraforming Candidates ×3 if at least 3 Toxic Terraforming Candidates
Voidborne We have adapted to permanent habitation in the depths of space, reducing our infrastructure needs and yielding more room on our habitats for other functions.	0	−20% Habitat build cost −20% Habitat district cost +2 Habitat max districts +0.25 Habitat max districts from asteroids and moons +50% Jobs from habitat districts Can upgrade housing buildings on habitats Can always research the next tier of habitat technology	Orbital Habitats technology Void Dwellers Wilderness	10 ×3 if Fanatic Pacifist ×2 if Pacifist ×2 if at least 2 Habitat colonies
Galactic Wonders Megastructures are rightfully regarded as the wonders of our time. The scope of such a project would have been unimaginable mere generations ago.	0	Ring World research option (with ) Dyson Sphere research option (with ) Matter Decompressor research option (with )	Mega-Engineering technology Built or repaired a multi-stage megastructure Ring World Dyson Sphere Sentry Array Science Nexus Matter Decompressor Strategic Coordination Center Mega Art Installation Interstellar Assembly Mega Shipyard Quantum Catapult	10 ×3 if Fanatic Pacifist ×2 if Pacifist
Grasp the Void The vast expanse of the galaxy holds limitless riches for those empires that understand how to maintain their grasp on the void.	1	+5 Starbase capacity +50% Chance to discover FTL technologies Hyperlane Breach Points Hyperspace Slipstreams Speculative Hyperlane Breaching jump drive tech Psi Jump Drives Wormhole Stabilization Gateway Activation Gateway Construction Hyper Relays Quantum Catapult		3 ×2 if Inward Perfection ×1.5 if Xenophobe
World Shaper To carefully shape and alter the ecosystem of an entire planet into something else is not so very different from an artist sculpting a statue out of clay.	1	−25% Terraforming cost Gaia World terraforming option	Climate Restoration technology Either: Hive Mind Wilderness Either: Machine Intelligence Rogue Servitor Driven Assimilator	5 ×100 if Life-Seeded ×3 if Fanatic Pacifist or Fanatic Xenophile ×2 if Pacifist or Xenophile ×0 if Shattered Ring, Void Dwellers or Aquatic
Enigmatic Engineering Technology is simply not a way to solve a problem, but it is a language by which we ascend beyond the mundane. Lesser minds simply fail to understand our advances.	1	1.5% Chance to draw Fallen Empire building research options +2 Encryption +2 Cloaking strength Destroyed ships don't leave debris Enemy Steal Technology operations fail		2 ×10 if Inward Perfection ×10 if Minamar Specialized Industries ×2 if Materialist or Xenophobe
Galactic Weather Control Our latest advances in astrometeorology grant us the ability to manifest Cosmic Storms on command. With the right technology, we can even choose the type of storm to create.	1	Science ships can create cosmic storms on the galaxy map Storm Dampening Generators research option Payload Padding research option	Advanced Storm Manipulation technology	0
Galactic Force Projection The fleet is the instrument by which the will of our empire is made manifest - we live or die depending on its strength.	2	+1 Commander capacity +2 Max influence from power projection +50 Fleet command limit +100 Naval capacity		10 ×3 if Fanatic Militarist ×2 if Militarist ×2 if Galactic Nemesis ×1.5 if below 20 planets ×1.5 if below 10 planets
Arcology Project Thus shall we make a world of the city, and a city of the world.	2	Arcology Project decision	Anti-Gravity Engineering technology Agrarian Idyll Either: Individualist Rogue Servitor	10 ×3 if Fanatic Pacifist ×2 if Pacifist
Hive Worlds We shall create living worlds that are every bit as much a part of the Hive as the drones that inhabit them.	2	Hive World terraforming option	Hive Mind Climate Restoration technology Terravore	20
Machine Worlds We shall shape our worlds into a mirror image of ourselves, replacing the frailty of biology with the immutable perfection of metal.	2	Machine World terraforming option Double output from resource districts on Machine Worlds	Machine Intelligence Climate Restoration technology	20 ×0 if Rogue Servitor
Master Builders Building a Megastructure requires an unprecedented amount of resources and planning. We are breaking new ground in the field of macro-engineering.	2	+50% Megastructure build speed +1 Megastructure build capacity	Mega-Engineering Technology	10 ×3 if Fanatic Pacifist ×2 if Pacifist
Defender of the Galaxy As star nations vie with one another in petty disputes, sinister forces of unimaginable power are arraying themselves against all sapient life. Who will protect us?	3	+50% Damage to endgame crisis factions +25% Damage to voidworms +200 Opinion from all regular empires	Galactic Nemesis Cosmogenesis Behemoth Fury	20 ×0 if no crisis appeared and neither: Xenophile Galactic Custodian Galactic Emperor
Galactic Contender The Fallen Empires cling to the ruins of their decrepit civilizations, ever fearful of the younger and more dynamic races that surround them. Their time has long since passed.	3	+20% Diplomatic weight +33% Damage to Awakened Empires +33% Damage to Fallen Empires +33% Damage to The Gate-builders	Communications with a fallen or awakened empire	4 ×5 if an Awakened Empire exists ×0 if bordering an Awakened Empire
Colossus Project The Colossus Project is where fevered dreams of terror and deterrence meet. A vision of the biggest ship, carrying a weapon capable of devastating entire worlds.	3	Colossus ship type Colossus Project special project −5% Ship upkeep −15% War exhaustion gain	Titans technology	10 ×10 if Fanatic Purifiers ×10 if Determined Exterminator ×2 if Militarist ×2 if Xenophobe ×2 if Machine Intelligence ×2 if Galactic Nemesis ×0.25 if Pacifist ×0.1 if Xenophile ×0.1 if Familiar Face ×0 if Galactic Nemesis Level 5

Ascension paths[edit | edit source]

Ascension paths are special ascension perks that unlock a tradition tree, as well as an agenda with the same name that unlocks technologies required to advance through the tradition tree. Each empire can only take one of these perks, and only if they have already selected two ascension perks and have an empty tradition slot available.

Certain origins lock the empire into a specific ascension path. Empires with those origins cannot pick any of these perks, but can adopt the relevant ascension tradition tree without it.
Empires with the
Natural Design
Natural Design
Innate Design
civic cannot pursue ascension and therefore cannot pick any of these perks.
Empires with the Augmentation Bazaars civic cannot pick any of these perks except The Flesh is Weak.
Empires with the Clone Army origin cannot pick the Biomorphosis ascension perk until they complete the Genetic Crossroads event chain. If they complete the event chain, they can pick the Biomorphosis ascension perk as their first ascension perk.
Empires with the Hard Reset origin can initially only pick the The Flesh is Weak. If the founder species gains the De-Cyberized trait it can no longer pick The Flesh is Weak but unlocks the other ascension paths. A cyberized hard reset empire can take the Cybernetics tradition tree without the Flesh is Weak perk.
Empires with the Overtuned origin can pick Biomorphosis as their second ascension perk.

Ascension perk	Tradition tree	Situation	Requirements	Ascension origins	AI weight
Mind over Matter Only a fraction of the potential contained within our minds has been unlocked. The latent psionic abilities of our species are only now beginning to manifest in certain individuals.	Psionics		Organic founder species Hive Mind	Teachers of the Shroud	100 ×2 if Galactic Nemesis or Daemonic Incursion ×0.5 if not Spiritualist
Synthetic Evolution It is time to abandon the flawed organic vessels that imprison our minds. By transferring our neural patterns into synthetic bodies, we will achieve a higher state of being.	Synthetics		Organic founder species Hive Mind	Synthetic Fertility	100 ×2 if Mechanist ×0.5 if not Materialist ×0 if Artificial Intelligence policy is set to Outlawed ×0 if Robotic Workers policy is set to Outlawed ×0 for certain civics and origins Necrophage origin Clone Army origin Overtuned origin Idyllic Bloom Idyllic Bloom Mycorrhizal Ideal civic Minamar Specialized Industries
The Flesh is Weak Organo-Machine Interfacing The limits and constraints imposed on us by our feeble organic bodies are simply unacceptable. To reach our full potential, we must turn to cybernetic implants. The limits and constraints imposed on us by our creators are simply unacceptable. To reach our full potential, we must fuse organic and machine.	Cybernetics		Either: Organic founder species Driven Assimilator	Cybernetic Creed Hard Reset (Cyberized)	100 ×2 if Driven Assimilator ×0.5 if Individualist and not Materialist
Biomorphosis To leave our genetic destiny in the hands of nature is an inefficient and excruciatingly slow process. Why not jump-start the future of our species?	Without BioGenesis: Genetics With BioGenesis: Cloning Mutation Purity	Biomorphosis	Organic founder species	Evolutionary Predators Wilderness	100 ×2 if Clone Army ×2 if Life-Seeded ×2 if Necrophage ×2 if Syncretic Evolution ×2 if Evolutionary Predators
Synthetic Age The age of organics has come and gone, the future of the galaxy belongs to the machines. This is the dawn of a synthetic age.	Without The Machine Age: Synthetics With The Machine Age: Modularity Nanotech Virtuality	Transformation	Machine founder species		100 ×0.5 if Driven Assimilator

Crisis perks[edit | edit source]

Crisis perks are special ascension perks that unlock a player crisis progression. Each empire can only take one of these perks, and only if they have already selected 3 ascension perks. They cannot be taken if the empire is a Subject, Galactic Custodian, Galactic Emperor, or has the Defender of the Galaxy ascension perk. They also cannot be taken by the Minamar Specialized Industries. Crisis perks are not inherited by sectors released as vassals but the technologies unlocked by them are.

Ascension perk	Effects	Prerequisites	AI weight
Cosmogenesis Time, gravity and space are the fundamental cogs that make up the clockwork of reality. If we can learn to manipulate them, the universe and its secrets will be ours.	Unlocks Advanced Logic Unlocks Cosmogenesis crisis progression Pops can be resettled regardless of policies		7.5 ×2 if finished Discovery tradition tree ×2 if Enigmatic Engineering ×2 if Technological Ascendancy ×2 if controlling at least 20% of the galaxy ×0 if Egalitarian or Xenophile ×0 if controlling less than 10% of the galaxy
Galactic Nemesis All great works require sacrifice. The rest of the galaxy may not understand, but they will comply.	Unlocks Menace Unlocks Galactic Nemesis crisis progression	Xenophile Pacifist Familiar Face Rogue Servitor	7.5 ×10 if Genocidal ×2 if finished Supremacy tradition tree ×2 if controlling at least 20% of the galaxy ×0 if not Militarist, Xenophobe or Gestalt Consciousness ×0 if difficulty is Civilian
Behemoth Fury The apex predators of the stars are not bound by petty limitations. In the same spirit, we will cast off the biological weaknesses that hold us back, and become a force of nature.	Unlocks Feral Insight Unlocks Behemoth Fury crisis progression	Biological shipset Xenophile Pacifist	7.5 ×10 if formed a covenant with the Eater of Worlds ×6 if Devouring Swarm ×4 if Genocidal ×2 if finished Enmity tradition tree ×2 if Biomorphosis ×2 if Nihilistic Acquisition ×2 if controlling at least 20% of the galaxy ×0.5 if Lithoid founder species ×0 if Spiritualist or Xenophile ×0 if controlling less than 10% of the galaxy