Diplomacy
- For the
Diplomacy tradition tree, see Traditions page.
Diplomacy comprises the actions and agreements that empires can take with and against each other. Most diplomatic actions and agreements are mutually beneficial.
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Available only with the Humanoids DLC enabled. |
Empires with the Pompous Purists civic can send but not receive diplomatic propositions. This includes border access, so whether an empire has borders open or close towards them is decided solely by the Initial Border Status policy. It also means that if two empires have the civic they cannot conduct diplomacy with each other.
Envoys[edit | edit source]
Envoys are minor leaders that can be assigned to perform various diplomatic tasks. Once an envoy is assigned to a task, it cannot be reassigned again for a year. Envoys can be assigned to the following tasks:
Improve Relations with another empire, which grants
+0.25 opinion per month to and from the target empire (up to +150) and removes the embassy requirement for certain diplomatic actions
Harm Relations with another empire, which grants
−0.5 opinion per month to and from the target empire (up to −150) and removes the relation requirement for negative diplomatic actions
- First contact, which establishes communications
- Build a Spy Network, which increases
infiltration in another empire over time and allows for operations to be conducted
Each Empire starts with 2 Envoys by default and can gain additional ones in the following ways:
Diplomatic status[edit | edit source]
- See also: Diplomacy interface
The contact and diplomacy screens show a summary of an empire's diplomatic treaties and relations with other empires, as well as certain other relevant information such as their diplomatic stance policy
The unilateral opinion of an empire also influences whether an AI empire supports or opposes proposed resolutions in the
Galactic Community as well as their attitude towards an empire.
Trust[edit | edit source]
Trust cap source | ![]() |
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Base | 50 |
Varies by agreement | 75 or 100 |
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+50 |
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+50 with ![]() |
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+5 |
Trust growth modifier source | ![]() |
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+33% |
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+5% |
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+10% |
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+100% |
Empires which engage in friendly diplomacy build trust over time. Each point of trust adds
+1 opinion and
+0.5 intel cap. The default
trust cap is 50. Certain diplomatic agreements increase this cap, with only the highest amount applying. Conversely, many diplomatic agreements require a certain amount of trust or relation level to be proposed.
Trust changes monthly based on the current diplomatic relationship between two empires. Most diplomatic agreements have a small amount of trust growth, while
rivalry and
war quickly decay any trust at −2 per month. If there are no active sources of trust growth, trust decays by −0.25 each month.
Modifiers for trust growth and
trust cap can be found in the tables to the right.
Threat[edit | edit source]
Empires that conquer or subjugate other empires generate threat. This represents other nearby empire's concerns and fears of being conquered next. Each empire has a threat rating, and as it increases, surrounding empires gain a stacking negative opinion modifier towards the aggressor empire, while becoming increasingly friendly with a stacking positive opinion modifier towards other threatened empires. This makes empires with mutual threat more willing to form an alliance against an aggressive conqueror or crisis.
Threat is generated by:
- Conquest:
- 2 Conquered a system
- 4 Conquered an upgraded starbase
- 8 Conquered a colony
- ×0.75 if wargoal is Claim
- ×0.67 if wargoal is Counterattack
- 0.5
Vassalize war victory or status quo with new empire created
- 0.25
Make Tributary or
Make Subsidiary war victory or status quo with new empire created
- 0.1
Impose Ideology war victory or status quo with new empire created
- 0.5
Take Galatron war victory
- 0.5
Bring Into Fold war victory
- 0.5
Establish Hegemony war victory
- 0.5
Impounding Assets war victory
- 0.5
Bring Into Fold war victory
- 2 Prethoryn Scourge or Contingency conquered a colony
- 2 Unbidden, Aberrant, Vehement or Synth Queen destroyed a colony
- 1000 Upgraded an Aetherophasic Engine to stage 2
- 10 Destroy a star system by Star-Eater
- 3 Use World Cracker, Global Pacifier, Neutron Sweep, Divine Enforcer, Nanobot Diffuser, Deluge Machine, Toxifier or Devolving Beam on a colony belonging to another empire
- 1 Use World Cracker or Toxifier on a non-colony planet belonging to another empire
Once threat is generated, all empires gain their threat rating towards the threatening empire, with the following factors:
- Multiplied by Threat concern factor of AI personalities
- ×0 if same Federation with threatening empire
- ×0.5 if
Non-Aggression Pact with threatening empire
- ×0.1 to ×2 from relative power to threatening empire
- ×0 to ×1, x1 - 0.01 per 1 border distance to threatening empire
- ×0.75 to ×1.25, x1 - 0.002 per 1 point of opinion towards threatening empire
Threat decays 0.25 per month, and there are no other ways to lower threat.
Diplomatic actions and agreements[edit | edit source]
Diplomatic actions are divided into two types: simple actions, which happen as soon as an empire selects one, and agreements, which require the recipient to agree for it to take force. Many actions have a 10-year cooldown between uses. An empire has 6 months to respond to a diplomatic request before it is automatically declined.
Diplomatic agreements are various treaties that generally require both parties to accept before the agreement becomes active. Most agreements are bilateral and mutual, with a few agreements being asymmetric. Most agreements can be cancelled by either party without approval from the other. Most agreements cannot be proposed if the recipient has the Pompous Purists civic unless the proposer is their overlord. Empires with
Inward Perfection can also not receive or propose most agreements.
Most diplomatic agreements require a certain level of either trust or relations between the two empires. Additionally, there must be an established embassy or the proposer must have the
Diplomatic Networking tradition. Most diplomatic agreements add a minimum intel cap and provide greater details on related types of intelligence.
General diplomacy[edit | edit source]
- Diplomatic actions
Action | Effects | Requirements |
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Recalls embassy | Proposer has an embassy with recipient |
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Proposer has non-aggression pact with recipient | |
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Proposer has commercial pact with recipient | |
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Proposer has research agreement with recipient | |
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Proposer has migration treaty with recipient | |
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Proposer has guarantees recipient's independence | |
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Proposer is at peace and has defensive pact with recipient | |
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Ends proposer's rivalry of recipient | Proposer has had recipient as a ![]() |
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Switches to the Claims interface. | Proposer is allowed to make claims |
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Proposer has not declared recipient a ![]() |
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Adds recipient to the Imperial Council at a cost of ![]() |
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Removes recipient from the Imperial Council at a cost of ![]() |
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Proposer joins the ![]() |
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Subject empire diplomacy[edit | edit source]
- See also: Subject empire
Subject empires have certain obligations to their overlord, based on their agreement terms. Subject empires can be blocked from engaging in most diplomacy by the agreement term Limited Diplomacy. Even without that agreement term, most other diplomatic actions and agreements are blocked for subjects. Subjects have +25 opinion and
+0.25 trust growth with their overlord. Additionally, subjects have an additional diplomatic factor,
loyalty, which determines whether they will engage in trade or other diplomacy with their overlord.
Diplomatic subjugation, whether demanded or asked for, requires both parties to be independent and at peace. Additionally, the potential subject cannot be the Custodian or
Galactic Emperor, nor have been declared a crisis. Awakened Empires can always propose subjugation.
Agreement | Effects | Requirements |
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Enters the terms menu to propose becoming overlord of recipient | |
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Enters the terms menu to propose becoming subject of recipient |
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Grants independence to the subject and sets a 10-year Truce | Proposer is ![]() |
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Proposer gains ![]() |
- Diplomatic actions
Action | Effects | Requirements |
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Grants independence to the subject and sets a 10-year Truce | Proposer is ![]() |
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Integrates the subject into the overlord empire. | |
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Stops current integration | Proposer is ![]() |
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Ends ![]() |
Proposer is ![]() |
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Recipient gains ![]() |
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Ends secret fealty status with recipient | Proposer has pledged or received secret fealty with the recipient |
Federation diplomacy[edit | edit source]
- See also: Federation
Federations are multi-faceted and multi-lateral agreements between two or more empires to provide mutual defense and other benefits to the members of the federation.
Agreements between federations members or between federation members and other empires depend in part on the current laws of the federation. Federation members cannot sign guarantee independence,
support independence,
non-aggression pacts, or
defensive pacts with any empire. Members can sign
research agreements,
commercial pacts, and
migration treaties with each other or other empires unless the federation's laws prevent them from doing so.
By default, joining a federation requires the unanimous approval of all current members of that federation, whether an empire petitions for membership or a current member invites another empire to join. With the Federations DLC, it is possible to change that requirement to be a majority vote or be decided by the federation president alone. Joining or leaving a federation requires the federation and the potential member to be at peace. Members of the
Galactic Imperium cannot join or associate with federations.
Inward Perfection empires cannot join a federation diplomatically; they can be forced in with the
Establish Hegemony casus belli or if their overlord joins a federation with the Yes Can Subjects Join law; they can be
federation associates, however.
Federation members have
+50 opinion,
100 trust cap, and
+1 trust growth with each other; they must also pay
−1 influence in diplomatic upkeep.
Federation associates have
+10 opinion,
100 trust cap, and
+0.5 trust growth with members of the associated federation.
Agreement | Effect | Federation vote | Requirements | |
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Creates federation with recipient | None | ||
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Invites recipient to join the Federation | By Invite Members law | ||
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Requests to join an already existing Federation | By Invite Members law | ||
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By Kick Members law | |||
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President only | |||
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The empire and the federation will not be able to declare war upon each other. | Unanimous | ||
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The empire and the federation will not be able to declare war upon each other. | Unanimous |
- Diplomatic actions
Action | Effect | Federation vote | Requirements |
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None | ||
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Majority | ||
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None | Proposer is a ![]() |
Acceptance[edit | edit source]
The acceptance of diplomatic agreements by computer empires is determined by multiple factors.
Personality[edit | edit source]
The most specific factor that determines an empire's acceptance rate is its AI personality.
Trade deals[edit | edit source]
Trade deals are instant or monthly transfers of resources or other assets between two empires. Deals that transfer monthly resources last between 10 and 30 years; once the AI fills their stockpile, long-term contracts become only viable option. It is possible to break long-term trade contracts if not enough resources are stockpiled, but this causes an opinion penalty. Diplomatic trades often can yield better deals than the market. The AI will never accept mixed long-term/instant trades. The value the AI places on a particular resource in a deal is largely based on how much of YOUR economy is devoted to producing that resource - shifting your economy to focus on a particular resource will cause all of the AI empires to value it less in deals. Although
Gestalt Consciousness empires have no use for
consumer goods or
Zro, they are still willing to trade for them.
Trading requires a neutral or positive attitude between the two empires. Empires holding a negative attitude will accept only gifts (giving them resources without them giving anything in return). Fallen empires only trade if they are patronizing or enigmatic towards the proposing empire and will never trade strategic resources. Resources cannot be traded between overlords and subjects if the terms of agreement include contribution or subsidies in that resource.
Trade willingness shows how much an empire is open to trading with other empires and is dependent on their AI personality. The lower their trade willingness is, the more favorable a trade deal has to be for them to see it as fair. Empires with less than 75% trade willingness will never make offers.
In addition to resources, the following things can be traded diplomatically:
Communications: Valued based on the number of new contacts. Does not include Enclaves. Fallen Empires always refuse.
Active Sensor Link: Valued based on distance, neighboring empires being more interested. Allows the empire receiving the link to see everything the granting empire can see. Only available as a timed deal. Fallen Empires always refuse.
Transfer System: Available only towards neighbors during peacetime, it is the most valued trade option and can be used to offer to cede one of your star systems, usually non-preferred planets that are too expensive to terraform or adapt pops to, or as a way to ease opinion penalty of claims or border tension. The AI will always refuse to trade away their own systems, and will not accept systems that contain colonized Holy Worlds or border the Militant Isolationists.
Specimens: Valued by selling cost x1.3, or twice more if they don't have a specimen from that category.
Transfer Leader: Only available to and from empires with the
Tactical Algorithms civic or from a tier 2 specialized subject to the overlord. Valued based on the leader's abilities. Requires both empires to have the same authority if
Gestalt Consciousness. Maximum one Leader per trade.
Subject trade deals[edit | edit source]
Subject empires have additional trading options with their overlord:
Borrow Fleet: Gives the subject temporary control a fleet. Valued based on how much of the total fleet power the fleets represent.
Pledge Loyalty: Only available from a subject towards the overlord as a timed trade deal; if the subject has
150 opinion or better towards the overlord, it gives
+2.5 loyalty monthly, otherwise +1.5 monthly.
Share Empire Data: Adds
+20 intel from the giver to the recipient; can be given by the overlord if they have 80 or less intel on the subject; can be given by the subject if they have 40 or less intel on the overlord.
Loyalty: Only available from a subject towards its overlord, each point of loyalty will increase trade acceptance by 1. Loyalty can be used even if the value would become negative, up to −100.
Specialist subjects have additional, unique trade options which extend their bonuses to the overlord, usually at the cost of their own:
Timed trade actions[edit | edit source]
Timed trade action provide modifiers for the overlord at thee expense of negative modifiers for the subject.
Technology sharing[edit | edit source]
Technology sharing trade actions are instant trade actions that give specialist technologies as research options to the overlord.
Trade acceptance[edit | edit source]
The trade acceptance number shows how much the other empire favors a deal. A trade acceptance lower than 1 means that the other empire sees the deal as disadvantageous for them and will always refuse it. A trade acceptance of 1 means that AI empire sees the deal as fair and will always accept it. A trade acceptance higher than 1 means that the other empire sees the deal as advantageous for them and will give a temporary bonus to their opinion, up to a limit of +100.
Favors[edit | edit source]
Favors can only be obtained through events and have two purposes. First, an empire can call upon Favors to add another empire's Diplomatic Weight to theirs (+10% per favor) when voting on Resolutions in the Galactic Community as long as the other empire is not already voting the same way. This does not decrease the other empire's diplomatic weight for the vote. Second, Favors increase the acceptance rate of certain diplomatic agreements or federation laws by +5 for each Favor. An empire can owe another empire up to 10 Favors.
Multiple empires can call upon Favors from the same target empire and one empire can simultaneously call upon Favors from multiple target empires.
Attitude[edit | edit source]
Each empire will have a specific attitude towards other empires dictated by their AI personality, diplomatic interactions and the relative power of both empires.
Attitude | Trade & Pacts | Prefer peace | Other Effects | Requirements | Description |
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Neutral | ![]() |
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none | none below | This Empire does not consider us relevant to their interests. |
Wary | ![]() |
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none | inferior relative power and shared border | This Empire maintains a cautious attitude towards us. |
Receptive | ![]() |
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more inclined to accept diplomatic pacts | diplomatic AI personalities | This Empire is interested in closer relations with us. |
Cordial | ![]() |
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more inclined to accept diplomatic pacts | high opinion | This Empire is amenable to peaceful coexistence and trading with us. |
Friendly | ![]() |
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more inclined to accept diplomatic pacts and join a federation | high opinion and successful past diplomacy | This Empire views us as a friend and may be willing to form an alliance with us. |
Protective | ![]() |
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more inclined to accept diplomatic pacts and may propose subjugation | high opinion and superior relative power | This Empire believes that we are weak and need their protection. |
Suspicious | ![]() |
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none | low opinion | This Empire views us with suspicion and mistrust. |
Rival | ![]() |
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none | rival with low opinion | This Empire views us as their rival. |
Hostile | ![]() |
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none | very low opinion | This Empire views us as their enemy. They are likely to attack us if they think they can win. |
Domineering | ![]() |
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only uses the Subjugation Casus Belli | low opinion and Subjugator AI | This Empire believes that we would make a fine vassal. |
Threatened | ![]() |
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none | 50 or higher threat rating | This Empire views us as a threatening menace. |
Overlord | ![]() |
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none | overlord | This Empire is our overlord. |
Loyal | ![]() |
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none | subject with positive loyalty | This subject is loyal to us. |
Disloyal | ![]() |
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considers the relative power of other subjects as well | subject with negative loyalty | This subject resents its subservience to us. |
Dismissive | ![]() |
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none | Fallen Empire | This Fallen Empire considers us largely beneath their notice. |
Patronizing | ![]() |
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may bestow gifts | Fallen Empire with high opinion | This Fallen Empire views us as errant children in need of their guidance. They may deign to bestow gifts of technology, resources or ships on us. |
Angry | ![]() |
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will send a demand which will grant them Casus Belli if refused | Fallen Empire with low opinion | We have angered this Fallen Empire with our actions, and they may declare war to punish us. |
Arrogant | ![]() |
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no effect | distant Awakened Empire | This Awakened Empire views us with dismissive arrogance. |
Imperious | ![]() |
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will propose subjugation | neighbor Awakened Empire | This Awakened Empire views us as a future subject. They are likely to demand we surrender our independence. |
Belligerent | ![]() |
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none | Awakened Empire with low opinion | This Awakened Empire views us as a target of conquest. They are likely to attack us. |
Custodial | ![]() |
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accepts joining a Federation | Guardian Awakened Empires | This Awakened Empire believes that it needs to protect us from the crisis currently threatening the galaxy. They are likely to attempt to ally us. |
Enigmatic | ![]() |
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opinion is hidden and has no impact | Ancient Caretakers | This Fallen Empire is an ancient artificial intelligence that behaves in a strange and unpredictable manner. We do not know what to expect from it. |
Berserk | ![]() |
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attacks any empire nearby | Malfunctioning Custodians | This Awakened Empire is an ancient artificial intelligence that has gone berserk. It is likely to attack anything and anyone around it. |
Genocidal Diplomacy[edit | edit source]
Empires with the Fanatic Purifiers civic can only engage in diplomacy with empires of the same primary species. Note that these other empires still have −1000
Opinion unless they are also
Fanatic Purifiers, in which case they have +200
Opinion towards each other.
Empires with the Determined Exterminator civic can only engage in diplomacy with empires with
Machine or
Mechanical main species.
Empires with the Devouring Swarm and Terravore civics cannot engage in any diplomacy at all, not even with identical empires. Envoys are thus only useful to them for Espionage and First Contact.
References[edit | edit source]
Exploration | Exploration • FTL • Unique systems • L-Cluster • Pre-FTL species • Fallen empire • Spaceborne aliens • Enclaves • Guardians • Marauders • Caravaneers |
Celestial bodies | Celestial body • Colonization • Planetary features • Planet modifiers |
Discovery | Discovery • Anomaly • Archaeological site • Astral rift • Relics • Collection |
Species | Species • Pop modification • Biological traits • Machine traits • Population • Species rights • Ethics |
Leaders | Leader • Common leader traits • Commander traits • Official traits • Scientist traits • Paragons |
Governance | Empire • Origin • Government • Civics • Council • Agendas • Policies • Edicts • Factions • Traditions • Ascension perks • Situations |
Economy | Resources • Planetary management • Districts • Jobs • Designation • Trade • Megastructures |
Buildings | Planet capital • Common buildings • Unique buildings • Holdings |
Ships | Ship • Ship designer • Core components • Weapon components • Utility components • Mutations • Offensive mutations |
Technology | Technology • Physics research • Society research • Engineering research |
Diplomacy | Diplomacy • Relations • Galactic community • Federations • Subject empires • Intelligence • AI personalities |
Warfare | Warfare • Space warfare • Land warfare • Starbase • Crisis |
Others | Events • The Shroud • Preset empires • AI players • Stat modifiers • Console commands • Easter eggs |