Guardians

Version

This article has been verified for the current PC version (3.8) of the game.

Spaceborne aliens

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 one 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 will start a Leviathan Parade Opportunity situation.

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

Empire with the  Reanimators or  Permanent Employment civic that kill an organic guardian will gain the option to issue a special project that costs 10000  society research to resurrect the guardian on their side. Reanimated guardians cannot be merged into fleets or be commanded by admirals, 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

The Hive asteroid belt

A random system in the galaxy will 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 will display an event window hinting that there's more to the system than meets the eye.

If the system is claimed with a Starbase the Asteroid Hives will 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 will engage and destroy the enemy ones before attacking the guardians. In addition carrier ships have point defenses themselves.

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

Automated Dreadnought

Automated Dreadnought patrolling the empty system's asteroid belt

A random system in the galaxy with two habitable worlds will 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 by ships with high shielding and mixed laser/kinetic weaponry.

Weapons	Utility	Core
1 Titan Lance T2 7 Plasma T3 3 Plasma T3 2 Disruptor T3 3 Point-Defense T3	11 Armor T5 11 Shields T6 3 Shield Capacitor 2 Regenerative Hull Tissue	Dark Matter Reactor Tachyon Sensors Jump Drive Sapient Combat Computer (Line) Dark Matter Thrusters Inspiring Presence

Defeating the Automated Dreadnought gives the following two choices:

1. Salvage the dreadnought for 5000  Energy and  Minerals and 30x monthly (1000~5000)  Engineering research.
2. Issue a special project to repair and use it that costs 50000  Engineering research. Dreadnought is the same as listed above except that it loses Leviathan modifiers for Hull and Shields, but it receives two additional Hyper Shields. Its Jump Drive will be upgraded to a Psi Jump Drive if the empire has the technology. The components will not be able to be upgraded/changed even if better tech is available (jump drive included after fully repairing it).

Enigmatic Fortress

Ancient Vault with all defenses

A random class A star system in the galaxy will house the Enigmatic Fortress, a massive space station guarded by numerous unique defense platforms. The Enigmatic Fortress uses regular components and can be countered by ships with high armor and mixed laser/kinetic weaponry. 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 Sensor T4	Dark Matter Reactor Sensor T4	Dark Matter Reactor Sensor T4	Dark Matter Reactor Sensor T4	Dark Matter Reactor Sensor T4

Defeating the Enigmatic Fortress will start a lengthy event chain that must be completed to gain its rewards. Letting the timer expire at any point will result in the vault repowering.

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 will grant 1000-5000  Research across all fields as well as unlock the Enigmatic Encoder and Enigmatic Decoder technologies.

Infinity Machine

Infinity Machine orbiting Gargantua

A black hole system in the galaxy named Gargantua will house the Infinity Machine, the only guardian in the game that's not hostile. At first no interaction with the Infinity Machine is possible but a year or two after being discovered the guardian will send a transmission and start 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 will permanently grant 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 will grant 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 will have one of the following outcomes.
  • 50%: the project fails but the Infinity Machine will reward the empire with the  Positronic AI technology. If already researched it will grant the  Zero Point Power technology. If both were researched it will grant the empire a +5%  Research Output empire modifier.
  • 25%: the project succeeds and the Infinity Machine enters the black hole. It will grant the  Positronic AI technology. If already researched it will grant the  Zero Point Power technology. If both were researched it will grant 150  Influence. In addition the black hole will get 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 will get a 10  Research deposit. The empire will get 200  Influence and permanently gain 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 will allow 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) will have the Infinity Machine initiate contact and ask you 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

650THz Spectral Wraith

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

Unlike other guardians the Spectral Wraith is completely mobile and can travel anywhere in the galaxy. It will spawn 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 will gain -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 will not trigger in binary/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 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 will 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 ~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

Real scale of the Stellar Devourer

A random unary star system in the galaxy will appear empty on sensors but reveal the Stellar Devourer when entered, a glowing spaceborne entity that feeds upon stars. If the Stellar Devourer was engaged and did not lose at least 67% HP it will attack one of the attacker's systems until the starbase is disabled and then stay for 90 days until retreating. If the system is colonized all planets will get −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 will give the choice to either Study the egg sac, or to study the corpse, which will issue a special project to investigate its remains that takes 60 days to be finished. Once examined it will give the following options:

1. Harvest the body's energy deposits for a large bonus of 10,000  Energy, 2000  Minerals and 80  Influence.
2. 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 will become Arctic planets. All other planets undergo a temperature increase as well, rerolling them completely.
3. Xenophobe and Militarist empires have the option to instead gain the unique Stellar Devourer Trophy planetary feature (+8  Unity, +5%  Happiness ) on the empire capital, as well as 500  influence.

Corrupted Avatar

Corrupted Avatar

A randomly placed system with a wormhole will open 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 will reveal its connection to a trinary system in the galaxy with no hyperlane connections. Said 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.

Defeating the Corrupted Avatar allows free access to the system, which contains a  Gaia World which when surveyed will reveal 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 will also have 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 will always be present if the required DLC is installed. Its system is accessible only via a wormhole which will appear even if wormholes were disabled on game startup.

In 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.

Tiyanki Matriarch

Tiyanki Matriarch; can be reanimated

A random system in the galaxy with a Gaia World and another habitable world will 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 14,000 Armor0 Base 3,000 Utilities 11,000 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 will breach the Galactic Law if the Tiyanki Conservation Act Resolution was passed and the empire is a member of the Galactic Community. Doing so will also incur a fine of −5000  Energy Credits.

Defeating the Tiyanki Matriarch gives the following rewards:

• If the empire researched the  Leviathan Transgenesis technology it unlocks the  Polymelic trait for genetic modification.
• Reth Unddol, a renowned paragon. Genocidal empires will kill him for 120-350  Unity instead.
• AH4B, a mid-game level battleship with 4k fleet power. It comes equipped with the following components:

Weapons	Utility	Core
1 Missile T5 1 Whirlwind Missile T2 2 Torpedoes T3 4 Plasma T3 1 Autocannon T3	4 Armor T5 4 Shields T5 1 Shield Capacitor 1 Advanced Afterburners	Hyper Drive III Advanced Combat Computer (Artillery) Plasma Thrusters

Voidspawn

Voidspawn; can be reanimated

The Voidspawn is an unborn guardian, hidden within a size 20 Dry world orbiting a class G star. Within a year after colonizing a planet in the system, an event will mention how the dry world has a pulse. Within the next half a year the planet will change its appearance, add 30  Devastation and create 3 Rifts Blockers. Within another half a year one of two things will happen. Either the pulse will stop or the planet will once again change its appearance, add 30  Devastation and create 3 Rifts Blockers. Should the latter happen the Voidspawn will hatch in a few months, destroying the colony and turning the planet into a Cracked World with a 20  Society Research deposit. A month later it 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 guardian 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 and grants the Gargantuan Evolution technology. Alternatively empires that researched the  Leviathan Transgenesis technology can choose to unlock the  Voidling trait for genetic modification.

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

Scavenger Bot

Scavenger Bot in the debris field

A random class M Red Giant star system will 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.

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 an admiral leads a fleet that defeats either the Ether Drake or the Sky Dragon it will gain the  Dragonslayer trait. In addition the empire will eventually unlock 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 reasearched the  Leviathan Transgenesis technology prior to defeating a Space Dragon will unlock the  Drake-Scaled trait for genetic modification.

Ether Drake

Ether Drake; can be reanimated

A random class F star system in the galaxy will 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 will guard Dragon's Hoard, but if it loses more than 20% HP to an attacker, it will destroy two random starbases belonging to the attacker. After the Ether Drake leaves if the systems were colonized the starbases will be rebuild into frontier outposts. If the Ether Drake loses 85% HP it will retreat to Dragon's Hoard and heal.

Defeating the Ether Drake grants the following rewards:

• 300  Influence
• The Empire gains the Ether Drake Trophy Relic
• If an Admiral was leading the fleet that defeated it, it may gain the Dragonslayer trait
• The Dragon's Hoard, which outputs 30  Energy and 30  Minerals. Building a mining station above it will reveal 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 grinded 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 will never grow to a full sized Ether Drake.

Shard

Shard; can be reanimated

Shard is a guardian that fights identically to the Ether Drake. She appears upon the conclusion of the Kleptomaniac Rats Archaeology Site excavation.

If the Relic World is colonized, Shard will destroy the colony in two years if she's 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.

If Shard spawns adjacent to a Fallen Empire, it will send a fleet to defeat her, rendering the Rubricator unobtainable.

Defeating her grants the Rubricator Relic and begins A Dirge for the Shard Opportunity.

Sky Dragon

Sky Dragon; can be reanimated

All empires with the  Here Be Dragons origin will 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 will get a notification that the Sky Dragon is hungry and be given the option to let it land on the capital, refuse or observe.

• If refused the Sky Dragon will kill 2 pops and add two blockers on the capital.
• If observing the Sky Dragon will kill 1 pop and then feed.
• Allowing it to land costs 75  Influence and the Sky Dragon will feed.

Feeding the Sky Dragon takes 14-16 years, during which the capital will gain the Feeding Dragon planetary feature. When feeding is complete the empire will be given a reward to choose between a small amount of  Research or 1000  Energy and 100  Exotic Gases. The Sky Dragon will not protect the system while feeding but if another empire attempts to invade the planet the guardian will cancel feeding and protect the system.

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

• Remote Dragon Scanning special project grants a moderate amount of  Society research.
• Dragon Specimen Gathering special project brings 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 will unlock the next armor technology.
  • If the project is attempted a second time there is a 75% chance the Sky Dragon will kill 2 pops and add two blockers on the capital. The chance is reduced to 25% if the dragon was fed. If this second attempt is successful, gain 50% of the science cost for the next armor technology instead of 100%.

After either special project has completed and the empire has established communications with at least 70% of the galaxy a first contact will be established 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 4 ascension perks and finishing a tradition tree unlocked by an ascension path, the guardian will ask the empire to help raise its children. Refusing will grant 500  Influence but the Sky Dragon will disappear. If the offer is accepted the empire will gain control of Sky Dragon and unlock the Dragon Hatchery starbase building.

If the empire with the  Here Be Dragons origin kills the Sky Dragon it will gain 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

Dimensional creature emerging in the current dimension

Dimensional Creatures are nightmarish guardians that originate from a different dimension. Defeating any of them will start the Horrific Inverse Mass 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 will appear 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 installed it gives the Scales of the Worm relic

Dimensional Horror

A random black hole system in the galaxy will 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 will leave behind a dimensional rift with a special project that takes 140 days to be researched. Once examined, it will give 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 10-50  Minor Artifacts. Upon completing the final chapter the Elder One will begin manifesting and the empire will get the choice to either prevent it and gain 350-10000  Engineering Research or release it. Releasing it will destroy the system identically to a Star-Eater and the Elder One will emerge but not become hostile. If let out the Elder One will contact the empire 10 days later and offer to rebuild the starbase of the destroyed system and grant an empire modifier that gives +6%  Research Speed and −10%  Growth Speed. Refusing will grant 150-300  Influence but the Elder One will become hostile.

If the Elder One is killed the empire modifier provided will be removed.

Game concepts