Factions

Version

This article is considered accurate for the current version (2.3) of the game.

Just like Ethics shift will never be one-sided in individualist empires, factions will always form.

In order to represent the struggles an empire will face in attempting to maintain control over a diverse population, Stellaris includes a system where units of an empire's population can support factions. Factions represent political parties and are the main determinant of pop happiness. They are disabled for Gestalt Consciousness empires.

Pops supporting Factions

Only Pops that are fully sentient can support factions. For the exact requirement for supporters see below. A pop can only support one Faction. Common lockout conditions are slavery, being a shackled robot, suffering from culture shock, and purging. However, either option will cause a rather high level of Unhappiness by itself, making it a "de facto" Faction that is always unhappy.

Every Ethic has at least one Faction and every eligible pop of that Ethic may support it. This is very positive if the faction is happy but can lead to massive Crime and Poor planetary approval if it is unhappy.

As a Pop generally has to have the fitting Ethics to support a Faction, Ethics attraction plays a major role in Faction strength and distribution. Both systems interact to a degree, with many issues aiming to create (or curb) conflicting Attractions.

Remember: First Ethics, then (maybe) Faction support.

Faction Properties

Factions screen

Every faction has all of these properties. Approval and size/support are usually the most important figures to keep in mind.

Spawn Limitations

Generally, Factions only spawn after at least 10 ingame years have passed and there are at least 5 pops capable of supporting it. There is an also 180 day lockout between Factions spawning. While many also require having met another species, this is not a universal rule.

It can rarely happen that a Faction despawns shortly after forming due to losing members, which can result in the Faction re-forming under a new name later.

Approval

This is derived from its issues, with a major modification if the Faction is suppressed, supported or a factions Ethic was recently Embraced. Faction Approval adds a Happiness modifier to all Pops who support the faction:

Approval	Pop Happiness
0-19%	-40%
20-39%	-10%
40-59%	0
60-79%	+5%
80-100%	+10%

Size

How many Pops currently support that Faction. Happy Factions should ideally contain 100% of the population. While that rarely happens, minimizing unhappy factions is still relevant. This is primarily a informational value, as the derived value Support is often more important. It still matters for the Approval based modifier.

Support

How many pops support the faction, weighted by their political impact. The tooltip separates between Citizen and non-Citizen (Residency) pops. Currently all pops count the same regardless of Political Power and if they have Citizen Rights.

It is ideal if happy Factions have a lot of support and unhappy ones as little as possible. Depending on the Support, an unhappy Faction will be listed as White, Yellow or Red in the outliner.

Issues

Issues directly translate to happiness: the more issues that are Fulfilled, the happier the Faction. By their nature opposing Ethic Factions have opposing issues, making it impossible to make all Factions happy. An issue can be either fulfilled or not fulfilled. In either case, it might produce a happiness penalty (red), a happiness bonus (green) or be neutral (yellow). Many issues have requirements before they can appear, making it sometimes hard to know what will please a faction before unlocking the proper Options.

As they can only have two states, issues come in a few common shapes that can each only have two of the above states:

• Positive issues will be green if fulfilled, yellow if not fulfilled.
• Negative issues will be red if not fulfilled, yellow if fulfilled.
• Extreme issues will be red if not fulfilled, green if fulfilled.
• Timed issues belong into one of the above, but rely on having a timed country flag.
• Stacking issues are a set of Positive issues. There are 2 or more "levels" to fulfilling these issues. Usually, the higher level is the same basic mechanic/check, but with a higher threshold. Fulfilling one level will unlock the next one (i.e., being 10, 20 and 50 years at peace; having 1, 3 or 5 Non-Aggression Pacts with neighbors). The levels will usually provide +2%, +3% and +5% happiness which will stack for a total of +5% or +10%. However, sometimes unrelated issues share these numbers too.

Effects

All Factions produce Influence for the empire. The higher the Faction Approval and Support the more Influence will be produced.

All Factions produce in total 2 Influence baseline, which can be increased to 3 with The Living State Technology. This value is then multiplied by Faction Approval and Support, resulting in the total yield.

Faction Influence Gain can be improved by the following:

• Egalitarian adds +25%
• Fanatic Egalitarian adds +50%
• Parliamentary System adds +25%

Leader

Every Faction has a leader. That one will be drawn randomly from the Leaders already hired or hire-able in the empire, but often with weighting towards certain leader classes and towards/against Xenos. Rulers can become the Leaders of Faction or already be before they become Ruler. If the Ruler of the Empire is also the Leader of a Faction, the Attraction for the Faction and the Factions Ethics will also increase.

Actions

Actions the player can do to deal with the Faction:

• Embrace Faction allows an empire to change their Ethics one step towards that Faction's Ethics. It costs 500 influence, has a 20 year lockout and requires at least 20% Faction support. It will make this Faction Happy (+10%) but all others Unhappy (-20%).
• Suppression allows an empire to reduce the attraction of the Faction's Ethic, which can - in the long run - eliminate the Faction. But its main use is to limit the Faction Support. Suppressing a faction gives -75% Ethic Attraction for the chosen ethic and costs -1 Influence per month.
• Support allows an empire to increase the attraction of the Faction's Ethic. This can be used both to promote the governing ethics or to prepare for an ethics switch. Supporting a faction gives +100% Ethic Attraction for the chosen ethic but costs -2 Influence per month.

Factions

For any of the Terms used, please see Game Terms.

• Guiding Ethics: The Primary Ethics of the Faction. A Faction can have only one Guiding Ethics.
• Requirement: Requirements are same for all Factions:
  • >10 years passed
  • Not having Gestalt Consciousness Ethic
  • There is an unknown number of (possible) supporters needed to spawn and maintain the faction (used to be 5 and 1)
• Supporter Requirements: Which requirements a pop must meet, in order to be able to support this Faction. Standing requirements for all Factions are:
  • Not being Enslaved
  • Not being a shackled Robot
  • Not being Purged
  • Not Suffering from Culture Shock
  • Not having the Nerve Stapled Trait
  • Having the Leading Ethic of the Faction
  • Only additional requirements and exceptions will be listed below
• Attraction: How attractive the Faction is to join (as opposed to an equally eligible Faction). Base values are: 100. x1.25 if Leader is Ruler. x0.75 if no Leader. Only Additional cases and exceptions will be listed below.
• Leader: How the weighting for choosing the Faction Leader works. The base value is 100 with an Exclusion for Event Leaders

Imperialist

Imperialist Factions desire dominance over other Empires. They like Rivalries and conquering other Empires, and dislike relying on others.

• Guiding Ethics: Militarist
• Additional Supporter Requirements: none
• Attraction: default; x1.25 with Citizenship Rights
• Leader: default

Issue	Possibility	Fulfillment
Aggressive Diplomacy	Communication with a non-Vassal Default Empire	Unrestricted or Liberation Warfare	0	–30
Subjugation	Communication with a non-Vassal Default Empire	Timed flag from getting Ownership of a planet (remains fulfilled for 10 years; other transfers excluded)	+10	0
Fanatic Purifiers	Has valid Fanatic Purifier Civic	Always	+10	0
Local Rivalry	3+ Communications; Not valid Fanatic Purifier Civic; Less than 2 Rivals	Has 1 Rival	+5	-5
Neighborhood Rivalries	3+ Communications; Not valid Fanatic Purifier Civic; More than 1 but less than 3 Rivals;	Has 2 Rivals	+10	0
Galactic Nemeses	3+ Communications; Not valid Fanatic Purifier Civic; More than 2 Rivals	Has 3 Rivals	+15	0
Imperial Hegemony	3+ Communications; Not valid Fanatic Purifier Civic	Being a Overlord	+5	0
Subject State	Being a Subject	Always	0	-25
Leviathan Slayer	Host has Leviathans DLC; Contact with any Guardian Country	Killed a Guardian Flag	+10	0

Summary: Imperialist factions function as a Militarist path that requires frequent warfare, as well as rivalries and subjects in order to please. With 2.2 Rivalries were drastically buffed, both in effect how to aquire them. They go from -5 to +15, but Fanatic Purifier just replaces the Rivalry possibilities with a flat +10. Federations and Liberation Warfare are no longer a hinderance for this faction like they used to be, but being a subject is not a possibility. Being an Overlord and Killing a Leviathan are the only ways to get the persistent +20 bonuses Reaching even consistent 60% is problematic without vassal and Rival, with 80% being impossible

Isolationist

Isolationist Factions desire isolation, seeking to have as few dealings with other Empires as possible - save for Non-Aggression Pacts. They dislike wars of aggression as well as being seen as an easy target.

• Guiding Ethics: Xenophobe
• Additional Supporter Requirements: Pop is either Xeno or Empire is Pacifist
• Attraction: default; x1.5 if Xenophobe. x0.25 if Militarist
• Leader: default

Issue	Possibility	Fulfillment
Stalwart Defense	Communication with a non-Vassal Default Empire	Empire has its war policy set to anything other than Unrestricted Wars	0	–25
Unwilling Aggression	3+ Communications. On attacker side of any war	Is neither attacker in a war, nor joined one as an defender	0	–25
Strong Alone	1+ Communication	Empire is not in a Federation	0	–25
Restricted Movement	3+ Communications	Empire does not have a Migration Pact with another Empire and does not have their refugee policy set to "Refugees Allowed"	0	–10
Non-Aggression Pact	3+ Communications; Less than 2 Non-Agression Pacts	1+ Non-Aggression pact	+5	0
Non-Aggression Covenant	3+ Communications, At least 1 but less than 3 Non Agression Pacts	2+ Non-Aggression pacts	+10	0
Non-Aggression Protocol	3+ Communications, 3+ Non-Aggression pacts	3+ Non-Aggression pacts	+15	0
Peace	1+ Communications	Empire has been at peace for at least 10	+5	0
Extended Peace	1+ Communications, Empire has been at peace for over 10 years	Empire has been at peace for over 25 years	+10	0
Peace Everlasting	1+ Communications, Empire has been at peace for over 25 years	Empire has been at peace for over 50 years	+15	0

Summary: The Pacifist Xenophobe Faction can frequently be more pacifist than Pacifist factions itself. If the Empire is not Pacifist, only Xenophobe Xenos can join this Faction - the primary species is excluded. Any primary species Xenophobes will instead join the aggressive Xenophobe (Supremacist) faction. This can cause conflicts between both factions unless the empire enslaves or purges all Xenos. If the empire is pacifist, this is the only Xenophobe faction regardless of species.

2.2 Buffed the Non Agression Pacts no longer requiring a Neighbour to be the target and allowing them to go form +5 to +15. But in turn they now cost influence. Being at peace can stack up to +30. And unlike the Pacifist Ethics Attraction, it is years since gamestart count. While the faction has no penalty for a Liberation war policy or Defensive Pacts, the Faction is unhappy the moment it actually comes up (other than self defense).

Usually the Faction with start at +5 from Years of Peace, requiring only 20 more peaceyears or 1 NAP to reach 60%. The factions can reach 80% from the Peacetime alone and reach a potential 95% approval. On the flip side only 1 policy and being at war make it hit 0%, with being attacked resetting the Peacetime Bonus entirely.

Progressive

Progressive Factions desire the advancement of individual rights, representative and democratic forms of government and for all citizens to have equal rights.

• Guiding Ethics: Egalitarian
• Additional Supporter Requirements: none
• Attraction: 150 Base. x1.25 if Leader is Ruler. x0.75 if no Leader. x0.25 if not Owner Species
• Leader: 100 Base. x0 for Ruler Class Leaders in Imperial Authority empire

Issue	Possibility	Fulfillment
Anti-Autocratic	Always	Empire is neither Imperial nor Dictatorial	+10	–15
Free Movement	Encountered another Species	All of: No Pop is under Migration Control (other than Pre-sentient species, Slaves, Pops being Purged or Shackled Robots) Resettlement not allowed	+10	–10
Reproductive Freedom	Always	Population Control Policy set to Prohibited	+5	–20
Anti-Stratification	Always	No pop under Stratified Living Standards	0	–25
Born Equal	Capacity Boosters or Selected Lineages technologies	Leader Enhancement Policy is set to "Natural Selection"	+5	–5

Summary: 2.2's introduction of Stratified Society for Authoritarians finally fixed the issues that plagued this faction in regard to Xeno Slavery/Oppression. There is still a potential minor issue with population control on species level and Residency Pops however.

Reaching 70% the moment it spawns is trivial, with 80% possible after a while. However it has a lot of issues it can hit 0% with in non-Egalitarian Societies.

Prosperity

Prosperity Factions desire economics growth and the acquisition of resources. They like energy credits and strategic resources, and they dislike armed conflicts that disrupt internal development.

• Guiding Ethics: Pacifist
• Additional Supporter Requirements: non-Fanatic Pacifist only
• Attraction: Default. x1.5 if either Pacifist. x1.25 if not Owner Species
• Leader: 100 Base. x0 for Admirals and Generals

Issue	Possibility	Fulfillment
Solid Liquidity	Owns a Planet beyond their Capital World	Empire has at least 5000 energy in storage	+10	0
Defensive Stance	Always	Setting War Policy to Defensive Wars Only	+10	-10
Keep the Peace	Always	Empire is not at war	+5	–10
Nonviolence	3+ Communications	Empire did not enter a war as an Attacker and is not on the side of the Attackers in any other way	0	–30

Summary: The pacifist faction might also be called the Economic Faction, as that is a large part of it's goals. +65 is doable from Start, with 75% reachable via liquidity.

Supremacist

Supremacist Factions desire complete dominance for the Empire's founding species. They want policies that benefit their own species and disadvantages other species.

• Guiding Ethics: Xenophobe
• Additional Supporter Requirements: Empire not Pacifist. Primary Species only
• Attraction: default
• Leader: 100 Base. x0.5 if Scientist. x0 if Xeno. x0 if buildable Robot Pop.

Issue	Possibility	Fulfillment
Same Species Ruler	Does not have valid Fanatic Purifiers Civic	Ruler is of the empire's primary species	+10	–30
Strong Alone	1+ Communications	Empire is not in a Federation	+10	–30
Invasive Xeno Studies	Does not have valid Fanatic Purifiers Civic. Has a relationship with a Pre-FTL species	Has the Native Interference policy set to "Unrestricted Studies"	+5	–10
Xenos Disenfranchised	Does not have valid Fanatic Purifiers Civic. Has any Xeno pop (excluding Robot, Pre-Sapients or Pops being purged) in empire	No Xeno Pop has Full Citizenship rights (Robots and Pre-Sapients excluded)	+5	–10
No Immigration	Does not have valid Fanatic Purifiers Civic. 3+ Communications	Does not have any Migration Treaties with any other empire (including owner species)	0	–10
Asserting Dominance	Does not have valid Fanatic Purifiers Civic. Any Relation is a Default Empire, has Communication and is not in a Federation with Empire	Entered a war as Attacker	+10	0
Fanatic Purifiers	Has valid Fanatic Purifiers Civic.	Always	+10	0
Giant Massacre	Host has Leviathans DLC and has seen a Leviathan.	Kill a Leviathan	+10	0

Summary: The aggressive Xenophobe Faction manifests itself in two ways: If you are a Fanatic Purifier or if you are not. If the empire is a Pacifist this Faction will not spawn - instead, all Xenophobic pops including the primary species will join the Isolationist Faction. In non-Pacifist empires, Xenophobic pops will be split between Supremacist (Owner Species) and Isolationist (Xeno) Factions which can cause considerable issues.

Most issues are unavailable to Fanatic Purifiers, who start with 60 or 70% and can reach 80% with Leviathans.

Non-Purifiers easily start at 60-70%, with 100% being possible during warfare.

Technologist

Technologist Factions desire an Empire-wide embrace of scientific progress and the fruits of technological advancement. They dislike politically-motivated bans on certain avenues of research, as well as being outpaced by other Empires. They like Research Treaties, being more technologically advanced than other Empires, and the practicable use of AI technology.

• Guiding Ethics: Materialist
• Additional Supporter Requirements: not Spiritualist. Either Materialist or Robot Pop
• Attraction: 150 Base. x1.25 if Leader is Ruler. x0.75 if no Leader. x2 if Robot Pop
• Leader: default

Issue	Possibility	Fulfillment
AI Allowed	Always	Empire has not outlawed neither Robots or AI	+10	–30
Bleeding Edge	Contact with any default Empire. Neither Vassal nor Enlightened Primitve	No Default Empire with communications is more than Equivalent in Technology	+10	–20
Science Without Borders	3+ Communications	Has 3+ Research Agreements with other empires	+10	0
Synth Envy	Any Communication has Pops with Mechanical or Cybernetic Traits in their empire. Does not have Synthetic Evolution Ascension Perk	Have Pops with Mechanical or Cybernetic Traits in your empire	0	–10
Secret Knowledge	Empire has either the "Fallen Empire gift Data Cache" or the "Curator Insight" Modifiers	Empire has either the "Fallen Empire gift Data Cache" or the "Curator Insight" Modifiers	+10	0
Knowledge of the Past	Empire has either the "Arcane Insight" or the "Arcane Deciphering Cooldown" Modifiers	Empire has either the "Arcane Insight" or the "Arcane Deciphering Cooldown" Modifiers	+5	0
Precursor Secrets	Empire has the "Artifact Research Completed" Modifier for a non-DLC precursor.	Empire has the "Artifact Research Completed" Modifier for a non-DLC precursor.	+5	0

Summary: Robot Pops of any Ethic except Spiritualism can join this Faction which puts this Faction into direct competition with almost every other Faction in an empire with Free Robotic Pops.

Starting at 60% is trivial, for all but Spiritualist Empires. If you do not actually have robots, 60% can be hard to maintain however. Science without Borders is surprisingly hard to maintain, relegating it more towards Xenophile Materialists. A total of 90% is possible, but 70% seems more likely

Totalitarian

Totalitarian Factions desire strictly stratified societies led by a single strongman or an authoritative cabal. They dislike equal rights, and like slavery.

• Guiding Ethics: Authoritarian
• Additional Supporter Requirements: none
• Attraction: 150 base. x1.25 if Leader is Ruler. x0.75 if no Leader. x0.25 if Xeno
• Leader: 100 Base

Issue	Possibility	Fulfillment
Autocracy	Empire is not Democratic Authority	Empire has either Imperial or Dictatorial Authority	+10	0
Anti-Democratic	Empire is not Imperial or Dictatorial	Empire is not Democratic Authority	0	-25
Stratified Society	Always	Any pop has Stratified Economy/Academic Privilege Living Standards, is enslaved, being purged or has AI Servitude Citizenship.	+10	–20
Elitism	Capacity Boosters tech or Selected Lineages tech Technology	Permitting either Technology through the appropriate policies	+5	–5
Extranational Authority	3+ Communications	Being an Overlord	+10	0
Underling	Being Subject	Not being a Subject Empire	0	–10

Summary: 2.2 modified Authoritarian away from Caste slavery to Stratified Economy, which does help a lot to differentiate it from Xenophobia on Progressive issues.

70% is doable of the Start. 85% eventually. Oligarchies can at least reach 60%-75%. A Xeno/Robot slave using democracy can still reach 45%.

Traditionalist

Traditionalist Factions desire a return to traditional values that may or may not have existed at some point before the Empire took to the stars. They like austerity and dislike certain technological advancements and non-spiritualist values.

• Guiding Ethics: Spiritualist
• Additional Supporter Requirements: Not a Robot Pop
• Attraction: 150 Base. x1.25 if Ruler is Leader. x0.75 if no Leader.
• Leader: 100 Base. x0 if Robot Pop

Issue	Possibility	Fulfillment
Life Organic / Empty Shells	Can set Robot Worker Policy	Robotic workers policy is set to "Outlawed"	0	–5
No Synth Rights	Can set AI policy; Not AI Policy set to "Full Rights"	AI policy is not set to "Servitude"	0	–10
No Synth Rights	Can set AI policy; AI Policy set to "Full Rights"	AI policy is not set to "Full Rights"	0	–20
Pious Polity (if fulfilled) / Secular State (if unfulfilled)	Always	The Empire has either Spiritualist or Fanatic Spiritualist as one of its Ethics	+5	–5
Unhallowed Ground	Surveyed a Tomb World. Does not have the Post-Apocalyptic Civic. Does not have the Worm Tombworld Ending.	No Tomb World in Empire is colonized or being terraformed.	0	–5
Hallowed Ground	Surveyed Gaia World; Has Ascension Perk Consecrated Worlds	Designate an uncolonized Gaia world as a Holy World	+5	0
Psionic Pursuit	Host has Utopia DLC. Any Ascension Perk or Ascension Perk Slot unlocked	Has the Ascension Perk "Mind over Matter"	+10	0
Flesh is Strong	Having the Ascension Perk The Flesh is Weak	Empire has not completed the Special Project 'The Flesh is Weak'	0	–30
Homogeneity	At least 10% of all pops in the empire are Spiritualist	At least 25% of all Pops in the empire are Spiritualist	+10	0
Embattled Minority	Less than 25% pops in the empire are Spiritualist	Less than 10% of all Pops in the empire are Spiritualist	0	–10
Shrouded Boon	Positive Shroud outcome (Boon or Success)	Positive Shroud outcome (Boon or Success)	+5	0
Shrouded Blight	Negative Shroud outcome (Curses or Fail)	Negative Shroud outcome (Curses or Fail)	0	–5

Summary:

• Being a Spiritualist empire with at least 25% of pops having the Spiritualist ethic grants a flat +10 happiness bonus. Unlocking a Harmony Tradition can raise that to +12.
• Spiritualists dislike Robots of any kind, even more so if AI is allowed. Spiritualist Robot pops are barred from this Faction and the Materialist Faction equally, making them factionless. Of course they will just drift towards Materialism.
• Finding a Gaia World to declare holy is not easy. Terraforming one might be easier. But if a Spiritualist Fallen Empire is around, the chances and the effect go up drastically and hallowing one of its holy worlds will noticeably improve relations with it. However, the bonus is capped at +17 for players without the Utopia DLC.
• Since the bonus from adopting Mind over Matter is greater than the penalty from a negative Shroud outcome, adopting the Psionic ascension path is the best choice for empires with large Spiritualist Factions.
• Choosing Post-Apocalyptic or the right Worm Ending allows Spiritualist Empires to derive some use from Tomb Worlds without penalty to Happiness. However conquering them is still an issue.

Xenoist

Xenoist Factions desire greater value be put on alien life and culture. They like Non-Aggression Pacts and a diverse population, among other things. They dislike Slavery and political isolation.

• Guiding Ethics: Xenophile
• Additional Supporter Requirements: none
• Attraction: 150 Base. x1.25 if Leader is Ruler. x0.75 if no Leader. x2 if Xeno
• Leader: 100 Base. x0.5 if Scientist. x2 if Xeno

Issue	Possibility	Fulfillment
Indirect Xenology	Any relation is Primitive Type	Native Interference policy is set to "Passive Studies"	+10	–5
No Alien Slaves	Any Xeno pop (not Robot or pre-sapient)	Slavery not allowed	0	–25
No Purge Policy	Always	Purge Policy not set to allowed or Displacement Only	0	–25
Multicultural Society	4+ Communications. 1+ Xeno Pop	4+ Species in Empire	+10	0
All Refugees Welcome	Communication with 1+ Default Empire	"Refugees Allowed" Policy	+10	–10
Enclaves Incorporated	Contact with any Enclave Country	Enclave Station within Borders	+5	0
Recent Uplift	Epigenetic Triggers Technology	Uplifting a species (stays fullfilled for 20 years)	+10	0
Recent Enlightenment	Owning a observation post or having recently enlightened	Recently enlightned a pre-FTL species	+10	0
Pre-Sentient Survival	Pre sentient policy on allowed or purge	Pre-sapient policy set to allowed	0	–10
Landgrab Objections	Encounter a primitive civilization	Has not invaded a primitive civilization	0	–15
Federated	4+ Communications	Being in Federation	+20	0
New Contact	Any Default, Fallen or Awakened Fallen empires does not have communications	recent_comms_timed country flag	+5	0

Summary:

Even reaching 60% requires at least contact with another Empire/finding a Primitive, which makes it difficult to make this faction happy early game. However persistent 100% percent or more are possible mid to lategame.

References

Game concepts