Planetary features

Version

This article has been verified for the current PC version (3.5) of the game.

Celestial body

Planetary features represent notable areas found on natural planets. They determine the number of Districts the planet can support and some features exclusively obtained by events can provide various bonuses to planets. If a planet is terraformed into Ecumenopolis, Hive World, or Machine World it loses all of its planetary features, including event features. Hive Worlds and Machine Worlds do not lose the deposit features that determine the max number of Strategic Resource buildings.

Features[edit | edit source]

Deposit features[edit | edit source]

These planetary features are generated on each natural planet and determine the number of resource Districts and Strategic Resource buildings the planet can support. If a planet is terraformed these features may be changed to new ones with the same effects that fit the planet class by flavor.

Dry planets are 50% more likely to have planetary features that increase the limit for Generator Districts or Mote Harvesting Traps. Wet planets are 50% more likely to have planetary features that increase the limit for Agriculture Districts or Gas Extraction Wells. Cold planets are 50% more likely to have planetary features that increase the limit for Mining Districts or Crystal Mines. Gaia planets are 50% more likely to have planetary features that increase the limit for Gas Extraction Wells, Mote Harvesting Traps and Crystal Mines.

	Agriculture districts	Generator districts	Mining districts	Crystal mines	Gas extraction wells	Mote harvesting traps	Betharian power plant	Alien zoo
+1	Boggy Fens Bountiful Plains Fair Tundra Green Hills Lichen Fields Natural Farmland Nutritious Mudlands Rugged Woods	Arid Highlands Buzzing Plains Hot Springs	Mineral Fields Mineral Striations Ore-Veined Cliffs	Crystalline Caverns	Bubbling Swamp	Dust Caverns	Betharian Fields	Isolated Valley
+2	Fertile Lands Fungal Caves Great River Lush Jungle	Frozen Gas Lake Rushing Waterfalls Searing Desert	Prosperous Mesa Ore-Rich Caverns	Crystal Forest Crystal Reef	Fuming Bog	Dust Desert
+3	Black Soil Fungal Forest Marvelous Oasis Teeming Reef Tropical Island	Geothermal Vents Tempestous Mountain Underwater Vents	Rich Mountain Submerged Ore Veins

Habitat features[edit | edit source]

These planetary features are added on habitats when built orbiting the appropriate resource deposits.

Feature	Effects	Description
Exotic Gas Deposit	+1 to +5 Max Gas Extraction Wells	This habitat is built near an exploitable exotic gas deposit.
Rare Crystal Deposit	+1 to +5 Max Crystal Mines	This habitat is built near an exploitable rare crystal deposit.
Volatile Mote Deposit	+1 to +5 Max Mote Harvesting Traps	This habitat is built near an exploitable volatile mote deposit.
Alloy Deposit	+1 to +5 Alloys	This habitat is built near an exploitable source of alloys.
Zro Deposit	+1 to +3 Zro	This habitat is built near an exploitable zro deposit.
Dark Matter Deposit	+1 to +3 Dark Matter	This habitat is built near an exploitable dark matter deposit.
Living Metal Deposit	+1 Living Metal	This habitat is built near an exploitable living metal deposit.
Nanite Deposit	+1 Nanites	This habitat is built near an exploitable source of nanites.

Anomaly features[edit | edit source]

These planetary features can be added by random anomalies on habitable planets.

Feature	Anomaly	Effects	Description
Ancient Mining Site	Icy Plains	+5 Max Mining Districts	The site of an ancient mining operation. Despite its age, much of the equipment can still be operated.
Ancient One	Echoes from the Deep	+4 Society Research	An ancient being, living deep beneath the waves, is the dominating life force on this planet.
Enigmatic Robot	Signs of Ancient Life	+5 Alloys	An ancient and enigmatic little robot, supervising a factory which dates back to an earlier civilization.
Hyperfertile Valley	Spotty Greenery	+5 Max Agriculture Districts	The soil in this valley is extremely fertile, and it is covered in intense greenery.
Mutation Vats	Mutation Vats	+12 Society Research +1 Exotic Gases	In a painful ceremonial procedure members of this post-nuclear exchange society on this planet would expose themselves to near-lethal doses of chemical mutagens, in the hopes of revealing their 'true selves'. The skeletal remains found at the bottom of many of these vats suggest not all supplicants survived the ordeal.
Toy Factory Complex	What Hums in the Night	+10% Society from Jobs +20% Engineering from Jobs +2 Researcher Jobs	Complex machinery ceaselessly molds complex polymers into small items of varying shapes and inscrutable purposes.
Abandoned Primitive Homesteads	Abandoned Settlements	+10% Society from Jobs +2 Max Agriculture Districts	These abandoned homesteads were once inhabited by a society of reptiles. They still populate the planet, but have since lost all capacity for sapient thought.
Flooded Mounds	Deep Tunnels	+20% Society from Jobs +2 Researcher Jobs	The soil in this valley is extremely fertile, and it is covered in intense greenery.
Harvester Fields	Peculiar Patterns	+6 Max Agriculture Districts	Vast fields of dense, edible vegetation where ancient solar-powered harvesters assist in gathering crops.
Nanosands	Metallic Sands	+2 Max Mining Districts +2 Max Districts	The sand dunes on this planet are almost entirely composed of countless broken nanites. Their structure is degraded far beyond any chance for reactivation, but they do coat the planet in rare metal granulate.
Savage Wildlands	Alien Life	+10% Society from Jobs +1 Researcher Jobs	These indigenous creatures who inhabit this region appear to operate as a single organism.
Wetware Computer	Wetware Computer	+20% Engineering from Jobs +2 Researcher Jobs	The oceans on this world are almost completely covered in a fine network of algae that appear to be a primitive wetware computer.
Zone A	Isolated Ruin	+3 Unity +10% Physics from Jobs +2 Researcher Jobs	A thirteen-by-thirteen kilometer stretch of land on this planet is a ruin of unknown origin, littered with many bizarre and unique alien artifacts. Bafflingly, it also produces sensations of deep contentment in its visitors.

Decision features[edit | edit source]

These planetary features can be added by certain decisions on owned planets.

Feature	Decision	Effects	Description
Dayside Solar Farm	Expand Dayside Infrastructure	+6 Max Generator Districts +30% Energy from Jobs	This world has all its solar power set up on the dayside of its tidally locked hemispheres, granting it access to an unlimited amount of solar hours.
Former Relic World	Restore Ecumenopolis	+10% Research from Jobs	This ecumenopolis was once an abandoned Relic World. Most of the old ruins were repurposed or cleared away when the planet-wide city was rebuilt, but there are still many sites that are of scientific value.
Tree of Life Sapling	Transplant Tree of Life	+5 Housing +10% Pop Growth Speed +10% Society Research from Jobs +2 Max Agriculture Districts 2 Food Upkeep Destroyed at 50 Devastation	An offshot of the Great Tree, transplanted here by the Hive. It will take millennia for it to fully mature.
Project Cornucopia	Project Cornucopia	+4 Max Mining Districts +5% Minerals from jobs −20% Habitability	Near-endless resources are at our fingertips, if we have the courage to seize them. Just think of what wonders we could build if we conquer our fear.
Prospectorium Strip Mine	Strip Mining	+2 Max Mining Districts	An expertly built mining complex, making efficient use of the local resources.
Dimensional Manipulation Device	Activate Dimensional Manipulation Device	+50% Max Districts +1 Housing per Order Demesne district +0.5 Building Slots per Order Demesne district −1 Dark Matter	A device stolen from the fae Syamelle, it can manipulate the very dimensions and render what appears small to be more spacious.

Event features[edit | edit source]

These planetary features do not naturally generate on planets. They can be created exclusively by certain events and controllable factors.

Feature	Source	Effects	Description
Ancient Bombardment Craters	What Happened Here (20% chance)	+20% Physics from Jobs +2 Researcher Jobs	This world was subjected to intense orbital bombardment long ago. Parts of the surface are still pockmarked with impact craters.
Ancient Battlefield	What Happened Here (20% chance)	+20% Engineering from Jobs +2 Researcher Jobs	The civilization that once inhabited this world was destroyed by an invading force from somewhere beyond their solar system. This ancient battlefield is littered with ancient debris from their desperate last stand.
Irradiated Ruins	What Happened Here (20% chance)	+20% Society from Jobs +2 Researcher Jobs	Remnants from a massive nuclear war waged by the two global superpowers that once inhabited this world.
Cave Shroom Veins	Feral Overload event chain (Exterminate the Cave Mushrooms special project)	+3 Cave Cleaner Jobs +1 Cave Cleaner Job per 20 pops	Ridding the caverns of fungus revealed rich mineral veins.
Spore Vents	Feral Overload event chain (Utilize the Cave Mushrooms special project)	+2 Gas Plant Engineer Jobs +1 Gas Plant Engineer Job per 20 pops	Shroom spores can be refined for industrial use.
Migrating Forests	Migrating Forests event chain	−1 Max Agriculture Districts −1 Max Generator Districts −1 Max Mining Districts	The mobile forests of this world frequently migrate en masse to new regions, disrupting efforts at building roads, power lines and other infrastructure.
Migrating Forests Reserve	Migrating Forests event chain (Study Migrating Forests special project)	+20% Society from Jobs +2 Researcher Jobs	This entire region has been set aside for the migrating forests that are native to this world. Here they can roam in peace, without causing damage to urban centers.
Nanite Swarm Remains	On the Origin of Nanites (Destroy the Swarm special project)	+3 Max Mining Districts +2 Max Crystal Mines	A fine powder of all that remains of the massive nanite swarm that evolved on - and once covered, Parvus III
Subterranean Contact Zone	Subterranean Civilization event chain (Establish Communications special project)	+2 Max Generator Districts +2 Max Districts +1 Subterranean Liaison Officer Job +1 Subterranean Liaison Officer Job per 20 pops	An area where Subterranean dwellers and Surfacers can work together towards peace and prosperity.
Subterranean Farming Caverns	Subterranean Civilization event chain (Preemptive Strike special project)	+3 Max Agriculture Districts +2 Max Districts	A network of vast caverns which contain numerous fungal farms, hunting areas, and lakes teeming with edible flora and fauna.
Subterranean Generator Areas	Subterranean Civilization event chain (Preemptive Strike special project)	+3 Max Generator Districts +2 Max Districts	Subterranean rivers and the geothermal energy from the molten core of the planet offer vast potential for energy generation.
Subterranean Mining Sites	Subterranean Civilization event chain (Preemptive Strike special project)	+3 Max Mining Districts +2 Max Districts	Underground tunnels lead to a variety of mineral-rich ore veins inaccessible from the surface.
Juvenile Nemma	Unsteady Ground event chain	+1 Max Districts +2.5% Society from Jobs −2 Food	A young Nemma which we have bred and is now large enough to be capable of carrying some of our industry.
Nemma Mining Operation	Unsteady Ground event chain (Start the Nemma Mining Operation special project)	+1 Nemma Miner Job +1 Nemma Miner Job per 25 pops	The careful balance of drugs and pain inhibitors allows us to drill into the Nemmas while still residing on them.
Lotus Corrie	Impossible Corrie event chain	+20% Physics from Jobs	An improbable geological feature has emerged. Strange and reflective crystal deposits line its curved walls.
Blue Lotus Prototype	Impossible Corrie event chain	+1 Transmuter Job	This highly experimental facility seeks to transmute everyday silicates into useful alloys.
Blue Lotus Crater	Impossible Corrie event chain	+1 Max Mining Districts +2 Alloys	Site of an accidental, runaway transmutation of rock and other matter into a single, precious alloy.
Blue Lotus Facility	Impossible Corrie event chain (Blue Lotus Facility special project)	+2 Transmuter Job	An industrial-scale facility which transmutes everyday silicates into useful alloys.
Blue Lotus Ruin	Impossible Corrie event chain (Blue Lotus Facility special project)	+1 Alloys	Ruined site of a once-promising, experimental facility for transmuting rock and other matter into alloys. Nothing now remains, save this minor seam.
Manufactorium Scrapyard	Hidden Vault event chain	+2 Dismantler Jobs	Specialized salvaging yards are dismantling the old machinery and turning the scraps into useful materials.
Operational Manufactorium	Hidden Vault event chain	+1 Operator Job +1 Operator Job per 25 pops	An alien Manufactorium, fully operational and producing precious resources for the empire.
Mutant Landfill	Abandoned Terraforming Equipment event chain	+20% Society from Jobs +2 Researcher Jobs	A putrid mass of dead mutated horrors. Their volatile organic matter has twisted together to form a structure of sorts.
Impact Crater	Space Bounty	+3 Max Mining Districts	A crater from a large meteor impact. Minerals from the meteor itself can still be found at the site.
Odd Factory	An Odd Factor	+1 Odd Factory Worker Job	A well-crafted facility that produces high value resources, left on the planet by a different civilization.
Ancient Particle Accelerator	Ruined Particle Accelerator	+20% Physics from Jobs +2 Researcher Jobs	This old particle accelerator was built using a novel design, and the surviving terminals within the structure contain a massive amount of research data composed by what must have been a brilliant theoretical physicist.
Titanic Lifeforms	Titanic Life event chain	−1 Max Districts +4 Society Research	Numerous Titanic aliens make this area their home, it would be wise to avoid it.
Underground Vault	Underground Vault event chain	+20% Society from Jobs +2 Researcher Jobs	A massive underground vault, intended as a bomb shelter by this world's original inhabitants. The vault's occupants turned on each other when their food ran out.
Underground Vault	Underground Vault event chain	+10% Engineering from Jobs +2 Max Mining Districts	A massive underground vault, intended as a bomb shelter by this world's original inhabitants. The vault's occupants turned on each other when their food ran out.
Portal Research Area	The Doorway event chain	+1 Dimensional Portal Researcher Job +1 Dimensional Portal Researcher Job per 25 pops	A secure complex has been built around the Dimensional Portal to house research staff dedicated to probing its mysteries.
Party Fever	Dancing Plague event chain	+15% Pop Growth Speed	Something about this planet induces feelings of exhilaration and the irresistible urge to dance, as well as certain aphrodisiac urges. This has made the world a prime destination for partygoers young and old who seek to shed their inhibitions and experience the thrill of the planet's perpetual dancing festivals with abandon.
Living Snow Reserve	Unusual Snow situation (Observe it Peacefully approach)	+20% Physics Research from Jobs +20% Society Research from Jobs −2 Max Districts	A reservation where the Living Snow can live in peace and explore its new state of being. And where, in turn, we can observe the unique chemical reactions it is able to produce.
Space-Time Anomaly	The Mysterious Labyrinth situation (Explore its Interior / Monitor it from Afar approach)	+1 Space-Time Anomaly Researcher Job +1 Space-Time Anomaly Researcher Job per 25 pops	A remarkably stable space-time anomaly left behind by an extradimensional species which conducted research on the planet. The scientific implications of its existence are, apparently, quite profound.
Machine Interface Center	Geomagnetic Storm situation	+1 Bio-Assistant Job +1 Bio-Assistant Job per 25 pops	A specialized center where malfunctioning drones are paired with biological assistants.
Archaeological Site	Archaeological Site discovery	−1 Max Districts	This area contains ancient archaeological finds that are being excavated.
Loop-Plowed Farm	Horizon Signal event chain	+4 Max Agriculture Districts	The food crops lean into the wind, somehow.
Spiral-Hewn Mine	Horizon Signal event chain	+4 Max Mining Districts	Narrow shafts twist around spiraling mineral veins.
Radiotrophic Preserve	Radioactive Flora event	+5% Society from Jobs +3 Entertainer Jobs	An isolated area filled with low pressure and a very radioactive atmosphere keeps the natives of this world alive.
Cryonic Clones Monument	Clones in Cryostasis	+6 Society Research	Hundreds of alien clones were left sealed in cryostasis chambers when this Ring World was still a ruin. Now fully restored, the clones have been preserved in this monument.
Processing Pens	Wild Eukaryotes	+14 Food	The fungoids native to this planet were genetically engineered to be docile... and delicious. In these vast processing pens, the fungoids are nourished and then harvested.
Numa's Breath	Numistic Order caravan deal	+3 Max Generator Districts +2 Max Districts	This stable vent reaching into the planet's crust was created by The Numistic Order.
Sentinels	The Sentinels archaeological site outcome	−1 Max Districts +10% Unity	The Sentinels guard this land; it may not be disturbed. The Sentinels counts as Defense Armies, and will come to the planet's aid if there's an invasion.
Sentinels Metal	Defeating The Sentinels	+2 Living Metal	The broken remains of nine monumental automatons made from an unusual metal alloy offer an ample supply of Living Metal.
Federation Monument	Hegemony event chain	+0.5 Monthly Influence	This spaceborne monument stands witness to the unity, strength and splendor of the interstellar federation that constructed it.
Feeding Dragon	Sky Dragon feeding	+10 Stability +6 Unity −15 Food	The mighty Sky Dragon has landed, and is proceeding to devour its way through a startling amount of food.
Crashed Cargo Ship	The Bickering Admirals	+2 Minerals −10% Housing	The cargo ship destroyed a housing district, but opened up an unexpected mineral vein.
Crystalline Remains	Unexpected Mineral Seams event chain	+12 Unity +20% Minerals from Jobs +3 Crystal Miner Jobs	The broken remains of the crystalline entity that dwelled under the crust of this world. Its many tentacles all turned into rich mineral veins.
Shattered Crystalline Remains	Unexpected Mineral Seams event chain	+1 Crystal Miner Job	The broken remains of the crystalline entity that dwelled under the crust of this world. Its many tentacles all turned into rich mineral veins.

Homeworld features[edit | edit source]

These features can only be found on empire homeworlds:

Feature	Sources	Effects	Description
Massive Crater	Calamitous Birth origin	+6 Max Districts +6 Max Mining Districts −6 Max Agriculture Districts +25% Pop Growth Speed if Calamitous Birth origin	The impact site of the meteorite which brought Lithoids to this planet.
Consolidated Resources	Resource Consolidation origin	+25 Minerals	The refined minerals wealth of an entire Solar System is gathered here in continent-sized piles.
Metal Boneyards	Machine Intelligence authority	+4 Max Mining Districts +10% Society Research from Jobs	The hollowed-out metal skeletons of fallen infrastructure seem almost to groan as the wind whistles through them.
Organic Landfills	Determined Exterminator civic Driven Assimilator civic	+4 Max Generator Districts +10% Society Research from Jobs	Toxic biohazard waste rots and fumes in vast heaps under the sun.
Arcane Replicator	Void Dwellers origin	+12 Alloys +4 Consumer Goods	This ancient machine is nestled deep within the habitat's interior, built into its main reactor from where it also draws its power. A relic of whomever originally built this habitat, its matter replication technology is utterly incomprehensible to us.
A Blight Upon the Land	Knights of the Toxic God origin	Starts with −1 max districts Based on situation choices, can be changed to: +15% Unity from jobs +5% Citizen pop happiness (empire-wide)	It is said that in this place, the Deity first smote the land in anger. Little remains of what once was here.
Envenomed Seas	Knights of the Toxic God origin	Starts with −1 max districts Based on situation choices, can be changed to: +1 Max districts +3 Gas Extractor jobs	Not even the seas were spared the Deity's baneful touch.
Pestilential Wasteland	Knights of the Toxic God origin	Starts with −1 max districts Based on situation choices, can be changed to: +1 Max districts +10% Resources from jobs	Not all could enjoy the blessings of the Deity. Large areas of land were ruined by its passing, never to recover.
Pools Most Venomous	Knights of the Toxic God origin	Starts with −1 max districts Based on situation choices, can be changed to: +10% Research from jobs +10% Ship weapons damage (empire-wide)	Left in the Deity's wake are many pools most venomous, from which remnants of Its toxins may be recovered.
Swarms of the Deity	Knights of the Toxic God origin	Starts with −1 max districts Based on situation choices, can be changed to: +25% Food from jobs +20% Strike craft attack speed (empire-wide)	In the Deity's wake, insects previously unknown to this world spread rapidly, coming to thrive in many of the affected areas. Their pestilent presence continues to test us as we seek to cultivate these lands.
Tree of Life	Tree of Life origin	+10 Housing +15% Pop Growth Speed +10% Society Research from Jobs +4 Max Agriculture Districts 4 Food Upkeep Destroyed at 50 Devastation	The Great Tree has sheltered and supported the Hive for untold generations.
Progenitor Nest	Progenitor Hive origin	+20% Amenities +5 Stability +1 Monthly Organic Pop Assembly	The Progenitor's nest, where every single Offspring is born.

Earth features[edit | edit source]

Earth has a set of custom planetary features when selected as the empire homeworld, detailing its history before the events of Stellaris.

Feature	Effects	Description
Delhi Sprawl	+2 Max Generator Districts	Lakshmi Commerce Tower was the tallest building on Earth for the better part of the 22nd century, and its unique shape remains an iconic feature of the Delhi skyline.
BosWash Metropolitan Axis	+3 Max Generator Districts	The BosWash Riots traumatized an entire generation and led to sweeping legal reforms. Never Forget!
Pearl River Agglomerate	+3 Max Generator Districts	The first region on Earth to be officially designated a megacity. Several other developing urban regions would eventually adopt their own versions of the Golden Delta's successful anti-pollution policies.
Mauritanian Security Zone	+1 Max Mining Districts	Unexploded munitions are still occasionally found near the compound where Colonel Tetchu and the remnants of his brigade made their famous last stand.
Mesopotamian Urban Corridor	+3 Max Mining Districts	The megalopolis that stretches along most of the Fertile Crescent is in itself a monument to this ancient birthplace of civilization.
Great Albertan Crater	+3 Max Mining Districts	When 711494 Satis approached Earth and triggered the Great Panic of '72, everyone thought this was it - the Big One had finally arrived. Fortunately, it wasn't big enough to cause an extinction event. Unfortunately, it wiped out much of Alberta.
Scandinavian Reclamation Sector	+1 Max Agriculture Districts	Reclamation efforts in the late 22nd century eliminated all but the most stubborn pockets of radiation, and mutation levels are now at an all-time low since the Containment Breach.
Saharan Irrigation Project	+4 Max Agriculture Districts	Few today remember the vicious ridicule that Operation Green Sahara faced when it was first proposed by Professor Izquierdo.
Pacific Algae Tracts	+3 Max Agriculture Districts	Invisible until you plunge beneath the waves, the algae tracts seem to stretch into infinity.

Unique features[edit | edit source]

These features can only be found on certain planets in the galaxy.

Feature	Sources	Effects	Description
Abandoned Mining Tunnels	Relic Worlds	+6 Max Mining Districts	Many of the ruins on the planet's surface were built by minerals extracted from these tunnels. Although most have been mined to depletion, there are still several with rich yields.
Ancient Reactor Pits	Relic Worlds	+6 Max Generator Districts	These deep pits near the planet's equator once housed its primary energy generators. Much of the surprisingly sturdy infrastructure has survived, and new reactors can be slotted into it.
Central Spire	Relic Worlds	+15% Research from Jobs +8 Researcher Jobs	This towering structure appears to have served as the administrative center of the planet. Its central location and mostly intact interior provides an unmatched opportunity to research this world.
Dense Ruins	Relic Worlds	+15% Research from Jobs −6 Max Districts	The study of the dense ruins that cover this Relic World are a boon to science, but their presence also limits the amount of livable space.
Immense Solar Array	Relic Worlds	+3 Max Generator Districts	This solar array is nearly the size of a small continent. Most of it has been smashed beyond repair, but the underlying power infrastructure has survived, making it a good site for energy production.
Industrial Sector	Relic Worlds	+2 Max Crystal Mines +2 Max Gas Extraction Wells +2 Max Mote Harvesting Traps	This entire region once served as as the industrial heartland of the planet. The factories and refineries that are operated here have long stopped working, but vast amounts of scattered resources can still be found in the area.
Ancient Sunken City	Polaris II	+3 Max Mining Districts +10% Industrial District Build Speed	The cities of the Polarians once covered the frozen ocean before their icy foundations melted away.
Valley of Zanaam	Zanaam	+30% Research from Jobs +4 Researcher Jobs	This Valley is home to a mysterious obelisk that is covered in letters from a dead alien language. It hums with power and those in its proximity suffer headaches.
Organic Slurry	Machine Worlds Biological Pop present when terraforming completes	+15 Food	An ocean of organic slurry, the processed remains of the former biomass of a planet.
Junk Canals	Junk Rattlings planets	+3 Max Agriculture Districts	These narrow canals shake around the junk piles, and some adjacent soil is surprisingly fertile.
Junk Hollows	Junk Rattlings planets	+3 Max Generator Districts	These hollows deep beneath the surface junk would serve well as isolated reactor chambers.
Junk Wastes	Junk Rattlings planets	+3 Max Mining Districts	The wastes stretch as far as one can see, with occasional pieces of larger junk jutting up out of the ground.
Irradiated Valley	Superflares system tomb world	+3 Max Generator Districts	The solarflare has washed this isolated valley with heavy radiation.

Blockers[edit | edit source]

Blockers are obstacles that reduce District Cap and may block some planetary features from being exploited. They can be cleared by spending resources and time and some of them may have rewards when cleared. Clearing can be done while the planet is being colonized or after the colony is completed.

If a natural planet is terraformed into a planet class other than Ecumenopolis, all of its blockers are cleared and rewards are given. If it was terraformed into Hive World or Machine World, the planetary feature it unblocks will be lost.

Natural blockers[edit | edit source]

These blockers can be found on habitable planets. Each one requires a different New Worlds technology to be cleared.

Natural blockers fall into two general categories. Six of them - two for each climate type - require a tier 1 technology to clear, reduce a planet's max districts by 1, and grant access to a random planetary feature (determined when the blocker is spawned) when they're cleared. Each of the nine normal habitable planet classes has a specific standard blocker that's twice as common as the others for it. The three large blockers require a tier 2 technology to clear, reduce a planet's max districts by 2 but don't unlock a planetary feature when cleared, and take 1.5 times longer to remove (two of them also cost twice as much). Large blockers are less common on smaller planets, but for the most part they're equally likely across all planet climates and classes. The only exception is for Alpine Worlds, which are more likely to have Impassable Mountains and less likely to have Active Volcanoes.

Blocker	Effects	Spawn chance		Blocker Removal
Blocker	Effects	Base	Modifiers	Technology	Cost	Time
Impassable Mountains	−2 Max districts	5	×0 if Planet Size < 10 ×0.5 if Planet Size < 15 ×2 if Alpine World	Planetary Resurfacing	1000	270
Active Volcano	−2 Max districts	5	×0 if Planet Size < 10 ×0.5 if Planet Size < 15 ×0.5 if Alpine World	Deep Crust Engineering	1000	270
Dangerous Wildlife	−2 Max districts When cleared: 200 Food if Devouring Swarm	5	×0 if Planet Size < 10 ×0.5 if Planet Size < 15	Dangerous Wildlife Removal	500	270
Dense Jungle	−1 Max districts When cleared: Adds a random planetary feature	10	×0 if climate isn't wet ×2 if Continental World ×2 if Tropical World	Selective Defoliants	500	180
Toxic Kelp	−1 Max districts When cleared: Adds a random planetary feature	10	×0 if climate isn't wet ×2 if Ocean World	Ocean Ecology Management	500	180
Deep Sinkhole	−1 Max districts When cleared: Adds a random planetary feature	10	×0 if climate isn't dry ×2 if Arid World ×2 if Savannah World	Subterranean Colonization	500	180
Quicksand Basin	−1 Max districts When cleared: Adds a random planetary feature	10	×0 if climate isn't dry ×2 if Desert World	Soil Remediation	500	180
Noxious Swamp	−1 Max districts When cleared: Adds a random planetary feature	10	×0 if climate isn't cold ×2 if Tundra World	Xeno-Hydraulic Mastery	500	180
Massive Glacier	−1 Max districts When cleared: Adds a random planetary feature	10	×0 if climate isn't cold ×2 if Alpine World ×2 if Arctic World	Climate Control Network	500	180

Tomb World blockers[edit | edit source]

These blockers can only be found on Tomb Worlds, with the one exception that the City Ruins blocker is also allowed to spawn on Relic Worlds. They don't require technology to clear, but they're more expensive to remove than similar natural blockers.

Blocker	Effects	Spawn chance		Blocker Removal
Blocker	Effects	Base	Modifiers	Cost	Time
Radioactive Wasteland	−1 Max districts When cleared: Adds a random planetary feature	10	None	800	270
City Ruins	−2 Max districts	10	None	1200	360
Bomb Crater	−1 Max districts When cleared: Adds a random planetary feature	5	None	800	270

Relic World blockers[edit | edit source]

There is a number of blockers that can be exclusively found on Relic Worlds. They are expensive but rewarding to remove.

Blocker	Removal cost	Removal time	Rewards	Description
Collapsed Spire	2000	480	Central Spire planetary feature	An immense residential spire has collapsed under its own weight in this region, blocking access. While it was still standing, this towering structure must have been among the tallest on the planet.
Crumbling Mining Tunnels	1000	270	Abandoned Mining Tunnels planetary feature	A network of deep tunnels beneath the planet's surface seem to have been its primary source of minerals. Millennia of cave-ins and rockfalls have left only a fraction of the tunnels traversable.
Flooded Reactor Pits	1000	270	Ancient Reactor Pits planetary feature	These deep pits appear to have once housed the planet's main energy production facilities. Over the eons, rain and flooding have filled the pits with murky water.
Massive Crevice	1000	270	Industrial Sector planetary feature	This region is divided by a vast crevice that cuts through what was once a dense urban zone. The ground here is extremely unstable, with frequent earthquakes and landslides.
Shattered Solar Array	1000	270	Immense Solar Array planetary feature	The shattered remains of some kind of colossal solar array. When it was still functional, it must have provided power to a significant portion of this planet.
Ruined Arcology	750 250	270	1-5 Minor Artifacts if Ancient Relics is installed Random Technology if Remnants homeworld	The Arcologies which cover this City-Planet lie in ruins. While the foundations are still solid, much of the decaying structure will need to be cleared before we can rebuild.

Detox blockers[edit | edit source]

Toxic Worlds that have been terraformed will have one of each of the following blockers. They give more penalties to the colony than regular blockers and take a year to remove.

Blocker	Effects	Removal cost	Description
Poisonous Algae	−2 Max Districts −15% Food from Farmers	1000	This noxious algae survived the initial cleansing of this world. While it is not aggressive enough to prevent colonization, it has proven highly adaptable... and quite simply a nuisance.
Rotten Soil	−2 Building Slots	1000	Even this rotten soil will be useful to us, once it has been refreshed and reinvigorated.
Tainted Snowcaps	−2 Max Districts −5 Amenities	1000	The last toxic remains of the once enormous mountains of poison that dominated this world.
Unpleasant Atmosphere	−5% Habitability	500	The disgusting taste and smell of the air are what remains of this planet's toxic past.
Venomous Insects	−1 Max Districts −2 Building Slots −10% Happiness	1000	The lost broods of venomous vermin that we had hoped to extinguish during the early days of our terraforming effort.

Homeworld blockers[edit | edit source]

Each empire homeworld start with at least three blockers that don't require technology to be removed. They reward either a Pop or a planetary feature when cleared. The blocker types can vary based on government and origin.

Blocker	Empire	Removal cost	Removal time	Rewards	Description
Sprawling Slums	Organic main species Hive Mind	300	120	1 Pop	This region is covered by vast shanty towns and slums filled with the poor and the outcast. It contributes nothing to society. Can be added by the Lost to Bureaucracy event.
Collapsed Burrows	Hive Mind authority	300	120	1 Pop	This site once housed extensive underground tunnel systems inhabited by the Hive, but was abandoned due to overexploitation of local resources and wildlife.
Unsupervised Settlement	Rogue Servitor civic	300	120	1 Pop	A pocket of organic society on this world still exists outside of machine supervision. Violence, disease and starvation runs rampant inside the settlement's walls, whose inhabitants have regressed technologically by several centuries.
Settled Ruins	Post-Apocalyptic origin	300	120	1 Pop	A scattered population of scavengers are eking out a desperate existence in the ruins of this once major city.
Lithoid Monoliths	Lithoid main species Calamitous Birth origin	1000	360	1 Pop if created by the same empire 300 Minerals if created by another empire	Incredibly rich outcroppings of minerals that seem to be comprised of petrified lithoids. If this planet is NOT empire homeworld, instead it costs 300.
Buried Lithoids	Calamitous Birth origin	1000	360	1 Pop if created by the same empire or overlord 300 Minerals if created by another empire	These lithoids were driven deep into the ground when they fell from orbit. Also appears on all worlds colonized by a Meteorite Colony Ship. If this planet is NOT empire homeworld, instead it costs 300 .
Industrial Wasteland	Organic main species	300	120	Random +2 Planetary Feature	This region is covered by ruined industrial complexes and toxic soil; detritus from a past age of progress. Can be added by the Lost to Bureaucracy event.
Abandoned Strip Mine	Machine Intelligence authority	300	120	Random +2 Planetary Feature	This area was heavily strip mined in the past, by older and more primitive machine models that unfortunately were not programmed to take future development of the region into account.
Radiation Zone	Post-Apocalyptic origin	300	120	Random +3 Planetary Feature	A region that was the target of numerous nuclear warheads. Though the radiation in this area has gone down since the initial impact, it is still unfit for habitation barring a major clean-up effort.
Great Pacific Garbage Patch	Earth	300	120	Pacific Algae Tracts Planetary Feature	A swirling miasma of plastic refuse covers a good portion of Earth's largest ocean.
Long-Abandoned City	Machine Intelligence authority	300	120	Metal Boneyards Planetary Feature	The crumbling remains of what must once have been a major population center on the planet. No traces of its past inhabitants remain.
Former Organic City	Determined Exterminator civic	300	120	Metal Boneyards Planetary Feature	The charred and irradiated ruins of what was once a major organic population center. Those buildings that still remain standing contain nothing but ashes now.
Silent Ruins	Driven Assimilator civic	300	120	Organic Landfills Planetary Feature	This once major settlement is now a crumbling ruin, occupied only by the decaying bodies of those organics that chose self-termination rather than be assimilated.
Battlefield Remnants	Determined Exterminator civic	300	120	Organic Landfills Planetary Feature	Tens of thousands of burnt warmachines and the twisted skeletal remains of organic soldiers litter the ground at this former battlefield. Residual pockets of radiation interfere with most electronics.
Decrepit Tunnels	Shattered Ring origin	500	360	400 Minerals 100 Exotic Gases, Rare Crystals or Volatile Motes	These ancient and decrepit tunnels have never been fully explored or cleared.
Ancient Rubble	Shattered Ring origin	250	360		Broken down machinery and other debris obstructs workers from utilizing the entire segment.
Malfunctioning Replicator Bay	Resource Consolidation origin	600	360	1 Replicator job	This replicator bay built into the Machine World is malfunctioning, producing endless piles of grappling clamps.

Event blockers[edit | edit source]

A number of blockers can be created exclusively by certain events and controllable factors. These blockers do not block any planetary feature or require any technology to be cleared but still decrease the District Cap and may have other negative effects.

Blocker	Source	Removal cost	Removal time	Description
Terraforming Residue	Terraforming Complications event	500	180	The results of a partially successful terraforming process have created areas of strange biological abominations.
Impact Crater	Asteroid Sighted event	300	100	Something collided with the surface of this world at some point, creating this massive impact crater.
Subterranean Entrance	Subterranean Civilization event chain	500	100	A large hole in the ground that leads into the extensive cave network stretching beneath the surface of this world.
Rifts	Voidspawn hatching	500	120	Seismological phenomena are causing the planet crust to crack, spewing out sulfuric gases and toxic slime.
Fungoid Extermination Residue	Paradise Lost event chain	300	120	This toxic goo is all that remains of the exterminated Fungoids.
Lithoid Devastation	Consume World decision	1000	360	A lithoid devouring swarm has despoiled this region. With great effort it may be possible to undo the damage. Cannot be removed by Terravore empires Habitability: −10%
Nature Preserve	Ranger Lodge building or holding		Instant	A section of natural beauty decreed by the Overlord to never be tampered with. Cannot be removed while there is a Ranger Lodge building or holding on the world
Overlord Spawning Complex	Splinter Hive holding		Instant	A large hulking biomass, alive and pulsating as it is slowly producing new workers for the hive. Cannot be removed while there is a Splinter Hive holding on the world

Removal cost and time reduction[edit | edit source]

The cost and the time to remove blockers can be reduced by the following factors:

Source	Cost	Time
World Shaper ruler trait	−15%	−15%
Environmental Engineer / Bulldozer governor trait	−25%	−25%
Nanite Entity governor trait	−40%	−40%
Volatile Land Clearance edict	−25%	−25%
Domination tradition tree adoption effect	−33%
Mastery of Nature ascension perk	−33%