Policies

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This article may contain outdated information that is inaccurate for the current version of the game. It was last updated for 2.3.

This article is for the PC version of Stellaris only.

Policies window

See also: Species rights

Policies are empire-wide laws of behavior that outline the governing precepts for how an empire will guide its expansion through the stars and its stance on certain subjects. Policies are different from edicts in that they cost nothing to implement, but have effects on how citizens and other empires are likely to view each other. Once altered, a specific policy cannot be changed until a decade has passed.

Changing policies is advised as a way to mitigate faction unhappiness in large empires that have a lot of pops of different species or different ethics, besides the possibility of opening up new possible avenues of power.

War Philosophy

Main article: Warfare

War philosophy limits the systems an empire is allowed to make claims for. The limit is removed during defensive wars for the defender. War philosophy cannot be changed while at war.

Type	Effects	Supporting Faction	Requirements	Description
Unrestricted Wars	No restriction on system claims.	Imperialist	Not Pacifist	War is a dish best served frequently, and to those who will not cook for themselves.
Liberation Wars	Claims on another empire's systems can only be made during defensive wars. Animosity Casus Belli on rivals is replaced with the Ideology Casus Belli.	Isolationist	Not Fanatic Pacifist or Genocidal	We must further our own interests, even when they run contrary to the interests of others.
Defensive Wars	Claims on any system can only be made during defensive wars.	Prosperity	Not Fanatic Militarist or Genocidal	Violence is a last resort to ensure the integrity of our nation.

War Doctrine

The War Doctrine policy becomes available after finishing the Supremacy Tradition tree and determines the overall strategic military doctrine for fleets.

Type	Effects	Requirements	Description
Defense in Depth	+10% Home Territory Fire Rate		Let the enemy come to us. We shall fight them for every planet, every moon, every asteroid that lies within our space. We shall never surrender.
Hit and Run	+33% Combat Disengagement Chance -25% Emergency FTL Damage Risk		A superior foe can be gradually whittled down by repeated hit and run attacks. The killing blow is delivered only when the odds are favorable.
Rapid Deployment	+25% Sublight Speed +10% Ship Weapons Range		We must move quickly to strike where the enemy is weakest, and defend where the enemy means to attack. Maneuver is the key to success.
No Retreat	+100% Disengagement Chance Reduction +50% Emergency FTL Jump Cooldown +33% Fire Rate	Militarist or Gestalt Consciousness	Our ships are expected to fight to the bitter end. We will tolerate no withdraws, no retreats, no routs. For our fleet there is only victory or death. Not one step back!

Orbital Bombardment

This policy limits the maximum available stance of planetary bombing when orbiting enemy worlds.

Type	Effects	Requirements	Description
Selective	Orbital bombardment capped at "Selective" Moderate damage to Armies and Planets Light damage to Pops Will not kill the last 20 Pops Will not bombard undefended planets		Allows only the bombardment of identified military targets, while keeping civilian casualties to a minimum.
Indiscriminate	Orbital bombardment capped at "Indiscriminate" Heavy damage to Armies and Planets Moderate damage to Pops Will not kill the last 10 Pops Will bombard undefended planets	Not Pacifist	Allows the full use of all orbital weaponry, with no regards to life on the surface
Armageddon	Orbital bombardment capped at "Armageddon" Massive damage to Armies and Planets Massive damage to Pops Will bombard undefended planets Can reduce planets to lifeless Tomb Worlds	Fanatic Purifiers or Determined Exterminator	Allows the full use of all orbital weaponry, with no regards to life on the planet itself. Utter annihilation is the goal.

Native Interference

Native Interference determines an empires' policy on how to interact with pre-FTL civilizations. This policy becomes available once a primitive civilization has been found.

Type	Effects	Supporting Faction	Requirements	Description
Passive Studies	Observation stations are limited to "Passive Study"	Xenoist	Not Fanatic Xenophobe or Genocidal	Primitive societies have the right to exist and evolve at their own pace, free from the control and designs of others.
Active Studies	Observation stations can perform every type of study		Not signatory or Genocidal	To unlock the secrets of the universe, any and all interesting subjects must be made freely available for study.
Unrestricted Studies	Can invade primitive worlds	Supremacist	Not Pacifist	Even the most primitive lifeform is but another actor on the stage of galactic conflict. Should they lack the strength to resist, what right do they have to be masters of their own fate?

Native Enlightenment

Native Enlightenment determines whether or not an empire can enlighten pre-FTL civilizations. This policy becomes available once a primitive civilization has been found.

Type	Effects	Requirements	Description
Prohibited	Can not enlighten primitive worlds.		No native would be ready to grasp the wonders we have discovered, and exposing them to the truths of the galaxy would carry enormous risks for everyone involved.
Allowed	Can enlighten primitive worlds.	Not Fanatic Xenophobe or Genocidal	Through sharing our knowledge we can actively encourage natives to take their rightful place in the galactic community.

Resettlement

This policy determines if pops that aren't enslaved can be forcibly moved from one planet to another. The policy is not available if Gestalt Consciousness.

Type	Effects	Supporting Faction	Description
Prohibited	Free Pops can't be resettled	Progressive	Free pops cannot be forcibly resettled between planets.
Allowed	Free Pops can be resettled		Pops can be forcibly resettled between planets.

Land Appropriation

Land Appropriation determines if newly acquired planets with Pops without Full Citizenship will have some Pops replaced with Full Citizenship Pops. The replaced Pops will become refugees. The policy is not available to Gestalt Consciousness empires.

Type	Effects	Description
Prohibited	Conquered planets will have their population preserved as-is.	The land that our empire controls belongs to all of its inhabitants.
Allowed	Planets conquered from non-citizen species will have up to 5 Pops displaced and replaced with citizens from our other planets.	The land that the lesser species are not properly utilizing can be put to greater use by their betters.

Leader Enhancement

Leader Enhancement determines if technology can be used to improve leader's abilities. This policy becomes available once Selected Lineages is researched and the effect affects already living leaders.

Type	Effects	Supporting Faction	Requirements	Description
Natural Selection	Leaders gain no additional bonuses	Progressive		Let nature take its course - it is in the crucible of experience that genius is forged.
Selected Lineages	+1 Leader Level Cap +10 Leader Lifespan +50% Leader Cost	Totalitarian	Selected Lineages tech Not Fanatic Egalitarian	Careful reproductive planning should be incentivized, lest we waste valuable genetic legacies.
Capacity Boosters	+2 Leader Level Cap +20 Leader Lifespan +100% Leader Cost	Totalitarian	Capacity Boosters tech Not Egalitarian	We leave nothing to chance, no matter the cost. Through exacting curation of DNA banks do we build the leaders of tomorrow.

First Contact Protocol

First Contact Protocol dictates if an empire can order fleets to attack another empire before establishing communications. A direct attack order is still needed to engage.

Type	Effects	Requirements	Description
Peaceful	Can not attack neutral entities.	Not Genocidal	We will allow no hostile action to be taken against unknown lifeforms, and only retaliate if we were to be attacked first.
Aggressive	Can attack neutral entities.	Militarist, Xenophobe or Gestalt Consciousness	Unknown dangers may hide among the stars. To ensure our continued survival we must be ready to strike without hesitation.

Initial Border Status

Initial Border Status determines if borders start open or closed to other empires.

Type	Effects	Description
Open	Borders will be open to other empires by default.	Isolation invites suspicion, and suspicion invites conflict. Let us show our neighbors that we have nothing to hide.
Closed	Borders will be closed to other empires by default.	The borders of our empire must be well guarded, lest we fall victim to insidious influences. Only those who have proven themselves worthy may enter our space.

Food Policy

The food policy determines an empire's allocation of food for its Pops. It is not available to Machine Intelligence empires unless they have the Rogue Servitor civic.

Type	Individualist Empire Effects	Hive Mind Empire Effects	Description
Strict Rationing	-25% Pop Food Upkeep -10% Pop Growth Speed -10% Biological Pop Happiness	-25% Pop Food Upkeep -15% Pop Growth Speed	In times of need, we all must sacrifice for the greater good. What is a little starvation now, when our glorious future awaits?
Dietary Balance	Organic Pops have normal food use and growth speed		Our population will have all their nutritional needs met, but food is a precious resource and frivolous waste should be avoided.
Nutritional Plenitude	+25% Pop Food Upkeep +10% Pop Growth Speed +5% Biological Pop Happiness	+50% Pop Food Upkeep +33% Pop Growth Speed	It is the fundamental right of each of our citizens to enter hibernation with a full digestive organ. Easy access to plentiful, nutritional fare will be the fuel that spurs our growth among the stars.

Economic Policy

The economic policy determines whether civilian or military resource production should receive more focus. The policy is not available to Gestalt Consciousness empires. Using Artisan / ( Artisan + Metallurgist) as the percentage of your civilian industry, Civilian Economy is beneficial when above 62.5% and Militarized Economy is beneficial when the percentage of civilian industry is below 37.5%.

Type	Effects	Description
Civilian Economy	+15% Monthly Consumer Goods -25% Monthly Alloys	The needs of the populace must become before the business of war. Economic might, not military prowess, is what our empire will be founded on.
Mixed Economy	No bonuses or penalties to resource production	To commit ourselves fully to either war or peace is to restrict ourselves to a narrow view. We must be ready for whatever the future may hold.
Militarized Economy	-25% Monthly Consumer Goods +15% Monthly Alloys	To neglect our defense is to neglect our survival. Trinkets and baubles are scarce comfort when the enemy is battering down the gates.

Trade Policy

This policy determines what each unit of Trade Value is converted into once it reaches the capital system. The policy is not available to Gestalt Consciousness empires.

Type	Trade Value exchange rate	Description
Wealth Creation	1 Energy Credits	The purpose of trade is to generate profits for individuals and revenue for the state. We should focus our trade efforts fully on this creation of wealth.
Consumer Benefits	0.5 Energy Credits and 0.25 Consumer Goods	Profits and taxes must take second place to improving the lives of our citizens. We should focus our trade efforts towards the manufacture and distribution of everyday necessities.
Marketplace of Ideas	0.5 Energy Credits and 0.25 Unity	Trade can be used not only to move goods around, but also to facilitate the spread of ideas. We should focus our trade efforts towards ensuring that the message of our government is heard on all planets where we do business.

Production Policy

This policy determines what drone Stratum will a Gestalt Consciousness empire focus on.

Type	Effects	Description
Balanced Production	No bonuses or penalties to resource production.	The Mind dedicates itself equally to the production of raw resources and finished goods.
Extraction Focus	+20% Menial Drone Output -20% Complex Drone Output	The Menial Drones that extract raw resources are given priority by the Mind, becoming more productive at the expense of the Complex Drones.
Manufacturing Focus	-20% Menial Drone Output +20% Complex Drone Output	The Complex Drones that manufacture finished goods are given priority by the Mind, becoming more productive at the expense of the Menial Drones.

Artificial Intelligence

This policy determines how much freedom an empire gives to artificial intelligence. This policy becomes available once the Positronic AI technology is obtained. In Synthetic Dawn synthetics in servitude may start an AI rebellion.

Type	Effects	Supporting Faction	Requirements	Description & Notes
Outlawed	Synthethics have their sapience removed, bringing them on par with Droids. Synthethics can be disassembled. Android armies and Sapient AI Assistants are disassembled. Cannot research Sapient Combat Computers (they can still be used if already researched). If robots show signs of rebelliousness removing their sapience will start an AI rebellion	Traditionalist	Not Materialist	Intelligent, self-aware machines are an incalculable threat to all living things. The creation of an artificial intelligence is an offense punishable by death.
Servitude	Synthethics cannot take Ruler Stratum Jobs. Synthethics do not require Consumer Goods. Synthethics can be dissassembled. Synthethics cannot join factions.	Technologist		The overriding purpose of any machine must be to serve its masters and perform whatever tasks it was designed for, regardless of how intelligent it may be.
Citizen Rights	Synthethics cannot be disassembled. Synthethics require Consumer Goods. Synthethics can join factions. Synthethics will never rebel.	Technologist	Not Spiritualist	Any self-aware machine that fulfills the criteria of possessing true artificial intelligence is to be regarded as an individual, with all the rights and obligations that entails.

Robotic Workers

This policy determines whether robots are allowed in an empire. This policy is not available to Hive Mind empires, which disassemble all robots.

Type	Effects	Requirements	Description & Notes
Outlawed	Robots cannot be built. All robot pops are disassembled. Robotic armies are disassembled.	Not Materialist or Citizen Rights AI policy	Robotic automatons are a threat to not only our people's livelihoods but to the very fabric of society itself. We must not allow ourselves to be made obsolete.
Allowed	Robots can be built and exist in the empire.		The benefits of automation are obvious and immense. For the future of our people, we cannot afford to ignore the opportunities presented to us by technology.

Pre-Sapients

This policy determines whether an empire tolerates Pre-Sapients living on their planets or not. This policy is unlocked when a planet within the empire's borders has a Pre-Sapient pop on it.

Type	Effects	Supporting Faction	Requirements	Description & Notes
Protected	Pre-Sapients cannot be purged and planets with Pre-Sapients cannot be terraformed.	Xenoist	Not Genocidal	Though still only simple animals, these beings are no less than what we ourselves once were. They should be allowed the chance at a future.
Tolerated	Pre-Sapients can be purged and planets with them can be terraformed.	Xenoist	Not Genocidal	Intelligent animals are still just animals. They can be safely ignored.
Hunted	Pre-Sapients will be hunted for food, slowly depleting them.		Not Xenophile, Fanatic Purifiers or Machine Intelligence	An animal without sapience can hardly be considered to be part of our empire, but perhaps they can help our growth in other ways...
Extermination	Pre-Sapients will be purged automatically.		Not Xenophile	All rights spring from the capacity for reason. An animal is just an animal, and an animal that stands in our way is just a pest.

Refugees

This policy determines the stance on accepting refugees that are fleeing from purges, displacement and persecution in other empires. This policy is unlocked when another species has been met and is not available to Gestalt Consciousness empires unless they have the Rogue Servitor civic.

Type	Effects	Supporting Faction	Requirements	Description & Notes
No Refugees	Refugees will not arrive from other empires.	Isolationist	Not Xenophile	To open our borders to the dregs of other societies would only serve to undermine the state.
Citizen Species only	Refugees from species with Full Citizenship may arrive from other empires.	Isolationist		We cannot allow compassion to overpower good sense. Only those who would be worthwile additions to society should be brought into our borders.
Refugees Welcome	Refugees may arrive from other empires.	Xenoist	Not Xenophobe	Those fleeing death and persecution at the hands of tyrants will be welcome within our borders.

Population Controls

This policy determines the stance on the Population Controls Species Right. The policy is not available if Gestalt Consciousness.

Type	Effects	Supporting Faction	Description & Notes
Prohibited	Can use the Discourage Planetary Growth decision Cannot enable Population Control in the species rights	Progressive	To reproduce and propagate their species is the inalienable right of all our citizens.
Allowed	Can use the Declare Population Controls decision Can enable Population Control in the species rights		Long-term demographics is too important a matter to be left solely in the hands of individual actors.

Slavery

This policy determines whether an empire can give an alien species the Slavery Citizenship. Slavery is not possible if Gestalt Consciousness.

Type	Effects	Supporting Faction	Requirements	Description & Notes
Prohibited	Can not enslave pops +100% Slave Market Cost	Xenoist		The enslavement of sentient beings is an abomination and will not be tolerated within our Empire.
Allowed	Can enslave any pop		Authoritarian or Xenophobe Not signatory	Allows the enslavement of pops within our Empire.

Purge

This policy determines an empire's position on the forced removal of species that are no longer wanted. This policy option only dictates which degree of purging is allowed, further details on which pops are to be purged and in what way can be managed with the species rights system.

Type	Effects	Supporting Faction	Requirements	Description & Notes
Prohibited	Can not Purge or Displace pops	Xenoist		The purge is an atrocity and should always be treated as such.
Displacement Only	Can Displace pops		Not Xenophile or signatory	It is not our responsibility to see to the needs of those who would undermine the foundations of our society. Let them find their homes outside our borders.
Allowed	Can Purge and Displace pops		Xenophobe Not signatory	The troublesome and corrupt elements within our Empire must be cleansed, lest their rot take root in us all.

References

Game concepts