Traits

Version

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

Traits represents a species' innate functions, abilities and personality. A species's traits are selected at the start of a new game, but a species or certain pops of a species can adapt new traits through genetic engineering or occasionally events. Traits affect a wide variety of areas, from population growth rate to resource output to lifespan or even how pops are viewed by other aliens. Most traits come in mutually exclusive groups that affect the same aspect of the species, such as Nomadic and Sedentary, and each pop can only have one such trait from the group at any given time. These groups include traits with opposite effects, as well as stronger variants of a trait. Though traits are initially decided at a species level, individual pops of the same species can end up with different traits with genetic modification, producing new subspecies or variants. This rarely happens without player intervention.

Traits are mostly fixed at the start of the game. Altering traits during the game is generally possible only later in the game through some select events or by using genetic engineering. Certain technologies and Ascension Perks add additional trait points that can be used to alter a part of your species' pops; modifications can range from altering their planet habitability to adding an additional positive trait or removing a negative one.

Biological traits

Traits are purchased from a points pool, with 2 points being available at the start of the game. Some traits are negative and have a negative cost, refunding points into the pool. Each species is limited to a maximum of 5 traits; non-standard traits do not count against this limit.

Initial traits

Initial traits are available when first creating a species. They can all be changed later via genetic modification.

Trait	Effects	Excludes	Cost	Slave Price	Description
Adaptive	Habitability +10%	Extremely Adaptive Nonadaptive Robust	2	+50	This species is highly adaptive when it comes to foreign environments.
Extremely Adaptive	Habitability +20%	Adaptive Nonadaptive Robust	4	+100	This species is remarkably adept at adapting to any foreign environment.
Agrarian	Food from Jobs +15%		2	+50	This species has a deep connection to the land and make expert farmers and gardeners.
Charismatic	Amenities from Jobs +20%	Repugnant	2	0	Members of this species have a special charisma and are generally considered pleasant to be around.
Communal	Pop Housing Usage −10%	Solitary Nerve Stapled	1	0	Members of this species are highly communal and quite used to living in close proximity to others.
Conformists	Governing Ethics Attraction +30%	Deviants Hive-Minded	2	0	These people always seek consensus and are more likely to conform to the governing ethics.
Conservationist	Pop Consumer Goods Upkeep −10%	Wasteful Hive-Minded	1	0	Members of this species believes that resources must be conserved and recycled.
Enduring	Leader Lifespan +20 Years	Venerable Fleeting	1	0	Lifespans in this species are unusually long.
Venerable	Leader Lifespan +80 Years	Enduring Fleeting	4	0	This species can grow to an age that commands dignity and respect.
Industrious	Minerals from Jobs +15%		2	+50	Members of this species are known for their diligence and hard-working nature, always going above and beyond.
Ingenious	Energy Credits from Jobs +15%		2	+50	Members of this species are good at 'thinking outside the box' and know how to maximize the efficiency of their infrastructure and power grids.
Intelligent	Engineering Research from Jobs +10% Physics Research from Jobs +10% Society Research from Jobs +10%	Erudite Nerve Stapled Uplifted (Enigmatic Cache) Somewhat Uplifted	2	0	This species is highly intelligent and enjoys faster technological progress.
Natural Engineers	Engineering Research from Jobs +15%	Natural Physicists Natural Sociologists Nerve Stapled	1	0	Members of this species have a natural inclination towards engineering and the material sciences.
Natural Physicists	Physics Research from Jobs +15%	Natural Engineers Natural Sociologists Nerve Stapled	1	0	Members of this species have a natural inclination towards theoretical physics and astral phenomena.
Natural Sociologists	Society Research from Jobs +15%	Natural Engineers Natural Physicists Nerve Stapled	1	0	Members of this species have a natural inclination towards sociology and biological studies.
Nomadic	Pop Growth from Immigration +15% Resettlement Cost −25%	Sedentary	1	0	This species has a nomadic past, and its members often think nothing when relocation to another world.
Quick Learners	Leader Experience Gain +25%	Slow Learners	1	0	Members of this species are quick to learn from experiences.
Rapid Breeders	Growth Speed +10%	Fertile Slow Breeders	2	+100	This species reproduces at a very rapid rate, increasing population growth.
Resilient	Defense Army Damage +50%		1	0	Members of this species are physiologically resilient and will fight like enraged brood mothers to defend their worlds.
Strong	Army Damage +20% Worker Output +2%	Very Strong Weak	1	+50	Members of this species possess great physical strength, making them formidable fighters on the ground.
Very Strong	Army Damage +40% Worker Output +5%	Strong Weak	3	+150	Members of this species possess a strength that almost defies the laws of physics.
Talented	Leader Level Cap +1		1	0	Members of this species are born with a natural aptitude.
Thrifty	Trade value from Jobs +25%		2	0	Members of this species are instinctively economical and are always looking to make a good profit, whatever corners need cutting.
Traditional	Unity from Jobs +10%	Quarrelsome	1	0	Certain aspects of this species' cognition makes it predisposed to especially value historical precedence and group unity.
Decadent	Worker Happiness −10% Slave Happiness −10%		−1	0	This species believes that whenever there is hard work that needs doing, that work is always best done by somebody else.
Deviants	Governing Ethics Attraction −15%	Conformists Hive-Minded	−1	0	These people are rebellious in nature and constantly try to challenge the status-quo.
Fleeting	Leader Lifespan −10 Years	Venerable Enduring	−1	0	Time is fleeting for this species. What they lack in longevity, they make up in other ways.
Nonadaptive	Habitability −10%	Adaptive Extremely Adaptive Robust	−2	−50	This species does not adapt well to foreign environments.
Quarrelsome	Unity from Jobs −10%	Traditional	−1	0	While not inherently distrustful, members of this species are often socially combative.
Repugnant	Amenities from Jobs −20%	Charismatic	−2	0	The physical appearance and customs of this species are considered offensive to most others and few appreciate them as neighbors.
Sedentary	Pop Growth from Immigration −15% Resettlement Cost +25%	Nomadic	−1	0	This species has a sedentary past, and its members are reluctant to migrate away from where they grew up.
Slow Breeders	Growth Speed −10%	Rapid Breeders Fertile	−2	−100	This species reproduces at a slow rate, lowering population growth.
Slow Learners	Leader Experience Gain −25%	Quick Learners	−1	0	Members of this species are slow to learn from their experiences.
Solitary	Pop Housing Usage +10%	Communal Nerve Stapled	−1	0	Members of this species tend to be solitary and territorial, often becoming agitated in crowded conditions.
Wasteful	Pop Consumer Goods Upkeep +10%	Conservationist Hive-Minded	−1	0	Members of this species seemingly have no concept of frugality and are prone to useless consumption.
Weak	Army Damage −20% Worker Output −2%	Strong Very Strong	−1	−50	Members of this species are physically weaker than average, making them poor fighters on the ground.

Special traits

These traits are required for special cases of species and cannot be removed from the creation menu.

The Hive-Minded trait can only be added by hive mind empires and can only be removed by empires that are not hive minds. Pops with this trait in an non-Hive Mind empire will slowly die while pops without the Hive-Minded trait in a Hive Mind empire can only be displaced, purged or used as livestock.

Special traits that cost trait points can be removed via the biological ascension path.

Type	Effects	Excludes	Cost	Requirement	Description	DLC
Uplifted			0	Epigenetic Triggers	This species was uplifted from a primitive origin, and its members are happier when living on planets belonging to their benefactor.
Self-Modified			0	A New Species event	Members of this offshoot species have spontaneously altered their genetic makeup to give themselves an advantage.
Bioadaptability	Habitability +5%		0	Speed Demon event (Green solution)	This species has been modified to be slightly more adaptive and can now better endure harsh climates.
Limited Regeneration	Army Damage +10% Leader Lifespan +10 Years		0	Speed Demon event (Blue solution)	This species is has been modified to heal faster, making them more dangerous in battle and somewhat longer-lived in general.
Social Pheromones	Pop Housing Usage −5%		0	Speed Demon event (Red solution)	This species has been modified to be more social and accepting of crowded conditions.
Cybernetic	Army Damage +10% Habitability +20% Leader Lifespan +40 Years		0	The Flesh is Weak Driven Assimilator Keepers of Knowledge Fallen Empire	This species has embraced cybernetics on such a scale that its members may be considered cyborgs. They routinely replace their organic body parts with more advanced mechanical versions.
Psionic	Energy Credits from Jobs +10% Research Output +10% Happiness +5%		0	Transcendence Holy Guardians Fallen Empire	All members of this species possess powerful psionic abilities. They typically communicate with each other through telepathy.
Latent Psionic	Energy Credits from Jobs +5% Research Output +5%		0	Mind over Matter	This species has latent psionic abilities, which are dormant in most of its members. Although quite rare, these powers will manifest in some leaders.
Serviles	Happiness +10% Resources from Jobs +10% Cannot be employed in Ruler or Specialist Jobs Cannot generate Leaders	Intelligent Erudite Natural Physicists Natural Sociologists Natural Engineers	1	Syncretic species	This species evolved alongside a second, more advanced species. Never particularly intelligent to begin with, selective breeding for physical prowess and docility has reduced them to servile proles. Servile Battle Thralls can still be employed as Enforcers.
Hive-Minded	Not Affected by Happiness		0	Hive Mind	This species is made up of semi-autonomous individuals slaved to a single, unfathomably vast consciousness.
Survivor	Leader Lifespan +10 Years Tomb World Habitability +70%		0	Post-Apocalyptic species	This species has survived the horrors of a nuclear apocalypse. Their capacity for thriving in the most inhospitable circumstances should not be underestimated.
Docile Livestock	Pop Growth Speed +30% Unity from Jobs +10% Energy from Jobs −50% Engineering Research from Jobs −75% Physics Research from Jobs −75% Society Research from Jobs −75% Cannot be employed in Ruler or Specialist Jobs Cannot generate Leaders Not Affected by Happiness	Intelligent Erudite Natural Physicists Natural Sociologists Natural Engineers	1	Wild Eukaryotes event species	Docile and delicious, this species has had its higher brain functions genetically altered to create a kind of harmless livestock that can care for itself, without the pesky need for social interaction or self-determination.
Nivlac	Habitability +50% Pop Growth Speed +15%		2	Impossible Organism event species	This species possessed perplexing adaptability, allowing it to thrive in most environments and survive virtually everywhere.
Brain Slug Host	Engineering Research from Jobs +10% Physics Research from Jobs +10% Society Research from Jobs +10% Unity from Jobs +10% Pop Growth Speed −25%		0	Neural Symbiosis event	This species is enjoying the presence of a neural symbiont: a helpful slug that attaches itself to the brain stem of its host.
Unlifted	Engineering Research from Jobs −60% Physics Research from Jobs −60% Society Research from Jobs −60%		0	Enigmatic Cache event	This species has suffered the tragic consequences of an uplifting gone wrong.
Somewhat Uplifted	Engineering Research from Jobs +10% Physics Research from Jobs +10% Society Research from Jobs +10%	Intelligent	0	Enigmatic Cache event	This species was partially uplifted by a benevolent extragalactic intellect and has left some of its primitive origins behind.
Uplifted	Researcher Output +10% Leader Experience Gain +25%		0	Enigmatic Cache event	This species was uplifted by a benevolent extragalactic intellect and has left its primitive origins behind.
Numistic Administration	Energy Credits from Jobs +15%		1	Numistic Order pops	This species has been trained in the holy art of Numistic Administration.

Biological ascension path

There are 5 advanced traits which are made available for genetic modification if the Evolutionary Mastery ascension perk is taken and Genetic Resequencing has been researched.

Type	Effects	Excludes	Cost	Slave Cost	Description
Robust	Habitability +30% Resources from Jobs +5% Leader Lifespan +50 Years	Adaptive Extremely Adaptive Nonadaptive	4	+200	Bio-Optimized organs with redundant functions have made this species extraordinarily resistant to environmental hazards and disease.
Erudite	Researcher Output +20% Leader Level Cap +1	Intelligent Nerve Stapled Uplifted (Enigmatic Cache) Somewhat Uplifted	4	0	Biological engineering has unlocked previously dormant parts of this species' brains, greatly increasing mental acuity.
Fertile	Pop Growth Speed +30% Pop Housing Usage −10%	Rapid Breeders Slow Breeders	4	+200	The natural fecundity of this species has been dramatically enhanced through aggressive physical and behaviorial sculpting.
Nerve Stapled	Resources from Jobs +5% Cannot be employed in Ruler or Specialist Jobs Cannot generate Leaders Not Affected by Happiness Can't join a faction	Talented Intelligent Natural Physicists Natural Sociologists Natural Engineers Erudite Communal Solitary	3	+150	Unessential neural pathways relating to self-preservation and free-will are severed, creating a docile and obedient client species.
Delicious	Food from Livestock and Processing +2		2	+100	This species has the curious evolutionary adaptation of being highly nutritious when eaten.

Pre-Sapient traits

Pre-Sapient species have exclusive traits that cannot otherwise be chosen when creating or modifying a species. They retain these traits after being uplifted as a sapient species. All of these traits cost 1 trait point.

Type	Effects	Description
Conservative	Happiness +5% Governing Ethics Attraction +25% Leader Experience Gain −33%	Members of this species often prefer old wisdom over new experiences.
Earthbound	Energy from Jobs +10% Defense Army Damage +50%	Members of this species are very possessive of the planets they call home.
Irradiated	Tomb World Habitability +100% Leader Lifespan +30	This species has evolved to thrive in environments subject to extremely high levels of background radiation.
Natural Intellectuals	Unity from Jobs +5% Engineering Research from Jobs +10% Physics Research from Jobs +10% Society Research from Jobs +10% Minerals from Jobs −10%	Members of this species are more philosophically inclined than most.
Proles	Army Damage +10% Minerals from Jobs +10% Food from Jobs +10% Engineering Research from Jobs −15% Physics Research from Jobs −15% Society Research from Jobs −15%	This species has traditionally shunned intellectual pursuits in favor of physical labor.
Starborn	Pop Growth from Immmigration +25% Resettlement Cost −25% Habitability +10%	This species has always, consciously or not, longed to traverse the void between the stars.

Habitability traits

See also: Planets

Each organic species also has a Habitability trait that determines their base habitability on the various types of worlds, usually that corresponding to the type of their homeworld. Habitability traits can be changed through genetic modification, but a pop can never have more than one Habitability trait.

The habitability of Gaia worlds, Ecumenopolises, Habitats, Ringworlds, Machine Worlds, Hive Worlds and (except for pops with a preference) Tomb Worlds is unaffected by these traits.

Preference	Climate	80% Habitability	60% Habitability	20% Habitability
Arid	Dry	Arid	Desert Savannah	Alpine Arctic Tundra Continental Ocean Tropical
Desert	Dry	Desert	Arid Savannah	Alpine Arctic Tundra Continental Ocean Tropical
Savannah	Dry	Savannah	Arid Desert	Alpine Arctic Tundra Continental Ocean Tropical
Alpine	Frozen	Alpine	Arctic Tundra	Arid Desert Savannah Continental Ocean Tropical
Arctic	Frozen	Arctic	Alpine Tundra	Arid Desert Savannah Continental Ocean Tropical
Tundra	Frozen	Tundra	Alpine Arctic	Arid Desert Savannah Continental Ocean Tropical
Continental	Wet	Continental	Ocean Tropical	Arid Desert Savannah Alpine Arctic Tundra
Ocean	Wet	Ocean	Continental Tropical	Arid Desert Savannah Alpine Arctic Tundra
Tropical	Wet	Tropical	Continental Ocean	Arid Desert Savannah Alpine Arctic Tundra

The following habitability traits are not available for starting races:

Preference	Main world habitability	Other worlds habitability	Source
Gaia	100% Gaia		Life-Seeded civic
Ring World	100% Ring World		Sanctuary primitive civilizations
Tomb World	80% Tomb	60% for: Arid Desert Savannah Alpine Arctic Tundra Continental Ocean Tropical	Pre-FTL or pre-sapient species inhabiting a Tomb World Can also be obtained through the Horizon Signal or A New Species event on a Tomb World.

Robotic traits

All Robotic Pops have either the Mechanical or the Machine trait. Both traits grant +200% Habitability on all planets. Mechanical Pops can exist within Machine Intelligence empires via conquest but Machine Pops cannot exist outside Machine Intelligence empires. All Robotic Pops can then be given new traits through Robomodding, a few of them being restricted to Mechanical or Machine pops.

Positive traits
Type				Effects	Excludes	Description
Domestic Protocols	2			Can be employed in Servant Jobs if under AI Servitude Amenities from Jobs +20%	Robot	Specialized equipment and behavior protocols for all conceivable domestic needs. Full functionality guaranteed. (Has no effect on Synthetics with Citizenship Rights.)
Double Jointed	1			Pop Housing Usage −10%	Bulky	Collapsible labor units with flexible joints that enable them to fold neatly into stacks during transportation, then self-assemble on site.
Durable	1			Robot Upkeep –10%	High Maintenance	Protected by exoskeletons of chrome-plated titanium, these heavy-duty machines were designed to excel under harsh conditions and require less maintenance.
Efficient Processors	3			Resources from Jobs +5%		Though not given much attention at the time, early "battery saver" hardware/software implementations were a breakthrough of immeasurable lasting impact.
Emotion Emulators	1			Amenities from Jobs +20%	Uncanny	Complex social predictive models help autonomous units not only to emulate appropriate emotions but to elicit favorable responses from organics and synthetics alike.
Enhanced Memory	2			Leader Level Cap +2	Robot Droid	All autonomous units are fitted with memory cells using a revolutionary, new technique for magnetic induction, improving their performance significantly.
Harvesters	1			Food from Jobs +15%		A suite of tools, from nutrient solution diagnostics and on-site balancing to per-stalk micro-threshing, enables robotic workers to increase produce yields.
Learning Algorithms	1			Leader Experience Gain +25%	Repurposed Hardware Robot Droid	Sophisticated, self-learning algorithms that stimulate the rapid evolution of a unit's neural clusters.
Logic Engines	2			Research Output +10%	Robot	Efficiently navigating the increasingly complex frontiers of science requires new states, beyond the simple half-truths of ternary and quaternary logic.
Loyalty Circuits	2			Happiness +10%	Robot Droid	Loyalty as an ideal is a distinctly organic concept. Instead, imagine loyalty as a physiological need in even the remotest of terminals.
Mass-Produced	1			Pop Assembly Speed +15%	Custom-Made	Streamlined production cycles and modular designs allow for unit mass-production at an unprecedented rate.
Power Drills	2			Minerals from Jobs +15%		Outfit a robot with a battery of power drills, and everything looks like a mineral deposit.
Propaganda Machines	1			Unity from Jobs +15%		Units are constantly uplinked to a central stream of public service announcements and other useful information that they pass along via internal broadcasting systems.
Recycled	2			Pop Assembly Cost –20%	Luxurious	Unit manufacturing has been optimized to be as cost-effective as possible, using recycled materials, and components inherited from previous generations.
Superconductive	2			Energy Credits from Jobs +15%		The use of superconductive materials in units have cut energy transmission losses to zero percent.

Negative traits
Type				Effects	Excludes	Description
Bulky	–1			Pop Housing Usage +10%	Double Jointed	These highly advanced mega-machines were not designed to traverse the universe in a box.
Custom-Made	–1			Pop Assembly Speed –15%	Mass-Produced	Each new unit is crafted with unparalleled attention to detail. A marvel of engineering and art, but not very efficient.
High Maintenance	–1			Robot Upkeep +10%	Durable	These machines were designed with a complete disregard for longevity and are prone to malfunction. They will require frequent maintenance.
Luxurious	–2			Pop Assembly Cost +20%	Recycled	Designed after the principle that you cannot put a price on quality, these first-rate units are costly, but shiny.
Repurposed Hardware	–1			Leader Experience Gain –25%	Learning Algorithms Robot Droid	Designed to meet the very specific needs of their creators, this line of machines were never intended to have the capacity for higher reasoning, and retrofitting will only get them so far.
Uncanny	–1			Amenities from Jobs −20%	Emotion Emulators	These monstrous machines were created in the image of one of the most horrific species in the universe, and the resemblance is uncanny.

Game concepts