Species

Version

This article is considered accurate for the current version (2.5) of the game.

Every habitable planet has the potential of developing different kinds of intelligent beings that may, naturally or not, develop technologically. Sometimes, such beings reach a crucial point in their development that allows them access to FTL technology and, as a consequence, the ability to become full-fledged interstellar empires.

A species may or may not equate with an empire. At first every empire will be made up entirely of its original species but eventually, it may include other species through conquest, migration pacts or accepting refugees.

Note: A higher resolution image is available by clicking on the portraits.

Species identityEdit

At galaxy generation species are divided into species phenotype groups, parent species and sub-species.

Species phenotype groups are composed of species with similar observable characteristics, including its morphology or physical form and structure, its developmental processes and its biochemical and physiological properties.

There are, at the moment, 9 different species groups. In Stellaris, species phenotype group focus only on external characteristics and does not get into more biological details.

A parent species is the first spawned species of its kind (a kind is defined by its species portrait and name). A sub-species is created when a pop modification template is applied to a parent species or another sub-species and is considered to be the same species for the purposes of xenophobia, xenophilia and species rights.

Species within the same phenotype group will be less affected by xenophobia and xenophilia, with the effect increasing if they share the same portrait.

List of species archetypesEdit

A number of species are pre-defined, including the Humans of the Sol system. Each race will belong to one of the eight archetype: Arthropoid (insect-like), Avian (bird-like), Fungoid (fungus-like), Humanoid, Mammalian, Molluscoid (invertebrates), Reptilian, Plantoid (part of the Plantoids Species Pack DLC), and Lithoids (part of the Lithoids Species Pack DLC).

Each species have traits and ethics that can be selected, as well as homeworld preference. Traits and ethics are independent of the species or portrait selected, though players can, of course, use the portrait art as inspiration for their choices, adding to role-playing.

The first ruler of every empire can be customized. For non-humanoid species customization is limited to colors and possibly clothes, while some humanoid species feature hairstyle customization too. Humanoids are the only species group to feature differences in gender appearance.^[1]

There is an option for player-defined species, complete with traits, ethics and government type to appear in the game as AI nations.

Note: The order of the portraits is meant to reflect their in-game order.

HumanoidEdit

Human
Humanoid #2
Humanoid #3
Humanoid #4
Humanoid #5

Ten additional portraits are available as part of the Humanoid Species Pack DLC.

Humanoid HP #1
Humanoid HP #2
Humanoid HP #6
Humanoid HP #7
Humanoid HP #8
Humanoid HP #9
Humanoid HP #10
Humanoid HP #11
Humanoid HP #12
Humanoid HP #13

MammalianEdit

Slender #5
Massive #13
Normal #10
Massive #14
Slender #4
Normal #9
Massive #11
Normal #6
Slender #3
Massive #12
Normal #7
Massive #15
Slender #2
Normal #8
Slender #1
Massive #16
Massive #17
Mammalian Ratling

Most of mammalian portraits have a unique insult targeted specifically to them.

Note: The platypus (Massive #16) portrait was originally available for those who signed up for the Project Augustus web game, but due to popular demand, was added in the Clarke patch.

The Evil Porcupine (Massive #17) portrait was originally exclusive to Creatures of the Void DLC portrait pack for those who pre-ordered Stellaris before being released as part of the free Anniversary Portraits Pack DLC accompanying the Adams patch.

The Ratling portrait was first shown off at PDXCON 2018^[2] and was released for free alongside the with the 2.1 (Niven) patch.

ReptilianEdit

Slender #2
Normal #10
Massive #14
Slender #3
Normal #7
Massive #12
Normal #9
Massive #11
Normal #6
Normal #13
Slender #1
Normal #8
Slender #4
Massive #15
Slender #5
Reptilian #16
Reptilian #17

The Fairy Dragon (Reptilian #17) portrait is part of the free Anniversary Portraits Pack DLC.

AvianEdit

Slender #1
Normal #8
Massive #13
Normal #10
Massive #15
Slender #4
Normal #7
Slender #5
Normal #9
Normal #6
Massive #11
Slender #3
Massive #14
Slender #2
Massive #12
Massive #16
Massive #17
Avian #18

Note: The Chirpy-inspired^[3] (Massive #16) portrait is available to those who login to their Paradox account while in-game.^[4]

The Dinosaur Bird (Massive #17) portrait was originally exclusive to Creatures of the Void DLC portrait pack for those who pre-ordered Stellaris before being released as part of the free Anniversary Portraits Pack DLC accompanying the Adams patch.

The Peacock Avian (Avian #18) portrait is part of the free Anniversary Portraits Pack DLC.

ArthropoidEdit

Massive #14
Normal #07
Massive #12
Normal #06
Slender #01
Massive #13
Normal #08
Slender #03
Slender #05
Normal #09
Normal #10
Massive #11
Massive #15
Arthropoid #18
Massive #16
Arthropoid #20
Massive #17
Arthropoid #19

Note:The Shadowy Arthropod (Massive #17) portrait was originally exclusive to Creatures of the Void DLC portrait pack for those who pre-ordered Stellaris before being released as part of the free Anniversary Portraits Pack DLC accompanying the Adams patch.

The Arachnoid (Massive #16) portrait is included only in the Nova Edition or the Galaxy Edition of Stellaris.

The Larvae (Arthropoid #20) portrait is part of the free Anniversary Portraits Pack DLC.

The Mantis Shrimp (Arthropoid #19) portrait was originally released with the Bradbury Multiplayer Beta Patch as an incentive for opting-in before being released officially as part of the 1.8 update. It is available to those who login to their Paradox account while in-game^[5].

MolluscoidEdit

Slender #3
Normal #7
Massive #13
Slender #2
Massive #14
Slender #4
Normal #8
Slender #1
Massive #11
Massive #12
Slender #5
Normal #6
Massive #15
Massive #16
Molluscoid #17
Molluscoid #18

Note: The Hydra/Xenomorph (Massive #16) portrait was originally exclusive to Creatures of the Void DLC portrait pack for those who pre-ordered Stellaris before being released as part of the free Anniversary Portraits Pack DLC accompanying the Adams patch.

FungoidEdit

Slender #2
Slender #4
Slender #3
Massive #13
Massive #12
Normal #6
Massive #15
Normal #7
Slender #1
Normal #9
Massive #11
Normal #8
Massive #14
Normal #10
Massive #16
Fungoid #17

Note: The Fungoid Infected Mammalian (Massive #16) portrait was originally exclusive to Creatures of the Void DLC portrait pack for those who pre-ordered Stellaris before being released as part of the free Anniversary Portraits Pack DLC accompanying the Adams patch.

PlantoidEdit

The Plantoid archetype is part of the Plantoids Species Pack DLC.

Slender #2
Normal #6
Slender #1
Massive #11
Slender #3
Massive #13
Normal #7
Massive #15
Normal #10
Slender #5
Normal #9
Massive #14
Slender #4
Normal #8
Massive #12
Plantoid Hivemind

LithoidEdit

The Lithoid archetype is part of the Lithoids Species Pack DLC.

Lithoid #1 "Golem"
Lithoid #2 "Lava"
Lithoid #3 "Geode"
Lithoid #4 "Angelic"
Lithoid #5 "Mantis"
Lithoid #6 "Symbiotic"
Lithoid #7 "Pyrite"
Lithoid #8 "Sedimentary"
Lithoid #9 "Spider"
Lithoid #10 "Unicorn"
Lithoid #11 "Levitating"
Lithoid #12 "Crystal
Lithoid #13 "Exo"
Lithoid #14 "Snake"
Lithoid #15 "Spined"

MachineEdit

Robots are not a naturally evolved species but rather an artificial one that can be constructed with the required technology or if by starting as a machine empire.

Standard
Lithoid

Nine additional machine portraits are available in empire creation that morphologically correspond to their progenitor species archetype. When an empire first creates robots they'll use the portrait that matches their main species' archetype.

Humanoid
Mammalian
Reptilian
Avian
Arthopoid
Molluscoid
Fungoid
Plantoid

Crisis speciesEdit

These are species that accompany the arrival of Endgame Crises. They cannot be found or built before a crisis is triggered.

Prethoryn Scourge
Unbidden
Aberrant
Vehement
Contingency Custodian Bot

Compliments and insultsEdit

When contacted, empires with a high opinion may compliment you while those with a low opinion may insult you. The flavor text depends on the ruler's species.

Species Group	Compliment	Insult
Human	angel	monkey
Mammalian (including Humanoids)	sphinx	beast
Reptilian	dragon	lizard newt
Avian	phoenix	bird chicken dodo buzzard
Arthropoid	scarab	bug
Molluscoid	kraken	parasite
Fungoid	chanterelle	shroom
Plantoid	rose	weed
Machine	elegant automaton technological marvel	tin can toaster
Lithoid	gem	rock