Guardians

Version

This article has been verified for the current PC version (3.10) of the game.

Spaceborne aliens

Spaceborne aliens

Enclaves

**Guardians**

Marauders

Caravaneers

Guardians are extremely powerful Spaceborne aliens added in . They can be found in special predetermined systems and rival moons in size and mass. They are marked with a skull icon both in the fleet power box and on the galactic map, and the exact strength number can only be seen with debug mode on. Each guardian has a unique event chain. While one can just stumble over a guardian during exploration, they can also be found with the help of the Curator Enclave. Guardians have an immense amount of health and should only be engaged mid-late game. Defeating most guardians starts a Leviathan Parade Opportunity situation.

Guardians get various bonuses to make them stronger based on the game difficulty. AI empires only attack a guardian if their fleet power is at least 40k.

If a guardian spawns next to a Fallen Empire, the Fallen Empire typically sends a fleet and defeats the guardian. Most rewards from defeating the guardian, such as relics or the Parade Opportunity are lost if this happens.

Empires with the  Reanimators,  Permanent Employment or  Cordyceptic Drones civic or the  Mechromancy ascension perk that kill an organic guardian gain the option to issue a special project that costs  **10000** society research to resurrect the guardian as a controllable fleet. Reanimated guardians cannot be merged into other fleets or be commanded by commanders, but they retain their original strength and power while taking up only 32 naval capacity, making them very useful even well into the late-game. Unlike conventional warships which consume energy and alloys, owned guardians must be kept fed and thus have a very high food upkeep.

## Asteroid Hives

A random system may have an asteroid belt containing 5 unique crystalline asteroids with deposits of  6-8 minerals and 6 unselectable asteroids with one of them producing a chirping-like sound. Entering the system for the first time displays an event window hinting that there is more to the system than meets the eye.

If a starbase is built in the system, the Asteroid Hives awaken with the following MTTH based on the number of constructed mining stations:

 MTTH

The Asteroid Hives use only strike craft as their weapons. As a result carrier ships are the ideal counters, as the Asteroid Hives have no point-defense themselves and launched strike craft engage and destroy the enemy ones before attacking the guardians. In addition, carrier ships have point defenses themselves.

Defeating all 6 Asteroid Hives grants  **500** Energy and  **2000** Society research in addition to allowing the system to be safely mined.

## Automated Dreadnought

A random system with two habitable worlds may be defended by the Automated Dreadnought, an ancient warship of old locked in patrol mode. The Automated Dreadnought uses regular ship components and can be countered appropriately.

* 2 Launcher T2
* 7 Plasma T3
* 3 Plasma T3
* 2 Disruptor T3
* 3 Point-Defense T3
* 11 Shields T5
* 3 Shield Capacitor
* 2 Regenerative Hull Tissue
* Jump Drive
* Dark Matter Thrusters
* Tachyon Sensors
* Sapient Combat Computer (Line)
* Inspiring Presence

Defeating the Automated Dreadnought gives the following two choices:

1. Salvage the dreadnought for  **5000** energy and  **1000** alloys and  **30x** monthly Engineering output (**1000 ~ 5000**)  Engineering research.
2. Issue a special project to repair and use it that costs  **50000** Engineering research. The repaired Dreadnought is the same as listed above except that it loses Leviathan modifiers for  Hull and  Shields. Its  Jump Drive will be upgraded to a  Psi Jump Drive if the empire has the technology. The components cannot be upgraded or changed even if better tech is available (jump drive included after fully repairing it).

Defeating the Guardian also starts the Automated Dreadnought Leviathan Parade Situation regardless of the previous mentioned choice.

## Enigmatic Fortress

A random system with a class A star may house the Enigmatic Fortress, a massive space station guarded by numerous unique defense platforms. The Enigmatic Fortress uses regular components and can be countered appropriately. The installation consists of the following stations:

* 1 Autocannon T3
* 1 Point Defense T3
* 1 Autocannon T3
* 1 Point Defense T3
 Utility
* 7 Armor T5
* 1 Enigmatic Decoder
* 1 Shield Capacitor
* 4 Armor T5
* 1 Enigmatic Decoder
* 1 Shield Capacitor
* 3 Armor T5
* 1 Shield Capacitor
* 2 Armor T5
* 2 Shield T6
* 1 Shield Capacitor
* 4 Shield T6
 Core
* Tachyon Sensors
* Tachyon Sensors
* Tachyon Sensors
* Tachyon Sensors
* Tachyon Sensors

Defeating the Enigmatic Fortress starts a lengthy event chain that must be completed to gain its rewards. Letting the timer expire at any point results in the Fortress repowering, thus requiring it to be defeated again.

Successfully investigating the Enigmatic Fortress grants  **1000-5000** Research across all fields as well as unlock the  **Enigmatic Encoder** and  **Enigmatic Decoder** technologies.

## Infinity Machine

The black hole system named Gargantua houses the Infinity Machine, the only guardian in the game that is not hostile. At first no interaction with the Infinity Machine is possible, but a year or two after being discovered the guardian sends a transmission and starts a special project that requires 360 days and at least a level 3 scientist leader to be finished. Completing the special project allows the following options:

* Materialist empires can attempt to hack the Infinity machine. The chance of success is 50% and permanently grants a  **+5%** research output empire modifier as well as either the  Positronic AI or the  Zero Point Power technology on a success. If both were already researched, it grants  **1000-5000** Society research. For  Gestalt Consciousness empires, this is the only option. This approach destroys the Infinity Machine.
* Spiritualist empires can declare the Infinity Machine a divine object, granting a  **+5%** Happiness empire modifier.
* Militarist empires can destroy the Infinity Machine with an army without fighting it to gain the same bonuses as when defeating it.
* All empires can communicate with the Infinity Machine after the special project is completed.  Militarist and  Fanatic Egalitarian empires can tell it the liar's paradox but the guardian merely finds paradoxes boring. The empire can offer to help it and start a special project that requires 1800 days and a science vessel to be finished. Finishing the project has one of the following outcomes.
	+ 50%: The project fails but the Infinity Machine rewards the empire with the  Positronic AI technology. If already researched, it grants the  Zero Point Power technology. If both were researched, it grants the empire a  **+5%** research output empire modifier.
	+ 25%: the project succeeds and the Infinity Machine enters the black hole. It grants the  Positronic AI technology. If already researched, it grants the  Zero Point Power technology. If both were researched, it grants  **150** Influence. In addition, the black hole gains a  **4** Research deposit.
	+ 25%: the project succeeds and the Infinity Machine enters the black hole and shrinks it to a smaller size renamed Pantagruel, which gains a  **10** Research deposit. The empire gains  **200** Influence and permanently gains the *Mirror of Knowledge* modifier ( **+10%** Research Speed). In addition, a Curator Enclave can be contacted and given some info for  **500** Engineering Research.

Alternatively, the Infinity Machine can be attacked, forcing it to open and become aggressive. The guardian comes equipped with lasers, strike craft, heavy shields and regeneration components and has good evasion. As a result, shielded fleets using kinetic weapons are the ideal counter. Destroying the Infinity Machine allows it to be broken down for  **700-4000** Minerals and  250-500 Influence. Alternatively, empires that are not  Gestalt Consciousness can study its nature to permanently unlock the next tier of  Mechanical Pop research. Destroying the Infinity Machine removes any empire modifier.

* **20,000** Armor

 **125,000** Shields0
* + Base 0
	+ Utilities 21,800
	+ Leviathan Modifiers 104,000

 **140** Speed
* **50%** Evasion
* / 1750 avg dmg / day
* + 500-1000 Damage
	+ **150%** damage against  Shields
	+ **11.50** day cooldown
	+ **85%** Accuracy
	+ **0%** Tracking
	+ **120** Range
	+ / 55.43

 4x  Advanced Strike Craft
* 3x  Large Gamma Laser
* 7x  Medium Gamma Laser
* 5x  Small Gamma Laser

 6x  Defense of Infinite Points0
* + 15-20 Damage
	+ **0.60** day cooldown
	+ **80%** Accuracy
	+ **50%** Tracking
	+ **10** Range
	+ / 20.33
* 20x  Hyper Shields
* 2x  Shield Capacitors
* Impulse Thrusters
* Tachyon Sensors
* Sapient Combat Computer (Line)

### Horizon Signal

If the Horizon Signal event chain has been started, entering the Gargantua system (whether it is the first time or not) causes the Infinity Machine to initiate contact and ask for 800  Energy and  Minerals. Refusing either of the two options results in the guardian asking again next time a ship enters the system. Accepting results in the Infinity Machine disappearing like the Horizon Signal science ship and adding a  **10** society research deposit to Gargantua.

## Spectral Wraith

The Spectral Wraith is a guardian that can only appear during the mid-game. A random pulsar may reveal the unique  *Pulse Germination* modifier when surveyed. The first empire that surveys the pulsar is shown an event window pointing to the date when the mid-game starts and hinting that is the system where the Spectral Wraith spawns.

Unlike other guardians, the Spectral Wraith is completely mobile and can travel anywhere in the galaxy. It spawns in one of three colors: red, yellow or blue. In systems whose star has the same color (**M** for red wraiths, **G** for yellow wraiths, and **A** or **B** for blue wraiths) the Spectral Wraith gains **−50%**  Armor and  Evasion. Other star types do NOT trigger this debuff, even if the color mentioned in the star's description matches (e.g. Red Giants have no effect); and it also does not trigger in binary or trinary systems. Aside from the debuff, the color variation is purely cosmetic.

Combat:

* The hull has 20k HP, 10k Armor and a serious 75% Evasion. With the aforementioned debuff reducing it to 5k Armor, 25% Evasion. Accordingly, small Energy Weapons offer the necessary amount of Tracking and bonus vs. armor, but with the high hull/armor ratio most fleets perform fine.
* Its Weapons deal 100% to hull, 200% to Armor, 50% to Shields, at 80% Accuracy, 75% Tracking.
* Destroyers or Cruisers with small to medium guns and heavy shields or crystal plating should be ideal and available.
* Defeating it is possible starting at ~5k Fleet power, assuming a perfect counter-build. With ~10k, the player is able to defeat it trivially even with suboptimal conditions like large guns and a pulsar system. This makes it one of the weakest Leviathans, although it is difficult to catch.

* **10,000** Armor
* **0** Shields
* **80** Speed
* **75%** Evasion
* / 520 avg dmg / day
* + 150-250 Damage
	+ **50%** damage against  Shields
	+ **200%** damage against  Armor
	+ **1.85** day cooldown
	+ **80%** Accuracy
	+ **75%** Tracking
	+ **150** Range
	+ / 86.48
* + **−80%** FTL charge time
	+ Tactical jump

 Bio-Propulsion *(Guardian)*

 Bio-Sensors *(Guardian)*00
* + Sensor range **4**
	+ Hyperlane detection range **8**

 Basic Combat Computer

Defeating the leviathan gives a permanent empire modifier with the following effects:

* **+5%** Physics Research Speed
* **+5%** Energy Weapons Damage
* **+10%** Energy from Jobs

## Stellar Devourer

A random unary star system may appear empty on sensors but reveal the Stellar Devourer when entered, a glowing spaceborne entity that feeds upon stars. Technically, the Stellar Devourer is spawned by event that is triggered when any player ship enters this system. Before an empire discovers it, even the Curator Order cannot mark that system's location with the *Tell us about something new* option. However, if the Stellar Devourer has been discovered, the Curators dialogue options available for all other Guardians are enabled instantly, including option that grants a damage bonus against it. If the Stellar Devourer is engaged and does not lose at least 67% HP, it attacks one of the attacker's systems until the starbase is disabled and then stays for 90 days until retreating. If the system is colonized, all planets gain **−25%**  happiness and  habitability until the guardian leaves.

The Stellar Devourer's weapons are mostly energy and torpedoes, so shields and point defense are an effective counter. It has extremely high hull and point-defenses, but no armor or shields, making hull-damaging weapons such as plasma weapons and particle launchers the most effective counter.

* **0** Armor
* **0** Shields
* **45** Speed
* **40%** Evasion
* / 2250 avg dmg / day
* + 5000-12000 Damage
	+ **75%** damage against  Shields
	+ **200%** damage against  Armor
	+ **200%** damage against  Hull
	+ **8.00** day cooldown
	+ **85%** Accuracy
	+ **0%** Tracking
	+ **100** Range
	+ / 906.89

 4x  Stellar Torpedo0
* + 100 Hull Points
	+ 100% Evasion
	+ 500-750 Damage
	+ **Ignore**  Shields
	+ **150%** damage against  Armor
	+ **5.50** day cooldown
	+ **100%** Accuracy
	+ **50%** Tracking
	+ **150** Range
	+ / 113.63

 4x  Stellar Plasma0
* + 250-352 Damage
	+ **50%** damage against  Shields
	+ **1.85** day cooldown
	+ **80%** Accuracy
	+ **75%** Tracking
	+ **150** Range
	+ / 124.32

 8x  Stellar laser0
* + 10-12 Damage
	+ **50%** damage against  Shields
	+ **200%** damage against  Armor
	+ **1.10** day cooldown
	+ **80%** Accuracy
	+ **50%** Tracking
	+ **10** Range
	+ / 8.00
* + **−80%** FTL charge time
	+ Tactical jump

 Plasma Thrusters
* Subspace Sensors

 Stellarite Combat Computer *(Guardian)*0
* + **+10%** Fire rate
	+ **+4** Chance to Hit

Defeating the Stellar Devourer gives the choice to either study the egg sac, or to study the corpse, which issues a special project to investigate its remains that takes 60 days to be finished. Once the body is examined it gives the following options:

1. Harvest the body's energy deposits for a large bonus of  **10000** Energy,  **2000** Minerals and  **80** Influence.
2. Try to reignite the Sun in the leviathan's home System. The Project has a 30% chance to kill the scientist and its ship but is guaranteed to turn the whole System more habitable: All Frozen Planets become Arctic planets. All other planets undergo a temperature increase as well, rerolling them completely.

If option to study the egg sac was chosen, the Leviathan Parade Opportunity situation starts. Halfway through the parade, the player is offered similar options as when first defeating the Stellar Devourer:

1. Try to reignite the star using the egg sac.
2. Take the egg sac to the empire's capital.

If the option to reignite the star in the Devourer's system is chosen, the parade is aborted. If the option to take the egg is chosen instead, the parade proceeds and after finishing, the player's empire gains the *Devourer's Egg Sac* planetary modifier on the capital, which enables the Consume Star operation.

## Corrupted Avatar

A random system with a wormhole opens an event window when first entered, mentioning a signal coming out of the wormhole and hinting that this specific wormhole is different from the rest. Exploring the wormhole reveals its connection to a trinary system with no hyperlane connections to other systems. This system is guarded by a Corrupted Avatar (aka Psionic Entity). The Avatar uses only energy weapons that ignore armor but do **−75%** damage to shields. It has moderate hull and strong shields but no armor or PD, making missiles and strike craft very effective.

* **0** Armor
* **75,000** Shields
* **160** Speed
* **25%** Evasion
* / 423.52 avg dmg / day
* + 300-700 Damage
	+ **25%** damage against  Shields
	+ **Ignore**  Armor
	+ **4.25** day cooldown
	+ **90%** Accuracy
	+ **100%** Tracking
	+ **85** Range
	+ / 105.88 avg dmg / day
* Chemical Thrusters
* Radar System
* Basic Combat Computer (Line)

Defeating the Corrupted Avatar allows free access to the system, which contains a  Gaia World which when surveyed reveals a level V anomaly. Investigating the anomaly grants access to the  **Neural Tissue Engineering** technology to organic empires or  300-1000 Society Research if  Machine Intelligence. The gas giant in the system also has an  Exotic Gases deposit.

The Corrupted Avatar can be avoided by setting a science ship's stance to passive and guiding it around the guardian. This approach does not allow colonizing the Gaia World, but it does allow the research reward to be claimed.

If a Sentry Array has been completed, the system housing the Corrupted Avatar can be seen but cannot be entered with Jump Drives until the system has been entered via the wormhole first.

Unlike other guardians, the Corrupted Avatar is always present if the  Distant Stars DLC is enabled. Its system is accessible only via a wormhole which appears even if wormholes were disabled on game startup.

With the  Utopia DLC, Corrupted Avatars can also appear for 10 years following Shroud failures. They have the same stats but do not grant any reward upon being defeated.

With the  Nemesis DLC, Corrupted Avatars also appear some time after finishing stages III and IV of the Aetherophasic Engine.

## Tiyanki Matriarch

A random system with a Gaia World and another habitable world may be home to the Tiyanki Matriarch, the eldest member of the species and the only one to be aggressive when approached. The Matriarch has two weapons – one that ignores armor and does **−75%** damage against shields and one that deals double damage against both shields and armor. The Matriarch has a buff which gives it **+100%** weapon damage. It also has significant armor and very high hull but no shields and as a result should be engaged with energy weapons.

 **25,000** Armor0
* + Base 3,000
	+ Utilities 22,200

 **0** Shields
* **60** Speed
* **15%** Evasion
* / 1000 avg dmg / day
* + 5000-12000 Damage
	+ **200%** damage against  Shields
	+ **200%** damage against  Armor
	+ **21.75** day cooldown
	+ **85%** Accuracy
	+ **0%** Tracking
	+ **150** Range
	+ / 333.57

 1×  Tiyanki Siphon0
* + 250-1000 Damage
	+ **25%** damage against  Shields
	+ **Ignore**  Armor
	+ **2.70** day cooldown
	+ **80%** Accuracy
	+ **75%** Tracking
	+ **250** Range
	+ / 185.18

 10×  Tiyanki Armor
* Bio-Propulsion *(Guardian)*

 Bio-Sensors *(Guardian)*0
* + Sensor range **2**
	+ Hyperlane detection range **4**

Defeating the Tiyanki Matriarch breaches Galactic Law if the Tiyanki Conservation Act Resolution was passed and the empire is a member of the Galactic Community. Doing so also incurs a fine of  **−5000** energy Credits.

Defeating the Tiyanki Matriarch gives the following rewards:

* Start the Tiyanki Matriarch Leviathan Parade Situation
* If the empire has researched the  Leviathan Transgenesis technology, it unlocks the  Polymelic trait for genetic modification.
* Reth Unddol, a renowned paragon.  Genocidal empires can only kill him for  **24x** research output (*each* **500 ~ 1 000 000**) instead.
* AH4B, a custom class battleship. It comes equipped with the following components:

* 1×  Stormfire Autocannon
* 4×  Plasma Cannon
* 4×  Hyper Shields
* 1×  Shield Capacitor
* 1×  Advanced Afterburners
* Advanced Combat Computer (Artillery)

## Voidspawn

The Voidspawn is an unborn guardian, hidden within a size 20  Dry world orbiting a class G star. Within a year after colonizing the planet in the system, an event mentions how the dry world has a pulse. Within the next half a year, the planet changes its appearance and gains  **30** Devastation and 3 Rifts Blockers. Within another half a year, one of two things happens: either the pulse stops or the planet once again changes its appearance and gains  **30** Devastation and 3 Rifts Blockers. Should the latter happen, the Voidspawn hatches a few months later, destroying the colony and turning the planet into a Cracked World with a  **20** society research deposit. A month later, the Voidspawn becomes hostile.

The Voidspawn uses only guided weapons. It has high hull and armor but no shields, making energy weapons effective against it.

 **111,100** Armor0
* + Base 100,000
	+ Utilities 11,100

 **0** Shields
* **100** Speed
* **25%** Evasion
* / 312 avg dmg / day
* + 250-500 Damage
	+ **Ignore**  Shields
	+ **80%** damage against  Armor
	+ **200%** damage against  Hull
	+ **5.00** day cooldown
	+ **100%** Accuracy
	+ **80%** Tracking
	+ **120** Range
	+ / 85.00
* 10x  Dragonscale Armor
* Bio-Propulsion *(Guardian)*

 Bio-Sensors *(Guardian)*0
* + Sensor range **2**
	+ Hyperlane detection range **4**

 Specialized Combat Computer (Artillery)

Defeating the Voidspawn grants  **600-6000** Unity and brings the option to start a special project to research what was left of the egg planet that takes 140 days. Finishing the project grants the  Gargantuan Evolution technology. Alternatively, empires that have researched the  Leviathan Transgenesis technology can choose to unlock the  Voidling trait for genetic modification.

If the Voidspawn did not hatch, the planet returns to its original appearance once all Rifts Blockers are removed.

## Scavenger Bot

A random system with a class M Red Giant star may contain an ancient battlefield debris field patrolled by the Scavenger Bot, an ancient construct constantly scrounging the debris field for new parts.

The guardian uses only guided weapons. It uses equal amounts of shields and armor but has no point-defense and barely any evasion, making both guided weapons and strike craft very effective against it.

 **60,000** Armor0
* + Base 50,000
	+ Utilities 10,000

 **70,000** Shields0
* + Base 50,000
	+ Utilities 20,000

 **90** Speed
* **10%** Evasion
* / 750 avg dmg / day
* + 5000-10,000 Damage
	+ **200%** damage against  Shields
	+ **80%** damage against  Armor
	+ **200%** damage against  Hull
	+ **21.75** day cooldown
	+ **85%** Accuracy
	+ **0%** Tracking
	+ **150** Range
	+ / 293.10

 7x  Proximity Mines0
* + 100 Hull Points
	+ 0% Evasion
	+ 100-150 Damage
	+ **Ignore**  Shields
	+ **80%** damage against  Armor
	+ **150%** damage against  Hull
	+ **2.10** day cooldown
	+ **80%** Accuracy
	+ **75%** Tracking
	+ **80** Range
	+ / 47.61
* 11x  Neutronium Armor
* 9x  Hyper Shields
* 2x  Shield Capacitors
* Plasma Thrusters
* Subspace Sensors
* Sapient Combat Computer (Line)

Defeating the Scavenger Bot grants the following rewards:

* Nanite Repair System technology
* Nanite Autocannon technology
* Nanite Flak Battery technology
* Two random tier V component techs or a large amount of  Engineering research if all techs were already researched.
* The system has two broken worlds that bring in a total  **20** Minerals and  **1** Nanites when mined – one of very few sources of Nanites outside the L-Cluster.

## Toxic Entity

Toxic God appears at the end of the Quest for the Toxic God situation.

If the guardian is killed by the empire with the  Knights of the Toxic God origin, the empire has the option to either take control of it as a special colossus or gain the  Maw of the Toxic Entity relic. Taking control of the guardian grants a very large amount of  Unity but the number of jobs from the Order's Keep building no longer increases with the number of Pops.

If the guardian is killed by an empire without the  Knights of the Toxic God origin, the empire gains the  Maw of the Toxic Entity relic, and if the empire with the  Knights of the Toxic God origin later enters the system, it gains **−25%** output from  Lord Commander and  Knight jobs for 16-20 years.

The system has a unique star type, Viridescent Lightbringer, which removes all armor from ships while in the system. The Toxic Entity has high shields and hull and uses strike craft and weapons that ignore shields as well as numerous point-defense. As a result, fleets that use hull components, point-defenses and kinetic weapons are the ideal counter.

The star also has a deposit of 5  Exotic Gases and  Volatile Motes.

## Space Dragons

Space Dragons are giant dragon-like guardians that are the sole survivors of the universes they were born in. Despite their different appearances, they all fight identically. Space Dragons use only energy weapons that do slightly less damage to shields and have high hull and armor but no shields itself. As a result, shielded fleets equipped with energy weapons are the ideal counter.

 **105,000** Armor0
* + Base 100,000
	+ Utilities 5000

 **0** Shields
* **160** Speed
* **25%** Evasion
* / 825 avg dmg / day
* + 5000-12000 Damage
	+ **75%** damage against  Shields
	+ **200%** damage against  Armor
	+ **200%** damage against  Hull
	+ **21.75** day cooldown
	+ **85%** Accuracy
	+ **0%** Tracking
	+ **150** Range
	+ / 333.57

 8x  Wing Skewer0
* + 100-150 Damage
	+ **80%** damage against  Shields
	+ **2.1** day cooldown
	+ **80%** Accuracy
	+ **75%** Tracking
	+ **80** Range
	+ / 47.62

 4x  Drake's Lightning00
* + 10-12 Damage
	+ **80%** damage against  Shields
	+ **1.1** day cooldown
	+ **80%** Accuracy
	+ **50%** Tracking
	+ **10** Range
	+ / 8.00
* 4x  Dragonscale Armor
* + **−80%** FTL charge time
	+ Tactical jump

 Bio-Propulsion *(Guardian)*

 Bio-Sensors *(Guardian)*00
* + Sensor range **4**
	+ Hyperlane detection range **8**

 Basic Combat Computer (Line)

If a  Commander leads a fleet that defeats either the Ether Drake or the Sky Dragon, that commander gains the  Dragonslayer trait. If multiple fleets fought the guardian, the commander of the first fleet that engaged it gains the trait. In addition, the empire that defeats a dragon eventually unlocks the  Artificial Dragonscales technology, or  **100-4000** Minerals and  **1000-100000** Society research if the technology was already obtained from the other dragon.

Empires that have researched the  Leviathan Transgenesis technology prior to defeating a Space Dragon unlock the  Drake-Scaled trait for genetic modification.

### Ether Drake

A random class F star system in the galaxy may feature a  Molten World called Dragon's Hoard guarded by the Ether Drake, a dragon-like guardian the size of a moon. Initially, the Ether Drake guards Dragon's Hoard, but if it loses more than 20% HP to an attacker, it destroys two random starbases belonging to the attacker. After the Ether Drake leaves, if the systems are colonized the starbases are rebuilt into frontier outposts. If the Ether Drake loses 85% HP, it retreats to Dragon's Hoard and heals. Dragon's Hoard has a deposit with  **30** Energy and  **30** Minerals.

Defeating the Ether Drake grants the following rewards:

* **300** Influence
* The  Ether Drake Trophy Relic
* Building a mining station above Dragon's Hoard reveals both of the following within 50 years, though not necessarily at the same time:
	+ Remains of the Ether Drake's mate: The remains can be studied to unlock the  Artificial Dragonscales technology. Alternatively, they can be ground down for  **100-4000** Minerals and  **1000-100000** Society research.
	+ Ether Drake's egg: The egg can be smashed for  **300** Influence or used in a timed special project that takes  50000 Society research to hatch a controllable Ether Hatchling with about 7K Fleet Power. Unlike the controllable Space Amoeba, the Ether Hatchling never grows to a full sized Ether Drake.

### Shard

Shard appears upon the conclusion of the Kleptomaniac Rats  archaeological site excavation. Defeating her grants the  Rubricator Relic and begins the *A Dirge for the Shard* Leviathan Parade Situation.

If the Relic World is colonized, Shard destroys the colony after two years if she is not defeated.

As the excavation already requires claiming the system, the starbase can be upgraded into a bastion citadel in preparation for the fight. Alternatively, the final chapter of the site can be delayed to better prepare technologically.

### Sky Dragon

All empires with the  Here Be Dragons origin start the game with a Sky Dragon guardian. The guardian is allied with the owner of its system and can only be attacked by empires who are at war with the system owner.

Between 6.5 and 13.5 years after the game has started, the owner of the system receives a notification that the Sky Dragon is hungry and is given the option to allow it to land on the capital, refuse, or observe.

* If refused, the Sky Dragon kills 2 pops and adds two blockers on the capital.
* If observed, the Sky Dragon kills 1 pop and then feeds.
* Allowing it to land costs  **75** Influence and the Sky Dragon feeds.

Feeding the Sky Dragon takes 14-16 years, during which the capital gains the  *Feeding Dragon* planetary feature. When feeding is complete, the empire is the choice between a small amount of  Research or  **1000** Energy and  **100** Exotic Gases. The Sky Dragon does not protect the system while feeding, but if another empire attempts to invade the planet the Sky Dragon stops feeding and protects the system.

If the system owner researches at least 2  Society and 2  Engineering technologies during the first 13-49 years, it gains the option to issue one of two special projects:

1. *Remote Dragon Scanning* special project which grants a moderate amount of  Society research.
2. *Dragon Specimen Gathering* special project which has the following outcomes:
	* 30% chance the science ship and scientist are destroyed and the project can be attempted again with a different outcome
	* 55% chance the project can be attempted again with a different outcome
	* 15% chance the project succeeds and the empire unlocks the next  armor technology.
	* If the project is attempted a second time, there is a 75% chance the Sky Dragon kills 2 pops and adds two blockers on the capital. The chance is reduced to 25% if the dragon was fed. If this second attempt is successful, gain **50%** progress for the next  armor technology instead of unlocking it directly.

After either special project has completed and the empire has established communications with at least 70% of the galaxy, a first contact is started with the Sky Dragon. Finishing the first contact grants  **150** Influence and an increased amount of  Unity.

After establishing first contact with the Sky Dragon and picking 6 ascension perks, or 5 ascension perks and finishing a tradition tree unlocked by an ascension path, the Sky Dragon asks the empire to help raise its children. Refusing grants  **500** Influence but the Sky Dragon disappears. If the offer is accepted, the empire gains control of Sky Dragon and unlocks the  Dragon Hatchery starbase building.

If the empire with the  Here Be Dragons origin attacks and kills the Sky Dragon, it gains an empire modifier that gives  **+20%** Governing Ethics Attraction and  **+10%** monthly unity in addition to the usual space dragon rewards.

Sky Dragon gains only half of the usual guardian bonuses from higher game difficulty.

## Dimensional Creatures

Dimensional Creatures are nightmarish guardians that originate from a different dimension. Defeating any of them starts the Horrific Inverse Mass Leviathan Parade Situation.

Dimensional Creatures cannot move. but their tentacles can strike across the entire system. Their weapons ignore armor but do **−75%** damage to shields. They have equal amounts of shields, armor and hull as well as no evasion, making shielded fleets using the long-ranged Kinetic Artillery or size X weapons the ideal counter.

* **100,000** Armor
* **100,000** Shields
* / 900 avg dmg / day
* + 500-5000 Damage
	+ **25%** damage against  Shields
	+ **Ignore**  Armor
	+ **17.50** day cooldown
	+ **85%** Accuracy
	+ **0%** Tracking
	+ **250** Range
	+ / 133.57

 2x  Dimensional Ripper0
* + 250-1000 Damage
	+ **25%** damage against  Shields
	+ **Ignore**  Armor
	+ **2.70** day cooldown
	+ **80%** Accuracy
	+ **75%** Tracking
	+ **250** Range
	+ / 185.18

 2x  Dimensional Render0
* + 100-400 Damage
	+ **25%** damage against  Shields
	+ **Ignore**  Armor
	+ **2.50** day cooldown
	+ **80%** Accuracy
	+ **50%** Tracking
	+ **250** Range
	+ / 80.00

 2x  Dimensional Striker0
* + 50-200 Damage
	+ **25%** damage against  Shields
	+ **Ignore**  Armor
	+ **2.30** day cooldown
	+ **80%** Accuracy
	+ **25%** Tracking
	+ **250** Range
	+ / 43.47

 4x  Dimensional Guard0
* + 10-50 Damage
	+ **1.60** day cooldown
	+ **80%** Accuracy
	+ **50%** Tracking
	+ **250** Range
	+ / 15.00
* + Sensor range **4**
	+ Hyperlane detection range **8**

 Specialized Combat Computer (Artillery)

### The Worm

The Worm appears in the capital system of an empire at the end of the Horizon Signal event chain if its offer has been refused. Defeating it grants the following rewards:

* **1500-3000** Energy
* **1000-8000** Physics Research
* If the  Ancient Relics DLC is enabled, it gives the  Scales of the Worm relic

### Dimensional Horror

A random black hole system may appear empty on sensors but reveal the Dimensional Horror when first entered. There are no interactions with it beyond killing it. Defeating the Dimensional Horror leaves behind a dimensional rift with a special project that takes 140 days to be researched. Once examined, it gives the following rewards:

* **4000-6000** Physics Research
* **4000-6000** Society Research
* Unlocks the  Jump Drive technology with **50%** progress if not already researched

### The Elder One

A random planet in the galaxy might contain an archaeological site named The Broken Gates. It has 4 chapters, each one granting  **small** minor artifacts reward (**10, 30, or 50**). Upon completing the final chapter, the Elder One begins manifesting and the empire receives the choice to either prevent it and gain  **18x** engineering output (**350 ~ 100 000**) or release it. Releasing it destroys the system identically to a Star-Eater and the Elder One emerges but does not immediately become hostile. If released, the Elder One contacts the empire 10 days later and offers to rebuild the starbase of the destroyed system and grant an empire modifier that gives  **+6%** Research Speed and  **−10%** Growth Speed. Refusing grants  **24x** influence output (**150 ~ 300**), but the Elder One becomes hostile.

If the Elder One is killed, the empire modifier that it provided is removed.