Traditions

Version

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

Society Management

**Traditions**

Ascension perks

The Shroud

Traditions represent the socio-cultural evolution of an empire as it expands and develops and consist of abilities, edicts, or bonuses unlocked with the  unity resource. Traditions are a key mechanic for tailoring the playstyle of an empire by allowing the player to reinforce the empire's strengths or lessen its weaknesses. Completing a tradition tree unlocks a slot for an  ascension perk, which provides even further enhancements.

## Tradition cost

The cost of unlocking a tradition depends on how many traditions the empire has already unlocked, as well as the  empire size cost. The tradition cost formula is the following:

# tradition cost

[

300

(

8
⋅
num traditions

)

1.8

]

⋅

[

1
(
empire size
−
100
)
⋅
0.002
⋅

(

1
−
empire size effect

)

]

⋅
tech/tradition cost

{\displaystyle \text{tradition cost} = \left[ 300 + \left( 8 \cdot \text{num traditions} \right)^{1.8}\right] \cdot \left[ 1 + (\text{empire size} - 100) \cdot \text{0.002} \cdot \left(1 - \text{empire size effect}\right) \right] \cdot \text{tech/tradition cost}}

"Tech/tradition cost" refers to the game setting. "Empire size effect" is a modifier to the effect of empire size on its associated penalties, including tradition cost; it is affected by certain authorities. The adoption and finisher effects both count as traditions in their own right, so starting a group counts as one tradition, and unlocking the last tradition in a group counts as two.

Several of these parameters are controlled by defines.

## Tradition trees

Traditions are grouped into tradition trees with 5 traditions each, as well as a bonus for adopting the tradition tree and one for finishing it. Each empire can select up to 7 tradition trees.

### Discovery

The Discovery tradition tree focuses on exploration and research and is available to all empires.

* Unlocks the Map The Stars edict
 * **+35%** Survey Speed
* **+50%** Science Ship Disengage Chance
* **+1** Scientist Capacity
 * **+20%** Research Station Output
* **+20%** Research from Starbase Buildings
* Unlocks the Research Subsidies edict
 * **+10%** Research speed
* Can create Research Cooperative federations if  Federations DLC is installed
* Scholarium tier 3:  **+1000** Research points in Research Caches

### Domination

The Domination tradition tree focuses on better managing planets and is available to all empires.

* **Void Dwellers:**  **−20%** Habitat alloy upkeep
 * **+0.5** Monthly Influence
* **+1** Official Capacity
* **+1** Official Starting Skill Levels
* **+1** Housing from upgraded Capital buildings
* **+1** Housing from all Housing buildings
* **Hive Mind:**  **+2** Housing from Synaptic Nodes
* **Machine Intelligence:**  **−25%** Empire Size from districts
* **+1** Unity per Enforcer
* Unlocks the Enhanced Surveillance edict
 * **+20%** Councilor Experience Gain
* **+50** Edict fund

* **Non-Gestalt:**
* **+5%** Worker and Slave Output
* Unlocks the Extended Shifts edict
* **Gestalt Consciousness:**
* **+5%** Menial Drone Output
* Unlocks the Drone Overdrive edict
 * **−10%** Empire Size from Pops
* Can create Hegemony federations if  Federations DLC is installed

### Expansion

The Expansion tradition tree focuses on the expansion of territory and colonies and is available to all empires.

 * **−10%** Starbase Influence Cost
 * **−25%** Empire Size from Systems and Colonies
  **+1** Max Districts on non-artificial planets if not  Void Dwellers* **+1** Max Districts on Habitats if  Void Dwellers

### Prosperity

The Prosperity tradition tree focuses on various empire-wide bonuses and is available to all empires.

 * **−10%** Building and District Upkeep
 * **+5%** Specialist and Complex Drone Output
* **+1** Housing per City / Hive / Nexus District
* **+5** Housing per City / Hive / Nexus Segment
* **+3** Housing per Residential Arcology
* **Void Dwellers:**
* **+1** Housing per Habitation District
  **+5%** Resources from Jobs

### Supremacy

The Supremacy tradition tree focuses on fleets and armies and is available to all empires.

* **+20%** Army Damage
 * **−10%** Ship Build Cost
* **+25%** Ship Build Speed
* **+20%** Naval Capacity
 * **+20** Fleet command limit
* **+1** Commander Capacity
* **+1** Commander Starting Skill Levels
 * Unlocks War Doctrine policies
* Unlocks the Supremacist diplomatic stance

### Diplomacy

The Diplomacy tradition tree focuses on improving the benefits an empire can gain through diplomacy and is not available to empires with the  Inward Perfection or  Devouring Swarm civics.

* Unlocks the Diplomatic Grants edict
 * Can create Federations
* **+1** Available envoys
 * **+100%** Federation Naval Capacity Contribution
* **+33%** Trust Growth
  **+10%** Diplomatic Weight   **+1** Available envoys

### Adaptability

The Adaptability tradition tree focuses on using planets more efficiently and is not available to  Machine Intelligence empires.

 * **−10%** Building and District strategic resource cost and upkeep
 * **−25%** Orbital bombardment damage
* **+25%** Defense Army Damage
  Unlocks Planetary Prospecting Decision if not  Void Dwellers* Resources from Habitat Planetary Features if  Void Dwellers

### Harmony

The Harmony tradition tree focuses on better managing the empire and is not available to  Gestalt Consciousness empires.

 * **+10** Years Leader Lifespan if not  Necrophage
* **−1** Leader Maximum Negative Traits if not  Necrophage
* **+5-100** Unity per converted pop if  Necrophage
* **−75%** Pop Demotion Time if not  Shared Burdens
* **−20%** Leader Upkeep if  Shared Burdens
 * **+50** Edict fund
 * **+25%** Planetary Ascension Effect
* Can create Holy Covenant federations if  Federations DLC is installed

### Mercantile

The Mercantile tradition tree focuses on trade and is not available to  Gestalt Consciousness empires.

* **+1** Collection range
 * **+1** Trade Value per Clerk
* **+1** Amenities per Clerk

* **Not  Worker Cooperative:**
* **Not a member of a  Trade League:**
* Unlocks the Consumer Benefits trade policy
* Unlocks the Marketplace of Ideas trade policy
* **Member of a  Trade League:**
* **+50%** Federation Naval Capacity Contribution
* **Worker Cooperative:**
* **+5%** Happiness for pops with Employee Ownership living standards
* **+5%** Resources from Jobs for pops with Employee Ownership living standards
 * **+2** Amenities per Trader
* **+1** Trader job per Commercial Zones
* **+2** Trader jobs per Commercial Megaplexes
 * **+10%** Trade Value
* Can create Trade League federations if  Federations DLC is installed

### Unyielding

The Unyielding tradition tree focuses on defense and is available to all empires.

* **+50%** Starbase Upgrade Speed
 * **+25%** Defense Army Health
* **+0.5** Unity per Defense Army
* **+33%** Starbase Damage
* **+33%** Defense platform damage
 * **−25%** Orbital Bombardment Damage Received
* **−25%** War exhaustion gain
* **+25%** Hostile claim influence cost
* **−50%** Starbase Upgrade Cost
 * **+15%** Ship Fire Rate within the empire's borders
* **+33%** Ship Build Speed while in a defensive war
* **−20%** Starbase Upkeep
* Can create Martial Alliance federations if  Federations DLC is installed
* Bulwark tier 3:  **−0.5** Hostile Ship Daily Hull Regen in owned systems

### Synchronicity

The Synchronicity tradition tree focuses on better managing the empire and is only available to  Gestalt Consciousness empires.

 * **Non- Necrophage  Hive Mind:**
* **+10** Years Leader Lifespan
* **−1** Leader Maximum Negative Traits
* **Necrophage** **Hive Mind:**
* **+5-100** Unity per converted pop
* **Machine Intelligence:**
* **−50%** Leader accident chance
* **−10%** Empire Size from Pops
* **+2** Amenities from  Synapse Drones
* **Machine Intelligence:**
* **−3** Deviancy from  Evaluators
 * **+50** Edict fund
 **+25%** Planetary Ascension Effect

### Versatility

The Versatility tradition tree focuses on various empire-wide bonuses and is only available to  Machine Intelligence empires.

 * **+50** Trust Cap from Machine Intelligence empires
* **+1** Available envoys
 * **−10%** Market Fee
  **+2** Amenities per Maintenance Drone

### Enmity

The Enmity tradition tree focuses on facing rivals and is not available to  Genocidal,  Inwards Perfection or  Driven Assimilator empires.

* **+3%** Pop Assembly per neighboring Rival
 * **+0.5** Leader Capacity for each class per Rival
* **+10%** Worker and Menial Drone Output
* Fleet Power is **Inferior** or **Pathetic** towards a Rival:
* **−10%** Ship Build Cost
* **+10%** Ship Build Speed
* Technology Level is **Inferior** or **Pathetic** towards a Rival:
* **−15%** Researcher Upkeep
 * **+50%** Diplomatic Weight When Opposing Resolutions
 * **+1** Available envoys
* Unlocks the Antagonistic diplomatic stance

### Subterfuge

The Subterfuge tradition tree focuses on espionage and counterespionage and is available to all empires.

* Cloaking and Detection technologies appear 5 times more often
 * **+1** Encryption
* **+5** Chance to Evade
* **+1** Operation Skill
 * **+1** Hostile Operation Difficulty
* **+20%** Hostile Operation Infiltration Required
* **+1** Available Envoys
* **+10** Maximum Infiltration Level
 * **50%** Infiltration Level refund for successful Operations
* **+1** Cloaking Strength

### Aptitude

The Aptitude tradition tree focuses on leaders and is available to all empires.

 * **−25%** Leader Cost
 * **−25%** Leader Upkeep
 * **+1** Leader Capacity for each class

### Statecraft

The Statecraft tradition tree focuses on the government council and is available to all empires.

 * **+25%** Councilor Agenda Speed
 * Unlocks the Rightful Claims agenda
* Unlocks the Oppose the Fallen agenda
 * **+25%** Council Agenda Effect Duration

### Politics

The Politics tradition tree focuses on power in the  Galactic Community and is only available after the Galactic Community has been formed. It is not available to  genocidal empires.

* **+0.1** Monthly influence per Skill Level of official assigned to the Galactic Community
 * When a resolution passes with this empire's support,  **+1** Favor with empire who proposed it
* **−25%** Resolution Veto Cost
 * Whenever a resolution proposed by this empire passes, gain  **18x** unity output (**250 ~ 1 000 000**)
 * **−25%** Veto Cooldown
 * **+10%** Diplomatic Weight
* Unlocks the Politics Traditions resolutions

### Ascension tradition trees

Ascension tradition trees require a specific technology and one of the Ascension path perks (or  Teachers of the Shroud). As such they are all mutually exclusive.

#### Synthetic

The Synthetic tradition tree requires either the  Synthetic Evolution ascension perk and  Synthetic Personality Matrix technology or the  Synthetic Age ascension perk and  Machine Template System technology.

* **Not Machine Intelligence:**  **−25%** Robot Upkeep, **−25%** Pop Assembly Cost
 * **−10%** Robotic pop amenities usage
* Unlocks a special project to turn all organic non-Livestock pops mechanical and unlock Synthetic assimilation
* **Fanatic Purifiers:**  **+10%** Pop assembly speed
 * **+10%** Robot output

* **Not Machine Intelligence:**
* **+1** Roboticist from capital buildings
* **+1** Mechanical species trait picks
* **Machine Intelligence:**
* **+1** Replicator from capital buildings
* Leaders gain the Synthetic trait

#### Cybernetic

The Cybernetic tradition tree requires either the  The Flesh is Weak or the  Organo-Machine Interfacing ascension perk and the  Integrated Cybernetics technology. Its traditions can only be unlocked after the special project unlocked by adopting the tree is completed.

* **Not  Driven Assimilator:**  Unlocks a special project to give all pops the  Cybernetic trait
 * **Not  Driven Assimilator:**  Unlocks Cybernetic Assimilation
* **Driven Assimilator:**  Cybernetic Assimilation assimilates  **+1** Pop each year, and can assimilate  Hive-Minded pops
 * **−10%** Cybernetic pop upkeep
* **Hive Mind:**  **−10%** Empire Size from  Cybernetic pops
 * **Non-Gestalt:**  Unlocks the Assembly Standards policy
* **Driven Assimilator:**  Unlocks the Create Crucible World decision
* **Hive Mind:**  **−50%** Empire Size from Districts
* **Non-Gestalt:**  Robot modification points apply to biological pops as well
 * **+10%** Resources from  Cybernetic pops
* **+1** Organic species trait picks

#### Genetic

The Genetic tradition tree requires the  Engineered Evolution ascension perk and the  Gene Tailoring technology.

* Unlocks the Clone Vats building
 * Genetic modification can remove positive and overtuned traits
* Genetic modification can add negative traits
 * **+2** Genetic modification points
* Genetic modification can add biological ascension traits
* Unlocks assimilation into or out of  Hive Minds
 * **+1** Organic species trait picks
 * **+2** Genetic modification points
* Can research Transgenesis technologies if certain DLCs are enabled.

#### Psionic

The Psionic tradition tree requires either the  Mind Over Matter ascension perk or the  Teachers of the Shroud origin and the  Psionic Theory technology.

* All pops gain the Latent Psionic trait
 * Unlocks the Psi Corps building
* Unlocks the Psi Corps orbital ring building
* Adds the Thought Enforcement technology as a research option
 * Main species replaces the Latent Psionic trait with Psionic
 * Unlocks a special project to enter the Shroud
* **+5%** Resouces from Psionic pops from each Telepath job
 * **−10%** Edict upkeep
* **−20%** Shroud delve cooldown
* Can confirm an established Covenant

## Ascension perks

Finishing an entire tradition tree or acquiring the  Ascension Theory technology unlocks an ascension perk slot. Ascension perks represent the empire's greater-scope ambitions and, in the case of the ascension paths, its ultimate fate.

Ascension perks often favor either a tall or wide gameplay, with some that allow access to gameplay mechanics not available through traditions alone. This includes the ascension paths, the ability to build advanced deep-space megastructures, the ability to use terraforming to create special planets, and becoming a Galactic Nemesis. An empire can have up to 8 Ascension perks.

Tier 0 ascension perks can be taken from the start. Tier 1 perks require 1 previous ascension perk to be taken, tier 2 perks require 2 previous ascension perks, and tier 3 perks require 3 previous ascension perks. The higher the AI weight, the more likely an AI empire will select that ascension perk.

### Ascension paths

Ascension paths are special tier 2 ascension perks that will unlock a tradition tree and an agenda with the same name that will unlock technologies required to advance through them. Each empire can take only one ascension path perk and only if fewer than 7 tradition trees have been taken. Empires with the  Teachers of the Shroud origin are locked into the Psionic ascension and cannot take any of these perks.

## References

1. ↑ Specifically:

	* The base cost of 300 is controlled by `TRADITION_COST_AMOUNTS`
	* The cost per tradition of 8 is controlled by `TRADITION_COST_TRADITION`
	* The exponent of 1.8 is controlled by `TRADITION_COST_TRADITION_EXP`
	* The empire size threshold below which no penalties apply (100 in the above formula) is controlled by `EMPIRE_SIZE_BASE` (this also affects technology cost)
	* The magnitude of the effect of empire size (0.002 in the above formula) is controlled by `EMPIRE_SIZE_COST_TRADITION_PENALTY`
	* The full formula also contains a multiplier term for number of tradition groups unlocked (

	1
	0
	⋅
	num groups

	{\displaystyle 1 + \text{0} \cdot \text{num groups}}

	). The multiplier of 0 is controlled by `TRADITION_COST_MULT_TRADITION_GROUP`.
2. ↑ Specifically,  Plantoids,  Lithoids,  Leviathans,  Distant Stars,  Ancient Relics, or  Aquatics

**Game concepts**