Discovery

Version

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

List of discoveries

**Discovery**

Anomalies

Archaeological sites

 Astral rifts

Discoveries are unusual findings that warrant additional investigation by a  Scientist. The higher the scientist's level, the faster the discovery is investigated. There are two types of discoveries: anomalies and archaeological sites. The  Astral Planes DLC adds a third type of discovery - astral rifts. All three come in different levels of difficulty.

A few discoveries are located in unique systems or created by origins, special projects, events or other discoveries, but the majority are randomly generated and can be found anywhere. When a science ship surveys a celestial body it may identify an anomaly or archaeological site. When the investigation of a discovery is complete, an event will pop up that can give various rewards, such as research points, resources, or even a special project which requires further research investment to unlock benefits. Certain Ethics occasionally have additional options when a discovery is investigated.

Archaeology sites are visible on the galaxy map and become grey when fully investigated. Anomalies are only visible on the system map or when hovering over the system on the galaxy map and disappear when fully investigated.

## Uncovering discoveries

Each surveyed celestial body has a 5% base chance of spawning an **anomaly**, which is increased by 0.5% for every surveyed planet with no anomaly before being reset. The  Perfectionist trait and  Map The Stars edict each increases the base chance of finding anomalies by 10%. The chance to discover an anomaly rises to 50% by the 10th unsuccessful try with the base chance (5%), by the 4th try with the  Perfectionist trait or the  Map The Stars edict, and by the 3rd try with both of them.

Most **archaeological sites** are revealed by surveying, with a 1.23% chance of creating a site if the celestial body can support one. If a site is created this way, the chance to find the next one for this empire is reduced to 0.0246% for 5 years (a reduction of 80%). The AI controlled empires always have a lower chance of discovering archaeological sites (0.0246%) in comparison with the player's empire. Archaeological sites never spawn in a system with a trade value deposits (due to a workaround for a bug with minor artifact deposits).

**Astral rifts** can only appear after the mid-game year is reached. Each year there is a chance for an astral rift to spawn, and the longer it passes without one spawning the more likely it is for one to appear. Afterwards a limited number of astral rifts can also be created with the  Astral Splitting astral action. Multiple empires can discover the same astral rift but if an astral rift rewarded a relic another empire cannot discover the same rift.

## Investigation

**Anomalies** are investigated in one sitting and do not require control of the system. The time to investigate an anomaly depends on the difference in level between the anomaly and the investigating  Scientist.

**Archaeological sites and astral rifts** have 1-7 chapters and require control of the system. Investigation proceeds in phases of 90 days. At the end of each phase, a die is rolled, resulting in a random number from 1 to 10; adding the current number of clues and the Scientist's Archaeology Skill or Astral Rift Skill and subtracting the chapter's difficulty gives the total result, as in the following formula:

# Result
Dice Roll
Archaeology/Astral Skill + Bonus
Clues
−
Difficulty

{\displaystyle \text{Result} = \text{Dice Roll} + \text{Archaeology/Astral Skill + Bonus} + \text{Clues} - \text{Difficulty}}

. The Archaeology Skill and Astral Rift Skill is equal to the scientist's level and one or both can be increased by various leader traits.

 5 ≤ | May trigger an event, or no effect

A result of 14 or greater completes the current chapter; a result of 11-13 adds 2 clues for the next phase, a result of 6-10 adds 1 clue, a result of 5 or less adds no clues and can trigger various events, depending on the discovery and chapter. These events can be helpful: add clues, give loot, even remove the substance abuser leader trait (5% chance); or harmful: remove clues or even kill the scientist (~2.9% chance). A scientist who opens 1 clue receives 25 EXP, and 40 EXP for 2 clues opened. But the EXP is not gained from clues received through an event.

If all events are to be avoided from the very start of the excavation, that is, starting with zero clues, in order to minimize the chance of losing the scientist, then having:

* Archaeology/Astral Skill + Bonus - Difficulty ≥ 5 gives 0% chance of a event triggering;
* Archaeology/Astral Skill + Bonus - Difficulty = 4 gives 10% chance of a event triggering;
* Archaeology/Astral Skill + Bonus - Difficulty = 3 gives 20% chance of a event triggering;
* Archaeology/Astral Skill + Bonus - Difficulty = 2 gives 30% chance of a event triggering, and so on.

Investigation of archaeology sites can be paused and resumed at any time with no penalty. If the system with the archaeological site is gained by another empire, that empire can continue the excavation from the current chapter, but does not gain any rewards from already completed chapters. Investigation of astral rifts cannot be stopped once started.

## Precursors

The precursors are the oldest known galactic empires, though long dead. Their ruins are scattered across the galaxy to be discovered via anomalies or archaeology sites. Precursor anomalies reveal a special project which once investigated grants a small amount of  Engineering,  Physics, or  Society research as well as a precursor artifact. 6 artifacts are required to reveal the location of a precursor's home system. If the  Ancient Relics DLC is installed precursor anomalies will also grant a small number of  Minor Artifacts.

After 50 years have passed, a random event can add another precursor special project on an uninhabitable planet in the empire. AI empires can also sell a discovered artifact to non-Gestalt empires for  1000 energy.  Corporate Dominion empires can counter with  500 energy. If the empire has the  Warrior Culture civic, it can threaten the AI empire to surrender it for free, the success rate depending on both empires' relative fleet power. Empires that have a **Protective**, **Friendly**, or **Loyal** attitude will offer the artifact for free instead of asking for payment. Each AI Empire can offer an artifact only once.

The first empire that surveys a precursor homeworld will gain a large reward. If the  Ancient Relics DLC is installed empires that survey a precursor homeworld, even if they weren't the first ones to do it, will unlock a minor artifact action to delve into the secrets of the precursors. The action costs 750  Minor Artifacts and will unlock a special project that will provide a permanent reward when completed.