Policies

Version

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

*See also: Species rights*

**Policies** are empire-wide laws of behavior that outline the governing precepts for how an empire will guide its expansion through the stars and its stance on certain subjects. Policies are different from edicts in that they cost nothing to implement, but have effects on how citizens and other empires are likely to view each other. Once altered, a specific policy cannot be changed until 10 years have passed.

Changing policies is advised as a way to mitigate faction unhappiness in large empires that have a lot of pops of different ethics, besides the possibility of opening up new possible avenues of power.

Some resolutions in the Galactic Community can make certain policies a breach of galactic law. In this case the policy will show a warning sign next to it.

## Diplomatic Stance

Diplomatic Stance determines the behavior an empire takes towards other empires on the galactic stage. It cannot be changed during a war.

## First Contact Protocol

First Contact Protocol dictates an empire's stance on unknown aliens as well as whether an empire can order fleets to attack another empire before establishing communications. Encountering alien life for the first time will bring the option to set the initial policy, which cannot be changed for at least 10 years.

* Other empires will find it easier to establish communications
* **+50%** Influence from successful first contact
* **+10%** First contact discovery speed
* Supremacist **−5**
* Isolationist **−10**
* Xenophobe
* Genocidal
* ×2  Pacifist
* ×2  Xenophile
* ×2  Rogue Servitor
* Negative first contact events are less likely
* Other empires will find it harder to establish communications
* **+2** First contact target difficulty
* ×1.5 Always
* Enables hostile first contact actions
* Xenoist **−10**
* Xenophile
* ×2  Militarist
* ×2  Xenophobe
* ×2  Gestalt Consciousness

## War Philosophy

War Philosophy limits the systems an empire is allowed to make claims for. The limit is removed during defensive wars for the defender and does not apply for systems owned by Fallen Empires. War philosophy cannot be changed while at war.

* Isolationist **−25**
* Crusader Spirit civic
* ×10 Doesn't have a valid AI personality
* ×10  AI personality likes conquest, subjugating other empires, or purging aliens
* ×10  Become the Crisis
* ×0.1  Banned by  Rules of War resolution 4 or 5
* Animosity casus belli against rivals is replaced with the Ideology casus belli
* Gestalt Consciousness
* Fanatic Purifiers
* ×2  Pacifist and doesn't have a valid AI personality
* ×2 AI personality likes conquest, subjugating or liberating other empires
* Claims can only be made during defensive wars
* Imperialist **−30**
* Crusader Spirit civic
* Genocidal
* ×0  Pacifist

## Subjugation War Terms

Subjugation War Terms determines the initial terms of agreement for subjects created by the  *Subjugation* and *Imposed Inclusion* casus belli as well as their starting  Loyalty. This policy is not available to subjects, though a player who becomes subjugated will regain what they had previously if they become independent. (If they are controlled by AI when they become independent, they get a ×10 weight towards picking the policy previously picked by the player.)

## War Doctrine

War Doctrines become available after finishing the  Supremacy tradition tree. They are also used by mercenary enclaves. This policy determines the overall strategic military doctrine for fleets.

* ×0.1  Always
* **+33%** Combat disengagement chance
* **−25%** Emergency FTL damage risk
* ×0  Any degree of Pacifist
* **+10%** Ship weapons range
* ×100  Mercenary enclave
* **+50%** Emergency FTL jump cooldown
* **+33%** Fire rate
	+ Militarist
	+ Gestalt Consciousness
	+ Fanatic Purifiers
* ×10  Always
* ×00  Honorbound Warriors AI personality
* ×00  Devouring Swarm AI personality

## Orbital Bombardment

Orbital Bombardment limits the maximum available stance of planetary bombing when orbiting enemy worlds. AI empires will always use the most powerful policy unless banned by the  Galactic Community.

	+ Fanatic Purifiers
	+ Determined Exterminator
	+ Peril

## Orbital Surrender Acceptance

Orbital Surrender Acceptance determines whether surrenders caused by orbital bombardment are accepted. AI empires will always accept surrenders. This policy is not available to  Genocidal empires as planets will never surrender to them. Bombarding a world for the first time will bring the option to set the initial policy, which cannot be changed for at least 10 years.

## Pre-FTL Interference

Pre-FTL Interference determines in what ways empires can interact with pre-FTL civilizations as well as what observation types Observation Posts can conduct. This policy becomes available once a pre-FTL civilization has been found.

## Pre-FTL Enlightenment

Pre-FTL Enlightenment determines whether or not an empire can enlighten pre-FTL civilizations. This policy becomes available once a pre-FTL civilization has been found.

* Genocidal
* *Non-Interference* Pre-FTL Interference
* Enables the Provide Technology diplomacy interaction
* Genocidal
* *Non-Interference* Pre-FTL Interference

## Resettlement

This policy determines if forced organic pop resettlement is enabled. The policy is not available to  Gestalt Consciousness who always have it enabled.

## Land Appropriation

Land Appropriation determines whether conquered planets with at least 10 pops without *Full Citizenship* and no free  Housing will have 3-5 pops replaced with *Full Citizenship* pops. The replaced pops will become refugees and for 5 years the world will gain **+100%**  Immigration Pull and will not grow pops without *Full Citizenship*. The policy is not available to  Gestalt Consciousness empires.

* ×10 AI personality likes aliens
* ×10 AI personality does *not* like aliens

## Leader Enhancement

Leader Enhancement determines whether technology can be used to improve leaders' abilities. This policy becomes available once  **Selected Lineages** is researched and the effects also apply to already hired leaders. With  Federations, if the  Unchained Knowledge resolution 4 is passed, members of the Galactic Community must use the most powerful leader enhancement policy they have technology for, or be in breach of galactic law.

## Initial Border Status

Initial Border Status determines whether borders start open or closed to other empires.

* ×5  Existential Threat
* ×0  Corporate
* ×0 AI personality is *not* isolationist and does *not* like attacking neutrals
* ×0  *Not* any degree of Xenophobe

## Economic Policy

Economic Policy determines whether civilian or military resource production should receive more focus. The policy is not available to  Gestalt Consciousness empires, which have a production policy instead.

* **−25%** Alloys from jobs
* **+25%** Alloys from jobs

## Trade Policy

Trade Policy determines what each unit of  Trade Value is converted into once it reaches the capital system. The policy is not available to  Gestalt Consciousness empires. AI always uses *Consumer Benefits* or *Trade League* if it can.

## Production Policy

Production Policy determines what drone stratum a  Gestalt Consciousness empire focuses on. AI will always use Balanced Production.

* **−20%** Complex Drone Output
* **+20%** Complex Drone Output

## Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence policy determines how much freedom an empire gives to artificial intelligence. This policy becomes available once the  Positronic AI or  **Synthetics** technology is obtained, or after contact with certain empires. This policy is not available to  Gestalt Consciousness empires as they either cannot use robots or must use them. AI decides this policy based on AI personality.

* Mechanical Pops are restricted to Worker and some Specialist jobs
* Mechanical Pops can be disassembled
* Android armies and Sapient AI Assistants are disassembled
* Cannot research Sapient Combat Computers (can still be used if already researched)
* Mechanical main species
* Mechanical Pops do not require consumer goods
* Mechanical Pops can be dissassembled
* Mechanical Pops cannot join factions
* Not affected by workers and specialists bonuses (doesn't shown in ingame tooltip)
* The AI-Related Incidents situation can take place
* Traditionalist **−10**
* Mechanical Pops require consumer goods (if sapient)
* Mechanical Pops can join factions (if sapient)
* Traditionalist **−20**

## Robotic Workers

Robotic Workers policy determines whether robots are allowed in an empire. This policy is not available to  Hive Mind empires, which disassemble all robot pops, or to  Machine Intelligence empires, which always integrate them as drones.

* All Mechanical pops are disassembled
* Robotic armies are disassembled
* Cannot research technologies related to robots or artificial intelligence
* *Citizen Rights* AI policy
* ×0  Any degree of Materialist
* ×10 AI personality does *not* like exploiting robot workers
* ×10 AI personality does *not* like liberating robots
* Traditionalist **−5**

## Pre-Sapients

The Pre-Sapients policy determines whether an empire tolerates pre-sapients living on their worlds or not. It is unlocked when a world within the empire's borders has a pre-sapient pop on it, or the empire's science ship discovers pre-sapients by surveying or via an anomaly.

## Debris

Debris policy determines what will the empire do when investigating battle debris and is unlocked after another species has been met.

## Refugees

Refugees policy determines the stance on accepting refugees that are fleeing from purges, displacement and persecution in other empires. This policy is unlocked after another species has been met. It is not available to  Gestalt Consciousness empires unless they have the  Rogue Servitor civic.

* Isolationist **−10**
Base: 10

* ×0 None of the following are true:
	+ Any degree of Xenophile
	+ Rogue Servitor
	+ AI personality likes aliens

## Population Controls

Population Controls policy determines the stance on the Population Controls Species Right. The policy is not available to  Gestalt Consciousness empires.

* Cannot enable population control in species rights
* Can enable population control in species rights
* ×0  Any degree of Egalitarian or  Xenophile

## Slavery

Slavery policy determines whether an empire can give an alien species the *Slave* Citizenship.  Gestalt Consciousness empires cannot access this policy, but may give the *Slave* Citizenship without it (except  Rogue Servitors, who must subject them to Mandatory Pampering instead, and genocidal types, who purge them).

* **+100%** Slave market cost
* Indentured Assets
* Broken Shackles
* Signatory
* ×0AI personality does *not* like slavery
* ×0All of the following are true:
	+ *Not* any degree of Xenophobe
	+ *Not* any degree of Militarist
	+ *Not* Slaver Guilds
	+ Main species is *not* Decadent
	+ Any degree of Pacifist or  Xenophile

## Purge

Purge policy determines an empire's position on the forced removal of species that are no longer wanted. This policy option only dictates which degree of purging is allowed; further details on which pops are to be purged and in what way can be managed with the species rights system. Pops that cannot integrate with the empire (e.g.  Hive-Minded pops outside a  Hive Mind) may be purged regardless of this policy setting.

* Fanatic Purifiers
* Can use *Displacement* purge type
* Genocidal
* ×0AI personality likes aliens
* Can use all purge types
	+ Gestalt Consciousness
	+ Xenophobe
	+ Become the Crisis
* Broken Shackles
* Signatory
* ×40  Gestalt Consciousness, *unless*  Empath
* ×0  Any degree of Pacifist
* ×0  *Not* Gestalt Consciousness and AI personality does *not* like purging
* ×0.1  Banned by  Rules of War resolution 2 or higher

## Assembly Standards

Assembly Standards is only available to empires that have the  Assembly Standards tradition and determines the traits of pops created by Mechanical Pop Assembly.

## Knightly Duties

Knightly Duties policy is only available to empires with the  Knights of the Toxic God origin and grants various bonuses to the empire. The Herald Knights option is only available following certain choices during stage 5 of the Quest for the Toxic God situation. The policy will be removed if the Order is disbanded.

* **+15%** Anomaly Discovery Chance
* **+20%** Home Territory Fire Rate
* **+10%** Army Damage
* **−0.2** Monthly Progress in the Quest for the Toxic God situation
* **+1** Available Envoys
* **−0.2** Monthly Progress in the Quest for the Toxic God situation

## Industrialism

Industrialism becomes available to empires with the  Relentless Industrialists civic at the conclusion of the Environmental Degradation situation. It modifies the effects of  Coordinated Fulfillment Center and  Universal Productivity Alignment Facility buildings.

* **+50%** Universal Productivity Alignment Facility bonuses
* If did not use this policy before, it unlocks the *The Secret to a Safer Radiation* special project
* Reduced penalties from Coordinated Fulfillment Center and Universal Productivity Alignment Facility after completing special project
* **10** Unity Upkeep from Coordinated Fulfillment Center buildings
* **20** Unity Upkeep from Universal Productivity Alignment Facility buildings

## References

1. ↑ The script code can be found in Stellaris/common/policies/00\_policies.txt.

**Game concepts**