Tier System

While every species and civilization in *Endless Sky* has different strengths and weaknesses, some are considered generally "more advanced" than others. The tier system is used to describe these relative technology levels and combat capabilities. The tier system in ES is not the same as the Kardashev scale.

Higher-tier ships tend to have tougher shields and hulls than lower-tier ships, and may have more space for outfits, engines, and weapons. Alternatively, they have outfits, engines, and weapons that are just as or more effective than their low-tier counterparts with fewer drawbacks (i.e. they take up the same or less space, energy, and/or heat).

One rule of thumb is that a heavy warship of one tier will be equally matched by a light warship of the next tier. However, the tier system is just an out of universe tool for the player to compare the relative strength of different factions. It isn't a perfect tool for comparing factions.

## Tier Ranking

### Sub-Tier 1

* Gegno - Tier 0.8
	+ Gegno have a lower development level than humans, lacking shield technology and other key tech.

### Tier 1

* Human
	+ Humans are used as the baseline for tier 1.
* Sheragi
	+ The Sheragi were about tier 1 when they went extinct.

#### Tier 1-2

* Hai - Tier 1.2
	+ Hai technology is described as being similar to but slightly better than their human counterparts. They originally just used human outfits until an update gave them their own variants.
* Coalition - Tier 1.5
	+ The Coalition can produce Tier 2.5 technology (see below), but the Heliarch government restricts most of its use for the general public to prevent violent uprisings.
* Bunrodea - Tier 1.5
	+ Bunrodea have specialized technologies in which they have a high level of development
* Korath Exiles and Kor Efreti - Tier 1.5
	+ The Korath were once a solid Tier 2 civilization but were fractured by their Civil War and subsequent exile by the Drak. Both the Kor Efreti and Korath Exiles use the same technology, except that the Efreti have given up the ability to produce Jump Drives and only use their weapons in self-defense, having given up conquest.
* Remnant - about Tier 1.8, but inconsistent due to reverse engineered tech.

### Tier 2

* Wanderers - Tier 1.9 - 2.1
	+ The Wanderers begin the game with technology suited for peacetime trading and exploration, but having not had to deal with warfare for centuries, are caught flat-footed by the Unfettered Hai once the latter can reach them with Jump Drives. They quickly adapt to this, becoming more than a match for the Unfettered in single combat, though the Unfettered still have an advantage in sheer numbers.
* Ka'het - Tier 2
* Kor Sestor and Kor Mereti -Tier 2

#### Borderline Tier 3

* Heliarch - Tier 2.5
	+ The Coalition was previously capable of driving off the Quarg, a Tier 3 race, and their true technological level is much higher than what is available to the general public.

### Unknown/Variable Rank

* Pug - The Pug deliberately use less advanced technology against less advanced races to give them a fighting chance, making them difficult to classify. During their invasion of human space, the Pug use Tier 1.1 technology, but the Pug encountered during the Wanderer storyline use Tier 3 technology, including the Pug Arfecta which is not seen until then. The Quarg imply that the Pug's true tech level is close to if not superior to their own, capable of destroying Quarg ringworlds which they previously thought was impossible.
* Builders - Unknown due to their extinction, though probably less than Tier 2 considering they were defeated by the Ka'het.
* Rulei - Unknown due to their extinction. Most likely Tier 3, based on the design of Solemnity.