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Stellaris is one of the deepest and most complicated 4X games around. When anarchist bird-people, market-controlling robots, and Imperialist lizards under the protection of a giant space dragon are all playable options, it’s clear there are a lot of important choices to make. The choice of Tradition is one of the most important in the game, as these culture-wide philosophies will guide the player’s strategic decisions in countless ways. Here are the best Traditions in Stellaris.
5 Unyielding
The Unyielding Tradition has one of the best starting bonuses of any Tradition: +2 Starbase Capacity and +50% Starbase Upgrade Speed. This combination gives the player a significant jump-start for the expansion of the empire. Even if the player doesn’t have a turtling strategy in mind, having defensive bonuses can be game-changing, and Unyielding offers some of the best defensive bonuses in the game.
Unyielding isn’t just good when it comes to Starbases, however. It also helps guard one’s planets against orbital bombardment, something the player is sure to see a lot of during protracted wars. Massively reducing the amount of damage taken from enemy bombardments means the player can spend less time worrying about the consequences when war comes home and instead focus on how to expand their own empire. Though it doesn’t offer offensive bonuses the way Supremacy does, it will help the player hold their own at war.
4 Discovery
Exploration is one of the 4 E’s of 4X games, and Discovery takes that to heart. The main drawback of this Tradition is that several of its benefits cease to be useful by the mid or late-game. For this reason, the player will want to choose Discovery early on, either as their first, second, or third Tradition to get the most value from it. Its starting bonuses are +20% Anomaly Research Speed and the Map the Stars Edict, both of which help the player turn over get a handle on their galactic surroundings much faster than their opponents.
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Discovery is a strategically interesting Tradition since it forces the player to plan in two stages: the early-game when the large resource bonuses are still relevant, and the late-game when other research and exploration are no longer the player’s main priorities. The Discovery Tradition is harder to use than some other Traditions, but can be powerful in the right hands, whether the player is building their first Starbase or eyeing their next Ascension Perk.
3 Synchronicity
There is a caveat when recommending Synchronicity as one of the best Traditions in the game: it isn’t the best for every empire. From their Traits to their Origins, all empires have qualities that set them apart. Only Hive Minds can make this Tradition truly shine. The starting bonus of reduced Population Upkeep is nice, but the Tradition’s true value lies in other ranks. Synchronicity makes a great first Tradition for Hive Minds due to the bonuses offered by the Integrated Preservation route.
Maintenance Drones are normally a huge drawback of Hive Mind empires, and the +2 Amenities offered by Synapse Drones under the Synchronicity Tradition allows the player to overcome this weakness. It can be difficult to build a strong economic foundation when playing Stellaris as a Hive Mind, a problem that Synchronicity single-handedly solves. Whereas the other Traditions are more general and can be recommended for basically any empire, the specialist use of Synchronicity makes it a special case.
2 Supremacy
A key part of 4X games is the ability to field a military that can destroy one’s enemies and protect one’s own interests. The Supremacy Tradition is perfect for players who want to lean into their military capabilities. It isn’t just good for warmongers, however. Players who want to make good use of their diplomats and envoys will find a lot to love about Supremacy, as well, due to the increased bargaining power that this Tradition grants. Supremacy doesn’t make the best starting Tradition, since the player may not have a strong enough economic foundation to support the large fleets that Supremacy naturally wants to field.
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Choosing this Tradition gives the player an immediate boost to their military strength in the form of increased Naval Capacity and Army Damage. Having a greater number of ships that are more powerful and cost fewer resources is obviously powerful. The best part of the Supremacy Tradition, however, is that it unlocks the Supremacist diplomatic stance and the War Doctrines Policy. For military-minded players, there is no substitution for War Doctrines. Supremacy may rely on other Traditions to lay the groundwork, but when it is allowed to develop, there’s little stopping it.
1 Prosperity
Whether the player controls a planet-devouring alien swarm, an unfeeling AI network, or a collective of peaceful merchants and diplomats, there is one thing that always matters: having a strong economy. The galaxy-spanning empires of Stellaris aren’t just big and complicated; they’re also expensive. Launching new survey ships, building mines, and maintaining an armada strong enough to defend oneself all takes money. Without the best Civics and a solid plan for handling one’s economy, that’s a problem.
The Prosperity Tradition provides the player with a series of economic boosts, beginning with a decent bonus to Mining Station outputs. Better yet is the reduction of building costs, allowing the player to create new districts on the cheap, scaling up their empire very quickly from humble beginnings. The best part of the Prosperity Tradition comes in the form of a boost to the production of every worker on every planet. Nothing in Stellaris stimulates the player’s economy quite like this benefit, and combined with the lesser economic bonuses and cost reductions that Prosperity provides, this Tradition ensures the player can out raise and spend their competition.
Stellaris is available now for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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