Ascension Perk Elimination

[Maverikfreak]

Trying to balance some things in my 3th vote =)

Executive Vigor: 20
Interstellar Dominion: 25
Mastery of Nature: 5
Technological Ascendancy: 26
Transcendent Learning: 14
Voidborne: 19 (-2)
Grasp the Void: 4 (+1)
Galactic Force Projection: 21
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 16
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 10
Galactic Wonders: 17
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 12
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 21

GtV is useful to have more naval capacity, probably worst than GFP because you need time, resources and pay upkeed for the new starbases (plus the risk of losing them in wars), but still in the long run its worth and absolutely useful to win.

Voidborne on the other hand its something who is not really helpful if you want to win, its nice if you roleplay as compact and small empire, giving you a way to boost your resources, but if you want to win, you probably dont go into a compact and small empire, you want to expand and conquest, and you probably have many untouched planets to expand and many conquered worlds, and not need the habitats.

 

[Hertzila]

I'll avoid double-tapping for some sense of fairness, but I'm still going to shill for wonders.

Executive Vigor: 20
Interstellar Dominion: 25
Mastery of Nature: 5
Technological Ascendancy: 26
Transcendent Learning: 14
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 4
Galactic Force Projection: 21
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 17 (+1)
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 8 (-2)
Galactic Wonders: 17
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 12
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 21

Master Builders: Helps with wonder-building and makes Voidborne even better. It makes for a good pick if you're going megastructure-heavy.

Defender of the Galaxy: Both this and the eliminated Galactic Contender perks seem like ones you only pick if you need them in a panic. If you are suddenly in need of extra firepower against something these perks help against, you pick the relevant one. This implies that you failed to properly prepare for them, though, so these situational perks are less useful than more generic ones, IMO.

 

[General Guderian]

Executive Vigor: 20
Interstellar Dominion: 25
Mastery of Nature: 5
Technological Ascendancy: 26
Transcendent Learning: 12 (-2)
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 4
Galactic Force Projection: 21
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 18 (+1)
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 8
Galactic Wonders: 17
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 12
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 21

 

[eagletrekkie]

Executive Vigor: 20
Interstellar Dominion: 25
Mastery of Nature: 6 (+1)
Technological Ascendancy: 26
Transcendent Learning: 12
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 4
Galactic Force Projection: 21
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 18
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 8
Galactic Wonders: 17
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 10 (-2)
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 21

Refusing to let MoN go down without a fight.
Gene modding needs some work before Bio becomes really good.

 

[Mastikator]

Executive Vigor: 20
Interstellar Dominion: 25
Mastery of Nature: 6
Technological Ascendancy: 26
Transcendent Learning: 12
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 2 (-2)
Galactic Force Projection: 21
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 18
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 8
Galactic Wonders: 18 (+1)
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 10
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 21

 

[Halatung]

Executive Vigor: 20
Interstellar Dominion: 25
Mastery of Nature: 6
Technological Ascendancy: 26
Transcendent Learning: 12
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 0 (-2)
Galactic Force Projection: 21
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 18
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 8
Galactic Wonders: 18
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 10
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 20 (+1)
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 21

Grasp the Void is now lost to the Void.

 

[metalosse]

Rest in peace the strongest perk in the game. You were too boring I guess. (I'm slightly exaggerating, but slightly)

 

[bunkerman]

cant believe grasp teh void got nuked from orbit over 1 day it was completely fine in the morning especially since there is still trash like defender of the galaxy up there oh well i guess i play with CGM planets too much

 

[Pointyearedgit]

Executive Vigor: 20
Interstellar Dominion: 26(+1)
Mastery of Nature: 6
Technological Ascendancy: 24(-2)
Transcendent Learning: 12
Voidborne: 19
Galactic Force Projection: 21
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 18
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 8
Galactic Wonders: 18
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 10
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 20
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 21

Interstellar Dominion is just a stronger first pick for most games than TA to set you up for success. (As claim cost reduction is out of the supremacy tree in 2.2, this perk is only going to get more attractive)

 

[Lord Beyer XVII]

Day 4

Executive Vigor: 20
Interstellar Dominion: 26
Mastery of Nature: 6
Technological Ascendancy: 24
Transcendent Learning: 12
Voidborne: 19
Galactic Force Projection: 21
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 18
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 6(-2)
Galactic Wonders: 18
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 10
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 20
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 22(+1)

 

[InvisibleBison]

Executive Vigor: 20
Interstellar Dominion: 27 (+1)
Mastery of Nature: 4 (-2)
Technological Ascendancy: 24
Transcendent Learning: 12
Voidborne: 19
Galactic Force Projection: 21
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 18
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 6
Galactic Wonders: 18
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 10
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 20
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 22

 

[RedPearlA]

Executive Vigor: 20
Interstellar Dominion: 28 (+1)
Mastery of Nature: 4
Technological Ascendancy: 24
Transcendent Learning: 12
Voidborne: 19
Galactic Force Projection: 19 (-2)
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 18
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 6
Galactic Wonders: 18
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 10
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 20
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 22


Interstellar Dominion lets you get more land and more land gives you more resources.

By the time you can get Galactic Force Projection the 80 supply it gives is insignificant also the 20 fleet supply isn't that useful.

 

[PirateJack]

Executive Vigor: 20
Interstellar Dominion: 28
Mastery of Nature: 4
Technological Ascendancy: 24
Transcendent Learning: 10 (-2)
Voidborne: 19
Galactic Force Projection: 19
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 18
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 6
Galactic Wonders: 18
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 10
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 21 (+1)
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 22

Transcendent Learning is only marginally useful because it's easily overtaken by tech picks later in the game. Sure, you can get the benefit of high level leaders earlier, but it only takes to the mid-game to get to level 9/10 through tech and traditions alone.

Synthetic Ascension gets a vote for being the easiest Ascension Path to use. Bio-ascension is a major pain to work with while Psionics are pretty much RNG buffs. Synthetic Ascension is consistent and reliable without too much hassle.

 

[D Inqu]

Executive Vigor: 20
Interstellar Dominion: 28
Mastery of Nature: 4
Technological Ascendancy: 24
Transcendent Learning: 10
Voidborne: 19
Galactic Force Projection: 19
Machine Worlds: 11 (-2)
Master Builders: 18
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 6
Galactic Wonders: 18
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 11 (+1)
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 21
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 22

Biological Ascencion is a great set. No need to play roulette, no dislike from any of the ethics pops, no treaties broken, and it can be applied to cyborg/psionic pops.

Machine Worlds are not bad, but is quite expensive for what it gives, and DA and RS need to create machine-only planets for it.

 

[ffsffs1]

Executive Vigor: 20
Interstellar Dominion: 28
Mastery of Nature: 4
Technological Ascendancy: 24
Transcendent Learning: 10
Voidborne: 19
Galactic Force Projection: 19
Machine Worlds: 11
Master Builders: 18
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 6
Galactic Wonders: 18
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 11
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 22 (+1)
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 20 (-2)

Synthetic ascension is imo the strongest of the three ascension paths granting fantastic bonuses to resource production all across the board with practically no micro-management.

The buffs provided through the psionics path are also quite strong, but unless you're willing to save scum the shroud I find it takes too long before you get all the bonuses. For example, you can end up waiting over 100 years before the instrument of desire appears.

 

[avsbes]

New
Executive Vigor: 20
Interstellar Dominion: 28
Mastery of Nature: 4
Technological Ascendancy: 24
Transcendent Learning: 10
Voidborne: 19
Galactic Force Projection: 19
Machine Worlds: 11
Master Builders: 18
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 4 (-2)
Galactic Wonders: 18
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 11
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 23 (+1)
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 20

Synthetic Ascension is (while sadly not as lore-rich as Psionic Ascension) imo the strongest Ascension cause it provides you with incredibly good pops very fast that don't care about habitability or food and have insane Production Bonuses.

While Defender of the Galaxy adds Numbers-wise some good bonuses, this bonuses are imo too specific to justify it being an Ascension perk, imo it should be a Unity Ambition.

 

[evilcat]

New
Executive Vigor: 20
Interstellar Dominion: 28
Mastery of Nature: 4
Technological Ascendancy: 22 (-2)
Transcendent Learning: 11 (+1)
Voidborne: 19
Galactic Force Projection: 19
Machine Worlds: 11
Master Builders: 18
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 4
Galactic Wonders: 18
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 11
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 23
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 20

Transcendet Learning, there is several ways to make your leaders live long and prosper, and having +5% to everything is quite good bonus.

Technological Ascendancy, while being safe pick mineral output is just more important than technoogy

 

[Archon87]

Executive Vigor: 20
Interstellar Dominion: 28
Mastery of Nature: 2 (-2)
Technological Ascendancy: 22
Transcendent Learning: 11
Voidborne: 19
Galactic Force Projection: 19
Machine Worlds: 11
Master Builders: 18
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 4
Galactic Wonders: 18
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 12 (+1)
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 23
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 20

Bio Ascension is somewhat like the ignored middle child of the ascension paths, IMO. It isn't as flashy as the other two, but it provides solid utility and flexibility. Plus, it can be used by any organic empire with no worries over ethics drift.

Even though I upvoted Mastery of Nature on the first day, of the perks that are left it is the least broadly useful.

 

[John Rusher]

Executive Vigor: 20
Interstellar Dominion: 28
Mastery of Nature: 4
Technological Ascendancy: 24
Transcendent Learning: 10 (-2)
Voidborne: 19
Galactic Force Projection: 19
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 18
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 6
Galactic Wonders: 18
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 10
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 21 (+1)
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 22

Transcendent Learning is only marginally useful because it's easily overtaken by tech picks later in the game. Sure, you can get the benefit of high level leaders earlier, but it only takes to the mid-game to get to level 9/10 through tech and traditions alone.

Synthetic Ascension gets a vote for being the easiest Ascension Path to use. Bio-ascension is a major pain to work with while Psionics are pretty much RNG buffs. Synthetic Ascension is consistent and reliable without too much hassle.

01_Embassy_Propose

 

[Secret Master]

Because it only makes sense if you choose it first, and the only on-meta first choice is Interstellar Dominion. Science is not a path to victory in Stellaris, minerals are. And you get more minerals by having more space, which you need influence to get. Influence is the most limited resource in Stellaris.

This was more or less my conclusion. I tried it out a few different ways, but since Interstellar Dominion helps both extremely pacifist and extremely warmongering (and everyone in between) expand easier, it ends up being too useful to ignore.