Ascension Perk Elimination

[Archon87]

I'd just like to remind everyone that Executive Vigor does not reduce the cost of edicts, it increases the duration by 50%. So an edict that would last 10 years will now last 15 instead, and Consecrated Worlds would last 150 years before expiring.

 

[evilcat]

Executive Vigor 16
Interstellar Dominion: 26
Technological Ascendancy: 20
Voidborne: 22
Master Builders: 18
World Shaper: 9
Colossus Project: 2
Galactic Wonders: 19
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 20
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 22

Colossus Project +1 if you cant conquere, blow them up
Technological Ascendancy -2, most technologies allows you to spend more minrals. And you need minerals for more ships.

 

[John Rusher]

I'd just like to remind everyone that Executive Vigor does not reduce the cost of edicts, it increases the duration by 50%. So an edict that would last 10 years will now last 15 instead, and Consecrated Worlds would last 150 years before expiring.

And that makes it even worse.

 

[bunkerman]

Executive Vigor 14 (-2)
Interstellar Dominion: 26
Technological Ascendancy: 20
Voidborne: 22
Master Builders: 18
World Shaper: 9
Colossus Project: 3 (+1)
Galactic Wonders: 19
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 20
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 22

ok now the perk to go for me is executive vigor personally i hate the concept of edicts in general (i liekd the influence per month one better)
as for colossus project the total war is extreemly useful even though the colossi themselves are pretty much useless save some edge case scenarios, hopefully we can make it not be the next one eliminated

 

[Badesumofu]

Executive Vigor 14
Interstellar Dominion: 26
Technological Ascendancy: 20
Voidborne: 22
Master Builders: 16 (-2)
World Shaper: 9
Colossus Project: 4 (+1)
Galactic Wonders: 19
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 20
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 22

 

[Bobylein]

Executive Vigor 14
Interstellar Dominion: 26
Technological Ascendancy: 18 (-2)
Voidborne: 22
Master Builders: 16
World Shaper: 9
Colossus Project: 5 (+1)
Galactic Wonders: 19
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 20
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 22

Biological Ascension is gone before the bonuswise crappy and totally random Psionic? Wow.

+ colossus for total War wargoal
- TA because you get lots of science boni elsewhere

 

[bunkerman]

i wouldnt say taht psionic is totally random yes part of it is random but the research and energy bonus are very solid and you dont need to do any genemoding to get them

 

[Zohtun]

And that makes it even worse.

Maybe but 150 years actually would make Consecrated Worlds redeemable in their niche usage. Just saying.

 

[Silens]

Executive Vigor 14
Interstellar Dominion: 26
Technological Ascendancy: 18
Voidborne: 22
Master Builders: 16
World Shaper: 7 (-2)
Colossus Project: 5
Galactic Wonders: 20 (+1)
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 20
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 22

Today I'd like to appreciate the All-seeing eye of Sauron... err, I mean the Sentry Array. Being able to see everything, you can outmaneuver your enemy, see through nebulas and improve your coordination against the Endgame Crisis. Even alone it would make Galactic Wonders worth it, but not only has it some nice other things, no, even Ringworlds are part of it now.

One might argue that it is situational. Well, yes, that's true. Especially the other wonders: Wide empires usually won't benefit as much as tall ones. But a tall empire finding a ruined Nexus or Dyson Sphere and getting the bonuses very fast without increasing their planet count? It's not bad, really. And I haven't forgotten that we'll see four new Wonders with 2.2, making it even better in a few days.

World Shaper on the other hand is also quite nice, but has the problem that Gaia Terraforming takes many years. And we all know that ongoing terraforming decreases happiness on the planet. Eventually you will net a profit, but that takes even more time than with Galactic Wonders.

 

[Cry_Havok]

Executive Vigor 14
Interstellar Dominion: 26
Technological Ascendancy: 19 (+1)
Voidborne: 22
Master Builders: 16
World Shaper: 7
Colossus Project: 3 (-2)
Galactic Wonders: 20
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 20
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 22

Bio is gone because it isn't universally useful, and being micro-hell might not be within the grand scope of the rules exactly, do you really want to ask to pause the game so you can micro your pops? As far as Psionics go, you don't even need the shroud, psionic pops are just really good, psionic leaders are amazing. Keeping government ethics attraction high can also keep the random spiritualists in line (farm the worm, the society building from the worm helps)

As for votes today

Tech Ascendancy +: It helps in so many ways, and even if tech is not a direct win condition, having extra tech means you have better fleets, which helps in war, and if you get an insane tech lead it can help you make other empires into protectorates. It can also help you with your federation, because if you have that nebulous "lead" empires are more willing to join your cause.

Colossus Project -: The fact that people are basically only taking it for Total War is telling. Total war also only helps with aggressive play styles. If you don't need total war you don't need colossus project.

 

[Jmes Snowscoran]

Executive Vigor 14
Interstellar Dominion: 27 (+1)
Technological Ascendancy: 17 (-2)
Voidborne: 22
Master Builders: 16
World Shaper: 7
Colossus Project: 3
Galactic Wonders: 20
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 20
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 22

Biological Ascension and Galactic Force Projection have been added to the graveyard. Colossus Project has been teetering on the edge, but survives for now!

For today's picks, TA gets the boot because it's one perk I almost never consider picking. Marginal early on and stiff competition later seals the deal.

Interstellar Dominion is still best girl the best #1 pick in most situations.

 

[Maverikfreak]

Its me or @bunkerman its voting too fast?

Executive Vigor 14
Interstellar Dominion: 27
Technological Ascendancy: 17
Voidborne: 22
Master Builders: 16
World Shaper: 7
Colossus Project: 1 (-2)
Galactic Wonders: 20
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 20
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 23 (+1)

 

[y1kdcb5au9rqw]

Executive Vigor 14
Interstellar Dominion: 27
Technological Ascendancy: 17
Voidborne: 22
Master Builders: 16
World Shaper: 7
Colossus Project: -1 (-2)
Galactic Wonders: 21 (+1)
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 20
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 23

RIP warmongers...

 

[ffsffs1]

Executive Vigor 15 (+1)
Interstellar Dominion: 27
Technological Ascendancy: 17
Voidborne: 22
Master Builders: 16
World Shaper: 7
Galactic Wonders: 21
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 20
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 21 (-2)

I've already mentioned why I don't find psionic ascension reliable. It's not really even about the RNG (though it certainly doesn't help), but shroud cool down time. It takes a long time to amass all the bonuses, and while getting the short term boons is nice, its pretty annoying constantly getting them while waiting for the better shroud events like the chosen one or covenants.

Executive Vigor is really underrated. Long explanation coming up.

Influence saving is extremely good in Stellaris since it is the resource that is hardest to accumulate large amounts of. Typically, you're going to want to run at minimum Capacity Overload (300) and Production Targets (300) or a total of 600 influence. but with artifical moral codes that becomes 510. . Not to mention you could easily be running 1000 or more influence worth of edicts (Map the Stars, Farming Subsidies, Research Grants, Land of Opportunity, Declare Saint, Peace Festivals, Improved Energy Initiative, Improved Working Environment, and the Master's Teachings edicts are all worth running if available). Let's assume a level 4 ruler which gives +20% edict duration.

By taking executive vigor you extend edict duration from 12 to 17 years (note that edict duration bonuses are additive). At 12 years you are looking at an effective monthly cost of 3.54 influence. At 17 years, the effective monthly cost is only 2.5 - basically representing a saving of 1 influence per month. This is equivalent to all the +1 monthly influence civics as well as the fanatic authoritarian boost. Now say your running a materialist empire, and you have access to the Improved Energy Initiative event edict. You choose to run Farming Subsidies, Research Grants, and Improved Energy Initative on top of the energy/mineral edicts. You are now looking at a cost of 1200*0.85 = 1020 influence. The mothly influence saved is now doubled (about 2.1) which is just an enormous amount of influence - more than what's produced by a faction.

Looking at campaigns, running all three represents an energy cost of 3000*0.85 = 2550. Simple calculation will show that Executive Vigor saves 4.56 monthly energy - a negligible amount.

Unity ambitions are super late game have such variable costs I'm not going to discuss them.

tl;dr version: Influence saving perks are awesome and Executive Vigor is really good at it.

 

[Methone]

Executive Vigor 15
Interstellar Dominion: 27
Technological Ascendancy: 17
Voidborne: 20(-2)
Master Builders: 16
World Shaper: 8(+1)
Galactic Wonders: 21
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 20
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 21

Habitats cost minerals and influence, one of which is needed for everything, the other which is in short supply. World Shaper costs Energy which doesn't do much aside from go into the Curator and Artist's pockets. Sure you can argue 'But then change your power plants to mineral stations' but fleets do still have an energy upkeep. The bonuses of perfect habitability, more happiness, AND more production, all seem small individually but despite this I always find myself getting much stronger after I go full Gaia.

 

[ffsffs1]

Also, I think I ninja'd your post Methone. The numbers are off.

 

[Methone]

Also, I think I ninja'd your post Methone. The numbers are off.

Yep, will edit.

 

[Archael90]

My 3rd attempt
Executive Vigor 13 (-2)
Interstellar Dominion: 27
Technological Ascendancy: 17
Voidborne: 20
Master Builders: 16
World Shaper: 8
Galactic Wonders: 21
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 20
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 22 (+1)

I have never found Executive Vigor valid, because this 50% is not much, maybe my playstyle makes this perk almost useless, but back when it was +100% i was concidering it.
Psionic ascension is for me the best choice, lot of buffs, and buffs.

 

[D Inqu]

Executive Vigor 13
Interstellar Dominion: 25 (-2)
Technological Ascendancy: 17
Voidborne: 20
Master Builders: 16
World Shaper: 9 (+1)
Galactic Wonders: 21
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 20
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 22

World Shaper is a straight up upgrade for any organic species + cheaper terraforming in general. ID should have been eliminated by now, for reasons outlined before.

 

[Vynlanesh]

Executive Vigor 13
Interstellar Dominion: 25
Technological Ascendancy: 17
Voidborne: 20
Master Builders: 16
World Shaper: 9
Galactic Wonders: 21
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 18 (-2)
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 23 (+1)

I was never pleased with Synthetic Ascension, and even though I haven't always had the best luck with Psionic. I've always enjoyed it