Ascension Perk Elimination

[General Guderian]

Executive Vigor 20
Imperial Prerogative: 13
Interstellar Dominion: 24
Mastery of Nature: 8
Technological Ascendancy: 28 (+1)
Transcendent Learning: 13
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 13
Eternal Vigilance: 5
Galactic Force Projection: 18
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 13
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 13
Defender of the Galaxy: 10
Galactic Wonders: 16
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution+Evolutionary Mastery): 11 (-2)
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak+Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter+Transcendence): 20

 

[D Inqu]

Executive Vigor 20
Imperial Prerogative: 13
Interstellar Dominion: 24
Mastery of Nature: 9 (+1)
Technological Ascendancy: 28
Transcendent Learning: 13
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 13
Eternal Vigilance: 3 (-2)
Galactic Force Projection: 18
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 13
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 13
Defender of the Galaxy: 10
Galactic Wonders: 16
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution+Evolutionary Mastery): 11
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak+Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter+Transcendence): 20

MoN is a useful perk all round, unless you are going super wide. Eternal viligance, however is quite "meh"

 

[RedPearlA]

Executive Vigor 20
Imperial Prerogative: 13
Interstellar Dominion: 24
Mastery of Nature: 9
Technological Ascendancy: 28
Transcendent Learning: 13
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 13
Eternal Vigilance: 1 (-2)
Galactic Force Projection: 18
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 14 (+1)
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 13
Defender of the Galaxy: 10
Galactic Wonders: 16
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution+Evolutionary Mastery): 11
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak+Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter+Transcendence): 20

Master Builders give 25% more tiles to habitats, increases megastructures build speed, and give megaengineering tech option so that I can get more megastructures.

Eternal Vigilance offer very little protection.

 

[Maverikfreak]

Imperial Prerogative: 14 (+1)
Interstellar Dominion: 24
Mastery of Nature: 9
Technological Ascendancy: 28
Transcendent Learning: 13
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 13
Eternal Vigilance: 1
Galactic Force Projection: 18
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 14
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11 (-2)
Defender of the Galaxy: 10
Galactic Wonders: 16
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution+Evolutionary Mastery): 11
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak+Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter+Transcendence): 20

Imperial prorrogative: If you pick this you have great boost for resources for late wide empires and many influence saved.

Colossus proyect: The planet killer is absolutely useless to win, its even bad if you use it, because increase the beligerancy against you and you dont get any reward of his use, its expensive and slow to build, and the new type of war can be useful, buts its just a glimmick, you can win the game without it easily.

 

[Bobylein]

Imperial Prerogative: 14
Interstellar Dominion: 24
Mastery of Nature: 9
Technological Ascendancy: 26 (-2)
Transcendent Learning: 13
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 13
Eternal Vigilance: 1
Galactic Force Projection: 19 (+1)
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 14
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 10
Galactic Wonders: 16
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution+Evolutionary Mastery): 11
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak+Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter+Transcendence): 20


To win the game I don't need 10% more research but can rather pick perks like master of nature that safe resources.

Also I hate the Perk for its simple boring effect.


GFP:
More dakka = more win


I know I am kinda hypocrite with this choices and reasons

 

[Brian Bóroimhe]

Imperial Prerogative: 12 (-2)
Interstellar Dominion: 24
Mastery of Nature: 9
Technological Ascendancy: 26
Transcendent Learning: 13
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 13
Eternal Vigilance: 1
Galactic Force Projection: 19
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 14
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 10
Galactic Wonders: 17 (+1)
Biological Ascension (EngineeredEvolution+Evolutionary Mastery): 11
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak+Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind overMatter+Transcendence): 20

Reasons: a few extra core planets isn't going to make any difference when sectors haven't been a problem for a long time now anyway. And Dyson sphere and science Nexus are invaluable for kick starting that end game Galactic domination no matter what empire type I'm playing. Plus ringworlds, and the other stuff is nice. This will be even more true with 2.2

 

[bunkerman]

somehow we lost executive vigor again but this time i actually have my post off cooldown so ill do my +- aswell as adding it back but seriously people do your copy pasta carefully

Executive Vigor 20
Imperial Prerogative: 12
Interstellar Dominion: 24
Mastery of Nature: 10 (+1)
Technological Ascendancy: 26
Transcendent Learning: 13
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 13
Eternal Vigilance: -1 (-2) ELIMINATED
Galactic Force Projection: 19
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 14
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 11
Defender of the Galaxy: 10
Galactic Wonders: 17
Biological Ascension (EngineeredEvolution+Evolutionary Mastery): 11
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak+Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind overMatter+Transcendence): 20

Eternal vigilance: killing it off cause + defense platforms doesnt have much ise and constant upgrading is a chore since there is no upgrade all platforms button
Mastery of Nature: cause the extra tiles are pretty useful and the influence cost is fine especially if you get a bunch of small worlds

 

[Atreides]

Day 3

Executive Vigor 20
Imperial Prerogative: 12
Interstellar Dominion: 24
Mastery of Nature: 10 (+1)
Technological Ascendancy: 26
Transcendent Learning: 13
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 13
Eternal Vigilance: ALREADY ELIMINATED
Galactic Force Projection: 19
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 14
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 9 (-2)
Defender of the Galaxy: 10
Galactic Wonders: 17
Biological Ascension (EngineeredEvolution+Evolutionary Mastery): 11
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak+Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind overMatter+Transcendence): 21 (+1)

I have owned Apocalypse since release - have never felt the need to build a Colossus.

I find Psionics to be significantly more interesting than the other two - enough so that on 2 different Materialist play throughs I spent 50 years jumping through hoops to trigger Psionics so I could take the Ascension Perk.

 

[Leylos]

Executive Vigor 20
Imperial Prerogative: 12
Interstellar Dominion: 24
Mastery of Nature: 10
Technological Ascendancy: 26
Transcendent Learning: 13
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 11(-2)
Eternal Vigilance: ALREADY ELIMINATED
Galactic Force Projection: 19
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 14
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 9
Defender of the Galaxy: 10
Galactic Wonders: 17
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 12 (+1)
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 21

I you ever played a Hive Mind, you know how good biological Ascension can be. Especially Devouring Swarms, with their bonus to biology research, can turn into real monsters.

Grasp the Void can be nice early game, but it becomes worse as time goes on.

 

[Spartakus]

Executive Vigor 20
Imperial Prerogative: 12
Interstellar Dominion: 24
Mastery of Nature: 10
Technological Ascendancy: 27 (+1)
Transcendent Learning: 13
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 11
Eternal Vigilance: ALREADY ELIMINATED
Galactic Force Projection: 19
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 14
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 9
Defender of the Galaxy: 10
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

We're running out of perks I consider bad picks.
Technological Ascendancy is another of these easy early choices for snowballing
Biological Ascencion can be amazing but making it shine involves far too much micro management for my taste.

 

[Thallori]

Executive Vigor 20
Imperial Prerogative: 10 (-2)
Interstellar Dominion: 24
Mastery of Nature: 10
Technological Ascendancy: 28 (+1)
Transcendent Learning: 13
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 11
Galactic Force Projection: 19
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 14
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 9
Defender of the Galaxy: 10
Galactic Wonders: 17
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 10
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 21

Unless you're building small and tall, I'm not certain there's really a reason to have more than a few core systems anyways. The majority of your systems always end up in sectors anyways.

 

[Enska]

Executive Vigor 20
Imperial Prerogative: 8 (-2)
Interstellar Dominion: 24
Mastery of Nature: 10
Technological Ascendancy: 28
Transcendent Learning: 13
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 11
Galactic Force Projection: 20 (+1)
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 14
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 9
Defender of the Galaxy: 10
Galactic Wonders: 17
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 10
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 21

More cores is basicly useless. Only value is added convenience in some situations.

Galactic force projection, on the other hand, is the best pick in many situations. But it is not too good: It does not scale with the empire.

 

[sortulv]

Executive Vigor 20
Imperial Prerogative: 6 (-2)
Interstellar Dominion: 24
Mastery of Nature: 10
Technological Ascendancy: 28
Transcendent Learning: 13
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 11
Galactic Force Projection: 20
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 15 (+1)
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 9
Defender of the Galaxy: 10
Galactic Wonders: 17
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 10
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 21

Agree with more cores being useless, faster megastructures and bigger habitats on the other hand is very useful.

 

[Ravbek]

Executive Vigor 20
Imperial Prerogative: 4 (-2)
Interstellar Dominion: 24
Mastery of Nature: 10
Technological Ascendancy: 28
Transcendent Learning: 13
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 11
Galactic Force Projection: 20
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 16 (+1)
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 9
Defender of the Galaxy: 10
Galactic Wonders: 17
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 10
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 21

I totally agree with Sortulv. I have never picked Imperial Prerogative but always pick Master Builders if I'm think of building megastrucutres.

 

[GloatingSwine]

Executive Vigor 20
Imperial Prerogative: 4
Interstellar Dominion: 25 (+1)
Mastery of Nature: 8 (-2)
Technological Ascendancy: 28
Transcendent Learning: 13
Voidborne: 19
Grasp the Void: 11
Galactic Force Projection: 20
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 16
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 9
Defender of the Galaxy: 10
Galactic Wonders: 17
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 10
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 21

If you want to win, you need more stuff. There's no reason not to take Interstellar Dominion as your first perk if you're aiming to see a victory screen. -20% claim and starbase cost. First time, every time.

Meanwhile even if you are playing a super weirdo no-expansion-or-conquest build Mastery of Nature is still bad, because it gives too few tiles per planet and costs influence if you want to add more tiles to your weirdo build you should be taking Voidborne into megastructures (but that's still bad for achieving the goals laid out in the OP).

 

[WhapXI]

Executive Vigor 20
Imperial Prerogative: 4
Interstellar Dominion: 25
Mastery of Nature: 8
Technological Ascendancy: 28
Transcendent Learning: 13
Voidborne: 20
Grasp the Void: 9
Galactic Force Projection: 20
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 16
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 9
Defender of the Galaxy: 10
Galactic Wonders: 17
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 10
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 21

How badly do you need to have messed up your growth or borders that +4 starbases is worthwhile?

I voted for Tech Asc last time, so to prevent echoing myself I'm going VB. If you have the minerals and aren't using influence to expand, then building new planets is amazing. You can build them in core systems to avoid adding to your empire core count. They work as amazing energy and research stations. Not only that but they count as habitable planets for purposes of domination victory. You can get to a point where you keep building habitats until you win the game.

I also note that people who've downvoted Tech Asc have done so because of personal or contrarian reasons. Please bear in mind that the rules of the game require you to vote for what you think is most and least useful. Not based on how annoyed you are at the meta.

 

[CptMuddles]

Executive Vigor 20
Imperial Prerogative: 4
Interstellar Dominion: 25
Mastery of Nature: 6 (-2)
Technological Ascendancy: 28
Transcendent Learning: 13
Voidborne: 20
Grasp the Void: 9
Galactic Force Projection: 20
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 16
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 9
Defender of the Galaxy: 10
Galactic Wonders: 17
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 11 (+1)
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 21

+Biological Ascension, because I think people are really overstating the micromanagement aspect of it. Even with one race, traits like Robust are signifcant boost to your population. Really good for slavers (nerve stapling is a massive bonus!) or any other empire with a clear worker race and science/unity/leader race distinction. It's not as interesting as Psionic Ascension (which all Asc.Paths really should be) or as utilitarian as Synthetic Ascension (which I'd argue Biological is still equivalent to), but there's a good reason you can't get them all.

-Mastery of Nature, because it's just not worth it. Spending influence to get a few extra tiles on planets, for an extra ~6ish of some resource per tile, just isn't worth it - you're better off just colonising better worlds in the first place (or just sucking it up!). It doesn't help that other perks like Voidborne already do what it does, but better.

 

[Silens]

Executive Vigor 20
Imperial Prerogative: 4
Interstellar Dominion: 25
Mastery of Nature: 6
Technological Ascendancy: 28
Transcendent Learning: 13
Voidborne: 20
Grasp the Void: 7 (-2)
Galactic Force Projection: 20
Machine Worlds: 13
Master Builders: 16
World Shaper: 20
Colossus Project: 10 (+1)
Defender of the Galaxy: 10
Galactic Wonders: 17
Biological Ascension (Engineered Evolution + Evolutionary Mastery): 11
Synthetic Ascension (The Flesh is Weak + Synthetic Evolution): 19
Psionic Ascension (Mind over Matter + Transcendence): 21

It seems some people don't understand that the Colossus is not about destroying planets. It's about annexing huge chunks of territory without the need of claims and influence. If you're not a FP, this is the only way to gain a Total War CB on everyone. Ideal for the endgame in big galaxies.

Sweeping the occasional size 25 planet with 5 fortresses on it is just a nice-to-have bonus.

 

[GloatingSwine]

I also note that people who've downvoted Tech Asc have done so because of personal or contrarian reasons. Please bear in mind that the rules of the game require you to vote for what you think is most and least useful. Not based on how annoyed you are at the meta.

No, I've downvoted Tech Asc because it's a bad choice in the meta.

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.

The way to approach science in Stellaris is not to maximise your rate of science progress, but to choose effectively which techs to research and which researchers to place in slots to generate good draws.

 

[Pointyearedgit]

No, I've downvoted Tech Asc because it's a bad choice in the meta.

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.

The way to approach science in Stellaris is not to maximise your rate of science progress, but to choose effectively which techs to research and which researchers to place in slots to generate good draws.

This echoes my argument against the colossus. Both of these perks are strong, perhaps Tech Ascendancy is too strong, but while having more science feels good and can help, it doesn’t beat more minerals. More territory = more minerals. Colossus requires a massive amount of minerals to get you the total war CB, when you could have simply seized that territory earlier and used the minerals for development for a much better return on investment. Shared destiny is also quite nice for seizing territory, but I don’t mind people voting it out because it is more niche and finicky due to the vassilization system.