Ascension Perk Synergies

[Bearjuden]

I realize this is partially because Master Builders is otherwise pretty weak, but I like how part of its effects is that it boosts other Ascension Perks. I think it would be really interesting and fun if more of the perks had interactions with one another. Nothing approaching the value of the main purpose of the perk, of course, but just flavorful additions that could factor into your perk choices. I have a few ideas which I'll put below, I'm interested to hear what y'all think.

For example:

• Technological Ascendancy + Universal Transactions: Enables "IP Offices" Corporate Building, granting +1% Empire Science (can be stacked across multiple branch offices)
• Galactic Force Projection + Colossus Project: Can maintain multiple Colossi
• Enigmatic Engineering + Synthetic Evolution: Your conquered robot pops are destroyed rather than subjugated. Or maybe robot pops can grow without robot assembly labs.

Thoughts? Other suggested combos? Any feedback at all?

 

[Tyro]

I think this would be a great way to boost weak perks, though I wouldn't add anything to stronger stuff like Synthetic Evolution. Voidborne in particular needs a boost; maybe have habitats get better somehow when you get Galactic Wonders? Their current strength is in that you can get them relatively early; giving them mid & late game relevance would give them a much needed power boost without making them too good early on.

 

[Bearjuden]

I was going off of what made logical sense and/or just seemed to go together more than balance, but of course that's not an invalid concern.

Voidborne and Grasp the Void seem ripe for a combination (even just based on the names, I mean...come on!), just not entirely sure yet what it'd be. Or Voidborne and Mastery of Nature, for at least in my experience a more commonly picked second trait. Maybe it could add a random bonus deposit to each Habitat you build, from a special list of "Habitat Deposits" to keep things from being too outlandish ("hey, we found this random Betharian Stone that we definitely didn't place here a few years back?").

Others that I notice on second viewing as imo good potential pairings, with the first interesting, roughly themed, bonus that came to mind:

• Interstellar Dominion + Imperial Prerogative: influence costs from starbases are calculated as though they were one jump closer than normal
• One Vision + Executive Vigor: extra influence from factions and special edicts that are only enabled with these two perks chosen?
• World Shaper + Master Builders: can adjust how districts are distributed on a planet (so if you have a max of two agriculture districts and two mining districts, you can change it to 3/1 or 4/0)
• Galactic Contender + Defender of the Galaxy: -war exhaustion, +happiness, and -amenities need when fighting galactic threats (crises, fallen/awakened empires, and empires with more than X% of the galaxy under their control)?

 

[Foefaller]

Voidborn already has a precedent for improvement via other ascension perks- Master Builders gives it +2 districts. Why not have Galactic Wonders and Grasp the Void add districts as well? (also, slight tangent, stations would be a *lot* better if the non-housing districts actually gave housing like every other district.)

Enigmatic Engineering could be stacked with other perks to make you more inscrutable to other empires; With tech ascendancy, they can no longer see your tech strength relative to yours, with Galactic Force projection, Military strength, and with the Colossus project, can no longer see the loadout of your ships.

Tech Ascendancy itself might be given an increase chance for rare techs, but also give further bonuses in research speed and rare tech chance depending on the ascension perks you have. Voidborn? better odds for Mega-Engineering. Galactic Force Projection? Bonuses and better odds for Weapon and/or naval cap/fleet size techs. One Vision? Unity buildings, and so on.

Finally, Nihilistic Acquisition + Shared Destiny = Demand pops from your vassals as slaves.

 

[Tyro]

I was going off of what made logical sense and/or just seemed to go together more than balance, but of course that's not an invalid concern.

Voidborne and Grasp the Void seem ripe for a combination (even just based on the names, I mean...come on!), just not entirely sure yet what it'd be. Or Voidborne and Mastery of Nature, for at least in my experience a more commonly picked second trait. Maybe it could add a random bonus deposit to each Habitat you build, from a special list of "Habitat Deposits" to keep things from being too outlandish ("hey, we found this random Betharian Stone that we definitely didn't place here a few years back?").

Others that I notice on second viewing as imo good potential pairings, with the first interesting, roughly themed, bonus that came to mind:

• Interstellar Dominion + Imperial Prerogative: influence costs from starbases are calculated as though they were one jump closer than normal
• One Vision + Executive Vigor: extra influence from factions and special edicts that are only enabled with these two perks chosen?
• World Shaper + Master Builders: can adjust how districts are distributed on a planet (so if you have a max of two agriculture districts and two mining districts, you can change it to 3/1 or 4/0)
• Galactic Contender + Defender of the Galaxy: -war exhaustion, +happiness, and -amenities need when fighting galactic threats (crises, fallen/awakened empires, and empires with more than X% of the galaxy under their control)?

These are really great ideas. Regardless of whether any of this gets implemented, you deserve credit for creativity.

Voidborn already has a precedent for improvement via other ascension perks- Master Builders gives it +2 districts. Why not have Galactic Wonders and Grasp the Void add districts as well? (also, slight tangent, stations would be a *lot* better if the non-housing districts actually gave housing like every other district.)

Enigmatic Engineering could be stacked with other perks to make you more inscrutable to other empires; With tech ascendancy, they can no longer see your tech strength relative to yours, with Galactic Force projection, Military strength, and with the Colossus project, can no longer see the loadout of your ships.

Tech Ascendancy itself might be given an increase chance for rare techs, but also give further bonuses in research speed and rare tech chance depending on the ascension perks you have. Voidborn? better odds for Mega-Engineering. Galactic Force Projection? Bonuses and better odds for Weapon and/or naval cap/fleet size techs. One Vision? Unity buildings, and so on.

Finally, Nihilistic Acquisition + Shared Destiny = Demand pops from your vassals as slaves.

Also really great suggestions. I'm really loving where you're going with this, esp. wrt improving Tech Ascendency.

 

[Spaceception]

Tech Ascendancy itself might be given an increase chance for rare techs, but also give further bonuses in research speed and rare tech chance depending on the ascension perks you have. Voidborn? better odds for Mega-Engineering. Galactic Force Projection? Bonuses and better odds for Weapon and/or naval cap/fleet size techs. One Vision? Unity buildings, and so on.

I like that. Tech Ascendancy is already one of my favorite perks to get, because I like getting tech as fast as I can. It would also be cool for both this, and the perks in general, if there were brand new (or old) locked techs behind more of these perks as well.

Defender of the galaxy could roll a couple rare weapon techs behind it that are technically tier 4, but have larger bonuses to hull or armor or shield than regular weapons. Stuff like that