A quick comment on some things mentioned here:
(1) Efficient Bureaucracy is actually pretty good. Fun fact: It used to be +30, and was OP as hell. It has become less important as the penalties for exceeding the admin cap were reduced to 0.5 unity and 0.3 tech (down from 1.0 unity and 0.5 tech respectively), but it still provides a solid cost reduction of 10% for traditions and 6.6% for techs. It's a pretty neat choice as a 3rd pick for the mid game and can later be swapped out for something else.
(2) Meritocracy is probably a bit weak. Leader pool size really is just a marginal bigger chance to not having to gamble for more leaders, after all.
(3) Same goes for Warrior Culture. I'll lobby to replace the upkeep reduction with some sort of effect to Strongholds & Forts (maybe an extra job and housing?).
(4) Technocracy comes at a cost: Science Directors produce no unity and provide significantly less amenities than administrators. It's not hugely important past the early game, but still something to keep in mind. A bit of a balancing factor for all that nice and cheap extra science.
(5)
(6) Merchant Guilds is actually pretty darn good. I'd say, it is probably one of the best administrator replacers and also a solid 3rd civic pick for several reasons: (I) Thanks to the +2 unity modifier, you only lose a marginal amount of unity in the early game. (II) It replaces 0/1/2/3 (instead of 0/1/1/2) admin jobs on the buildings (just like Exalted Priesthood). (III) You can get the Galactic Stock Exchange to get another 2 Merchants per planet (and that building itself is incredibly powerful). Although a thing to keep in mind is that you still need to collect the TV, so it is probably better suited for a tall approach.
(7) Believe it or not, but Mining guilds is probably EVEN STRONGER than it used to be. You get a base +1 income from miners (including special resource miners, btw!), so a +25% base yield increase. However, that +1 is then subject to all the other regular modifiers. Madness.
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In terms of ethics, Xenophile has gotten A LOT stronger with 2.2. Getting extra trade value is very powerful and since all agreements now cost diplomatic influence, the cost reduction starts to truly shine. The new migration mechanic also makes migration pacts more powerful for the player (since they tend to have better planetary conditions than the AI) and the addition of Xeno-Compatibility allows for some impressive growth benefits with extra spicy gene benefits (+1 trait point, +1 max traits). Lastely, Federations are probably even more powerful than before, even with the new federation tax (free pacts with members, no federation fleet upgrade, every member can contribute to the fleet).
I actually think Xenophobe got better as well - at bit less good for conquest, but inherent pop growth is really, really powerful.
Egalitarian and Authoritarian are both great to bolster the economy - specialist output is a premium effect and the stratified economy saves a ton of consumer goods on top of the extra resource modifier.
Spiritualist is... actually something I haven't touched in forever. I'd argue the edict cost is a bit "meh", but the extra unity + temples are nothing to sneeze at.
Pacifist is probably a bit weaker in terms of its economy effects, but the extra admin cap is incredibly powerful throughout the game (-5%/-10% trad cost, -3.3%-6.6% tech cost). The related civics are still among the most powerful options in the game.
I'd say the weakest / least interesting ethic right now is actually Materialist. The robot upkeep cost reduction is pretty good for synth ascension, but the research speed bonus is a bit bland and less useful early on, since scientists take longer to get. However, it does have some pretty good civic choices to make up for that.
(1) Efficient Bureaucracy is actually pretty good. Fun fact: It used to be +30, and was OP as hell. It has become less important as the penalties for exceeding the admin cap were reduced to 0.5 unity and 0.3 tech (down from 1.0 unity and 0.5 tech respectively), but it still provides a solid cost reduction of 10% for traditions and 6.6% for techs. It's a pretty neat choice as a 3rd pick for the mid game and can later be swapped out for something else.
(2) Meritocracy is probably a bit weak. Leader pool size really is just a marginal bigger chance to not having to gamble for more leaders, after all.
(3) Same goes for Warrior Culture. I'll lobby to replace the upkeep reduction with some sort of effect to Strongholds & Forts (maybe an extra job and housing?).
(4) Technocracy comes at a cost: Science Directors produce no unity and provide significantly less amenities than administrators. It's not hugely important past the early game, but still something to keep in mind. A bit of a balancing factor for all that nice and cheap extra science.
(5)
Good Sir, that is madness. Agrarian Idyll was one of the most overpowered and insane civics in the game and only remotely acceptable because of its Fanatic Pacifist prerequisite. That being said - yes, I'd actually agree that it is one of the best civics in 2.2 as well.
(6) Merchant Guilds is actually pretty darn good. I'd say, it is probably one of the best administrator replacers and also a solid 3rd civic pick for several reasons: (I) Thanks to the +2 unity modifier, you only lose a marginal amount of unity in the early game. (II) It replaces 0/1/2/3 (instead of 0/1/1/2) admin jobs on the buildings (just like Exalted Priesthood). (III) You can get the Galactic Stock Exchange to get another 2 Merchants per planet (and that building itself is incredibly powerful). Although a thing to keep in mind is that you still need to collect the TV, so it is probably better suited for a tall approach.
(7) Believe it or not, but Mining guilds is probably EVEN STRONGER than it used to be. You get a base +1 income from miners (including special resource miners, btw!), so a +25% base yield increase. However, that +1 is then subject to all the other regular modifiers. Madness.
- - - - -
In terms of ethics, Xenophile has gotten A LOT stronger with 2.2. Getting extra trade value is very powerful and since all agreements now cost diplomatic influence, the cost reduction starts to truly shine. The new migration mechanic also makes migration pacts more powerful for the player (since they tend to have better planetary conditions than the AI) and the addition of Xeno-Compatibility allows for some impressive growth benefits with extra spicy gene benefits (+1 trait point, +1 max traits). Lastely, Federations are probably even more powerful than before, even with the new federation tax (free pacts with members, no federation fleet upgrade, every member can contribute to the fleet).
I actually think Xenophobe got better as well - at bit less good for conquest, but inherent pop growth is really, really powerful.
Egalitarian and Authoritarian are both great to bolster the economy - specialist output is a premium effect and the stratified economy saves a ton of consumer goods on top of the extra resource modifier.
Spiritualist is... actually something I haven't touched in forever. I'd argue the edict cost is a bit "meh", but the extra unity + temples are nothing to sneeze at.
Pacifist is probably a bit weaker in terms of its economy effects, but the extra admin cap is incredibly powerful throughout the game (-5%/-10% trad cost, -3.3%-6.6% tech cost). The related civics are still among the most powerful options in the game.
I'd say the weakest / least interesting ethic right now is actually Materialist. The robot upkeep cost reduction is pretty good for synth ascension, but the research speed bonus is a bit bland and less useful early on, since scientists take longer to get. However, it does have some pretty good civic choices to make up for that.
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