Clone Soldier Ascendant compatible with Ascension Paths

[The5lacker]

So right now, the Clone Soldier origin has got some... compatibility issues with ascension paths that aren't Psionics. If you want to lean into the "Perfect, designed organism" angle, you're basically cut out of three of the four ascension paths. You *can* take Synthetic... if you want to functionally delete your origin, but Genetic/Cybernetic have no effect on your Primary species.

This *suuuucks*, especially if you're going for Materialist Clone Soldiers. I want to be able to make some cyborg super-soldiers! I get that the CS Ascendant trait is *real stronk*, don't get me wrong, and I wouldn't want to be able to remove it with Trait editing, but come on. Let me tweak my guys. Give the CS Ascendant trait, like, a Point value of 3, prevent players from removing it, and have Clone Vats/Cyborg Roboticist jobs be able to maintain small amounts of Clone Ascendant pops on their own. I may be reliant on technology to propagate my species, but surely I shouldn't be reliant *exclusively* on these five Ancient Clone Vats forever.

(Also, can we talk about how funny +40% Ruler Pop Output is? Even ignoring how that's almost exclusively Unity, so many ruler Jobs have value that isn't in their Resource production, so it sounds so much better than it actually is. Clone Ascendant Merchants get *nothing* from that part of the Trait, it's hilarious.)

 

[Jedras]

I wholeheartedly agree. Sure, the origin is extremely strong as it is, but origins were never meant to be balanced. Bio ascension should let you modify clone pops, otherwise the clones drop off in late game compared to bio-modified regular pops

 

[GhostDanny]

Once you mastered biological engineering, you should be able to do anything your makers did.
Including freely adding and removing your clone trait.
Even it requires an ultra rare super late tech, only available after having gene edited 200 other species pops.

 

[The5lacker]

Once you mastered biological engineering, you should be able to do anything your makers did.
Including freely adding and removing your clone trait.
Even it requires an ultra rare super late tech, only available after having gene edited 200 other species pops.

I don't think freely editing that particular trait should be a thing: It essentially means you can have your cake and eat it too in regards to the big choice for the Origin. The ability to build your own clone vats with Gene Ascension is *already* your big "I've reached the heights of my creators" benefit.

 

[GhostDanny]

I don't think freely editing that particular trait should be a thing: It essentially means you can have your cake and eat it too in regards to the big choice for the Origin. The ability to build your own clone vats with Gene Ascension is *already* your big "I've reached the heights of my creators" benefit.

Yeah it does makes sense and you already decided to go all out in being the best your creators could make you, with the event.
Just adding some extra traits your creators didn't know of, should be possible

 

[HFY]

You *can* take Synthetic... if you want to functionally delete your origin, but Genetic/Cybernetic have no effect on your Primary species.

Can't you Synth ascend and then set your founder bio-species to NOT get Assimilated, and re-grow them via Ancient Clone Vat assembly?

You'll grow them from the Ancient Clone Vats so you'll have to set Assembly on those 5 or fewer worlds to not Synths -- unless Synth Ascension destroys your vats? Basically set everyone else to Assimilation and let them grow anywhere, who cares, they'll turn into useful robots.

I have not tried this but it seems like it might work.

 

[The5lacker]

Can't you Synth ascend and then set your founder bio-species to NOT get Assimilated, and re-grow them via Ancient Clone Vat assembly?

You'll grow them from the Ancient Clone Vats so you'll have to set Assembly on those 5 or fewer worlds to not Synths -- unless Synth Ascension destroys your vats? Basically set everyone else to Assimilation and let them grow anywhere, who cares, they'll turn into useful robots.

I have not tried this but it seems like it might work.

I know Synth ascension burns your event but I have no idea what it does to the clone vats that are already built.

 

[XCodes]

I think the quick and easy hack to this is to make Clone Soldier Ascendant cost 3 or 4 points and not be removable, even with Genetic Ascendancy. Then once you advance down the Cyborg or Genetic Ascendancy paths a little you can mess with your *other* traits.