Strongest builds in 1.4

[maxirage]

I know this is a bit subjective, but I've been blown away by how good this build is:

With Extremely Adaptive you can colonize every planet on the map that is not Tomb or has -habitability modifiers from day one. If you stack all possible growth time bonuses together, you reach a potential -80% growth time. As a collectivist you can invade primitive worlds and enslave the populations, which is faster, cheaper, and more profitable than colonization. The only real downside that this build has is the lack of robots, but because your primary pops are so adaptive and fast breeding, you don't need them. This allows for a very aggressive REX-style expansion to claim as much territory as possible and leave you far stronger than your opponents. Everything synergizes together so well that I don't believe you can change anything here without weakening the build, it's as good as it gets.

 

[Elothan]

It is good for fast expantion, but to liberal use of the invade primitives, and enslavement early makes the rest of the the do gooders in the universe gang up on you.

 

[Incompetent]

It is good for fast expantion, but to liberal use of the invade primitives, and enslavement early makes the rest of the the do gooders in the universe gang up on you.

You could do a similar build but without the slavery. Just outbreed everyone else and fill the planets with mostly your own pops.

 

[Stario]

I know this is a bit subjective, but I've been blown away by how good this build is:
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With Extremely Adaptive you can colonize every planet on the map that is not Tomb or has -habitability modifiers from day one. If you stack all possible growth time bonuses together, you reach a potential -80% growth time. As a collectivist you can invade primitive worlds and enslave the populations, which is faster, cheaper, and more profitable than colonization. The only real downside that this build has is the lack of robots, but because your primary pops are so adaptive and fast breeding, you don't need them. This allows for a very aggressive REX-style expansion to claim as much territory as possible and leave you far stronger than your opponents. Everything synergizes together so well that I don't believe you can change anything here without weakening the build, it's as good as it gets.

Yeah strong build if not only for the ethics divergence issue, albeit I wouldn't take weak trait due to the mineral hit. Played with nearly identical build before adapting to FM +Collectivist salver race.

I find FM + Collectivist just as strong (if not stronger), & more fun only because I prefer tech/slaver races (i took sociologist+ conformists, repugnant, decadent, sedentary), the research bonus allow one to rush Targeted Gene Expression (can be done around 60-90 years depending on luck)...technology really starts to explode from mid-game.
Ensure you leave (x2 free traits at creation, gene technology will give further x2 traits for total of x4 free traits).

You then take your smallest planet (I go for a new planet that just started to develop with 3-4 pop only), and add Extremely Adaptive trait (the pop of this planet will be used to colonise everything poor habitability/ those outpost key gravity wells).

I also add intelligent (stacks with natural sociologist) + adaptive trait to populations geared towards research . Industrious + strong is added for pops geared towards slavery (this gives slaves a whopping +40 mineral output prior to any buildings/edicts + I can also use these planets to make troop transporters as side effect of strong trait).

 

[Oscot]

I know this is a bit subjective, but I've been blown away by how good this build is

Stellaris does not have "big blue blob France" to play as easy mode or "lol Ulm" to play as super-hard-mode.
Stellaris has OP's pic as easy mode (although continental homeworld, lol arid wtf u doin guy), and Fanatic Xenophobe Individualist Charming Nonadaptive Very Strong Hyperlanes Missiles Arctic as super-hard mode.

Finding OP's build isn't "Oh wow you're so smart this is great", finding OP's build is "Well done you can work a slightly more abstract difficulty menu, also why are you playing on super-easy mode you scrub"