what are your first (and second?) ascension perks now

[makaramus]

I was in love with mastery of nature before but not sure anymore since its meaningless until very late game
what are your favorites? do you think %10 tech or %10 unity boost is usable now?
I was planning to play a neutral game where I decide by events around me
I am metarialist fanatic ega and just unlocked my first ascension before meeting with anyone(other than a xenophil fallen empire wich appears blocking me to reach some other empire other side of it wich I dont know of yet)

but I do not ask for this run specificly... just wanted to know what are your favorites
I think best one is interstellar dominion but... what about tall? or when you play without any target and decide by events?

 

[Arcvalons]

Technological Ascendancy > Voidborn > Master Builders > Galactic Wonders are my first four/

 

[orlykthxbai]

Usually Mastery of Nature or Research Speed for 1st pick. Then ascension path for 2nd pick or voidborne for galactic wonder rush. Interstellar Dominion is probably the best pick if you are playing wide though.

 

[ComradeKroo]

For tall
-First will be tier 0, mostly Executive vigor / Tech ascendancy / Nihilist / Consecrated worlds.
-Next will be ascension path perks.
-Then Arcology or voidborn.
-Then Wonder or 2nd ascension.
-Master builder or Gaia.
-Colossus is must have, about 5th or 6th place.
-Last one is against FE or Crisis, your choice.

For wide
-First will always be Interstellar Dominion.
-Chose Arcology over Voidborn.
-2nd Ascension path before Wonders.
-Colossus for 5th.
-Rest are the same.

 

[makaramus]

what about +30 admirastive cap as second? it appears 30 adm cap can reduce harms of expansion in nice amount (I closed game but if I rembember right 30 adm was incrasing tech cost by %10 and unity cost by %15? as I rembember)

 

[Kryndude]

I can quite confidently say that among the first picks Executive Vigor is the best overall. It's the only perk that gives massive bonuses from the start and stays highly relevant throughout the whole game. Why? Because edicts give powerful all around bonuses and the influence that you need to activate them is probably the one resource that you can never get enough of due to how little you get. If you're materliast you can just get 10% research from edict but if you don't have EV you probably don't have enough influence for other stuff.

And to talk about other commonly mentioned first pick perks:
- Mastery of Nature is really a late game perk
- Nihilisitc Acquisition can be game breaking depending on how you use it but require a strategy of its own
- Technological Ascendency is decent but then unless you're going science heavy it's kinda lackluster also cuz it's basically having the right scientist for every research
- Consecrated Worlds synergies well with unity builds
- Interstellar Dominion can be good for going wide but is hard countered by the current state of the game (micro, performance)
- Imperial Prerogative isn't a first pick but I think is actually a good stepping stone perk to get when going tall (but then you can always go EV then TA so... yeah that's that). It's like a huge tech/unity bonus but only temporary.
- Trascendent Learning, One Vision, Shared Destiny are just fillers.

 

[evilcat]

With admin cap you may end with like 300 or 1000 (if you go wide) so 30 for ascession perk is nothing, and it locks the ascession perk.
Efficient Buerocracy is more interesting, since you can take it early, use benefit when it matters, and swap for something else later on.

My choice: Interstellar Domiono, i generally plan some conquest and for that reason having discount on claims and starbases have value for me.

Then there is a choice if i want something fun, or most effective in killing enemies.
I generally go with train haitats+masterBuilder+ megastructures for the fun of it.
But if i want to just kill stuff then Executive vigor and maybe Force Projection would be better.

 

[Strangedane]

Xeno-adaptability if I am a xenophile.

+20% pop growth, +1 trait and +1 max traits.
The crossbreeding lottery is handy as well, but mostly icing on the cake.
Crossbreeding with rackets for tomb world hab and psionic is pretty neat though.