I always play the same type of build I want something different.

[Alxndr]

I have over 1000 hours on this game but in almost every run I've used the same builds. Always either machines with virtuality or modaularity or democratic unity pumping spiritualist empires.

I always pick the same civics and ethics that are strong and give boosts to stuff like growth speed, unity, complex output and stuff.

I'm looking for a new build but not something complicated, I don't just want a build I also want a theme.

[Dark Emu (BELIEVER OF SKONG)]

Do xenophobic isolationist. That's a good change of pace. Don't have to worry about the galactic community or even other empires for the most part. Just build your empire up in peace.

[Geoff]

Originally posted by Alxndr:

I'm looking for a new build but not something complicated, I don't just want a build I also want a theme.

Relentless Industrialists + Toxic Baths. There's a certain synergy to them - toxic baths boost your population growth as you strip mine your planets. If you give yourself the "post-apocalyptic" origin, then you basically start with terraforming tech - every world is a potential tomb world waiting for your arrival.

[Kalemenos]

It took me a long time before I stepped into Megacorp, and I'm glad I did, I really like it. If you haven't tried that you might give it a spin. Also, certain origins provide some degree of handicap, like shattered ring, ocean paradise, and voidborn. Mixing some of those challenges in can keep you on your toes.

[Alxndr]

Originally posted by Kalemenos:

It took me a long time before I stepped into Megacorp, and I'm glad I did, I really like it. If you haven't tried that you might give it a spin. Also, certain origins provide some degree of handicap, like shattered ring, ocean paradise, and voidborn. Mixing some of those challenges in can keep you on your toes.

I've not tried megacorp but doesn't that build around trade value? I still don't understand trade value. I think trade value is just a fancy way if saying energy right?

So if a building gives 20 trade value, its just giving 20 energy?

[Geoff]

Originally posted by Alxndr:

I've not tried megacorp but doesn't that build around trade value? I still don't understand trade value. I think trade value is just a fancy way if saying energy right?

So if a building gives 20 trade value, its just giving 20 energy?

It doesn't really. Or at least, not necessarily. Commerce/trade value is nice, but branch offices deliver their returns in cold hard credits.... or well... hot zappy energy credits, I guess. It is complicated though, as megacorp is a whole new playstyle relative to the base game.

[Namethatworks]

Originally posted by Alxndr:

Originally posted by Kalemenos:

It took me a long time before I stepped into Megacorp, and I'm glad I did, I really like it. If you haven't tried that you might give it a spin. Also, certain origins provide some degree of handicap, like shattered ring, ocean paradise, and voidborn. Mixing some of those challenges in can keep you on your toes.

I've not tried megacorp but doesn't that build around trade value? I still don't understand trade value. I think trade value is just a fancy way if saying energy right?

So if a building gives 20 trade value, its just giving 20 energy?

Criminal Heritage MegaCorp can be fun now, especially combined Letters of Marque, & the Treasure Hunter Origin. the government type is even called a Pirate haven. It's quite a bit of fun.

[xycotta]

Just hit the random button, I do that periodically just for kicks, Theme would be around whatever randomness you get, be creative.

[mss73055]

try civic Sovereign Guardianship. I leave the rest to you to figure out :)

[steven1mac]

Necroroid slaver with biological ascension.

[Alxndr]

Originally posted by mss73055:

try civic Sovereign Guardianship. I leave the rest to you to figure out :)

You can't pick this civic at the start of the game though can you? I thought you can only get it randomly during an event in game if you're a psionic.

[kahlrasierter Affenarsch]

Originally posted by Alxndr:

Originally posted by Kalemenos:

It took me a long time before I stepped into Megacorp, and I'm glad I did, I really like it. If you haven't tried that you might give it a spin. Also, certain origins provide some degree of handicap, like shattered ring, ocean paradise, and voidborn. Mixing some of those challenges in can keep you on your toes.

I've not tried megacorp but doesn't that build around trade value? I still don't understand trade value. I think trade value is just a fancy way if saying energy right?

So if a building gives 20 trade value, its just giving 20 energy?

You can build a lotaround trade...
It depends on your trade policy.
You can set it to 1TV gives you up to 0.5 energcredits+0.25 consumer goods+0.25 unity.
Or 0.2 of food, minerals and energy credits+0.1 unity.

And you can use mechanics that dont need population or planets to get trading value.

As a megacorp can create up to 7 mercenary enclaves and get resources, science and free ships out of that in an extreme way.

There are lots of strong strategies.

[mss73055]

Machine empire > civic astro mining > nemesis > make 50 black holes
and breed them worms!

[RCMidas]

Originally posted by Alxndr:

Originally posted by mss73055:

try civic Sovereign Guardianship. I leave the rest to you to figure out :)

You can't pick this civic at the start of the game though can you? I thought you can only get it randomly during an event in game if you're a psionic.

...are you thinking of the Chosen One possibilities through Shroud interactions?

No, no absolutely not. It's right there in the list when starting up. Got a variation for each Authority type too.

Ah, I think I see why. The language confusion between the different meanings of "sovereign" in this case. The psionic and imperial use of the word effectively means "an individual who is a monarch or autocrat", whereas the starting civic uses a meaning that is more "a nation that is self-governed and independent".

[Kalemenos]

Originally posted by Alxndr:

Originally posted by Kalemenos:

It took me a long time before I stepped into Megacorp, and I'm glad I did, I really like it. If you haven't tried that you might give it a spin. Also, certain origins provide some degree of handicap, like shattered ring, ocean paradise, and voidborn. Mixing some of those challenges in can keep you on your toes.

I've not tried megacorp but doesn't that build around trade value? I still don't understand trade value. I think trade value is just a fancy way if saying energy right?

So if a building gives 20 trade value, its just giving 20 energy?

Megacorp is the only build, in my opinion, where trade value is worth going after. In any other build I depopulate my clerk jobs. It is trade value, but it has many bonuses. You can also swap some of it, with a policy, for c.g. or unity.

But there's more to it than that. Start with a xenophile empire, and between that and a mercantile diplomatic stance, and everyone isn't trying to kill you quite so badly. (Maybe it would be good with federations and whatnot, but I dislike the federation politics of Stellaris, so I never engage.) But it's much easier to make vassals, and megacorp has a unique vassal, the subsidiary. You have to play tall, but you can tax heavily, which gives great income with far less micromanagement. You can make a subsidiary by negotiation or by war.

Another unique thing of megacorp is the ability to build branch offices. The offices produce huge amounts of energy, cumulatively, and in addition provide slots for good buildings, some of course better than others.

Anyway, those are just a few things why this build is quite unique, and, in my opinion, pile of fun. I'm just finishing a game of megacorp with enormous fleets, more influence and resources I know what do to with, I just conquered the FE, and I have three more empires to go. "We will make you buy our products, and you will be happy. Or we will kill you."

[Geoff]

Originally posted by Kalemenos:

"We will make you buy our products, and you will be happy. Or we will kill you."

Death before satisfaction. Long live the resistance!