Just to verify: Head of Research is the only way to increase research via leadership, correct?

[Steel Driver]

Title. I'm obviously used to the older system consisting of three researchers, so I feel like I'm missing something. Head of Research is the only way to increase research speed via leaders, right?

[gn_fighter]

Not quite.

Your Councilors can get the maniacal trait and the old expertise-traits which will work as long as they are on the council. Even if they are in a Council-Function other then Head of Research.

[Forblaze]

Every council position has an effect determined by the leader's skill. In Head of Research's example, it's +2% per level. A councilor's council traits always take effect regardless of the flavor around the name of the position, so a scientist in the Minister of Extravagance position will apply his Spark of Genius and Engineering Focus onto your science output just the same as a Head of Research will.

This makes it so that the leader types available for a position are probably more important than the effects of the position itself, since the pool of council traits will be determined by leader type.

[adobo]

You can stack scientists in your council and they'll apply all their research buffs. The actual position is irrelevant.

[BigTurnip]

You can start the game with 6% from your leader 10% from your head researcher and 10% from fanatical materialism that requires certain builds to pull off the above but its doable.

giving you 26% to all three. if you get lucky with your head researcher or there is a replacement in the pool with lvl 2 spark on them, then you can start the game with

32% research speed

Those numbers only go up its crazy broken compared to before.

And it only goes up from there.

[Duder]

No, as said above, It all stacks. Anyone in a councilor position with any research bonus adds to the total
The tooltips on the traits tell if it's a councilor trait or a leader trait

[𝒞𝒶𝓉𝓎𝒶♡]

Originally posted by BigTurnip:

You can start the game with 6% from your leader 10% from your head researcher and 10% from fanatical materialism that requires certain builds to pull off the above but its doable.

giving you 26% to all three. if you get lucky with your head researcher or there is a replacement in the pool with lvl 2 spark on them, then you can start the game with

32% research speed

Those numbers only go up its crazy broken compared to before.

And it only goes up from there.

This.

The +% modifiers can be QUITE high already 50-60 years in the game. Way more than on older updates. :D

On top of the usual ones, there are some thingies that can make funny combos, like i did get the Crystal of Odryskia relic, anytime used it gives insane credits, BUT it also has a chance to give a random Scientist the Maniacal trait. I got Maniacal trait now on ALL of my scientists, leveled versions of course already too. :D

There are some very nice combos/traits on how to get really high and fast research. Like yea, first match it was weird that had only 1 scientist doing the actual research instead of the old 3 different ones. But once got used to it, i like it. And yes, on Council can stack a few members for science. And switch when needed. Alltho personally i will keep my Lord Commander (or High Admiral) position there always, obligatory gigachad and my fleet can always use the extra love trait(s). Couple research oriented is enough for me, or even one if goddess tier.

Did yesterday get the achievement of Council members being over 100 years old. Oldies but goldies. Think oldest right now is 187yr old. X levels.

I get dopamine from even looking at my Council. I guess i get kicks from old people with good traits lmao.