The choice of ascension perks in Stellaris largely depends on your playstyle, the type of empire you’re leading, and your long-term goals. There isn’t a universally “best” set of ascension perks, as each has its advantages and suits different strategies. However, some perks are generally considered powerful and versatile across various playstyles:
1. Technological Ascendancy:
- Effect: +10% Research Speed.
- Why it’s good: Faster research allows you to stay ahead in technology, granting access to advanced ship components, buildings, and traditions faster than your rivals.
2. Imperial Prerogative:
- Effect: +5 Core Sector Systems.
- Why it’s good: More core systems mean you can directly control more planets without suffering a penalty to your empire’s efficiency, allowing for larger and more prosperous empires.
3. Mastery of Nature:
- Effect: Allows the clearing of tile blockers for 100 Engineering Research.
- Why it’s good: Clearing blockers without spending valuable influence allows you to optimize your planet’s development and maximize resource output.
4. Voidborne:
- Effect: Unlocks Megastructures (Habitats).
- Why it’s good: Habitats provide additional living space, allowing you to colonize space stations and optimize your population distribution. They’re excellent for expanding without the need for full planets.
5. One Vision:
- Effect: +10% Unity Output, -15% Ethics Divergence.
- Why it’s good: Increased Unity output speeds up tradition adoption, enabling you to unlock powerful tradition trees and their associated perks faster.
6. Galactic Force Projection:
- Effect: +80 Naval Capacity.
- Why it’s good: More naval capacity allows you to maintain larger fleets, essential for defending your empire and projecting power against rivals.
7. Galactic Wonders:
- Effect: Unlocks Megastructures (Dyson Sphere, Science Nexus, Sentry Array, Ring World).
- Why it’s good: Megastructures provide massive benefits, from vast energy production (Dyson Sphere) to unparalleled research output (Science Nexus) and strategic information gathering (Sentry Array).
8. Colossus Project:
- Effect: Unlocks Colossus ships capable of destroying entire planets.
- Why it’s good: Colossus ships provide a powerful deterrent and can be used as a means of asserting dominance, especially in late-game conflicts.
Remember, the best ascension perks for you depend on your current situation and your strategic goals. Adapt your choices based on your empire’s unique strengths and weaknesses, as well as the challenges presented by the galaxy around you.