A hive mind is a type of government and species identity that represents a collective consciousness or a singular hive intelligence shared by all members of the species. Hive Minds are one of the unique playstyles in the game, offering distinct mechanics and gameplay experiences. Here are the key aspects of Hive Minds in Stellaris:
- Shared Consciousness: In a hive mind society, all individuals are mentally linked, sharing thoughts and experiences. This shared consciousness eliminates individuality and ensures complete unity among the species.
- Unique Traits: Hive Minds have access to unique species traits that reflect their collective nature. These traits often provide bonuses related to unity, productivity, or other hive mind-specific abilities.
- No Factions: Unlike other forms of government in Stellaris, Hive Minds do not have factions within their empires. Factions are groups of citizens advocating for specific policies, but in a hive mind, there is no dissenting opinion due to the shared consciousness.
- Unity and Influence: Hive Minds generate Unity through buildings and decisions similar to other empires, but they do not use Influence to maintain edicts or interact with factions. Instead, they use Influence for unique hive mind-related decisions and projects.
- Population Growth: Hive Minds reproduce asexually, meaning they don’t require habitable planets to grow. Instead, they can colonize any planet, regardless of its habitability, and can even colonize planets that would be considered uninhabitable for other species.
- Consciousness Ethos: Hive Minds don’t have traditional ethics or government types. Instead, they have a Consciousness Ethos that represents their fundamental nature. For example, they could be Devouring Swarms, Determined Exterminators, or Driven Assimilators, each with its own unique mechanics and playstyle.
- Ascension Perks: Hive Minds have specific Ascension Perks related to their unique abilities. For instance, they can unlock the “Hive Worlds” perk, allowing them to transform any planet into a Hive World suitable for their population.
- Diplomacy: Hive Minds have limited diplomacy options with other empires because of their alien nature. They are often viewed with suspicion or fear by other species, making alliances and federations challenging to maintain.
Hive Minds offer a distinct way to experience Stellaris, emphasizing unity, expansion, and unique gameplay challenges related to their lack of individuality and limited diplomacy. Each type of Hive Mind (such as Devouring Swarm or Determined Exterminator) provides a different flavor of gameplay, allowing players to explore various aspects of collective intelligence in the vastness of space.