New to Stellaris? Start here

Surveying other solar systems is how you effectively explore the galaxy. While Surveying other systems you may discover other Planets and potential Resources.

To survey a system, go to the Galaxy Map (), select a Science Ship and right-click on a nearby system and choose "Survey System".

Anomalies are curiosities that you may discover when Surveying other systems. Researching them generally (but not always) results in beneficial events for your Empire.

The time it takes to Research an anomaly depends on its difficulty rating and the skill of the assigned Scientist. You can use the Situation Log () in the left side menu to return to the Anomalies you have left unresearched.

Technologies are divided into one of 3 areas:

Physics, Society, and Engineering.

You may research a technology in each area simultaneously.

Your Research speed is based on the amount of Research your Empire generates, which is produced by Buildings and Districts on colonized Planets, and by Research Stations in owned star systems.

The most effective way of expanding the borders of your Empire is through the construction of Starbases (Outposts). This can only be done in systems that have already been Surveyed.

To build a Starbase, order a Construction Ship to construct a Starbase. The presence of a Starbase allows for further construction of Research Stations and Mining Stations, as well as the colonization of any habitable Planets in the system.

Colonizing other planets allows your  Population to spread beyond its initial planet and gains you access to more Resources for your Empire. Some Planets are generally more habitable than others, so consider where you settle new Colonies.

To colonize a habitable planet, it must reside within the borders of your Empire, and have been surveyed by a Science ship.

Archaeological Sites can be discovered while Surveying or be uncovered after a Planet has been colonized.

As long as an Archaeological Site is within the borders of an Empire, that Empire can task a Science Ship to excavate the site. The duration of an excavation is determined by the difficulty rating of the Archaeological Site.

Basic Resources involve Energy Credits, Minerals and Food.

These resources are produced primarily by the Buildings on your Planets or by Mining Stations. The basic resources are all gathered and stockpiled on a monthly basis and ought to be quickly scouted, exploited, and developed.

Advanced Resources involve Alloys and Consumer Goods.

They are refined from Minerals by Buildings and Districts on colonized Planets.

Alloys have a military application, which is needed to construct Ships and Starbases. Consumer Goods represents the various gadgets, luxuries and goods necessary to keep your  Population content.

Abstract Resources represent the non-physical assets of Influence and Unity.

Influence is earned by having other Empires as Rivals or Protectorates. Influence is often spent on expanding your borders through Starbases and Claims or on enacting Edicts.

Unity is primarily gained from planetary buildings, and is used to adopt new Traditions.

Strategic Resources are rare and required to build and maintain advanced buildings and ship components. They are much harder to obtain than basic resources and are therefore also highly valued. Natural strategic resource deposits are always visible but require specific Technologies to exploit.

Trade is derived from civilian day-to-day economic activity.

If connected to your Capital Planet through a Trade Route, the Starbase will provide the  Trade Trade of a system in the form of Energy Credits, Consumer Goods or Unity, based on the trade policy of the Empire.

Planetary Management involves District Creation, Building Construction, managing the  Population and its growth, as well as setting up garrisons for planetary defenses.

Planets are a vital part of a galactic Empire as they provide the overwhelming majority of Resources and the  Population required for an Empire to grow and prosper.

All ships are constructed and repaired at Starbases where there is a Shipyard Module. Ships are classified into utility and military vessels.

Utility ships include Science Ships, Construction Ships and

Colony Ships.

Military Ships represent all armed vessels of an Empire and unlike utility ships they can be grouped together into Fleets that can be led by an Admiral

When encountering a new alien species for the first time, a series of challenges must be completed by an envoy. How you choose to handle these challenges will influence their opinion of your Empire.

Some civilizations have yet to develop the Technology necessary for interstellar space travel. By building an Observation Post that orbits their Planet, you may choose to observe and study them while gaining a boost to your Society Research. Or you may choose to uplift them with your superior technology.

Uplifted species become part of the Empire that uplifted them and also grants 500 Influence.

Envoys are minor Leaders and can be assigned to various diplomatic tasks, such as improving your relationship with another Empire or establishing contact with newly discovered Empires. Once an Envoy is assigned to a task it cannot be reassigned again for a year.

Envoys are vital in managing the Opinion of your Empire among the other civilizations out there.

Intelligence can be used to weaken or gain advantages over other Empires. The amount of information an Empire holds over another is represented by the Intel resource.

The more Intel you have on another Empire, the more accurate your information will be.

Empires that have met a majority of all other spacefaring civilizations will be invited to join the Galactic Community. Being a member allows them to vote on new laws in the senate. Laws that are passed will be enforced for all other members.

Fallen Empires are the stagnant remnants of the galactic powers of old. Though mere shadows of what they once were, they still possess incredibly advanced technology. Galactic affairs are of little interest to them, and they rarely venture beyond their own space.

Traditions are adopted using Unity and allows an Empire to specialize in a given direction, such as military and rapid expansion, or diplomacy and creating federations.

Completing a Tradition Tree allows the Empire to pick an Ascension Perk to further enhance itself.

Policies define our Empire's attitude towards various matters: how aggressive our Empire is, how we treat our  citizens, what we view as acceptable and what isn't.

Policies are different from Edicts in that they cost nothing to implement, but have effects on how other Empires are likely to view us.

Leaders are your Scientists, Commanders, and Officials.

You are advised to have leaders for your Military Fleets, for governing your newly colonized Planet and for leading your Science Ships that are sent on exploration missions.

Edicts are Empire modifiers with a fixed cost that an Empire may choose to apply. New edicts must be unlocked through research or events. Continuous edicts can be activated or deactivated anytime by spending Influence.

A happy  Population is a productive  Population.

But maintaining Happiness can be tricky, and if unhappiness is left unchecked, it can foster Unrest.

Fortunately, there are many ways to improve happiness on a Planet. Planetary Policies and Edicts, Civics, Species Rights, Buildings, and Ruler Traits can all positively affect Happiness.

Factions represent political parties and are supported by Pops with matching ethics. Fulfilling issues by a Faction will raise their Approval and the associated happiness of all Pops that has joined it. A happy faction will also generate Unity.

In order for an Empire to start a War, it needs a Casus Belli - a reason to declare War. A Casus Belli may range from merely humiliating a Rival to exterminating another species.

Wars can end in two ways: With the Surrender of either side or with a negotiated Status Quo peace.

Claims cost Influence and represent territorial ambitions.

During a War, Claims may be pressed to determine what Systems the victor will gain. It is possible to claim the same System multiple times to gain a stronger Claim on it, which can outbid the competing claims of Allies when going to War together.

To defend your Empire, it is important to have strong Military Fleets. Better military Technologies can be gained through Research that will allow you to upgrade your ships, as well as granting the capacity to maintain larger Fleets.

Winning battles across the stars is about adapting to the Enemy Loadout and using Effective Counters. Each offensive or defensive component has a countermeasure to it.

Starbases is your defensive cornerstones in your systems. Outposts in key locations can also be upgraded to Starports making it more capable in defending the system by giving it more slots for Defense Modules.

The self-defense capabilities of a Starbase can be reinforced with the construction of Defense Platforms. Defense Platforms are smaller military stations that are deployed around the Starbase and act as weapons platforms.

By default, Ship Designs will be auto generated and updated, but to get the edge over tougher opponents you may want to create ship designs that counter the hostile fleet. Shields are tough against lasers, but vulnerable to missiles, while a strong hull protects against ballistics better than against energy weapons.

A Crisis threatens the entire Galaxy and all life within it.

Rarely will you be ready to face a Crisis on your own. Each time a crisis conquers a Planet it causes diplomatic Threat with all Empires, making them more likely to cooperate against the Crisis.

Endgame Crises have a Situation Log () entry that keeps count of the casualties on both sides and shows how close the Crisis is to being defeated.