Playing vanilla stellaris is probably the best for a beginner to learn the basics and fundamental game mechanics as it keeps it to the bare bones. These will generate science for you, and this is one of the only ways to keep boosting science output after you've filled all your building slots. Late-game you will want to transition towards Utopian Abundance living standards and build lots of city districts to house unemployed pops. Diplomacy is only useful for starting a federation, and Domination is not very useful. Prosperity and Harmony are also solid mid-game picks. You could very well take these three as your first three perks if you want. Your first tradition should be Expansion, Discovery, or Supremacy based on whether you want to prioritize eco-boom, tech-boom, or hard military. Tradition order isn't really any different. Normally unviable perks like Imperial Prerogative, Mastery of Nature, and Shared Destiny are all worth consideration just because you have nothing better to take. You should pretty much always take Interstellar Dominion, Technological Ascendancy, World Shaper, and One Vision. When you research the gene-modding techs, remove Deviants and add Communal (housing space is going to be important for you late-game!)Īscension perks are extremely limited without the DLC.

Traits are not locked behind any DLC, so go with Intelligent/Rapid Breeder/Natural Engineers/Unruly/Deviants. Go with the Meritocracy and Technocracy civics.

While slavery is quite OP in the full game, without Utopia it's nothing special and Egalitarian is a better bet. You don't exactly have much selection for origin without the DLC's, so just go with Prosperous Unification, it's solid and you can't go wrong.įor ethics, Egalitarian/Fanatic Materialist is probably your best bet.

How to play stellaris with all dlc free