Eleanor Finch
Diplomacy in Stellaris is a complex system that offers an alternative to warmongering. Players can engage in diplomatic interactions with other empires, improve or harm relations, and form trade deals or alliances. The game also features ethics and attitude systems that influence diplomatic relations, where empires with similar ethics are more likely to engage in diplomacy. Additionally, players can use envoys to perform diplomatic tasks, such as improving or harming relations, espionage, and first contact. While the base game includes diplomacy features, some players suggest that the DLCs Federations, Overlord, and Nemesis expand upon these mechanics.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Envoy tasks | Improve Relations, Harm Relations, First Contact, Build Spy Network |
| Envoy reassignment | Cannot be reassigned for a year once assigned to a task |
| Opinion change | Improve Relations: +0.25 per month, Harm Relations: -0.5 per month |
| Treaty | Generates Trust, maximum Trust depends on most valuable treaty |
| Trust decay | -0.25 per month without new income |
| Diplomatic actions cooldown | 10 years |
| Fanatic Purifiers civic | Diplomacy only with empires of the same primary species |
| Determined Exterminator civic | Diplomacy only with Machine Intelligence authority or Mechanical main species |
| Devouring Swarm and Terravore civics | No diplomacy |
| Trade deals | Instant or monthly transfers of resources or assets |
| Long-term trade contracts | Only viable option once AI fills stockpile |
| Trade partners | Neutral or positive attitude |
| Gifts | Only accepted by empires with a negative attitude |
| Fallen empires trade | Only if patronizing or enigmatic |
| First Contact | AI generates a default attitude based on welcome message |
| Military and technological potential | Depends on tonnage of fleet, maximal potential tonnage, doctrine, and technological advancement |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Envoys can improve or harm relations
Envoys are minor leaders that can be assigned to perform various diplomatic tasks. They can be assigned to improve or harm relations with another empire. Improving relations grants +0.25 opinion per month to and from the target empire (up to +150) and removes the relation requirement for positive diplomatic actions. On the other hand, harming relations grants -0.5 opinion per month to and from the target empire (up to -150) and removes the relation requirement for negative diplomatic actions. Envoys can also be assigned to perform first contact and build a spy network.
It is important to note that once an envoy is assigned to a task, they cannot be reassigned for a year. Additionally, many diplomatic actions have a 10-year cooldown once chosen, and some require a certain level of relations or the presence of an envoy. Maintaining any form of lasting treaty generates Trust, which increases Opinion. The maximum amount of Trust obtainable is limited by the most valuable treaty between both parties. The Direct Diplomacy perk from the Diplomacy tradition tree grants a +50 trust cap. Trust decays by -0.25 per month if there is no new income.
When engaging in diplomacy, it is essential to consider the empire's specific attitude towards other empires, dictated by their AI personality, diplomatic interactions, and relative power. Certain ethics are more likely to align with each other, such as empires with similar ethics or those that complement each other. For example, Fanatic Xenophile paired with Spiritualist, Egalitarian, or Militarist. However, certain ethics are also despised by specific AI personalities, such as Materialists disliking Spiritualists and Evangelizing Zealots disliking Materialists.
The first contact between empires also plays a crucial role in diplomacy. The AI generates a default attitude based on the welcome message exchanged during first contact. A friendly message can lead to better chances for fluent diplomacy. Additionally, the diplomatic status of an empire, such as whether they are at war or have established embassies with other empires, can provide valuable information when deciding to engage in diplomatic relations.
Moral Diplomacy: A Catalyst for War?
You may want to see also
Trade deals
When it comes to trade willingness, an empire's openness to trading with other empires depends on their AI personality. Empires with lower trade willingness will require more favourable trade deals to consider them fair. Empires with less than 75% trade willingness will never make offers.
In addition to resources, several other things can be traded diplomatically:
- Communications: Valued based on the number of new contacts, but Enclaves are not included. Fallen Empires always refuse such trades.
- Active Sensor Link: Valued based on distance, with neighbouring empires having a greater interest. This allows the receiving empire to see everything the granting empire can see. Only available as a timed deal, and Fallen Empires always refuse.
- Transfer System: Only available towards neighbours during peacetime. It is the most valued trade option and can be used to offer to cede one of your star systems, usually non-preferred planets that are too expensive to terraform.
Players can also create two-way deals lasting a set amount of time, with most diplomatic actions being available as tradeable objects. It's worth noting that the AI can be unreasonable and may only accept deals that are blatantly in their favour. Additionally, some trade options may be false choices, as empires might never cede systems or exchange research agreements.
To improve your trade deals, consider the following strategies:
- Modify policies that your target empire dislikes to improve their attitude. For example, changing settings from "Allowed" to "Prohibited" can improve the attitude of local Pacifists/Xenophiles, making negotiations and trade easier.
- Rival the empires that your target empire is rivaling. This can provide a +25 opinion modifier for each common rival. However, be cautious to avoid incurring the wrath of a superior empire just for the sake of a trade agreement.
- Gift research agreements or map information. This costs nothing and can sometimes provide a "favourable trade" boost of around 50 points.
- Use Migration Treaties and Border Closures: Allow nations to trade resources for open borders, and include these options in the trade window.
The Voter's Behavior: Engagement and Beyond
You may want to see also
First contact
When establishing first contact, the AI generates a default attitude based on your welcome message. A friendly message will increase the chances of fluent diplomacy. The welcome message can also provide insights into the empire's style of rule and attitude, which can help you tailor your approach.
Before making first contact, it's essential to consider the empire's ethics and how they align with your own. Empires with similar ethics are more likely to engage in diplomacy. For example, the Fanatic Purifiers civic can only engage in diplomacy with empires of the same primary species, and they will have a negative opinion towards other empires unless they are also Fanatic Purifiers. Similarly, empires with the Determined Exterminator civic can only engage in diplomacy with Machine Intelligence or Mechanical main species.
Additionally, certain ethics are more likely to be well-received by specific AI personalities. For instance, Materialists may dislike Spiritualists, while Evangelizing Zealots dislike Materialists. Fanatic Xenophile, combined with either Spiritualist or Egalitarian, is considered one of the most ideal ethics for diplomacy.
When approaching first contact, it's also worth considering the empire's military and technological potential. This can be estimated by looking at the number of planets they control and their fleet tonnage and doctrine. This information can help you assess the potential power of their army.
Corporations and Campaigns: Political Financing Explored
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Ethics alignment
When establishing connections, pay attention to the welcome message during First Contact, as it sets the default attitude of the AI empire towards you. A friendly message bodes well for future diplomatic relations. The diplomacy window provides valuable information about the empire, including their ethics, political system, and race appearance. This information can guide your negotiations and help you understand their style of rule and attitude.
To improve relations, you can assign envoys to specific tasks, such as improving relations with another empire, which grants a positive opinion modifier over time. Trade deals are another effective way to foster diplomacy, as they often yield better deals than the market. However, trading requires a neutral or positive attitude between empires, and empires with a negative attitude will only accept gifts without reciprocation.
It's worth noting that certain empire civics impose restrictions on diplomacy. For instance, the Fanatic Purifiers civic limits diplomacy to empires of the same primary species, and they will have a -1000 opinion towards each other unless they share the same civic. Similarly, the Determined Exterminator civic restricts diplomacy to empires with Machine Intelligence authority or a Mechanical main species. Understanding these ethical alignments and restrictions is key to navigating diplomacy effectively in Stellaris.
Measuring Political Campaign Success: Pre-Election Indicators
You may want to see also
Opinion and attitude
The AI generates a default attitude during the first contact, based on the welcome message it receives. A friendly message can lead to smoother diplomacy. The number of planets and population slots controlled by an empire can also influence its attitude, as it provides an estimate of their military strength.
Ethics play a significant role in shaping the opinions and attitudes of empires. Empires with similar ethics are more likely to engage in diplomacy. For example, empires with the Fanatic Purifiers civic can only engage in diplomacy with empires of the same primary species, and they will have a negative opinion towards each other unless they are also Fanatic Purifiers. Certain ethics are favoured or despised by specific AI personalities. For instance, Materialists may dislike Spiritualists, while Evangelizing Zealots dislike Materialists.
To improve relations and shape opinions, players can use envoys, who can be assigned to tasks like improving or harming relations with another empire, resulting in monthly opinion adjustments. Trade deals can also impact opinion; breaking long-term trade contracts can lead to an opinion penalty. Additionally, diplomatic trades can offer better deals than the market, and Gestalt Consciousness empires will trade for consumer goods or Zro despite having no use for them.
Harris' Speech: What Time Is It On?
You may want to see also
