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Crisis
A crisis is an event that threatens the entire
galaxy and all life within it. There are two types of VERSION
crises: those caused by outside entities that make This article has been verified for the current PC version
an appearance after the game reaches either the (3.14) of the game.
mid or
endgame
phase, and
those caused
by player and
AI empires
becoming the
crisis
themselves
(except Fallen
Empires).

The galaxy about to fight the Extradimensional Invaders

Contents
Mechanics
General mechanics
Midgame crises
Endgame crises
 Damage modifiers
EndgameParadox Wikis Search
crisis factions
Prethoryn Scourge
Prethoryn fleets
Sentinel Order
Captured Queens
Feral Prethoryn
Successfully repelling the Prethoryn Swarm
Extradimensional Invaders
The Aberrant and the Vehement
Extradimensional fleets
Successfully repelling the Extradimensional Invaders
Contingency
The Ghost Signal
Contingency espionage
Contingency fleets
The Cybrex
Ancient Caretakers
Successfully repelling the Contingency
The Synthetic Queen
The Synthetic Queen's opinion
Cetana's Rewards
Cetana's Work
Requests
Weak Links
The Synthetic Queen's fleets
The Shroud ending
Player crisis
Galactic Nemesis
Cosmogenesis
Post-Cosmogenesis galaxy
References

Mechanics

General mechanics

Crises arrive into the galaxy at certain points of the game and tend to attack all empires
indiscriminately in a manner similar to a Total War; systems conquered by a crisis faction will
either be immediately absorbed into their territory or will have their starbases completely
destroyed, depending on the crisis. Each time a crisis conquers a planet, it causes diplomatic
Threat with all empires, making them more likely to cooperate against the crisis. Fallen Empires
Paradox
will send their Wikis
fleets against Search
a Crisis if it approaches their borders and may even awaken to help
fight it.

In general, crisis factions are removed from diplomacy and cannot be negotiated with like
common empires. Certain types of governments or traditions are able to communicate with some
crisis factions and gain extra bits of loreful conversation. The arrival of a crisis faction will cause a
Galactic Focus resolution to fight them to become available in the galactic community.

The Crisis Strength galaxy setting and the various difficulty bonuses increase the hull, shield,
armor, and damage of crisis factions, but not the ship fire rate. These bonuses affect both
midgame and endgame crises, with the former getting a fraction of the bonus. Having a crisis
active in the galaxy will stop the game from ending, even if the Victory Year has been reached.

Midgame crises

Midgame crises occur during the midgame phase of the game and, while having a smaller impact
than endgame events, are capable of notably reshaping the current state of the galaxy. Rather
than following the same mechanics of the endgame crises noted below, midgame crises tend to be
locked to specific DLC mechanics which can be individually disabled during game creation.

The list of midgame crises are:

The Great Khan's Horde

The Gray Tempest
The Formless
The Voidworm Plague

Endgame crises

Endgame crises can only happen if they haven't been disabled in the galaxy settings. Normally
only one crisis can happen per game, but if the Crisis Type setting was set to All, then all of them
will eventually happen and each one will be twice more powerful than the previous one.

The base start year for the endgame crisis is 25 years after the start of the endgame. This is
reduced as follows:
 Paradox Wikis
Start year Search
Requirements

Either:

Completed the Ancient Robot World archaeological site, chose a "bad" outcome, and
Prior to the rolled the 50% chance (endgame_crisis_early_start global flag)
endgame start year
Both the Extradimensional Experimentation and Galactic Threats Committee
resolutions have been passed

Either:

The War in Heaven cannot be fired, or already has been completed

Endgame start year
Any country has either Jump Drives or Psi Jump Drives (but not fallen
empires)

25 years after
No conditions
endgame start year

In addition, an endgame crisis cannot be triggered if another crisis is active. This means either a
minimum of twelve years since a crisis was triggered (regardless of type), or if a crisis currently
exists on the galactic map.

An endgame crisis is triggered by a dice roll performed once every five years, and the chances
generally increase the more time has passed in the endgame. The Prethoryn, Contingency and
Synthetic Queen generally have the same weights in the code. The following is a non-exhaustive
list of examples of the chances that may be calculated based on the state of the galaxy, assuming
the Machine Age DLC is active:

Chances for each crisis (rolled once every five

Condition
years)

No special conditions:
Nothing: 61%
Crisis Type is set to "Any" or "All" Prethoryn Scourge: 10.2%
War in Heaven cannot be fired or has already Unbidden: 8.2%
concluded Contingency: 10.2%
25-34 years have passed since the endgame start date Synthetic Queen: 10.2%

Some early triggers:

Crisis Type is set to "Any" or "All" Nothing: 96.7%

War in Heaven can be fired or is currently underway Unbidden: 3.2%
0-24 years have passed since endgame start date

Exceptionally early start:

Completed the Ancient Robot World site and rolled the Nothing: 1.2%
flag Prethoryn Scourge: 30.8%
Crisis Type is set to "Any" or "All" Unbidden: 6.2%
War in Heaven cannot be fired or has already been Contingency: 30.8%
concluded Synthetic Queen: 30.8%
Before the endgame start date

Chances for an endgame crisis increases at certain intervals: the weight doubles at after 35 years
and 50 years after the endgame start date, triples after 70 and 85 years, and quadruples after 100
years (all of which stack). A crisis has zero chance to occur if it has already occured, and its weight
is tripled if it was specifically selected in the galaxy settings (with the others having their chances
set to zero).Paradox Wikis
The Unbidden Search
has it's weight halved if less than 20 years have passed since the
endgame start date.

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. During an endgame crisis, an audio cue will play
in the background and grow more pronounced the more systems are controlled by the crisis.

Once an endgame crisis arrives, the following things will happen:

If the Galactic Community or Galactic Imperium exists, a Galactic Focus resolution to fight the
crisis will become available.
If the Enigmatic Observers or Keepers of Knowledge fallen empires are present, they
can awaken as Guardians of the Galaxy, and may also do so if they had already awakened
beforehand. The Ancient Caretakers will also awaken, but only if the crisis is the
Contingency.
The Shroud-Touched Coven will disappear if present.
Empires with the Fear of the Dark origin will receive a bonus to ship build speed and cost.

If an endgame crisis is defeated, every empire will receive +10% Happiness for 10 years and a
large reward of Unity.

Damage modifiers

Endgame crises each possess their own mechanics and ship components, meaning the best means
to combat one may not be as effective on another; strategies for combating each individual crisis
faction can be found on their respective sub-sections. However, there are a number of damage
modifiers which apply to all crisis factions, making them useful in all cases:

Damage to endgame crisis factions [Expand]

Endgame crisis factions

Prethoryn Scourge

The Prethoryn Scourge is a swarm of hive-minded alien locusts

from beyond the galaxy, arriving for the purpose of devouring all
life. The crisis begins with a notice about subspace echoes
beyond the galaxy that are approaching. Immediately a Situation
Log notice called "The Coming Storm" is added.

In roughly 50 years, they will be close enough to get the general

direction of the swarm. A system at the edge of the galaxy will be
marked as the center of the Invasion. The system cannot be The Prethoryn Scourge
within or near a Fallen or Awakened Empire. The closest 5
systems are marked for the vanguard fleets. 10 years later, a
transmission will be received from the swarm.
30 months later, the Vanguard will arrive with 12 fleets and 5 construction ships. At this point the
Prethoryn Paradox Wikis
Scourge appears in the contact log but cannot beSearch
communicated with. If an empire's
primary species has the Hive-Minded or Psionic traits, it will be able to communicate with
the crisis but diplomacy remains impossible.

200–600 days after the vanguard, the main invasion fleet will arrive at the center system. In each
vanguard system, 3 Star Brood, 3 Transport Fleets and one construction ship will spawn.

The Prethoryn Scourge uses the following mechanics:

The Prethoryn species itself is immortal so their Commanders will never die of old age.
Every year, the Prethoryn Scourge gains the following ships:
If they have fewer than 4 Infestors, they get 5 Infestors
If they have fewer than 4 Constructors, they get 3 Constructors
If they have fewer than 140 armies, they get 20 armies
(every 2 years) If they have fewer than 2000 ships and at least 1 Infested World, they
get 2 Star Brood fleets. The number is increased to 3 if they control at least 20% of the
galaxy and to 4 if they control at least 40% of the galaxy.
The Prethoryn Scourge will attack planets that contain biological pops first.
Each fleet will take systems in a way similar to Total Wars.
The Prethoryn Scourge use Infestors as colony ships. They will land on uncolonized habitable
planets and when the colony development process is complete, the planet is turned into an
Infested World. As with regular colony development, any orbital bombardment will
instantly interrupt the process.
Prethoryn transports will invade inhabited worlds. If they occupy the world, they will begin to
purge the pops. If the world it not reclaimed until all pops are killed, it will turn into an
Infested World.
Infested Planets cannot be invaded. In order to get rid of the infestation, infested planets must
be bombarded until Devastation reaches 100%, at which point they will turn into a
Barren World with the Terraforming Candidate modifier.
If the Scourge overruns a habitable megastructure, it will destroy it and it cannot be rebuilt.

Audio Cue: As the Prethoryn Scourge infests more of the galaxy, soft chewing sounds will start
to be heard in the background.

Prethoryn fleets

Vanguard fleets consist of 31 Swarmlings led by a commander with the Void Hunter trait. Star
Brood fleets consist of 1 Queen, 8 Brood Mothers, 10 Warriors, and 35 Swarmlings led by a
commander that has a 25% chance to have the Hive Affinity trait.

Prethoryn Ships have natural armor despite not using armor components. The stats of their
weapons are determined by the Crisis Strength setting. Scourge Missiles and Swarm Strikers can
be reverse-engineered. Their bio-drives and thrusters are identical to tier 1 drives and thrusters
while their bio sensors are identical to tier 2 sensors.
 Swarmling Warrior Brood Mother Queen Starbase
Paradox Wikis
1 Scourge 3 Scourge 4 Swarm
Search
4 Scourge 5 Scourge
Missile Missile Strikers Missile Missile
2 Acid Blast 2 Acid Blast 2 Acid Blast 3 Acid Blast 5 Acid Blast
1 Regenerative 1 Regenerative 1 Regenerative 3 Swarm 3 Swarm
Hull Tissue Hull Tissue Hull Tissue Strikers Strikers
Bio Drive Bio Drive Bio Drive 1 Regenerative 1 Regenerative
Bio Sensor Bio Thrusters Bio Thrusters Hull Tissue Hull Tissue
Bio Drive Bio Sensor
Picket tactics Bio Sensor Bio Sensor
Bio Thrusters
Line tactics Artillery tactics
Bio Sensor
Artillery tactics

Sentinel Order

If the Prethoryn Scourge controls either 15% of the

galaxy or 90 systems, the Sentinel Order will
spawn. If a Fallen or Awakened Empire is present,
it will spawn next to its borders, otherwise it will
spawn next to the borders of a random empire. A
new black hole system will be spawned for them
and they have Fallen Empire level tech, although
Sentinel Fleet
their fleets will lack strength from repeatable
technologies. Every few years, the Sentinels will
create a fleet as long as they have below 200 ships.
Sentinel fleets use the ship appearance of all species archetypes except DLC ones and use top-tier
components. Their initial fleet also includes a Fallen Empire titan. Sentinel commanders have the
Sentinel Training trait.

If the Prethoryn Scourge controls at least 50% of the galaxy, the Sentinels will make a
breakthrough in swarm anatomy, giving every empire the Sentinel Data permanent empire
modifier.

Every few years, as long as the Sentinels have more than 30 ships, they will offer a one time
donation of ships to an empire that destroyed at least 7 Prethoryn fleets and did not attack the
Sentinels. Those fleets do not use Naval Capacity and cannot be upgraded. Each fleets consist
of the following:
 1 battlecruiser 1 battleship 1 cruiser 4 escorts 4 destroyers 8 corvettes
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1 Lance T2 Artillery T2 1 1 Plasma
2 Laser T5 2 5 Launcher T2 T3 1 Torpedo
4 Disruptor Plasma T3 Plasma T3 4 2 Plasma T2
Weapons
T3 5 2 Point- Plasma T3 T3 1
2 Strike Plasma T3 Defense T3 4 Point- 2 Point- Autocannon T3
Craft T3 2 Point- Defense T3 Defense T3
Defense T3

3 Shield
4 Shield
1 Shield 3 Shield T6 3 Shield 1 Shield
T6
T5 T5 3 Armor T5 T5
Utility 4 Armor T5
5 Armor 3 Armor T5 3 Armor 1 Armor
2 Shield T5 T5 T5 T5
1 Shield
Capacitor
Capacitor

Zero Dark
Zero
Dark Point Matter Zero Zero Point
Point Reactor
Matter Reactor Reactor Reactor Point Reactor Reactor
Impulse
Dark Impulse Dark Impulse Impulse
Thrusters
Matter Thrusters Matter Thrusters Thrusters
Thrusters Tachyon Thrusters
Tachyon Tachyon Tachyon
Tachyon Sensors Tachyon
Core Sensors Sensors Sensors
Sensors Hyper Sensors
Hyper Hyper Hyper
Jump Drive Drive III Jump
Drive III Drive III Drive III
Drive
Sapient Advanced Advanced
Advanced Sapient
Combat Advanced Combat Combat
Combat
Computer Combat Combat Computer Computer
Computer
(Line) Computer Computer (Picket) (Swarm)
(Artillery)
(Line) (Picket)

The sentinels do not expand. A few weeks after the Prethoryn Scourge has been defeated they will
disband.

Captured Queens

There are two queens who can be captured. The first is the Prethoryn Brood-Queen Relic,
which has a 1% chance to be obtained after winning a random space battle against a Star Brood
fleet and can only be obtained by one empire.

The second is an incapacitated queen that can appear in a random system inside Prethoryn space,
if the Prethoryn Scourge is not defeated within a number of decades. A special project will become
available there to every empire to tame the queen, and the first empire that completes it will gain
the domesticated queen as a fleet led by an unchangeable level 8 Fleet Consciousness
Commander. Roughly every two months, the queen has a 33% chance to add a Warrior to the fleet
and a 66% chance to add a Swarmling to the fleet, until the fleet has 30 ships. In addition, roughly
100 years later, if the queen is still alive and the main species is Psionic, the queen will reveal
Paradox
that the galaxy Wikisspecies came from has been extinguished or eclipsed by something
the Prethoryn Search
and the empire will gain 1000-5000 monthly Physics research.

Feral Prethoryn

For 15 years after the Prethoryn Scourge has been defeated, every year there is a 10% chance that,
on a system with a previously infested planet, a Feral Prethoryn starbase and 3 Feral Prethoryn
fleets will appear. They will not expand but may roam the surrounding systems and fight other
Feral Prethoryn swarms. Roaming fleets are made up of 56 Swarmlings.

Successfully repelling the Prethoryn Swarm

Prethoryn Swarm entities are heavily armored, attack enemies with missiles and strike craft,
along with some acid bursts. Swarmlings possess Corvette-level evasion.

Since all their weapons either ignore or cause major damage to shields, and work equally well
against armor and hull, combat fleets should protect themselves with point defense, strikecraft,
and armor. Use energy weapons that deal bonus damage against both armor and hull to attack.
Arc Emitters work well too; if you build Arc Emitter battleships, hangars will naturally be a good
support weapon for them.

Empires which lack the means to directly counter the Scourge’s fleets should immediately focus
on containing its expansion instead. Keeping multiple small fleets of corvettes or destroyers to
hunt down their civilian ships and stopping infestations is a viable strategy to limit the spread of
the Scourge, as they will send otherwise engage fleets to try and stop your efforts. Do note that
smaller ships will be highly vulnerable to Swarm Strikers if caught in a direct fight.

If an important planet falls to a Prethoryn invasion, it will take much longer for them to infest it
compared to uninhabited planets, as purging takes much longer than infestation. Infested planets
are immediately turned into barren planets once they take enough planet damage. Since the
Swarm only can infest habitable worlds, it is possible to starve them by cornering them and
launching surgical strikes toward their planets to render them uninhabitable, thus widening the
gap between them and any infestable territory. The Prethoryn will pull any fleets from
surrounding systems to defend their planets, so fleets targeting Prethoryn planets must be
prepared to face multiple swarm fleets if those have not been dealt with already. AI Empires in
particular will use such hit-and-run tactics against infested planets.

Another feasible strategy is to get a Colossus into the area where the Crisis will spawn and
breaking all of the planets to starve them. Putting your best fleets near the edge of the invasion
zone is also helpful, stationing them at the ending for any wormholes leading out of the invasion
zone is a must.

Prethoryn "Star Brood" fleets are composed of at least one Queen, escorted by Warrior and Brood
Mother battleship equivalents, with Spawnling corvettes making up the bulk of the fleet combat
strength. A fleet equipped with long-range weapons can expect to destroy a number of Spawnlings
before the Prethoryn units are able to return fire, at which point emergency FTL can be used to
avoid casualties altogether. By repairing and repeating, this guerrilla tactic can wear down
Prethoryn fleets until they are small enough to defeat in a full confrontation.
Salvage should not be forgotten as it unlocks their missiles. Their starbases are equally good
Paradoxwhile
sources of technology Wikis
being much easier targets. Search

Extradimensional Invaders

The Extradimensional Invaders are energy beings from another

dimension who invade the galaxy with the intent of devouring the
lifeforce of every species in it. The crisis begins with a note about a
massive power surge somewhere in the galaxy.

Immediately, in a non-pulsar system outside the borders of a Fallen

Empire, a Dimensional Portal, a portal starbase and the main Unbidden
fleet will emerge. If the system lies within the borders of an empire, the
starbase is instantly destroyed. 15 days later, a second fleet will emerge.
Another 15 days later, a third fleet will emerge, contact with the
The Unbidden
Unbidden will open and the location of the Dimensional Portal will be
added to the Situation Log. Fleets will destroy starbases in systems,
turning them into unclaimed territory, while constructors will build
starbases in unclaimed systems.

Extradimensional Invaders will focus their attacks on a single empire. If an empire’s ruler has the
Chosen One trait, that will be the target. Otherwise, empires with a Psionic main species
will be targeted first.

If an Extradimensional fleet reaches an undefended planet, it will drain life from orbit. When
Devastation reaches 100%, the planet is turned into a Barren World with the
Terraforming Candidate modifier. Habitable megastructures will be destroyed and cannot be
rebuilt. Extradimensional fleets ignore FTL Inhibitors.

The Dimensional Portal cannot be destroyed until all Dimensional Anchors are destroyed. These
are located in systems highlighted in the Galaxy Map, improve shields hardening for
Extradimensional fleets in the system by 50% and have perfect cloaking detection. The portal will
remain guarded by the main Extradimensional fleet. If the portal system is attacked, then the
invaders will recall all of their ships to aid in its defense. If the starbase in the portal system is
destroyed, all fleets will remain to guard the system until it is rebuilt, halting their expansion. The
empire that destroys the last Dimensional Portal will gain the Extradimensional Warlock
Relic as well as a temporary Opinion bonus from everyone.

The Extradimensional Invaders get additional fleets 55, 90, 180, 265, 340, 425 and 550 days after
the portal spawns. Afterwards, unless they have more than 2000 ships, they will receive smaller
reinforcement fleets through the portal at regular intervals, with the interval being lower if they
have more starbases:

0 Starbases: 1500 days, ±200

1 Starbases: 1300 days, ±200
2 Starbases: 1100 days, 200
3 Starbases: 900 days, ±200
4 Starbases: 600 days, ±200
5 Starbases: 400 days, ±200
 6 Starbases: 400 days, ±200
Paradox
7 Starbases: Wikis
300 days, ±100 Search
8 Starbases: 250 days, ±50
9 Starbases: 200 days, ±50
10+ Starbases: 150 days, ±50

It should be noted that unlike the other crises, which provide warning several years in advance,
the Extradimensional Invaders will arrive instantly and with no indication of where the portal will
open.

Audio Cue: As the Extradimensional Invaders consume more of the galaxy, a faint wind will be
heard in the background.

The Aberrant and the Vehement

When the Unbidden borders cover either 15% of the galaxy or 90

systems, a second extradimensional portal will open, bringing up
another faction called the Aberrant. A few years later, a third portal
bringing a third faction called the Vehement will open. While all three
factions will be hostile towards everything, they are also hostile towards
each other.

The new factions have a far shorter delay for the Initial Fleet spawns (1,
5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 150, 350) in order to bring them on even ground with
the Unbidden.
The Aberrant

Extradimensional fleets

Unbidden, Aberrant and Vehement ships use different names but are
identical save for color. All components can be reverse-engineered,
including their unique weapons.

Initial fleets consist of 8 battleships, 12 cruisers and 20 escorts led by a

commander that has a 50% chance to have the Dimensional Stutter
or Ethereal trait.

Reinforcement fleets consist of 5 battleships, 8 cruisers and 15 escorts

led by a commander that has a 50% chance to have the Dimensional The Vehement

Stutter or Ethereal trait.

Portal fleets consist of 20 battleships, 30 cruisers and 45 escorts led by a commander with the
Ethereal trait.
 Destroyer Cruiser Battleship Starbase Portal Starbase
Paradox Wikis
3 Matter 1 Matter 3 Matter
Search
4 Matter 6 Matter
Disintegrator Disintegrator Disintegrator Disintegrator Disintegrator
5 Psionic 3 Matter 4 Matter 2 Matter 6 Matter
Shield Disintegrator Disintegrator Disintegrator Disintegrator
Psi Jump Drive 2 Matter 2 Matter 2 Arc Defense 6 Matter
Sensor T4 Disintegrator Disintegrator Field Disintegrator
1 Arc Defense 2 Arc Defense 10 Psionic 6 Arc Defense
Line tactics
Field Field Shield Field
5 Psionic 5 Psionic Sensor T4 10 Psionic
Shield Shield Shield
Psi Jump Drive Psi Jump Drive Sensor T4
Sensor T4 Sensor T4 Dimensional
Line tactics Line tactics Stabilizer

Successfully repelling the Extradimensional Invaders

Extradimensional ship health is about one third hull, two thirds shield with no armor, so using
fleets with only kinetic weapons is very effective. Explosive weapons can also be very effective as
the Invaders have lackluster point defense and no shield hardening except in systems with a
Dimensional Anchor (which provides +50% hardening.) In terms of fleet composition, focus on
Battleships with Giga Cannons and Kinetic Batteries, combined with Titans using the shield
dampening aura. Alternative fleet compositions are Whirlwind Missile cruisers, Focused Arc
Emitter battleships, or carriers (either cruisers or battleships). In terms of defense, the Invaders
solely use energy weapons, so a focus on shield modules is ideal. Their weapons also have poor
range, so increasing sublight speed can allow artillery ships to kite them from a safe distance.

Since Extradimensional Invader ships do not use any armor, luring fleets to fight in systems with
Pulsar stars can be advantageous as it nullifies their shields while the player’s fleet can use armor.
Space Storms also disable all shields, providing a similar advantage to an armor using fleet and
the Zroni Storm Caster can be used to create a storm in a system. Because these systems will also
disable the player's shields however, and because Extradimensional Invader weapons still deal
bonus damage to armor, the best case scenario is to fight the Unbidden after they have just left
any system which nullifies shields. This allows the player to use shielded ships while the Invaders
are still recharging their shields.

The player has multiple strategic choices when faced with these Extradimensional Invaders:

A quick rush after the portal opening might be possible. However, one must be able to quickly
dispatch the portal guards and initial fleets as they spawn, which requires very powerful fleets.
Unlike other crises, their initial invasion fleets are much stronger than reinforcements. If the
player can effectively clear their initial fleets, reinforcements shouldn't be a problem since
they're much weaker than initial ones.
Salvage should not be forgotten as it unlocks their unique weapons. The starbases are
equally good sources of technology as the fleets while being much easier targets. However,
the Matter Disintegrator weapons are anti-armor and hull, and the Extradimensionals use no
armor on their ships, so replacing your weaponry with these is a bad idea to fight the
invaders.
 If the Extradimensional Invaders have claimed many systems before normal empires can
Paradox
strike back, Wikis
the player Searchand construction ships,
should focus on destroying their starbases
since starbases will reduce reinforcement interval.

The arrival of the other Extradimensionals are a mixed blessing. On one hand, they might appear
in the rear of a large empire or alliance, threatening important worlds and thus the defense
against the existing Factions. On the other, all Extradimensional factions will begin to fight each
other, potentially causing major damage to one another. Once engaged in combat there, the
enemy fleets will have difficulty defending any of their starbases and even the portal itself, making
this a crucial opening to strike at such critical targets.

Available only with the Astral Planes DLC enabled.

If the Formless were not destroyed at the end of their situation, they can be contacted while the
Unbidden are present, offering some lore and advice on defeating them. The latter option costs
2000 Astral Threads and grants the "Secrets of the Unbidden" modifier, granting +10%
damage against them. If the Aberrant and Vehement spawn, the Formless provide an identical
damage buff for each of them as well, but the cost must be paid separately for each faction.

Contingency

The Contingency is an ancient, frenzied artificial

intelligence whose purpose is to sterilize all life in
the galaxy once it reaches a certain level of
technological advancement, wiping out all organics
and also all synthetics who fail to fall under its
control. The crisis begins with a signal dubbed the
Ghost Signal bouncing across the galaxy. Every
year, each empire will be affected by an event, in
the following order:

1. Every biological empire that has the The Contingency

Artificial Administration and Mechanical
pops and every machine empire will lose a
robot pop.
2. Every biological empire that has the Artificial Administration and Mechanical pops will
lose a robot pop.
3. Every empire will get a notification about galaxy-wide synthetic disappearances.
4. Every empire will get a notification about the Ghost Signal growing stronger.

A year after the final event, the Contingency will activate. Every 50 days, one of 4 random
uninhabitable planets will transform into a Sterilization Hub AI World and spawn a defense
station, 3 attack fleets, and 3 construction ships and an army fleet. The planets are determined at
galaxy generation, so reloading a save will not alter the result. The hubs cannot be invaded and
must instead be bombed until they reach 50% Devastation, at which point they turn into
broken planets with a deposit of Energy, Minerals and Living Metal and may unlock
the technology to harvest it. Colossus owners can also use a World Cracker, Global Pacifier or
Divine Enforcer on sterilization hubs, though the worlds will not gain a Living Metal deposit
unless this Paradox
is done with Wikis Search
a Divine Enforcer. The Contingency will initially try to occupy the systems
between the various AI Worlds in order to become a continuous empire.

When a planet is captured by the Contingency, it immediately starts the process by purging all
pops. If the planet is recaptured, the purges will stop and the planet returns to the original owner.
If the purge is completed, the planet changes control over to the Contingency. 3 Mechanical
pops called Custodian Bots are spawned but the planets will not reinforce the Contingency. Unlike
Sterilization Hubs, purged planets can be captured in ground combat. Unlike other crises, the
Contingency does not ruin ring world segments or habitats.

After all Sterilization Hubs are destroyed, a new system will appear at the ends of the galaxy. The
system contains a 5th and final AI world, Nexus Zero-One, guarded by 1 Final Core and 4 AI Core
Stations. When Nexus Zero-One is destroyed, the Contingency deactivates, all its ships self-
destruct, infiltration events and special projects end and the Ghost Signal is removed. The empire
that destroys Nexus Zero-One will gain the Isolated Contingency Core Relic. The planet does
not create any deposit when destroyed.

Contingency fleets ignore FTL Inhibitors.

Audio Cue: As the Contingency sterilizes more of the galaxy a mainframe will start to be heard
in the background.

The Ghost Signal

After the Contingency activates, the Ghost Signal will start to affect every synthetic pop and even
ships with the Sapient Combat Computer. It is measured in 5 levels and starts at 5. The Ghost
Signal will lose strength each time a Sterilization Hub is destroyed, lessening its effects.

Machine empires are affected less, but given that most if not all their pops are robots, the
effect is greater on them. They will get a special project to remove its effects that costs
2000+70*Pop Engineering. If the Quasi-Dimensional Reflection technology has been
researched, the cost is reduced to 2000+50*Pop Engineering.

Autonomous Ship Intellects used by Gestalt Consciousness empires are immune to the
Ghost Signal.

Synthetically Ascended species are also immune to the Ghost Signal, however any mechanical
pops built by these empires that aren't considered part of their main species of synths will be
affected.

Sapient Contingency Contingency

Ghost
Combat Machine fleet army
Signal Mechanical
Computer pop penalty reinforcements reinforcements
strength pop penalty
penalty (per hub) (per hub)
5 −70% −50% −40% one fleet every one army every
Energy Fire Rate Energy 1600 days +/- 200 700 days +/- 200
Production Production
 −70% −5 −40%
Paradox
Minerals Wikis
Tracking Minerals
Search
Production Production
−70% −40%
Research Research
Production Production
−70% −40%
Unity Unity
Production Production
−70% −40%
Government Government
Ethics Ethics
Attraction Attraction
−55% −25%
Energy Energy
Production Production
−55% −25%
Minerals Minerals
Production Production
−55% −40% −25%
Research Fire Rate Research one fleet every one army every
4
Production −4 Production 1500 days +/- 200 1000 days +/- 200
−55% Tracking −25%
Unity Unity
Production Production
−55% −25%
Government Government
Ethics Ethics
Attraction Attraction
−40%
Energy
Production
−40%
Minerals
Production
−40% −30%
Research Fire Rate one fleet every one army every
3 no effect
Production −3 1400 days +/- 200 1300 days +/- 200
−40% Tracking
Unity
Production
−40%
Government
Ethics
Attraction
 −25%
Paradox
Energy Wikis Search
Production
−25%
Minerals
Production
−25% −20%
Research Fire Rate one fleet every one army every
2 no effect
Production −2 1300 days +/- 200 1600 days +/- 200
−25% Tracking
Unity
Production
−25%
Government
Ethics
Attraction
−10%
Energy
Production
−10%
Minerals
Production
−10% −10%
Research Fire Rate
1 no effect no reinforcements no reinforcements
Production −1
−10% Tracking
Unity
Production
−10%
Government
Ethics
Attraction

Contingency espionage

Unlike other crises, the Contingency also uses espionage. The first infiltration attempt will
invariably fail. The second infiltration will happen 120 days afterwards and will make every
empire targetable for infiltration events. Every year each empire has a 30% chance to get an
infiltration event. Paragon leaders cannot be targeted by these events.

Biological empires can get the following events:

10% chance a Commander is killed.

10% chance a scientist is killed.
10% chance a random starbase is destroyed.
 10% chance random planet gets −20 Stability for 20 years.
Paradox
10% chance there isWikis
Search
an assassination attempt of the ruler. There is a 70% chance the ruler
escapes and gains 80-175 Influence and a 30% chance the ruler is killed.
(repeatable) 40% chance a random planet gets +20% Devastation and 3 pops are killed.
The empire will then get −10% Unity for 6 years.

Machine empires can get the following events, all with equal chances:

A Commander is killed.
A scientist is killed.
A random starbase is destroyed.
A world with 3 Generator Districts gains −20% Energy from jobs for 5 years.
(repeatable) Errors are detected in some pops, which may be caused by the Ghost Signal.
You are given the option to either terminate the units (no pop is actually killed) or wait. If you
choose the latter after 120 it will turn out to be either:
65% chance nothing happens
35% chance a world gets +10% Devastation and loses 4 pops.

There are ways to stop Contingency espionage:

Biological empires will receive the Synth Detection special project within a few years. The
special project 2000+100*Pop Engineering. If the Quasi-Dimensional Reflection
technology has been researched the cost is reduced to 2000+75*Pop Engineering.
Machine empires can stop infiltration by completing the Blocking the Ghost Signal special
project or once the Ghost Signal strength falls below 4.
Hive Mind and Psionic empires cannot be infiltrated and already infiltrated empires
will become immune if their main species gains the Psionic trait.

Contingency fleets

Roaming fleets consist of 10 euthanizers and 20 sterilizers led by a commander with random skill.

Hub fleets consist of 25 euthanizers and 50 sterilizers led by a commander with random skill.

Contingency starbases have a Detection Strength of 8, making them extremely difficult to

ambush.
 Sterilizer Euthanizer AI Core Master Core Starbase
Paradox Wikis
1 Lance T1
Search
1 Titan Lance 4 Titan Lance
1 Launcher T2 2 Plasma 4 Lance T1 4 Lance T1
1 Plasma Cannon T3
2 Plasma 2 Plasma
Cannon T3 3 Laser T5
Cannon T3 Cannon T3
2 Laser T5 1 Lance T1
1 Point 4 Laser T5 4 Laser T5
4 Shield T5 Defense T2 1 Laser T5
4 Plasma 4 Plasma
4 Armor T5 4 Shield T5 4 Plasma
Cannon T3 Cannon T3
4 Armor T5 Cannon T3
1 Regenerative 2 Point 2 Point
Defense T3 Defense T3 2 Point
Hull Tissue 1 Regenerative
Defense T3
Hyper Drive III Hull Tissue 8 Seeker 16 Seeker
Drones Drones 1 Regenerative
Hyper Drive III
Impulse Hull Tissue
10 Shield T5 10 Shield T5
Thrusters Impulse Tachyon
Thrusters 10 Armor T5 10 Armor T5
Tachyon Sensors
Sensors Tachyon 1 Regenerative 1 Regenerative
Sapient Sensors Hull Tissue Hull Tissue
Computer (Picket) Sapient Tachyon Tachyon
Computer (Line) Sensors Sensors

The Contingency uses Android Assault Armies to invade worlds. Each transport fleet consist of 20
Android Assault Armies and do not have a commander.

The Cybrex

Originally one of the precursor empires, the Cybrex will resurface to help fight the Contingency if
it sterilizes either 15% of the Galaxy or 90 systems. At the edge of the galaxy, the Cybrex Beta
ringworld system will spawn. All empires will be contacted immediately. The Cybrex will
construct a new fleet every few years as long as they have below 300 ships.

Every few years, as long as the Cybrex have more than 30 ships, they will offer a one time
donation of ships to an empire that destroyed at least 100 Contingency ships and did not attack
them. Those fleets do not use Naval Capacity and cannot be upgraded. A month after the
crisis ends they will take the ships back.

Cybrex ships are identical to the Contingency’s save for the color. Each fleet is led by a
commander with the Cybrex Databases trait.

The Cybrex do not expand. A few weeks after the Contingency is defeated, they will depart from
the galaxy, leaving Cybrex Beta free for the taking.

Ancient Caretakers
Available only with the Synthetic Dawn DLC enabled.
A few days after the first sterilization hub is revealed, if the Ancient Caretakers are present in the
galaxy, theyParadox
will awakenWikis
and the Contingency will attempt Search
to corrupt their civic. The Ancient
Caretakers have a 66% chance of gaining the Final Defense Directives civic (Guardians of the
Galaxy awakening) and a 33% chance of gaining the Corrupted Defense Directives civic and
start attacking every other empire regardless of relative power. The chance is rolled at the start of
the game so reloading a previous save will not alter the result.

5 years later, other Fallen Empires may awaken as a Guardians of the Galaxy as usual, allowing up
to 3 Guardian empires against the Crisis.

Once the Contingency is defeated, if the Ancient Caretakers awakened as Guardians, they will
shut down, leaving their ringworlds free for the taking.

Successfully repelling the Contingency

The initial Fleet spawned with the Hub systems is considerable and planets in the Hub systems
will often have fallen before the first fleet has mobilised. Colonies in the Hub systems are
generally a writeoff until the roaming fleets have been dealt with.

Even if identified beforehand, Hubs normally cannot be prevented from awakening. If the planet
is destroyed through the World Cracker Colossus, the shattered world will simply reform into the
Sterilization Hub. Military starbases on the star will be abandoned if there are no colonies there,
rendering any resources spent moot. If fleets are parked in the system, the Contingency will
spawn an armada of much greater power than standard.

The first order is generally to destroy any roaming fleets, with priority for the ones closest to the
player. While the four Hubs will open separate fronts, the great distance means their respective
fleets will be unable to easily link up. This allows the player to more easily pick off fleets and focus
on one Hub at a time. Contingency fleets already spawned are generally unlikely to rush to the aid
of a planet or Hub. They are more likely to attack another target than defend, but may refuse to
leave the Hub station if nearby fleets are too strong.

Destroying all four Hubs is the ultimate goal. Their Hub fleets will always stay with the Hub,
making it a hard target together with the AI Core and the starbase. While destroying one of the
Hubs does reduce the reinforcement intervals, the reduction in spawn cycles running in parallel
should be a net advantage.

The Synthetic Queen

Available only with the The Machine Age DLC enabled.

The Synthetic Queen is an extremely powerful synth whose goal is to bring an end to all suffering
by ending sapience itself. She is the only crisis that is not immediately hostile, and unlike other
factions, her crisis follows a situation that must be completed before she can be engaged. The
Synthetic Queen's face depends on the main species of the empire she is speaking to.

Unlike other crises, the Synthetic Queen's spawn location can be predicted. It is picked in the
following order the moment of her spawn:

1. The homeworld of the Militant Isolationists, unless it has been cracked or shielded
 2. The capital of a non-machine Fallen Empire
unless itParadox Wikis
is the overlord of a Scion empire. Search
This may not be their homeworld if they lost it.
3. Any Relic World
4. Any Tomb World
5. Any habitable planet

The system where the Synthetic Queen spawns is

protected by 7 starbases.

6 months later, every empire is notified about a

power surge in the system where the Synthetic
Queen spawns. Another 6 months later, she
expands into all adjacent systems. A year later, she
expands into all adjacent systems again, destroying
Synthetic Queen as she appears to aquatic races
the fallen empire if she spawned in the homeworld
of one. Next year, the Synthetic Queen contacts all
empires. She calls herself Cetana and appear as
such in the Contacts menu, but she cannot be contacted.

Immediately after, Cetana declares Total War on all Fallen Empires if any exist in the galaxy.
Empires with the Scion origin who are still a subject of the Fallen Empire receive a message
from their overlord that changes their terms of agreement to "Overlord Conflicts: None" before
the war.

While at war with Fallen Empires, the Synthetic Queen receives a new fleet every 6 months as
long as she has fewer than 13.

The Synthetic Queen has a bonus +200% damage to Fallen Empires, Awakened Empires,
and other endgame crises. Fallen Empires receive a debuff −90% damage to the Synthetic
Queen.

When the Synthetic Queen expands into a system, all planets aside from gas giants are
terraformed into nanite worlds. Those that were previously colonizable gain the
Terraforming Candidate modifier while those that were not gain a deposit of 3 nanites.
Habitable megastructures are destroyed and cannot be rebuilt. In addition, all ships in the system
gain +5 chance to evade and −10% sublight speed. Unlike other crises, the Synthetic
Queen is highly visible on the galaxy map, her systems having a unique visual effect.

If one of the Synthetic Queen's fleets bombards a planet until devastation reaches 100%, the
planet is turned into a barren world with the Terraforming Candidate modifier. Habitable
megastructures are destroyed and cannot be rebuilt.

After all Fallen Empires and their allies are destroyed, or roughly a year after she makes contact if
she did not have Fallen Empires to fight, Cetana contacts all empires again and build an outposts
in one of the systems bordering each empire, or one of their systems if there are no unowned
systems in the galaxy. Those systems appear differently on the galaxy map. How each empire
reacts to Cetana's actions affects her opinion. Cetana also becomes available for contact. In
addition, every empire gains the Cetana: The Synthetic Queen situation and a free reward from
Paradox
Cetana. If the GrandWikis Search
Archive DLC is installed, she will also give every empire a Cetana's
Love specimen.

If a fleet attempts to enter one of the Synthetic Queen's systems before she makes contact, the
fleet goes MIA and the empire receives a special project that costs 10000 physics research.
Otherwise, the project is offered after the Synthetic Queen makes contact. Completing the project
adds 10% progress to the Cetana: The Synthetic Queen situation and the empire receives a second
special project that costs 50000 physics research. Completing the second project allows
entrance into the Synthetic Queen's outpost systems, adds another 10% progress to the Cetana:
The Synthetic Queen situation and gives 500 nanites. Empires that adopted the Nanotech
tradition tree receive an additional 500 nanites and unlock new dialogue options to gain the
Cetana's Apprentice permanent empire modifier.

Within a year after Cetana constructs her outposts, every empire receives six to 10 special
projects, depending on galaxy size. 5 projects are useful and the rest are empty. One special
project is located within the empire's borders and is always useful, while the rest are located in
random systems that are not controlled by Cetana. Each project requires a science ship and 500
days to complete. Completing a useful project adds 10% progress to the Cetana: The Synthetic
Queen situation and has a 50% chance to create the Cetana: Unlikely Survivor archaeological site
in the empire's home system. Completing an empty project grants a small amount of
engineering, physics, or society research. A few months after all useful special projects
have been completed, a special project is issued on an uninhabitable planet within the empire's
borders. Completing it reveals the Cetana: Veiled Temple archaeological site.

Reaching the second stage on the Cetana: The Synthetic Queen situation removes the opinion
penalty for raiding convoys and outposts. Finishing the situation gives the Bane of the Synthetic
Queen permanent empire modifier and allows declaring war on Cetana.

Until the Cetana: The Synthetic Queen situation is completed, her fleets other than convoys and
outpost guards cannot be attacked and the option to declare war on her is unavailable. Once any
empire declares war, Cetana dismantles her outposts and leaves in place a fleet of 12 Heralds.

The crisis will end when Cetana's colossus is destroyed, at which point all her starbases and ships
self-destruct. The empire that destroys the colossus gains the Cetana's Heart relic.

The Synthetic Queen's opinion

Cetana has an opinion value of all empires. It starts at 50 and can only be affected through
events and dialogue choices. If her opinion rises above 75, she rewards the empire every 30
months with one of her rewards and loses 10 opinion. If her opinion falls below 25, she
retaliates every 30 months until her opinion is increased above 25. Cetana punishes empires
in the following order:

1. Every system gets −15% sublight speed and −10 tracking for 12 months
2. −75% Research speed for 30-40 months
3. Every system gets −30% sublight speed and −20 tracking for 30-40 months
 4. Ruler is killed if the empire is not Gestalt Consciousness and Legion Node is killed if the
empire Paradox
GestaltWikis
Search
is Consciousness

Cetana's Rewards

Whenever granting a reward, Cetana gives the empire 50% progress in one of the following
technologies, adding them as a permanent research option:

Ascension Theory
Adaptive Armor Hardening
Advanced Shield Hardening
Mega-Engineering
Jump Drives
Dark Matter Deflectors
Dark Matter Power
Living Metal
Artificial Dragonscales
Enigmatic Encoder
Enigmatic Decoder
If all technologies were researched, she instead gives the Cetana's Thought Cetana's
Thought technology and any further rewards after that are random repeatable technologies
Machine empires may receive the technology Identity Copies after returning the Data
Cache[1].

Cetana's Work

Cetana's Work represents how close Cetana is to completing her plan. Once complete, the game
ends for every empire. How fast it makes progress depends on the Crisis Strength setting.
Cetana's Work progress is invisible until it reaches 50%.

Around one year after Cetana constructed her outposts, every empire receives a request from her
to retrieve a data cache located in the empire's capital system. Whether they accept or not, they
receive a special project. If Cetana's request is accepted, the special project is available for 900
days. Otherwise, it is only available for 540 days. Once the special project is completed, the
empire has the option to open the cache or send it to Cetana.

Opening the cache makes Cetana's Work visible early and increases the progress of the
Cetana: The Synthetic Queen situation.
Not opening the cache after agreeing to help Cetana lets you choose a huge reward of basic
resources, advanced resources, strategic resources, or another one of the technologies
Cetana usually gives. An empire that refused to help Cetana does not receive any reward.
Materialist empires have the option to hack into the cache and gain both rewards.
Once Cetana's Work reaches 80%, all empires declare war on her and become able to enter all her
systems. Paradox Wikis Search

Requests

Once the data cache special project is completed one way or another, Cetana begins to make a
demand to all empires every 5 years. Giving her what she wants increases progress towards
Cetana's Work. Cetana may request the following:

1 Pop. Can also offer 2 pops, 25 influence, and 2000 unity to gain 10%
progress for the Cetana: The Synthetic Queen situation.
25% Alloys for a year. Can also offer 250% alloys for a year, 25 influence and
1000 unity to gain 10% progress for the Cetana: The Synthetic Queen situation and +5%
naval capacity and +25% ship build speed for 2 years.
25% Research speed for a year. Can also offer 50% research speed for a year,
25 influence and 1500 unity to gain 10% progress for the Cetana: The Synthetic Queen
situation.
1 uninhabitable system without a megastructure. Can also offer 2 systems, 50 influence
and 2500 unity to gain 10% progress for the Cetana: The Synthetic Queen situation.
1 habitable system without a megastructure. Can also offer 2 systems, 100 influence and
3000 unity to gain 10% progress for the Cetana: The Synthetic Queen situation and
+10% naval capacity and +50% ship build speed for 2 years.

If an empire has the Head of Zarqlan relic, Cetana asks for it after establishing her outposts.
Accepting gives +20 opinion while refusing gives −20 opinion.

Weak Links

After Cetana constructs her outposts, she periodically sends out convoys that travel between
outposts and her capital. The frequency and limit of convoys scales with galaxy size. Every empire
receives a situation log entry called Weak Links that lets them track and ambush the convoys. To
ambush a convoy, a fleet requires at least 50k fleet power. Empires that complete the special
project to enter Cetana's storm also receive a situation log objective that lets them raid the
systems she claimed near the borders of empires. Each time a convoy or outpost is destroyed, the
empire that raided it receives one of the following rewards:

30% chance to gain 10% progress for the Cetana: The Synthetic Queen situation and
Cetana's Work is reduced.
12.72% chance to gain 4 pops from random species that exist in the galaxy
12.72% chance to gain scaled engineering research
12.72% chance to gain scaled physics research
12.72% chance to gain scaled society research
12.72% chance to gain 10000 alloys
 6.36% chance to gain 1000 nanites
EmpiresParadox Wikis Search
with the Barbaric Despoilers civic have a 5.8% chance to obtain 8000 alloys,
700 nanites and 3 pops from random species that exist in the galaxy

The Synthetic Queen's fleets

The Synthetic Queen spawns with 6 fleets and

Cetana's colossus. Each fleet contains 3
Defenders and 18 Heralds. Convoys and the
fleets she spawns to protect the system
bordering each empire contain 1 Defender and 6
Heralds. Fleets that spawn to protect demanded
systems contain 18 Heralds. AI empires will
only attack Cetana's colossus with fleets that
have at least 100k fleet power.
Synthetic Queen's colossus
 Cetana Defender Herald Starbase
Paradox Wikis
World Cracker
Search

8 Cetana's Strike Craft

6 Titan Lance T2 6 Cetana's Strike Craft

9 Laser T5 3 Lance T2 1 Lance T2

6 Laser T5 9 Laser T5 3 Flak T3

3 Flak T3 8 Shields T6 8 Ancient Pulse Armor

1 Titan Lance
3 Point-Defense T3 8 Ancient Pulse Armor 1 Advanced
T1
3 Cetana's Nanite Afterburners
5 Cetana's Nanite 3 Laser T5
Repair System Repair System 1 Cetana's Nanite
Repair System 6 Plasma T3
1 Advanced 1 Advanced Shield
Afterburners Hardener Dark Matter Reactor 2 Point-
4 Living Reactive Armor Dark Matter Reactor Defense T3
Hyper Drive III
Tachyon
4 Auxiliary Fire Control Hyper Drive III Dark Matter Thrusters
Sensors
Dark Matter Reactor Dark Matter Thrusters Tachyon Sensors
Jump Drive Tachyon Sensors Sapient Computer
Dark Matter Thrusters Sapient Computer (Artillery)

Tachyon Sensors (Artillery)

Colossus Combat
Computer

The Shroud ending

Psionic empires that breached the Shroud and completed both crisis archaeological sites
unlock a new interaction to reach out to the Animator of Clay when entering the Shroud. The
interaction costs 2000 energy and 500 Zro. Next, the empire must pay one of three
prices: 27182 Zro, a planet, or the ruler. Paying the price disables Cetana's colossus and starts
a special project the requires bringing a transport ship next to it for a month. Completing the
special project instantly defeats Cetana. Instead of the relic, the empire gains her colossus for
itself.

Player crisis
Playable empires can become a crisis as well by taking either the Galactic Nemesis or
Cosmogenesis ascension perks. Both ascension perks will unlock the Crisis tab, where the crisis
progression comes in 5 levels and grants various perks. The last level can only be unlocked by
independent empires.
An empire becoming a crisis will not stop endgame crises from occurring.
Paradox Wikis Search
Galactic Nemesis
Available only with the Nemesis DLC enabled.

Empires that pick the Galactic Nemesis

ascension perk will be able to acquire
Menace and complete expensive crisis Special
Projects to progress through the crisis levels. It
should be noted that only upon reaching the
fifth crisis level is the empire treated as any
other crisis (Total War with every other Galactic Nemesis crisis progression
empire). This means that through levels 1–4,
the "crisis" empire acts as normal, save for not
being able to become the Custodian. Only level 5 crisis is the "point of no return", gated by the
Special Project to level up, so to speak. This gives the ascension perk far more value for empires
who don't want to take the final step, with its various bonuses.

An AI empire that became a Galactic Nemesis will have their personality shift to Crisis Aspirant.

Menace is gained by completing crisis objectives. The amount granted by each objective is
reduced if the galaxy is larger or more populated with empires.

Objective Menace Description

Destructive battle is a proven and efficient way to

Destroy Enemy Ships 15 / galaxy size wreak havoc and upset balance.
Starbases are the anchor points of empires. Unmoor
Destroy Starbases 15 / galaxy size them, and the empires are doomed to lose control.
An enemy is only a threat as long as it is alive – or an
Purge or Assimilate Pops 15 / galaxy size enemy.
Hurting our enemies from the inside has proven to be
Perform Disruptive
50 - (2.5 x empires) an excellent complement to traditional force
Operations projection.
500 - (25 x Few things disrupt the galactic balance as much as
Destroy Empires
empires) the annihilation of entire civilizations.
500 - (25 x As long as they contribute rather than thwart, there is
Vassalize Empires
empires) room for subjects in our dominion.
500 / galaxy size /
Destroy Worlds Take Scorched Earth tactics to a whole other level.
habitable worlds
750 / galaxy size / Crushing the enemy’s morale can be more efficient
Conquer Worlds
habitable worlds than crushing them outright.
Their obedience stands as testament to our flawless
Retain Vassals (yearly) 50 - (2.5 x empires) dominion.
Be In Breach of Galactic 250 - (18 x The audacity of that pathetic bunch of feeble
Community Law (yearly) empires) bureaucrats – we will not submit!
Once enough Menace and special projects are completed, the empire will gain a new crisis
level. Paradox Wikisonly apply from empires that
Opinion penalties Search
have at least Medium Intel on
government.

Required
Required
Crisis level Crisis perk Effects Opinion special
Menace
project

Purge policy is allowed

Undertaker regardless of ethics
+500% Pop purge speed
+25% Subjugation
acceptance
Intimidation
— Can always propose — —
Concern Subjugation
Can use the Imposed
Menace Inclusion casus belli
Can use the Existential
Objectives Expulsion casus belli

Menacing Can construct Menacing

Corvettes
Corvette
Something
Beyond
Base +30% Damage against
Risk −60 Reality
1000 starbases
Breaker ( 3000
Society)
Relentless
−75% War exhaustion gain
Aggression

Menacing Can construct Menacing

Destroyers
Destroyer
Armageddon
Bombardment policy is
Death allowed regardless of
ethics The Unseen
From Above +20% Orbital Ripples
bombardment damage −140 ( 6000
2000
Danger Society)
Easily
+50% Ship build speed
Replaced
+15% Menacing Corvette
evasion
Misconfigured +50% Menacing Corvette
Thrusters disengagement chance
 Paradox WikisMenacing Search
Can construct Menacing
Cruisers
Cruiser
Merge
Request
Targeted +50% Ship weapons
5000 −240 ( 12000
Calamity damage
Severing Society)
+30% Menacing Destroyer
Flyswatter
tracking
Can construct Star-Eaters
Star-Eater
Gain two Star-Eaters

Paid in
−30% Ship upkeep
Ambition

Harsh +30% Menacing Cruiser

hull points
Priorities
+200000 Max dark matter
storage
Tearing the
Empire leaves the Galactic
Fabric
Community or Galactic
Existential 10000 Imperium if part of it −400 ( 20000
Threat Society)
Empire leaves federation if
part of it, and retains no
allies except its vassals
Aetherophasic Engine
Aetherophasic Frame megastructure
Engine appears in the capital
system
If Galactic Community or
Galactic Imperium exists, a
Declare Crisis
resolution is instantly
passed against the empire

Upon reaching Existential Threat level, the empire will gain control of the Aetherophasic Engine.
Should it be fully upgraded, the entire galaxy will be destroyed (with all systems going supernova
and turning into blackholes), and the Galactic Nemesis will be declared winner of the game.

Cosmogenesis
Available only with the The Machine Age DLC enabled.

Empires that pick the Cosmogenesis ascension perk will be able to acquire Advanced
Logic and research expensive technologies to progress through the crisis levels. Compared to a
Galactic Nemesis empire, the character of a Cosmogenesis empire is more dangerously reckless
than malicious, and the end goal is not the
destructionParadox Wikis
of the galaxy, though the empire's Search
experiments in tampering with the fabric of
reality have far-reaching and often destructive
consequences. Unlike Galactic Nemesis,
reaching Existential Threat level does not lead
to automatic Total War with the galaxy and it
has smaller Opinion penalties in
comparison, meaning a Cosmogenesis faction
can potentially remain at peace with the rest of Cosmogenesis crisis progression
the galaxy provided it uses diplomacy
efficiently.

Advanced Logic is gained by completing crisis objectives. The amount granted by each
objective scales down with each empire present in the galaxy. Most of the hostility of this crisis is
caused by Purging pops via the Synaptic Lathe; while this can be avoided, it will lead to much
slower progression. Because of how Purging mechanics work, it is also possible to bypass the
diplomatic penalties entirely by only using Gestalt Consciousness pops in the Lathe, or
manually relocating pops to it and keeping the total count under 40.

Advanced
Objective Description
Logic

Employ Neural Chips Neural Chip The scale of our research is such that sacrifices must be
(yearly) jobs made to accommodate it.

Research New 200 − (10 × With every new technology, no matter how small, we gain
Technologies empires) insights in the inner workings of reality.
Research Applied Infinity 10000 − (200 × Large-scape experiments to alter the rules that govern the
Theses empires) behavior of reality will yield precious data.
Secure Galactic Convincing the members of the Galactic Community that
100 − (2.5 ×
Community Support our research is essential would go a long way toward
empires) fulfilling our plans.
(yearly)
Located far from any gravitational anomaly, this state-of-
Control Science 800 − (50 ×
the-art research facility is used to ascertain unspoiled
Nexuses (yearly) empires) spacetime data.
Retain Scholarium 250 − (10 × Research-focused subjects can help us in our quest for
Vassals (yearly) empires) absolute knowledge.

Once enough Advanced Logic and special projects are completed, the empire will gain a new
crisis level. Advanced Logic can also be gained by completing the Vultaum precursor chain.

Required
Required
Crisis level Advanced Crisis perk Effects Opinion
technology
Logic
— +10% Monthly — —
Advanced
physics sesearch
Logic
Concern Gain Exponential
Learning Theory as a
 permanent research
Paradox Wikis option Search
Gain Scalable
Wetware Reservoir Computing as
a permanent research
option
Gain Dark Matter
Non-
Power as a permanent
Baryonic Energy research option
Can draw Justice
Complex as a random
research option
Can draw
Perfect
Shrinkspace Depot as a
Arcologies random research option
Can draw Sky Dome
as a random research
option
+10% Monthly
society research
Gain Gravitic Brush
Gravitational technology as a
Tools permanent research
option
Gain Riddle Escort
Riddle
as a permanent research
Escort option
Gain Dark Matter
Propulsion as a
permanent research
option
Risk 2000 Antibaryonic −30 Exponential
Gain Enigmatic Learning
Advances
Decoder as a permanent Theory
research option
Can draw Class-3
Singularity as a random
research option
Can draw
Advanced Nourishment Complex
as a random research
Harvesting
option
Can draw Quantum
Drilling Plant as a
random research option
 +10% Monthly
Paradox Wikis Search
engineering research
Eternal Gain Theoretical
Expansion Infinity Thesis as a
permanent research
option
Gain Enigma
Enigma Battlecruiser as a
permanent research
Battlecruiser
option
Gain Dark Matter
Deflectors as a
permanent research
Exotic Gravitic
6000 option −70
Brush
Danger Antibaryons Gain Enigmatic
Encoder as a permanent
research option
Can draw Aspis
Bastion as a random
research option
Can draw Galactic
Complex Commerce Hub as a
random research option
Infrastructures
Can draw Fractal
Administration
Processes as a random
research option
18000 +10% Monthly Theoretical
physics research −120 Infinity Thesis

Calamity Gain The Rules of

Reality as a permanent
research option
Rulebreaker
Gain Applied Infinity
Thesis as a permanent
research option
Gain Paradox Titan
Paradox
as a permanent research
Titan option
 Gain Artificial
Paradox Wikis Dragonscales as a
Search
permanent research
Armor and option
Armaments Gain Tachyon
Lances as a permanent
research option
Can draw
Dimensional Replicator
as a random research
option
Can draw Molecular-
Revitalization Institute as
a random research
Golden option
Age Can draw Robot
Manufacturing Nexus as
a random research
option
Can draw Virtual
Bliss Plaza as a random
research option
Gain Nascent
Void Universes as a
permanent research
Voyager
option
Gain Nanite
Autocannon as a
permanent research
option
Gain Nanite Flak The Rules
Battery as a permanent of Reality
Nanoswarms
research option
Applied
45000 Gain Nanite Repair Infinity Thesis
System as a permanent −200
Existential Applied
Threat research option
Infinity Thesis
Can draw Affluence II
Emporium as a random
research option
Can draw Hyper-
Memory
Forge as a random
and Creation research option
Can draw Quantum
Innovation Nexus as a
random research option
If the Keepers of Knowledge are present in the galaxy, the first time an empire researches the
Paradox
Applied Infinity Wikis the fallen empire will askSearch
Thesis technology, them to accept a modifier of −10%
Research Speed and −25% Advanced Logic from Jobs for 20 years or lose −75
Opinion with the Keepers of Knowledge. In addition, each time the technology is researched,
there is a 1% chance to trigger a Guardians of the Galaxy awakening.

After reaching the final crisis level, the crisis

empire must research the extremely expensive
Nascent Universes technology and then
construct the equally expensive Horizon Needle.
The Horizon Needle is a ship but it is
constructed like a megastructure. The
construction takes 2400 days and is done in
orbit of the capital. The ship is very resilient and
has a Jump Drive regardless of whether the
empire researched it or not, but has no
weapons. Once completed, it needs to be The Horizon Needle
ordered to embark the population of every
colony, which will decolonize the former colony.
Once every colony has been embarked, the Horizon Needle must embark the population of the
empire capital. Unlike colonies, the capital will not be decolonized once the population is
embarked and will retain 20 Pops, but the empires cannot colonize new worlds. Finally, the
Horizon Needle must either be ordered to dive into a black hole or complete a special project to
dive into the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy, the latter requiring the Horizon
Needle to remain at the capital for a year. Regardless of what option is taken, the game is won
upon completion.

There are multiple endings for Cosmogenesis depending on whether the special project was used
or which black hole was plunged into.

Picking the supermassive black hole at the galactic core leads to the default ending.
The following black holes have unique endings: Great Wound, Gargantua, Pantagruel,
Terminal Egress, the black holes where the Dimensional Horror or The Elder One emerge, the
black hole where the Horizon Signal event chain started and the black hole created by The
Worm.
The Special Project has different endings depending on whether the empire formed a
Covenant with a Shroud entity or has the Knights of the Toxic God origin.
Empires with Obsessional Directive have a different ending regardless of the chosen
black hole as long as they never missed their quota and have not gone for the galactic core
black hole.

Post-Cosmogenesis galaxy

The Cosmogenesis ending will make the empire unplayable and bring the option to switch to
another empire if any exists.

The Cosmogenesis empire will become a Fallen Empire. Its personality will depend on empire
ethics. It will retain all subjects and if it is part of a federation, it will remain as a member. If it
had a Synaptic Lathe, the megastructure is destroyed. If the empire was a Hive Mind, it will
possess unique civics not found in conventional Fallen Empires. The new Fallen Empire will
resettle all Paradox Wikis
habitable planets Search
and megastructures within its core sector, filling them with Fallen
Empire buildings, and have a Citadel in every system; however, all territory outside the core
sector will be lost.

The following effect will occur upon a Cosmogenesis victory across the entire galaxy:

9% of all systems will be destroyed.

50% of all starbases will be destroyed.
30% of all fleets will be destroyed.
80% of the systems will gain random deposits.

Every surviving non-capital planet will be radically changed in the following way:

5% chance the planet becomes a Shattered World.

5% chance the planet becomes a Black Hole.
20% chance the colony is destroyed and the planet gains +200% Colony Development
Speed, Pop Growth Speed and Mechanical Pop Assembly Speed and +75%
Planetary Build Speed for 10 years.
21% chance the colony gains 85 Devastation, −100% Pop Growth Speed and
Mechanical Pop Assembly Speed and −200% Planetary Build Speed for 10 years.
21% chance the colony loses 13 Pops and gains 8 blockers.
21% chance the colony loses 20 Pops and gains 6 blockers.
7% chance the colony gains +200% Colony Development Speed, Pop Growth Speed
and Mechanical Pop Assembly Speed and +75% Planetary Build Speed for 10 years.

Every empire will gain +20% Pop Amenities Usage, −20% Happiness and −20
Stability for 5 years.

For 30 days, the date will not display properly.

It is possible to release a sector as a subject before completing the exodus, which will allow the
player to continue playing as the released empire. The subject empire will keep its planets, pops,
and technologies, including the Cosmogenesis technologies.

References
1. Proof of receiving the Identity Copies tech option as a reward from Cetana as a Gestalt
Machine empire using Nanite Ascension. https://imgur.com/a/JESLPfW (dead link)
Game concepts
Exploration • FTL • Unique systems • L-Cluster • Pre-FTL species • Fallen empire •
Exploration
Spaceborne aliens • Enclaves • Guardians • Marauders • Caravaneers
Celestial bodies Celestial body • Colonization • Planetary features • Planet modifiers
Discovery Discovery • Anomaly • Archaeological site • Astral rift • Relics • Collection
Species • Pop modification • Biological traits • Machine traits • Population • Species rights •
Species
Ethics
Leader • Common leader traits • Commander traits • Official traits • Scientist traits •
Leaders
Paragons
 Empire • Origin • Government • Civics • Council • Agendas • Policies • Edicts • Factions •
Governance
Paradox Wikis Search
Traditions • Ascension perks • Situations
Resources • Planetary management • Districts • Jobs • Designation • Trade •
Economy
Megastructures
Buildings Planet capital • Common buildings • Unique buildings • Holdings
Ship • Ship designer • Core components • Weapon components • Utility components •
Ships
Mutations • Offensive mutations
Technology Technology • Physics research • Society research • Engineering research
Diplomacy • Relations • Galactic community • Federations • Subject empires • Intelligence •
Diplomacy
AI personalities
Warfare Warfare • Space warfare • Land warfare • Starbase • Crisis
Events • The Shroud • Preset empires • AI players • Stat modifiers • Console commands •
Others
Easter eggs

Retrieved from "https://stellaris.paradoxwikis.com/index.php?title=Crisis&oldid=101626"

This page was last edited on 1 March 2025, at 02:19.

Content is available under Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 unless otherwise noted.

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