Highlights
- The Astral Planes DLC in Stellaris introduces Astral rifts, which offer narrative choices and gameplay benefits such as acquiring resources and powerful relics.
- Players can participate in a deciding moment for the Baol civilization, gain progress in Psionics Technology, acquire unique traits, and acquire powerful relics through different Astral rifts.
- The Vortex Astral rift offers a straightforward narrative with the potential to acquire the Ever Spinning Top relic, while the Desert Ruins rift requires an Aquatic scientist to obtain the Time Crystal relic.
Astral rifts have been lauded as "more complex archaeological sites" for Stellaris players to investigate, thanks to its Astral Planes DLC, which emphasizes narrative choices that the players can make. Players can explore alternate dimensions through the Astral rifts that can appear in a random galaxy in the downloadable content.
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These Astral rifts each have their benefits in the form of narrative insight into the rich lore of Stellaris, and gameplay benefits as well by acquiring resources such as minerals, alloys, Astral threads, or even powerful relics, which can turn a weak empire into a formidable one thanks to its properties.
7 Siege On Paradise
Partake In Deciding A Precursor's Fate In Another Dimension
- Gain a powerful Renowned Paragon Commander, or
- Gain the ability to recruit the powerful Flamestorm troopers
Veterans of Stellaris will be familiar with the name Baol, one of the possible precursors that can spawn in the game for a player. As a precursor, the Baol civilization was considered extinct thousands of years ago, leaving a legacy in the galaxy. Turns out, the player can partake in a deciding moment for them in another dimension.
By opening the Astral rift "Siege on Paradise," the player will be able to either aid the Baol against an incoming invasion or help the invading forces instead. Should they decide to help, the player can either get some Baol pops or a powerful Renowned Paragon Commander, General Oakenstalk. Helping the invading forces will earn the player the possibility of recruiting unique armies called Flamestorm troopers.
6 Psionic Stranger
A Chance To Either Save Or Destroy The Zroni
- Gain progress in random Psionics Technology, or
- Acquire minerals, Rare Crystals, and large astral threads reward
For empires wishing to delve further into the secret of The Shroud via the psionic path, the fate of the Zroni is a precautionary tale as getting too close to the mysterious plane can result in the mass extinction of a species. Fortunately, the Astral rift "Psionic Stranger" allows players to see the Zroni for themselves.
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Should the player encourage the Zroni to breach the Shroud, they will get a random 75% progress towards a random Psionics technology, making it essential for any Psionic empire to choose. However, if they want no part in making the Zroni depart from the physical plane, the player can get minerals, Rare Crystals, and large astral threads as a reward.
5 Chemical Wasteland
Sanitary Is Serious Business In That Dimension
- Acquire a unique trait "Sanitary Drone Assistant" for a scientist, or
- Acquire energy credits and large astral threads
Keeping an area clean seems to be the primary objective of a horde of robots found in the Astral rift "Chemical Wasteland." The player can try to investigate the events of what happened after the robots became zealous of sanitation, and receive two different outcomes out of it.
Should the player decide to keep one of the drones as a personal research assistant, the scientist researching the rift will receive a personal Sanitary Drone Assistant trait which boosts biology research speed, astral rift exploration speed, and anomaly research speed. On the other hand, shutting the facility down will grant the player energy credits and large astral threads.
4 The Vortex
Acquire A Powerful Relic Capable Of Financing An Empire
- Acquire the Astral Relic Ever Spinning Top and astral threads.
Different from the other Astral rifts, which can result in multiple endings based on the player's choices, the Vortex is fairly straightforward without any twists and turns in its narrative design. However, a failure in roll can also end the rift prematurely, leaving the player with empty hands.
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Should the player manage to finish it, they can expect to receive a powerful receipt called the "Ever Spinning Top," suitable for players who are looking to boost their economic growth thanks to the relic's passive 10% monthly energy credit.
3 Desert Ruins
A Deceptive Ruin Hiding Powerful Artifact
- Acquire the Time Crystal Relic, or
- Acquire a large amount of astral threads
Players of Stellaris who stumbled upon an Astral rift called "Desert Ruins" will need to check whether their species' traits are Aquatic or not, as the best result possible for this particular Astral rift will require a scientist possessing such a trait, which might be tricky for Machine empires.
By having an Aquatic scientist, a player will be able to properly and delve fully into the Astral rift and gain its ultimate reward, the Time Crystal Astral relic, capable of increasing a leader's lifespan and their experience gain when activated.
2 Dimensional Conflict
Navigate Through The Conflict For A System-Locking Relic
- Gain the Daedalus Seal Relic, or
- Acquire dark matter and a large amount of astral threads
Having the ability to lock a system out of invaders can be manually done by heavily reinforcing a border's chokepoint with Star Fortress, complete with its Defensive Platforms. A player can also finish the Dimensional Conflict rift to gain a relic capable of "locking" undesirables out of the border.
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By acquiring the Daedalus Seal from the Astral rift, the player will be able to "Place a lock on every bypass within borders for 5 years." With this lock, even the strongest fleet of other empires or a crisis would not be able to breach the empire's area with no problem, provided they did not have any intention of using a Jump Drive.
1 Subnautical
Delve Into A Deep Sea For An Abundance Of Astral Threads
- Acquire the Celestial Tear Relic with Society Research
This particular Astral rift takes the player into an unknown ocean with dangers lurking at every corner of the remote unmanned camera. Due to its narrative theme, species with the Aquatic trait will find an advantage in finishing the rift properly when compared to other empires.
Finishing the rift will grant the player a powerful relic called "Celestial Tea," which passively increases habitability. When activated, the relic also grants a player a huge number of Astral threads, useful for turning on the desired Astral Actions to gain advantages over other empires.
Stellaris
- Platform(s)
- PC , PS4 , Xbox One
- Released
- May 9, 2016
- Developer(s)
- Paradox Development Studio
- Genre(s)
- 4X , Grand Strategy
