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Stellaris Dev Diary #351 - Storm Chaser Origin, Civics, and Precursors

Hi everyone,

Today, we’ll review the Origin and Civics of the Cosmic Storms Mechanical Expansion and provide some information about the new Precursors (without spoiling everything!)

Cosmic Storms is going to be released on September 10th.

Passing it over to @PDX_Ferry and @Gruntsatwork to take over from here.

Storm Chasers​

Don’t make unnecessary journeys, don’t take risks on treacherous roads, and don’t swim in the sea! This is PDX_Ferry, braving the winds to deliver you a report on the new "Storm Chasers" Origin. For those who thrive on danger and yearn for the thrill of the unknown, this Origin was designed with you in mind.

Start your game as a civilization that has always sought out the extremes. Born on a world ravaged by relentless storms, the Storm Chasers are daredevils and thrill seekers who push themselves to the limits and beyond. They’ve grown strong and daring, turning their chaotic environment into a crucible of innovation and tenacity. But when every storm has been weathered, and every mountain has been climbed, where does an enterprising thrill-seeker turn next? The answer, of course, is the stars.

image6.png

The screenshot above was taken from the new pre-scripted empire Yatunan Radicals, which starts with the Origin and a couple of storm-related Civics. While not driven to outmatch others in acts of bravery, hive minds, and machine intelligences may also want to test themselves with this Origin.

From the very beginning, your empire will be propelled into the thick of the DLC’s content, facing down cosmic phenomena that would make even the most seasoned explorers hesitate. Yet, with great risk comes the potential for great reward.

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This Origin is designed to quickly get you into the think of the DLC's action. At game start, your Empire is thrown into the Stormfall situation:

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With early access to storm manipulation technology and by starting in a system with unique conditions to kickstart a storm, the Storm Chasers have the first opportunity to unleash a storm. From there, the Origin's storyline includes a gauntlet of Challenges, and the chance to summon "the Big One." What's left of your civilization in the aftermath rests entirely in your hands (or tentacles!)

So be warned – this is not a path for the faint-hearted. The thrills your people have chased for centuries pale in comparison to the cosmic tempests that await you in the void. Will you harness these forces and lead your empire to greatness, or will you burn out in a blaze of glory? The choice, as always, is yours.

Do You Know What Happens to a Blorg When It’s Hit by Lightning?​

Hello there xeno-freshmen, could we interest you in Astrometeorology 101?

As the first of the three new civics coming in Cosmic Storms, Astrometeorology focuses on the science behind the storms. It grants you a new building, the Astrometeorology Observatory, which in turn gives you Astrometeorologist jobs.

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You can build one of those fine institutes per planet and their jobs are similar enough to normal researchers with a slight focus on physics. However, their true potential shows itself only when the Observatory can behold a storm from up close.

In addition, the council position further boosts the job output by up to 20%.

What, you prefer something more societal? Maybe have a look at our second new civic then.

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The spiritualistic mirror to Astrometeorology, Storm Devotion gives you access to the Storm Summoning Theater, with its Storm Dancer jobs.

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In addition, those devoted to Storms also bear this mark as a new species trait called “Storm Touched”, which further boost all pops while inside of a storm. As if that weren’t enough, the Council Position for Storm Devotion reduces the upkeep of all Storm Buildings.

image1.png

Storms this, Storms that, is there anything for people who’d rather not see the word Storm plastered over all of their buildings?

Absolutely, let’s talk about Planetscapers.

Planetscapers are the complete opposite of Environmentalists. They want every planetary blocker gone, natural accidents have no place in their carefully planned garden utopias.

image3.png

You yearn to make all these rugged, overgrown planets into something beautiful and pristine. For some, Mastery of Nature is enough, but your need requires something more drastic, something more impressive.

image2.png

As you expand, every world with natural blockers that you colonize will allow you to quickly unlock more ways to remove those eyesores.

IT IS A CELEBRATION | PAIN | RAGE | GRIEF | FEAR​

You get a Precursor and you get a precursor, everyone gets a precursor!

We have two new Precursors for you all to experience.

The adAkkaria Convention of Benevolence and The Inetian Traders, both steeped in Storm Lore, with several archaeology sites and special projects to progress through as you uncover their secrets, diggin’ deeper into what sorts of empires would meddle with storms so devastating they are notable on the cosmic scale.

So without giving out too many spoilers, from their names at least you know they were benevolent people and peaceful traders with little chance for tragedy.

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Next Week​

Next week we’ll have the preliminary release notes for the 3.13 ‘Vela’ update and Cosmic Storms! It’s almost here!

See you then!

 
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I really do wish Storm Chasers had a Void Dweller toggle, like I want to give that a go but damned if I'm going to start on a planet ever again. Not every Origin needs or should have a toggle to be Void Dweller, but for nuts like us who think its kind of a game default, we're not even going to touch parts of the content simply because we start on Habs like Zarqlan intended us to. For reasons. Galaxy Saving Reasons. Just in general, it feels like Void Dweller is different enough from other origins, with enough of a dedicated following to playing that way over all else, that a few of these other Origins could easily allow a preference on whether it starts terrestrial bound or is born out in the Void
 
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I really do wish Storm Chasers had a Void Dweller toggle, like I want to give that a go but damned if I'm going to start on a planet ever again. Not every Origin needs or should have a toggle to be Void Dweller, but for nuts like us who think its kind of a game default, we're not even going to touch parts of the content simply because we start on Habs like Zarqlan intended us to. For reasons. Galaxy Saving Reasons.
You could just take the civics and still have a lot of storm fun
 
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You could just take the civics and still have a lot of storm fun

Definitely planning on that no matter what but that's gonna kick in around 2280 or so if really going for it with my Pirate Haven meat'n'taters spec. There's a couple other Origins where the action of the Origin really doesn't seem to require a planet start but because rule are rules and implementation is implementation, we just kinda imagine what it'd be like if we ever got over ourselves (which we won't, hahahaha)
 
Sure. But does that matter? Sometimes Stellaris has bespoke content. It doesn't make it bad.
It doesn't make it bad, but I could absolutely agree that less focused versions could sometimes be good.

There could for instance be a civic granting knights etc but NOT relating to a quest for a toxic god, and mutually exclusive with the origin.

This would also be a great spot for something like a "culture" slot for doing broad changes that aren't necessarily better (and thus wouldn't make a good civic). Either/or.

The bespoke "this specific thing" content like KotTG is really good, but precisely because it is also good gameplay I wouldn't say no to a way to play with it while using a different origin. Perhaps not all of it, or perhaps some of it wouldn't be as good, but still.
 
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I hope the devs can add the 2 existing vanilla storm related planetary modifiers (Wild Storms and Hazardous Weather) to the Storm Chaser's home planet. That would be A++ for lore for them having always had adverse conditions. Maybe give their origin a special interaction with these modifiers that removes or reduces the habitability and happiness maluses.

Please. :)
 
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Planetscapers looks quite good, while not being too excessive given most planets will start much worse due to blockers (keeping in mind the penalty per blocker is equal to the bonus in its entirety). Very much something I'll enjoy.

I do have to agree though that it's sort of strange Environmentalists don't have natural blockers and also strange that this does. Possibly necessary for balance to start it with a penalty, but strange that the civic about how that pesky nature is intolerable doesn't start having in fact removed that pesky nature... and the one about coexisting with it starts having removed it.

Either way, I like Planetscapers. My main problem here is that there are two civics I want to play on the same empire, yet that previously-planned Day 1 Cosmic Storms empire was using Oppressive Autocracy to try to foment gravity storms and harvest ridiculous Enforcer unity. Guess it's now ∞+1 games I intend to play, the storm police will be a different game from the planetscapers.
 
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Hydrocentric Planetscapers will get a lot of extra districts (+6) while Aquatic removes the Habitability penalty :)
Aquatics+Agrarian idyll+Planetsacepers [ +catalytic proc] (if somewhen we get a more civic points for more interesting builds)
 
The Planetscapers civic has really caught my attention, since I love to imagine my empire as environmentalists that have more or less done something similar to that, but just to a small portion of their home (where they build colossal arcologies with lots of beauty and stuff), then left everything else largely to nature, building there in ways that disrupt it as little as possible (say, digging into mountains and turning them into thinly concealed mini-skyscrappers instead of taking over the surface, keeping almost all of the activity away from the natural environment proper).

It does sadden me a little to see it's not meant to be a wholesome marriage with nature, but I am still happy to see it added to better depict the other side of the environmentalist coin.

Still, I'd love to see a healthier-minded, more sustainable form of planetscaping become a thing someday in unmodded stellaris, maybe for the environmentalist civic, such as planets with ecumenopolis-like arcologies in only a small section of it, sacrificing district slots to turn the rest of the world into a vast nature preserve (or do arcologies like those require the entire planet be terraformed into something free of tons of variables like tectonics, nature itself and such?).
 
Hi everyone,

Today, we’ll review the Origin and Civics of the Cosmic Storms Mechanical Expansion and provide some information about the new Precursors (without spoiling everything!)

Cosmic Storms is going to be released on September 10th.

Passing it over to @PDX_Ferry and @Gruntsatwork to take over from here.

Storm Chasers​

Don’t make unnecessary journeys, don’t take risks on treacherous roads, and don’t swim in the sea! This is PDX_Ferry, braving the winds to deliver you a report on the new "Storm Chasers" Origin. For those who thrive on danger and yearn for the thrill of the unknown, this Origin was designed with you in mind.

Start your game as a civilization that has always sought out the extremes. Born on a world ravaged by relentless storms, the Storm Chasers are daredevils and thrill seekers who push themselves to the limits and beyond. They’ve grown strong and daring, turning their chaotic environment into a crucible of innovation and tenacity. But when every storm has been weathered, and every mountain has been climbed, where does an enterprising thrill-seeker turn next? The answer, of course, is the stars.


The screenshot above was taken from the new pre-scripted empire Yatunan Radicals, which starts with the Origin and a couple of storm-related Civics. While not driven to outmatch others in acts of bravery, hive minds, and machine intelligences may also want to test themselves with this Origin.

From the very beginning, your empire will be propelled into the thick of the DLC’s content, facing down cosmic phenomena that would make even the most seasoned explorers hesitate. Yet, with great risk comes the potential for great reward.


This Origin is designed to quickly get you into the think of the DLC's action. At game start, your Empire is thrown into the Stormfall situation:


With early access to storm manipulation technology and by starting in a system with unique conditions to kickstart a storm, the Storm Chasers have the first opportunity to unleash a storm. From there, the Origin's storyline includes a gauntlet of Challenges, and the chance to summon "the Big One." What's left of your civilization in the aftermath rests entirely in your hands (or tentacles!)

So be warned – this is not a path for the faint-hearted. The thrills your people have chased for centuries pale in comparison to the cosmic tempests that await you in the void. Will you harness these forces and lead your empire to greatness, or will you burn out in a blaze of glory? The choice, as always, is yours.

Do You Know What Happens to a Blorg When It’s Hit by Lightning?​

Hello there xeno-freshmen, could we interest you in Astrometeorology 101?

As the first of the three new civics coming in Cosmic Storms, Astrometeorology focuses on the science behind the storms. It grants you a new building, the Astrometeorology Observatory, which in turn gives you Astrometeorologist jobs.


You can build one of those fine institutes per planet and their jobs are similar enough to normal researchers with a slight focus on physics. However, their true potential shows itself only when the Observatory can behold a storm from up close.

In addition, the council position further boosts the job output by up to 20%.

What, you prefer something more societal? Maybe have a look at our second new civic then.


The spiritualistic mirror to Astrometeorology, Storm Devotion gives you access to the Storm Summoning Theater, with its Storm Dancer jobs.


In addition, those devoted to Storms also bear this mark as a new species trait called “Storm Touched”, which further boost all pops while inside of a storm. As if that weren’t enough, the Council Position for Storm Devotion reduces the upkeep of all Storm Buildings.


Storms this, Storms that, is there anything for people who’d rather not see the word Storm plastered over all of their buildings?

Absolutely, let’s talk about Planetscapers.

Planetscapers are the complete opposite of Environmentalists. They want every planetary blocker gone, natural accidents have no place in their carefully planned garden utopias.


You yearn to make all these rugged, overgrown planets into something beautiful and pristine. For some, Mastery of Nature is enough, but your need requires something more drastic, something more impressive.


As you expand, every world with natural blockers that you colonize will allow you to quickly unlock more ways to remove those eyesores.

IT IS A CELEBRATION | PAIN | RAGE | GRIEF | FEAR​

You get a Precursor and you get a precursor, everyone gets a precursor!

We have two new Precursors for you all to experience.

The adAkkaria Convention of Benevolence and The Inetian Traders, both steeped in Storm Lore, with several archaeology sites and special projects to progress through as you uncover their secrets, diggin’ deeper into what sorts of empires would meddle with storms so devastating they are notable on the cosmic scale.

So without giving out too many spoilers, from their names at least you know they were benevolent people and peaceful traders with little chance for tragedy.

Next Week​

Next week we’ll have the preliminary release notes for the 3.13 ‘Vela’ update and Cosmic Storms! It’s almost here!

See you then!

I think the people are questioning the natural blockers being present for planetscapers are wrong. It says you start with the technology to remove said blockers and get tech options when u get to other worlds. This way you can remove your blockers as soon as it’s affordable and already have some of the blocker removal tech for your guaranteeds already researched. Otherwise you’d start with zero blockers and get to your habitable worlds and have zero tech in regards to remove said blockers. This way seems like your people have the tech to do so and haven’t yet because you’re just now reaching the stars and maybe didn’t have the resources to remove them. Imagine if all of earth united today, could we flatten the Andes, Rockies, or alps? Also I don’t like the habitability penalty but it makes sense for what you’re doing
 
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I think the people are questioning the natural blockers being present for planetscapers are wrong. It says you start with the technology to remove said blockers and get tech options when u get to other worlds. This way you can remove your blockers as soon as it’s affordable and already have some of the blocker removal tech for your guaranteeds already researched. Otherwise you’d start with zero blockers and get to your habitable worlds and have zero tech in regards to remove said blockers. This way seems like your people have the tech to do so and haven’t yet because you’re just now reaching the stars and maybe didn’t have the resources to remove them. Imagine if all of earth united today, could we flatten the Andes, Rockies, or alps? Also I don’t like the habitability penalty but it makes sense for what you’re doing
It's perfectly workable. It's not so much that this specifically should have blockers already cleared, it's just weird because nobody except the empire designed around hating natural blockers starts with them, including the one designed around leaving natural blockers in place.

I would actually be very okay with making homeworlds in general somewhat larger but having them start with natural blockers. That just makes sense. It's precisely because it's reasonable for Planetscapers to start with natural blockers that it's even weirder now they've brought it to our attention that nobody else does.
 
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I might sounds salty, but "planetacapers" do not feels like opposite to environmentalists, mostly because Environmentalists are based on something that player have no control of. It's not opposite approach, it's bonus to things that players do either way while environmentalists some bonuses to celebrate random things on planet. Would be great if environmentalists could create blockers on planets.
 
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