I am sure that Syncretic Evolution has plenty of feedback threads already. But I must make my own:
I love playing Necrophages. I despise playing Syncretic Evolution about 90% of the time, with two specific exceptions.
There are some reasons for this:
Serviles is considered a positive trait, with a positive cost. As such, one can not be rid of it even when it has outlived its minor usefulness.
Serviles greatly increases the need for micromanagement without actual adequate pay-off.
About 80% of the time one randomizes (Random Start) into Syncretic Evolution, the traits given to the secondary AND primary Species are incredibly ineffective. Nothing like high Leader lifespan for a Species that will never generate Leaders, and primary Species being better at being workers than the actual Serviles are.
Also Syncretic Evolution is just kinda boring. It feels like more underwhelming Prosperous Unification, the most vanilla of all starts.
The only cases where I have do not re-roll randomizing into Syncretic Evolution is when either the secondary Species is Lithoid, in which case they can be used to jump-start conquering otherwise low-Habitability Planets, or when the primary species is robotic (no idea how that works), in which case, sometimes, the secondary species growing on its own makes the alloy-economy slightly easier early.
There are two ways I would suggest Syncretic Evolution to be changed:
Serviles should trun from a positive 1-cost Species trait into a NEGATIVE -1-cost Species trait. As this means the secondary Species can be highly useful despite its limitations, AND randomizing into this Origin is less likely to produce a Species that just makes no sense. Sure, it would still likely have a trait that goes to waste, but, then again, Serivles would mean they have one more Trait-point to play with, so a trait wasted is less of an issue.
Secondly, since the trait would be negative, one could remove it.
A bit more major alternative or complementary change:
Make it so that Serviles Species has ENTIRELY DIFFERENT Planet-type (Wet/Dry/Cold) preference from the primary Species. So, if Syncretic Evolution started on, say, Ocean Planet, Primary Species has Wet-preference (as normal), BUT the secondary (Servile) Species would otherwise not have Wet Planet Preference, but either Dry or Cold Planet Preference (still has homeworld Habitability bonus).
In other words: Syncretic Evolution would come with the downsides of Syncretic Evolution, but one would effectively start with Species with two different Planet Type Preferences instead of one. Which would really help with early game expansion.
If this would be too underwhelming, Serviles-Trait could contain further +60% homeworld Habitability. Or just exact Planet preference by homeworld's type (say, Ocean specifically instead of Wet generally), so that one can make full use of the guaranteed Habitable worlds as well.
In either case, removing Serviles trait should yield some sort of positive Event chain for this Origin. It feels off that adjusting the very premise of the origin has no consequences as far as I can tell, despite how it should have major cultural implications for the entire Empire.
Whereas removing Serviles from only a PART of the Servile secondary Species would lead to a possible uprising Event chain when the uplifted former serviles rebel against the oppression of their brethren.
Serviles turning into a negative trait (so that it feels more worthwhile AND the random Syncretic starts would suck much less) and there being actual chain of Events tied to removing it are what I would consider to be primary importance as far as this feedback goes.
The "different Planet-type Preference" suggestion is just an alternative I would consider worthwhile so that this Origin would REALLY adjust the way one approaches playing the game.
As is? I can think of exactly zero cases for Syncretic Evolution where I would not just rather play Necrophages instead. Which feels like a waste of the potential of Syncretic Evolution as an Origin.
Tldr: Syncretic Evolution is underwhelming, ESPECIALLY when one Random Starts into it. Please fix.
I love playing Necrophages. I despise playing Syncretic Evolution about 90% of the time, with two specific exceptions.
There are some reasons for this:
Serviles is considered a positive trait, with a positive cost. As such, one can not be rid of it even when it has outlived its minor usefulness.
Serviles greatly increases the need for micromanagement without actual adequate pay-off.
About 80% of the time one randomizes (Random Start) into Syncretic Evolution, the traits given to the secondary AND primary Species are incredibly ineffective. Nothing like high Leader lifespan for a Species that will never generate Leaders, and primary Species being better at being workers than the actual Serviles are.
Also Syncretic Evolution is just kinda boring. It feels like more underwhelming Prosperous Unification, the most vanilla of all starts.
The only cases where I have do not re-roll randomizing into Syncretic Evolution is when either the secondary Species is Lithoid, in which case they can be used to jump-start conquering otherwise low-Habitability Planets, or when the primary species is robotic (no idea how that works), in which case, sometimes, the secondary species growing on its own makes the alloy-economy slightly easier early.
There are two ways I would suggest Syncretic Evolution to be changed:
Serviles should trun from a positive 1-cost Species trait into a NEGATIVE -1-cost Species trait. As this means the secondary Species can be highly useful despite its limitations, AND randomizing into this Origin is less likely to produce a Species that just makes no sense. Sure, it would still likely have a trait that goes to waste, but, then again, Serivles would mean they have one more Trait-point to play with, so a trait wasted is less of an issue.
Secondly, since the trait would be negative, one could remove it.
A bit more major alternative or complementary change:
Make it so that Serviles Species has ENTIRELY DIFFERENT Planet-type (Wet/Dry/Cold) preference from the primary Species. So, if Syncretic Evolution started on, say, Ocean Planet, Primary Species has Wet-preference (as normal), BUT the secondary (Servile) Species would otherwise not have Wet Planet Preference, but either Dry or Cold Planet Preference (still has homeworld Habitability bonus).
In other words: Syncretic Evolution would come with the downsides of Syncretic Evolution, but one would effectively start with Species with two different Planet Type Preferences instead of one. Which would really help with early game expansion.
If this would be too underwhelming, Serviles-Trait could contain further +60% homeworld Habitability. Or just exact Planet preference by homeworld's type (say, Ocean specifically instead of Wet generally), so that one can make full use of the guaranteed Habitable worlds as well.
In either case, removing Serviles trait should yield some sort of positive Event chain for this Origin. It feels off that adjusting the very premise of the origin has no consequences as far as I can tell, despite how it should have major cultural implications for the entire Empire.
Whereas removing Serviles from only a PART of the Servile secondary Species would lead to a possible uprising Event chain when the uplifted former serviles rebel against the oppression of their brethren.
Serviles turning into a negative trait (so that it feels more worthwhile AND the random Syncretic starts would suck much less) and there being actual chain of Events tied to removing it are what I would consider to be primary importance as far as this feedback goes.
The "different Planet-type Preference" suggestion is just an alternative I would consider worthwhile so that this Origin would REALLY adjust the way one approaches playing the game.
As is? I can think of exactly zero cases for Syncretic Evolution where I would not just rather play Necrophages instead. Which feels like a waste of the potential of Syncretic Evolution as an Origin.
Tldr: Syncretic Evolution is underwhelming, ESPECIALLY when one Random Starts into it. Please fix.
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