Every Stellaris DLC RANKED (Including Machine Age)

Рет қаралды 19,041

Күн бұрын

Welcome to my Stellaris DLC tier list! With so many expansion packs available for Stellaris, it can be hard to decide which ones are worth your time and money. In this video, we'll be ranking each DLC pack based on its content, features, and overall value to help you make an informed decision on which ones are must-haves and which ones you can pass on.
From major expansions that introduce new mechanics and species to smaller packs that focus on specific aspects of the game, we'll evaluate each DLC and place them into tiers.
Whether you're a seasoned Stellaris player looking to expand your gameplay experience or a newcomer wondering where to start, this tier list will provide valuable insights to help you tailor your Stellaris experience to your preferences.
If you want to pick up Stellaris and/or the DLCs you can do so via this link: www.humblebundle.com/store/st...
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Intro
00:59 Literally Free
01:27 Species Packs
01:50 Toxoids
03:01 Aquatics
03:57 Necroids
04:40 Lithoids
05:25 Humanoids
06:18 Plantoids
07:18 Story Packs
07:32 First Contact
08:27 Ancient Relics
09:18 Distant Stars
09:42 Astral Planes
10:39 Mechanical Expansions
10:45 Paragons
11:42 Synth Dawn
12:22 Leviathans
13:16 Major Expansions
13:33 Overlord
14:28 Nemesis
15:15 Federations
15:52 Megacorp
17:12 Utopia
17:58 Machine Age
If you enjoyed the video please let me know in the comments below, let me know the next topic you want me to cover!
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Пікірлер: 122

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

If you want to pick up Stellaris and/or the DLCs you can do so via this link: www.humblebundle.com/store/stellaris?partner=redking

@MontuPlays Ай бұрын

So Galactic Paragons is on the council but it is not granted the rank of 'Must-have'. It's ironic...

@Napoleon1123 Ай бұрын

Paragons adds some interesting stuff, it was just the update which angered people. It seems that many DLC reviews are also update reviews.

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

This is an outrage!

@biofoot7874 Ай бұрын

Have you ever heard the tragedy of Darth Paragon the Wise?

@rufussinijas Ай бұрын

@@biofoot7874 It's a dichotomy!

@upi556 Ай бұрын

The best dlc you can have to play stellaris is your imagination because when you play with rp or imagine how your planets really working it becomes incredible story

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

It is certainly about the story, not the game

@NuggetWorkshop Ай бұрын

My imagination tells me to genocide xenos when one of them pops on my capital. Rock "people" living together in harmony with my Snails, not on my watch

@n.v.9000 Ай бұрын

Same goes for any Paradox game. For me CK3 is the best one for making a story. I also like to write and I write a start and background of first character before I start a new game. But RNG decides the rest, plus my input and decisions I make. I do tend to chose decisions based on characters personality, not what is best for the game. Once I see personality of heirs, I make a based background for them also. Once one lifetime is done I can write a full story for that character. I have to say that G.R.R.M has nothing on killing the main characters comparing it to CK3 RNG.

@St4rTr3v1Ut10n Ай бұрын

Right? Before Nemesis, the way to "be the emperor" was to have the only Permanent Council Seat. Or you'd imagine yourself being a crisis by building up insane naval power and crushing everyone. It's all in the RP, although having more "official" tools to play with is always nice. It's literally like playing with action figures as a kid, and maybe you didn't have the exact character you wanted, so you pretended the one you had was the one you wanted.

@galvendorondo Ай бұрын

So called “RPers” the very second they get Disruptors

@biofoot7874 Ай бұрын

It would be truly awesome to see a history of Stellaris at 1.0 launch to what it is now! I still remember when you got to pick the method of FTL your empire had

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

oo this is a good idea!!

@biofoot7874 Ай бұрын

@TheRedKing I know I would love to it! And thanks for the content you post! Awesome work!

@Sephiroth144 Ай бұрын

@@TheRedKing Could make a fun "multiversal lore" story- My Lords, we've come across a breach in reality that shows us different histories of our empire, if different scientific routes to the stars were taken..."

@mahiwaga0 Ай бұрын

The last time I was this early, the fallen emipres had yet to fall.

@JaJDoo Ай бұрын

stellaris tier lists are a genre on their own now

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

True!

@ragnarokandroll2638 Ай бұрын

Iam happy that Stellaris devs got this huge win with Machine Age, must be a great morale boost, I also hope this helps Paradox understand better what people expect from future DLC. And it makes me kinda hyped for the next big Xpac next year, will it be this huge? I sure hope so.

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

Also very happy with how good Machine Age is, lovely to see a happy community :)

@RRRR-jr1gp 26 күн бұрын

I'm honestly already hyped for the 10 years anniversary expansion lol

@gabe1920 8 күн бұрын

What we expect is an invasion rework

@RRRR-jr1gp 8 күн бұрын

@@gabe1920 why? Invasions are fine. If you want ground combat play HoI or civ IMO

@gabe1920 8 күн бұрын

@@RRRR-jr1gp I didn't say I want ground combat, that would be a nightmare. I want to design my armies the way I can design fleets, or have a way to influence a planet's pops to join our army. There are a ton of features that can be added to armies

@GenJoseGhost Ай бұрын

The worm feels forgotten. Why did you forget the one that loves us?

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

I cannot believe I missed Horizon Signal!! It's not on the Stellaris additional content page!!

@GenJoseGhost Ай бұрын

@@TheRedKing well, the worm forgives and will always love you.

@markgregory9343 Ай бұрын

Fellow Galactic Citizens, forgive me if my information proves to be incorrect; but after my searching in the shroud, I believe that the so called "horizon signal" was incorporated into our shared simulation for free, as of the Kennedy update.

@commissarkordoshky219 Ай бұрын

Thank you for giving a tier list with time stamps. I hope I don't offend you when I say I skipped right to the Machine age, as I have seen many tier lists you made before and didn't expect anything too groundbreaking to happen. :)

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

No need to apologise, you get the info you need :)

@SmugLookingBarrel Ай бұрын

I didn't realize how jarring it would be to hear you, the RP guy, the person who starts all of his broadcasts with "My Lords" to directly reference things like Steam and the Price points of the DLC. That said, as someone who's just getting into Stellaris and wondering about the DLC, this list is incredibly helpful.

@Napoleon1123 Ай бұрын

Let's hope the next major expansion is internal politics. There could be an endgame crisis like the Mule in the Foundation series where they could cause succession wars (with an imperial government) or something like that and be a charismatic speaker pitting empires against one another. Of course a faction rework too. I really hope that Galactic Paragons was in preparation for a politics DLC as it would bring me back to the game for a long time.

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

I'm not sure i get the internal politics hype, but i'm open to it nevertheless

@derpidius6306 Ай бұрын

I am actually hoping for a touch-up on bio and psionic ascensions even though the later is already crazy, with the goodies the machine age brought I fail to see how organic ascension paths are supposed to compete with say a machine empire with 3000 nanite swarmers in the midgame or a virtual empire that has started building megastructures when people just got their first battleship

@adalbertojunior9836 Ай бұрын

I have all dlc and i am here watching ^^

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

ahh thank you, hope you enjoy!

@Drak2005 Ай бұрын

As am I.

@Ugnutz 29 күн бұрын

My favorite part of the Knights of the Toxic god start is the Doom event line where you send a knight into the hell dimension and it can go bad and you lose a planet to a Demon Incursion

@ditmarvanbelle1061 Ай бұрын

LOL! "My Lords..." why did it take me this long to realize you were addressing the viewers as your lords, not my ingame councelors?

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

Ahhha well, it's normally reserved for only Stellaris videos, and since most of them are in character... i guess it works for both :)

@mithatbilgi8199 Ай бұрын

Normally I just conquer all the primitives too but I realized if you keep them around and do aggressive research and all that, only invading after it looks like they might reach the stars or nuke each other (not regular civil wars, let them fight each other for max research benefits), it gives insane and relatively cheap research options. you get tons of envoys, and a whole bag of various that includes empire pop size admin reduction, research speed bonus, damage increase, operation speed and ease, max districts, time MIA reduction, and satisfying insults, which gives you 50 influence for insulting someone every 5 years. you might not think individually much of it but it adds up quite a bit

@brandonwalker5011 Ай бұрын

You get the council mechanic without paragons but you need it to choose traits on leader level up.

@Ugnutz 29 күн бұрын

You get most of the mechanics from the DLCs if you dont buy them but just the frameworks like the nemesis one you can still do espionage just very barebones version.

@zingodoom Ай бұрын

I have to say, I *do* love the content Leviathans adds - but it really shows the era of Stellaris's development that it came from. Most of the titular leviathans themselves have been powercrept to essentially useless. The curators are very nice flavour to have, and the artisans are still very useful to run into, though the traders are also very limited in use. War in Heaven is.... kind of just there? And even in a large galaxy with 5 FEs, it only has roughly a 50% chance of triggering, if I recall right I think it was ASpec who made a video on how much Leviathans changes the game through the lens of modern Stellaris. Since its introduction, the game has filled up with so much stuff, and there isn't really a *need* to fill up the empty space of the galaxy anymore since the free patches, even without any other DLC, have done a considerable amount for that. So for that reason, and again, I really do enjoy it and value having it in my game, but I have to disagree with your ranking and say that I'd personally put it in the "only if you want" tier

@block_01_ Ай бұрын

5:45 I rarely play with humans I think I only did it once or twice 15:30 ah rest in peace my once beloved overpowered tech rush origin (I don’t blame the devs for nerfing it as it was a bit OP but it was fun)

@Aci_yt Ай бұрын

People actually use humanoid portraits? I find those to be the most boring ones 😅

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

I guess lots of RP tropes come people want to play as are humanoids; probably expand your selection the longer you play

@guairefernandezamil4084 Ай бұрын

Ever since First Contact i have played almost exclusively the broken shackles origin, it is just so fun being able to colonize basically everything, and it lends itself to multiple angles of roleplay.

@regiuseques6333 Ай бұрын

I agree overall to my surprise. I find that for me specific things in a dlc will elevate it massively. Overlord is a really good but not a must have purely for the Orbital Rings. Really gives me that specific space fantasy I am looking for. I almost exclusively play humans for some reason but Machine Age is a must have because it fleshes out the machines in my galaxy considerably more and the kilostructures both fill a role I have wanted for years. Also playing as a machine is considerably more fun for me now and admittedly I did not fully expect the the ascension paths to be so drastically unique but I absolutely love them so far. Course I have not fully experienced everything by a good bit but what I have is top tier.

@nilious Ай бұрын

I hope that after this grand Machine DLC, we will finally get a Hive Mind focused DLC. Our Ravenous Swarms have been starving for way too long! For the Swarm!

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

Have to bribe Iggy to make super swarms

@user-zx6fg9lv4d Ай бұрын

Gestalts (and machines in general) straight got the second dedicated dlc already.

@nilious Ай бұрын

Yeah, but I mean Biological Hive Minds. We only get bread crumbs, while Machines are feasting as they have had 2 dedicated DLC for themselves.

@westcoastdean 22 күн бұрын

Super good stuff! Thanks so much!

@TheRedKing 22 күн бұрын

My pleasure!

@El_Presidente_5337 28 күн бұрын

All my homies always forget the Free Distant Horizons DLC 😔✊️

@TheRedKing 28 күн бұрын

I know! It's not on the stellaris additional content page, and I missed it on steam! My bad..

@vitalol7747 28 күн бұрын

I am a big fan of the Paradox revenue model, with streamlined new content. Devs get a regular revenue flow, and players get new stuff constantly - win-win

@cmdrtianyilin8107 Ай бұрын

I don't know if I'm spoiled or not, I never thought of buying specific DLC. I just went to steam and got the entire thing, not thinking about my wallet. But again, I play Star Citizen too, so my wallet might be used to being abused like that.

@dragandragovic8989 Ай бұрын

I honestly got to admit i watch your videos 2 times, once during the day and at night for asmr when ever you upload on a track for 6 months now 😂

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

Aha, happy to hear it :)

@crawxerplay6949 Ай бұрын

Oh my Lord

@Admiral-General_Aladeen Ай бұрын

It would be nice if the DLC were free 6-8 years after they released. That would give people that joined much later instantly some extra content. At least Utopia should be part of the base game in my opinion.

@Darkn3ssF4ll Ай бұрын

Subscription is calling

@alexkatc59 Ай бұрын

@@Darkn3ssF4ll To buy DLC every two month is better in long perspective than to buy subscription. OF COURSE IF YOU WOULD PLAY REGULARLY.

@Darlf_Sevil Ай бұрын

66% cut. Like evry frew month

@Sephiroth144 Ай бұрын

@@alexkatc59 Even if you don't but have a decent data back up regimen, it pans out better...

@slavichusk1153 Ай бұрын

Yeah, they should do what HOI4 did and integrate some of the oldest DLC's into the base game,

@braize6279 Ай бұрын

Very good tier list. And I'll go ahead and reinforce everything said about Utopia. For anyone who is looking at Stellaris as a new player, Utopia is on a tier of it's own. This one is absolutely must have. Be sure that you pick up Utopia when you purchase the main game. If you enjoy Stellaris, and want more, then you can basically follow this spot on tier list in the video.

@xbox70333 Ай бұрын

Love your videos bro, you should cover more universes than stellaris, theres lots, like gunbuster!

@lamename2010 Ай бұрын

First Contact adding cloaking allows my xenophobe empire to bypass borders at will. As such I consider it quite strong. Better yet, it allows me to slowly leapfrog through dangerous systems, like those having the enigmatic fortress or other leviathans, without suffering huge penalties due to warping there. All the while building starbases all over.

@BARBARBINKLE 18 күн бұрын

Was recently a 80% sale and I got all of them for like $100 😁

@dragonhorde9866 4 күн бұрын

oh good a trusterd subscribed yutbuer tier list :)

@comradebadgers1818 Ай бұрын

I've been wanting to do a kingdom type playthrough what have been some fun ones people have done so what I'm looking for is Species Civics Traits Ethics And all the other stuff I know I'm forgetting the names for basically making a brand new empire and then finally why it was enjoyable to play or why it was a challenge

@AspenBrightsoul Ай бұрын

Top teir catagory Acknowledged. Termination: Rescheduled.

@Cerylion Ай бұрын

What I like is that the Custodian Team is improving the DLCs that are no logner worth their price. Like how Plantoids and Humanoids used to be nothing more than new species portraits and Lithoids was the first Specis Pack that tried to be something more. But now they offer more than just a fewportraits. Astral Planes is a sad one for me. I vey much like the Astral Rifts, but Astral Actions I feel make the game worse rather than better. I feel Astral Actions should have been locked behind an Ascension Perk. Overlord gives something quite significant IIRC: the Hyper Relays. While I am sure some enjoy the risks of having your fleet far away from action and logistics that come with it, others really want those Galactic Highways before they manage to research and build up the Gateways. Not sure it would make it deserve a higher spot, but certainly an important element.

@blanksilver3851 Ай бұрын

YOU should have mentioned about Lithoid DLC some of Lithoids Species Trait such as the shedding of rare minerals is locked behind the Plantoid DLC which made me really angry about since we have an Lithoid DLC and they put it in the Plantoid Pack which i had not owned because i dont want to play as Plants. Hope you see this since this.

@BeardedPavi Ай бұрын

Can you do one for the Consoles? Cause we are quite behind on dlc, so it would be nice to see what you think.

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

I think my answers would remain basically the same tbh, although you are behind you are semi lucky as PC players find all the bugs before it gets to you

@St4rTr3v1Ut10n Ай бұрын

As someone who got all the DLC at very reduced prices, price was no object and I got everything; and having played a lot with all the DLC, and mods that slow my game down to a crawl by midgame, I suggest disabling species packs I don't play as (they still appear in-game), and maybe Astral Planes. The actions are fun, and the stories are cool, but the rifts appear so sporadically, and it's not guaranteed you'll get all the Astral Actions. You end up with a non-tradeable resource you can only use once in a while, it's not great.

@Joeythedungeonmaster Ай бұрын

To other players of machine age: what do you think of the arc furnace megastructure? I feel it's a powerful structure, and combined with the cyberex mining hub, and the mining drones civic, the megastrucuture is OP

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

I personally love, it - the kilo's are good additions to the game, more so as they come in so much earlier than megas.

@thainemartin5766 25 күн бұрын

I haven't upgraded it yet, working on establishing economy, but just the description makes it seen OP. Especially if you throw it in a system with like a dozen or more planets 👏🏻

@corrinvondrachen1097 Ай бұрын

"50% of all Stellaris games are humans"...gods those people must be fucking boring. I can't imagine running majority of my games as some different flavor of human that much.

@Sephiroth144 Ай бұрын

"Apocalypse, which incidentally, has -probably- the best Stellaris trailer of all time..." I solemnly swear to devote my life and ability in the defense of the United Nations of Earth, to defend the constitution of man, and to further the universal rights of all sentient life, from the depths of the Pacific, to the edge of the galaxy, for as long as I shall live.

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

It's so good right? I do enjoy the part 2 to Nemesis as well, but Apoc is top tier in tralier quality!

@thecrazayguy Ай бұрын

I've never been this early

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

Today is a good day :)

@DarkCrimson25 Ай бұрын

Nice ^^

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

@troymcguffey8801 Ай бұрын

I am but a humble servant my lord, but I wish the mighty Microsoft corporation would put a sale on the DLCs on the Xbox as well so that we may also partake in these wonderful endeavors.

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

Ah I wish I had control over that! 24/7 sale !

@xavierjuncewski Ай бұрын

If you were a Smurf you would be the blue king

@TheRedKing Ай бұрын

or Gargamel!

@romanpechorin4798 22 күн бұрын

Still don't understand why people think its boring to play rock people. That's such a reference to Futurama, I mean it's so sarcastically fun concept, so why not

@renaldoawes2210 12 күн бұрын

Putting First Contact and Astral Planes ahead of Nemesis and Apoc....

@TheRedKing 11 күн бұрын

Did you listen to the reasons why?

@renaldoawes2210 11 күн бұрын

@@TheRedKing Yes. I can't imagine playing a stellaris game without Nemesis. But I could 100% live without some mid story pack like Astral planes that only really added a meh mid game crisis and some very skippable story elements surrounding it. Nemesis gave you the ultimate goal of literally ruling the galaxy, which has so more sandbox potential because of how vague your reasons for dominance can be. Seeing enemy AI turn into threats to the galaxy gave the game some interesting conclusions instead of your typical "Scourge arrived win and new game" ending. I've had end games that were these massive 5 way wars between the factions and the only reason that happened is because of what nemesis brought to the table. Meanwhile astral planes is the same thing every single time and is nothing more than a means to acquire a few nifty resources since the story is unintriguing. DLCs like Nemesis give you the means to do what you want. Astral planes is more of a box you fit yourself into. One is open ended the other is straight forward. Nemesis takes advantage of your imagination, while Astral planes is like reading a book. A boring book.

@TheRedKing 11 күн бұрын

@@renaldoawes2210 and that's why its in the "only if you want it category" because we don't all want to play the same thing :)