Join us for a list of the best ascension perks! We've all been there. You play Stellaris and finally finish the tradition tree or manage to obtain the Ascension Theory, only to find yourself stuck at choosing the ascension perk slot. And who could blame you? There are a lot of options, and they all bring some great merits. And choosing one perk amongst over 30 of them is no easy task. Naturally, you might be wondering what the best Stellaris ascension perks are and how to choose them. Well, that's where we come in. Today we're going to briefly explain the best perks in 2020 and why they work.  So let's get started and learn what are the top 10 Stellaris ascension perks in 2020!

Ascension perks rankings:

• How to unlock ascension
• Tier 0
• Tier 1
• Tier 2
• Tier 3

How do you get the best ascension perks in Stellaris?

Before we answer the question of what are the top 10 Stellaris ascension perks, we should probably answer the question of how do you get ascension perks in Stellaris in the first place. As you might know, traditions are a big part of Stellaris. They are abilities or bonuses you can unlock with the Unity resource. Essentially, they represent the sociological and cultural development of your empire as you progress through the game. Throughout the game you will pick and choose the from amongst 10 available tradition trees which best fit your playstyle. Each of those traditions has an effect that is activated when you choose it, several different traditions in it, and a major bonus that goes into effect when you choose all of the traditions within a tradition tree.

So how do you get ascension perks in Stellaris through traditions exactly? Actually, it's quite simple. Every time you complete a tradition tree you will unlock a single ascension perk slot. And that's it! If you want more ascension slots first you will have to complete more tradition trees. However, there is an alternative, although it can only be used once. If you want to unlock an additional ascension slot without bothering with completing a tradition tree you can use research. More specifically, you can research the Ascension Theory technology. It can be extremely useful to do so as it makes your progression through ascension tiers much faster.

Now that we answered the question of how do you get ascension perks in Stellaris, let's see what are the top 10 Stellaris ascension perks in 2020!

Best Tier 0 ascension perks

Granted, Tier 0 ascension perks are not going to make it to the list of best ascension perks in 2020 overall, but hey, you gotta start somewhere. Unlike the perks from higher tiers, Tier 0 ascension perks can be taken from the moment you acquire ascension perks. Meaning, they don't require a certain number of ascension perks already obtained to unlock.

The first Tier 0 ascension perks that is worth considering is the Consecrated Worlds ascension perk. It grants you additional amenities, spiritualist attraction, and bonus unity. All of which can be used to snowball into the late game.

The second of the best Tier 0 perks is the Nihilistic Acquisition. However, it is worth noting that it doesn't fit all playstyles equally. Essentially, it's an alternative source of population grown you can use instead of regular colonisation. Even though it's a relatively niche choice the Nihilistic Acquisition is one of the best ascension perks in 2020 you can pick up.

Finally, we have the Xeno-Compatibility, an underrated perk if there ever was one. The Xeno-Compatibility allows for a much faster population growth. You can use it to get a jump-start in the early game and reap the benefits later. Furthermore, it also gives you an extra trait point from the hybrids.

Best ascension perks in 2020 for Tier 1

Unlike the Tier 0 ascension perks, the Tier 1 choices have a bit more of an impact on the game. However, they also require you to have at least 1 previous ascension perks to unlock them. There are 2 clear choices when talking about the best perks for Tier 1.

The first, and arguably the best ascension perk in 2020 as far as Tier 1 goes, is the Flesh is Weak ascension perk. First of all, it gives you a faster robot assembly process along with some free leader traits. You don't want to miss those. However, the real benefit is that it provides you with a habitability bonus even before you have habitability technologies. In turn, you'll have your perfect match planets at 100% compatibility in no time.

The second perk is the World Shaper. The World Shaper perk is often overlooked, even though it's definitely one of the best Tier 1 ascension perks. It gives you an extra 10% bonus to happiness and 10% bonus to productivity. It might not seem like a colossal number, but it carries a great impact through the course of the game. Naturally, the longer the game lasts the more total benefit you will get.

Best ascension perks for Tier 2 in 2020

When you reach the Tier 2 ascension perks is when the things really start to heat up. But before you unlock them you'll need to have 2 previous ascension perks. Interestingly enough, one of the best ascension perks overall is in Tier 2.

That is none other than the Synthetic Evolution ascension perk. Yes, it's very expensive and hard to obtain. But the benefits greatly outweigh the costs. The Synthetic Evolution ascension perk will set you on the track for economy stronger than all other combined. If you manage to obtain it in a reasonable time it is essentially a guaranteed win. As such, it is a little bit game-breaking, but that's what makes it one of the best ascension perks in Stellaris.

The second best Tier 2 ascension perk as of 2020 is the Arcology Project. And that's after the nerf it got back in 2018. As you might now, in late game you will need a lot of alloy and consumer goods production. And I mean a lot. With a 20% cost reduction to running the production districts, the Arcology Project has a big influence on late-game economy. It is not a must have by any means, but it makes the whole thing so much easier.

Finally, the best ascension perks for Tier 2 contain the Evolution Mastery ascension perk. The Evolution Mastery gives you enough points to get all the amazing traits such as fertile, erudite, and robust. Of course, you'll also have a bunch of remaining points leftover to get any other traits you want. Not to mention it also gives you access to clone vats and the ability to redesign populations.

Best Tier 3 perks in 2020

Finally, we reached the big ones. The best ascension perks in Tier 3 for 2020. Tier 3 perks are the last ones you can obtain, provided you already have 3 others. Tier 3 ascension perks should be chosen very carefully as they have the most impact and the biggest cost of all.

The best ascension perk in Tier 3 is without a doubt the Galactic Wonders perk. It gives you access to the most powerful megastructures in the game. Granted, it doesn't offer the most choice as there are fewer of them available, but their quality more than makes up for quantity. It is a must-have for late-game strategy and it will give you a major advantage and leap forward when chosen.

The Colossus Project is a close second when it comes to best perks in Tier 3. If you're trying to win late game without spending all of the influence on claims it is a definite must-have. Of course, the real reason why you want to take the Colossus Project is because it allows you to build the Colossus. The Colossus is a huge ship equipped with a weapon of mass destruction that affects the entire planet. If you're looking for a way to finish off anything that bothers you, the Colossus is the tool for it.

These are the best ascension perks in Stellaris as of 2020. Of course, some of them might not work out perfectly for you if you're running a niche strategy. Regardless, they'll be the most useful more often than not. And just as a reminder, if you don't own the game, you can get Stellaris and all of its DLC right HERE on 2game for a discounted price. Happy colonizing!