Technology

Technology is one of the core game systems in ES2. Much like "experience points" in an RPG, players are able to gain science points as they play, and these progressively unlock new abilities for their empire. These include new movement abilities for starships, new kinds of buildings, new kinds of ships and equipment, and access to major game features (like the galactic market, or many forms of diplomacy) which are initially "locked" when the game begins.

It is even possible to win the game directly by simply researching technologies (see below).

The technology tree in Endless Space 2 is split into four sections, Military, Economy and Trade, Science and Exploration and Empire Development.

Each section has 5 tiers or eras. You have to research a set number of technologies from an era to have access to the next one. Technology cost increases based on the era it's in as well as the current number of technologies researched by your civilization. Reaching an era may unlock a Deed or an improvement.

Many of the technologies - as well as the different ships, buildings, planet colonizations, etc. that the technologies unlock - are specific to your faction. This means that each faction will have some technologies that are exclusive to that faction, either being a entirely new technology or tweaks to the standard technology. These technologies can be identified by a small icon along the bottom of the tech's icon: either a faction icon (indicating it's been altered by your Visual Affinity, such as "The Vodyani") or a yin yang icon (indicating it's been altered by your Gameplay Affinity, such as "Shipbound").

Some technologies are also exclusive if paired with another technology on the tree, where you can only unlock one of the two. This is the case for many of the military technologies where you have to choose between energy or projectile weapons. The restriction can be bypassed through trading or stealing it (through hacking) from a faction that has the other technology.

Each technology has a political affinity associated with it, increasing the support of the respective political party once it's researched.

Behemoth technologies cost 25% more, technologies "linked" to future technologies (as shown by a line connecting) will have a reduction cost of -20% once the previous connecting technology is researched. Every technology researched increases the cost of future technologies to be researched, if 2 or more technologies are finished at the same turn, the increased costs are not counted in.

As you explore the galaxy you may also come across technology caches containing rare technology that you otherwise could not research.

Information about exact science cost calculations can be found in this spreadsheet.

Military

These technologies focus on warfare and will provide upgrades and improvements to ship weaponry and modules, command points, ground troops, manpower and defensive improvements to your systems.

It does not, however, provide technology for the closely-related ship hulls, which are in the Empire Development tree.

1/2/3/4 technologies required to unlock Stage 2/3/4/5.

Tier	Name	Unlocks	Base Cost	Ideology
Military Tier 1		Basic Coupled C5AI (+1 CP on Empire) Basic High-I Slugs Basic Ion Torpedoes Basic OPAL Laser Basic Plasma Beam Basic High-I Plating Basic Plasma Shielding
1	Survival Suits	Impervious Bunkers Chain Gang Program	131
	Ubiquitous Surveillance	Big Data Shipyards O2G Delivery Gear	131
Military Tier 2		G-War Camps (+200 Manpower Capacity on Empire) Upgraded Coupled C5AI (+2 CP on Empire) Basic Ultradense Slugs Basic Sync Laser Basic Reactive Plating Basic Uniform Shielding
2	Unstable Isotope Machining	Electromagnetic Shield Plasma Intensifier	210
	Focused Plasma	Kinetic Enhancer Titanium A2S Slugs Basic Swarm Missiles	210
	Autonomous Construction	Coordinated Command Mobile Energy Weapons Cloaker I (Penumbra)	210
	High-Energy Magnetics	Tractable Armaments Titanium Shrapnel	210
Military Tier 3		No-G Camps (+500 Manpower Capacity on Empire) Expert Coupled C5AI (+3 CP on Empire) Improved Ship Design (Rookie II) Basic Decay Torpedoes Basic Phased Beam
3	Hardened Alloys	Zero-Lag Command (+1 CP per Hull types on Empire) Basic Fighter Basic Bomber Basic Railgun	788
	Deep Space Personnel Systems	Antipersonnel Defense Drones Boarding Pod Basic	788
	Improved Fleet Management	OpEx Gear Basic P-Laser Fighters Basic Plasma Bombers Advanced Swarm Missiles	788
	Titanium Electroplating	Vulnerability Assessor Improved Reactive Plating Adamantian Salvager Cloaker II (Penumbra)	788
	Survival Suits	Tactical Expertise Improved Uniform Shielding Basic Flotilla Shield Anti-Cloaker I (Penumbra)	788
	Advanced Fusion Power	Improved Ultradense Slugs Improved Fusion Torpedoes	788
	Hyperium Magnetics	Improved Sync Laser Improved Pinch Beam	788
	Behemoth Weaponization (Supremacy DLC)	Enhanced Behemoth Hull Tractor Beam	985
Military Tier 4		Contained Camps (+1000 Manpower Capacity on Empire) Distributed Coupled C5AI (+3 CP on Empire) Advanced Ship Design (Veteran) Basic Unstable Slugs Basic HELL Array Laser Basic Inert Plating Basic Transformative Shielding
4	Adamantian Alloys	Advanced Fighter Adamantian Enhancer Advanced Railgun	2102
	Structured Antimatter	Antimatter Intensifier Advanced P-Laser Fighters Extreme Swarm Missiles	2102
	Universal Aerodynamics	Integrated Theaters V2A Attack Boarding Pod Advanced	2102
	Deniable Operations	Blast Effect Battery Real-time Relays Prepped Bases Lethal Squadron	2102
	Vacuum Protection	Adamantian Repairbots Antimatter Re-Shield Squadron Shifter	2102
	Adamantian Electroplating	Agile Command Advanced Inert Plating Cloaked Ambush (Penumbra)	2102
	Antimatter Channeling	Battlefield Analysis Advanced Transformative Shielding Anti Cloaker II Enhanced Anti-Cloaking Probe	2102
	Tensor Algorithms	Advanced Unstable Slugs Advanced Positron Torpedoes	2102
	Advanced Game Theory	Advanced HELL Array Laser Advanced Positron Beam	2102
	Juggernaut Blueprints (Supremacy DLC)	Juggernaut Specialization Faction-specific module	2628
	Obliterator Blueprints (Supremacy DLC) (Superweapons On)	Obliterator Specialization	2628
Military Tier 5		Flash Camps (+2000 Manpower Capacity on Empire) Pervasive Coupled C5AI (+4 CP on Empire) Endless Ship Design (Elite) Basic Entropy Torpedoes Basic Anti-Gluon Beam
5	Subatomic Disruption	Advanced Bomber Advanced Plasma Bombers Extreme Railgun	5256
	Hyperfield Generators	Hyper Gear Quadrinix Fleet Shield	5256
	Quantum Communications	Adaptive Fleet Systems C4 Systems	5256
	War as Hobby	Multi-Mind Combat Core Cracker (Superweapons on) Redundant Cybernetics	5256
	Interleaved Orichalcix	Extreme Impenetrable Plating Cloaked Strike	5256
	Quadrinix Toroids	Extreme Graviton Shielding Anti-cloaker III Elite Anti-Cloaking Probe	5256
	Orichalcix Alignment	Extreme AGN Slugs Extreme Entropy Torpedoes	5256
	Programmable Quadrinix	Extreme TERACO Laser Extreme Anti-Gluon Beam
	Juggernaut Module Upgrade (Supremacy DLC)	Enhanced Juggernauts	6569
	Juggernaut Battle Upgrade (Supremacy DLC)	Ion Wave	6569
	Obliterator Missile Velocity (Supremacy DLC) (Superweapons On)	Warp Missiles (+Projectile Speed)	6569
	Obliterator Missile Frequency (Supremacy DLC) (Superweapons On)	Obliterator Reload (-25% Reload Speed)	6569

Economy and Trade

These technologies focus on the exploitation of Strategic Resources, in addition to System Development upgrades, dust and industry improvements, and allows access to Trade Companies and the Marketplace. It also includes some Planet Colonization technology.

1/2/4/3 to unlock Stage Era 2/3/4/5.

Tier	Name	Unlocks	Base Cost	Ideology
Economy and Trade Tier 1
1	Xenolinguistics	Xeno-Industrial Infrastructure Titanium Refining	131
	Plasma Metallurgy	Interplanetary Transport Network Hyperium Capture	131
Economy and Trade Tier 2
2	Galactic Commodities	Miners Union G-Goods Exchange	131
	Multi-Thread Management	Intergalactic Supermarket Accelerated Production	131
	Astrofinance	Xenotourism Agencies Colonial Exchange	131
	Atmospheric Filtration	Luxuries Lottery Colonize Ash	131
	Behemoth Exploitation 1 (Supremacy DLC)	Deep Miner I Fast Miner I	263
Economy and Trade Tier 3		Basic System Development (System Plan Lv.2)
3	Impactless Sites	Pulvis Production G-Services Exchange Vacate System	788
	Neural Robotics	Predictive Logistics Adamantian Refining Industrial Zones	788
	Commercial Frameworks	Trade Company HQ Trade Company Subsidiary	788
	Extreme Atmospherics	Expanded Mines Antimatter Capture Colonize Gas-Giant	788
	Maximized Exploitation	AI Labor Public 3D Printing Colonize Lava	788
	Chameleon Spaces	Planet Cracker Factory/Lab Slag and Sludge Center	788
	Behemoth Exploitation 2 (Supremacy DLC)	Core Miner Deep Miner II Fast Miner II	695
	Mission Flexibility (Supremacy DLC)	Enhanced Behemoths Regional Government Bureau	695
Economy and Trade Tier 4		Advanced System Development (System Plan Lv.3)
4	Dust Micro-Loans	Interspecies Cooperative Mobile Cryogenics	2102
	Ultratough Materials	Fabrication License Squadthink Systems	2102
	Quantized Economics	Careful Sweeping Atemporal Finance	2102
	Crust Engineering	Geo-industrial Plants Orichalcix Refining	2102
	Galactic Security Charter	Solar Security Operations Base Commercial Encryption	2102
	Gamma Absorbtion	Microwave Pipes Quadrinix Capture	2102
	Mineral Manipulation	Xhiyun Cartel Borer's Guild Bourse Sleeper Identification	2102
	Optimized Logistics	Adaptive Taxation Systems Smart Tax Collection Sleeper Cull	2102
Economy and Trade Tier 5		Endless System Development (System Plan Lv.4)
5	Reidite-7 Catalyzation	Shaft-to-Shelf System Dust Anti-Trafficking Center	5256
	Megarisk Containment	Hazardous Mining Facility	5256
	Exa-Volt Beam Focus	Distributed Energy	5256
	Xeno NLP	MXBA Emergency Labor Policy	5256
	P.O.W.E.R. Armor	Mechsuit Quarter Floating Superstructures	5256
	Autonomous Mining	Self-Mining NPO Urgent AI Research	5256

Science and Exploration

These technologies provide further improvements in science generation, curiosity exploration, ship movement, probes and Luxury Resources. It also contains a large portion of the Planet Colonization technologies and specifically the ability to make ships travel between star systems without starlanes.

1/3/3/3 required to unlock Stage Era 2/3/4/5.

Tier	Name	Unlocks	Base Cost	Ideology
Science and Exploration Tier 1		Common Curiosities String Gravitics Engine Basic Colonization Improved Probes
1	Xenobiology	Public-private Partnerships Colonize Tundra	131
	Rare Earth Foams	Debris Analyzer Colonize Mediterranean	131
Science and Exploration Tier 2		Basic Warp Drive Nano-repair Bots
2	Machine Bacteria	Titanium Probes Hyperium Probes Colonize Steppes	210
	Eukaryotic Sap	Applied Happiness Program H-Field Fleet Accelerator Colonize Snow Accelerator (Penumbra)	210
	Baryonic Shielding	Advanced Scanners Warp Drive (Free Movement) Colonize Savannah Piggyback (Penumbra)	210
	Pev-scale Accelerators	Magnetic Field Generators Exoscience Stations Colonize Arid	210
	Behemoth Generators (Supremacy DLC)	Basic Behemoth Propulsion Basic Behemoth Scanner Behemoth Scanner	263
	Behemoth Analyzers (Supremacy DLC)	Basic Node Analyzer Stellar Node Study 1	263
Science and Exploration Tier 3		Uncommon Curiosities Hyperium Engine
3	Wave Function Control	Optics Research Labs Colonize Ice Interrogate (Penumbra) Overload (Penumbra)	788
	Compact Warp Methods	Moonbase Alpha Eco Habitats Moon Exploration	788
	Graviton Research	Graviton-shielded Laboratories Colonize Arctic Lockdown (Penumbra) Divert (Penumbra)	788
	Autonomous Materials	Simple Anomaly Reduction Evolved Soils Hawking Radiation Dowser (Wormholes) Infiltration Engine (Penumbra)	788
	Evaporation Inhibitors	Deep Crust Secrets Primary Terraforming Colonize Desert	788
	Behemoth Basic Climatology (Supremacy DLC)	Advanced Node Analyzer Climate Engineering	985
Science and Exploration Tier 4		Rare Curiosities Titanium Colonizer
4	Adaptive Colonies	Farsighted Crops Explorer-hull Upgrade	2102
	Custom Nucleotides	Cosmetic Genetics Alien Grafting	2102
	Dimensional Folding	F-Reality Institute Firewall (Penumbra) Track (Penumbra)	2102
	N-Dimensional Topologies	Deep Space Fuel Scoop (Warp boost) Accelerated Warp Drive	2102
	Low Kelvin Sciences	Ultra-MRI Astronomy (System Vision) Q-Field Fleet Accelerator Hacking Optimisation (Penumbra)	2102
	Ultra-Deep Habitats	Dark Matter Institute Deep Epoch Scanning	2102
	Climate Engineering	Punctuated Evolution Foundation Advanced Terraforming	2102
	Tendrils of the Church	All Must Tithe III All Must Serve III
	Sophonic Noosphere	Scienceganza
	Tachyon Physics	Rip Singularity Fold Singularity
	Behemoth Advanced Climatology (Supremacy DLC)	Advanced Climate Engineering Stellar Node Study 2	2628
Science and Exploration Tier 5		Anti-Matter Engine
5	Interstellar Wind Shields	Deep Atmosphere Habitats Lunar Suburbs	5256
	Supralight Aerodynamics	Hyperlight Acceleration	5256
	Anomaly Framework	Dust Bonanza Pocket Laboratories School Of Geniuses	5256
	Ontological Rev-Eng	OCP Investigation Unit Citizen Science	5256
	Advanced Non-Baryonics	Offensive Laboratories	5256
	Radioactive Essence	Reap Essence All Must Provide III
	Pious Timekeeping	All Must Worship III All Must Study IV
	Unified Tachyon Theory	Stasis Singularity
	Hyperfolding	Hyperfold Hulls

Empire Development

The technologies in this tree cover a broad spectrum, from new ship hull types, food growth, diplomacy, minor faction interactions, new government types, faction alliances, overcolonization penalties and the Wonder Victory construction. Each Empire also has a unique technology in this tree to research.

1/2/4/4 required to unlock Era Stage 2/3/4/5.

Tier	Name	Unlocks	Base Cost	Ideology
Empire Development Tier 1		Flexible Bureaucracy Cerebral Reality Drone Networks
1	Planetary Landscaping	Intensive Cultivation Sustainable Farms	131
	Off-World Agribusiness	Infinite Supermarkets Xenosynergy	131
Empire Development Tier 2		Mining Probe start (Supremacy) Grants Bureau (Supremacy) Stellar Analytics (Supremacy)
2	Efficient Shielding	Attacker-hull Protector-hull Behemoth-upgrade	210
	Botanical Scanning	Epigenetic Crop Seeding Intensive Cultivation Logistics	210
	Xenology	Academy Embassy SPIN Project	210
	Adaptive Bureaucracies	Denarque University Colonize Barren	210
	Behemoth Blueprints (Supremacy DLC)	Behemoth-hull	263
Empire Development Tier 3		Improved Commercial Drives Developing Empire Laws
3	Agri Drugs	Enhanced Protector Patriot Pills Plant	788
	Extreme Composites	Enhanced Attacker Exotic Rations	788
	Split-Second Ablatives	Coordinator-hull Adamantian Jammer Improved Behemoths	788
	Applied Cryogenics	Hunter-hull Antimatter Lenser Flexible Behemoths	788
	Xeno Anthropology	National Museum Government Diversity The Pooster Program	788
	Inter-Species HR	Culture Center Colonial Rights	788
	HyperPACs	Intergalactic Relations School PRAIyer Colonize Toxic	788
	Citadel Blueprints (Supremacy DLC)	Citadel Specialization Behemoth C3 Center	985
Empire Development Tier 4		Improved Commercial Drives
4	Liquid Composites	Carrier-hull Behemoth Maximization	2102
	Faction Unique Tech Militarized Management Harmonized Shadows Coupled Collaboration	Zelevas Incarnate Genetic Alteration Lab Cathedral of the Swarm The White Market Tower of Temporal Paradox Spire of the Ordained Mantle of Unity Portal Upgrade: Broadcast System Science Station Glorious Bastion Red Blade Assemblage Shadow Agency Cathedral to the Lost
	Dependency Algorithms	Enhanced Coordinator	2102
	Low-temperature Construction	Enhanced Hunter	2102
	SLC (Supra-Light Content) Systems	Edenization Cultural Flexibility	2102
	Cultural Invertics	Wellbeing Foundation Culture Unshock Autonomous Administration	2102
	Perfect Negotiations	Body Language Institute Co-operation Protocol	2102
	Citadel Basic Upgrade (Supremacy DLC)	System Battery System Shield (Superweapons On)	2628
Empire Development Tier 5		Exemplary Empire Laws Obelisks of All Space-Time (Wonder Victory) Improved Commercial Drives
5	Far Halo Shipyard	Enhanced Carrier	5256
	Chlorophyll Chemistry	Super Biofuel Factory Aquaculture Dome	5256
	Chaotic Meteorology	Cloud Seeding Swarms Cultivation Institute	5256
	Nano Aquaculture	High Serenity Program Bio-Enhancement Facility	5256
	Dust-9 Production	Intergalactic Lectures Uplift Institute	5256
	Citadel Advanced Upgrade (Supremacy DLC)	Advanced System Battery Coordinated Bunkers	6569
	Citadel Extensions (Supremacy DLC)	Scientific-Military Complex Weaponized System	6569

Technology Victory

Main article: Victory: Science

By discovering the four advanced and unique technologies at the farthest edges of each quadrant of the Technology screen, you will have a depth of knowledge and technical power that makes you the unquestioned leader of the galaxy.

Once you've researched all 4, you'll immediately win the game, as long as the science victory condition is enabled for that match, and you are not in an alliance (in an alliance, additional members up the requirement count beyond the 4 you, yourself are allowed to research. This makes this victory condition a bit difficult within an alliance, because unlike e.g. a wonder victory, which similarly increases the number of "obelisks" you need to build to win, you're not able to complete the task, yourself, on behalf of your team. You have to research 4 of the technologies, and then simply wait for your allies to finish the additional ones on their own.).