In order to have a thriving population in Stellaris, they will have to live on planets that meet their needs! A race from a desert planet wouldn’t be able to live very well on a tropical planet, would it? This is where Terraforming comes in.
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Terraforming is the process of using gases to give a planet a whole new environment. In Stellaris, it can be used to increase the habitability of a world. This article will cover everything you need to know about it, including how to unlock the mechanism, how to use it once you’ve done it, which planets can be terraformed, and more.
There are several social technologies you will need to research terraforming planets. One of them unlocks the base ability and the others expand your options. If you want to Terraform as quickly as possible, focus on producing social research rather than engineering and physics research. There are also bonus tools you can unlock to allow you to Terraform unique planets.
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Source
Type
What he does
Cost
Preconditions
Earth sculpture
Technology
Level 2
Earth sculpture is the core technologywhat you need invest to start Terraforming. With this, you will be able to terraform base planets into other base planet types.
6,000 Company Research
Have studied at least six technologies at level 1
Climate restoration
Technology
Level 4
Climate restoration lets you terraform tomb worlds (planets that are basically dead).
16,000 Society Research
Earth sculpture has been researched
Have researched at least six technologies in levels 1, 2 and 3
Ecological adaptation
Technology
Level 3
Ecological adaptation allows you to terraform planets that already have inhabitants.
10,000 Company Research
Have researched at least six technologies in levels 1 and 2
Terraforming Candidate
Modifier
Terraforming Candidate is a modifier applied to planets that could be terraformed, but needed to be researched first. Most planets you encounter are safe to live on, but barren worlds, barren (cold) worlds, and frozen worlds may have an anomaly to investigate first. Once done, the planet will acquire this modifier and you can terraform it.
Varied
Planet Research Anomaly
world shaper
Ascension Advantage
Level 1
World Shaper’s Ascension Advantage lets you turn planets into Gaia Worlds, which are special planets that rarely appear naturally in the galaxy. They have 100% habitability for all species.
Varied
Climate restoration technology has been researched
Must have taken at least 1 other Ascension Advantage
Hive Worlds
Ascension Advantage
Level 2
The Hive Worlds Ascension perk allows you to Terraform planets into hive worlds.
Varied
Synthetic Dawn Story Pack DLC
Must have taken at least 2 other Ascension Perks
Climate restoration technology has been researched
Your government’s authority is a hive mind
machine worlds
Ascension Advantage
Level 2
The machine worlds ascension perk lets you terraform planets into machine worlds.
Varied
Utopia DLC
Must have taken at least 2 other Ascension Perks
Climate restoration technology has been researched
The authority of your government is an artificial intelligence
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how to terraform
Once you’ve unlocked, at the very least, Earth Sculpting Tech, you can start terraforming your first planets!
Click on a planet that is…
Investigation
Within the borders of your empire
…and look for the option marked “Terraform”. From there, you’ll choose the type of world you’d like to have, and the game will tell you how much the process will cost and how long it will take. The percentage shown is the habitability of the planet for the race that makes up your empire. If there are multiple races in your empire, the percentage will indicate the habitability of the race most suited to that environment.
Terraforming events
The first time you terraform a planet, there is a small chance that the planet will be affected by a terraforming event. These are particular conditions that can change your planet, for better or for worse. For example, some terraforming events add additional districts to the planet, while a terraforming event may prevent all people living on a Gaia world from living off a Gaia world. You may also have a choice to make that will affect the outcome of the terraforming event.
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All planet types and costs in Terraform
The table below details each type of planet and the possibilities of terraforming, as well as the requirements, cost and duration of terraforming.
original climate
new climate
Cost in energy credits
The time it will take in years
Preconditions
Alpine, arctic or tundra world
Alpine, arctic or tundra world
2,000
5
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Arid, desert or savanna world
5,000
ten
Continental, oceanic or tropical world
Gaia World
7,500
ten
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Worldshaper Ascension Perk
Beehive World
10,000
20
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Hive Worlds Ascension Perk
Synthetic Dawn Story Pack DLC
machine world
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Machine Worlds Ascension Perk
Utopia DLC
Arid, desert or savanna world
Arid, desert or savanna world
2,000
5
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Alpine, arctic or tundra world
5,000
ten
Continental, oceanic or tropical world
Gaia World
7,500
ten
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Worldshaper Ascension Perk
Beehive World
10,000
20
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Hive Worlds Ascension Perk
Synthetic Dawn Story Pack DLC
machine world
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Machine Worlds Ascension Perk
Utopia DLC
Continental, oceanic or tropical world
Continental, oceanic or tropical world
2,000
5
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Arid, desert or savanna world
5,000
ten
Alpine, arctic or tundra world
Gaia World
7,500
ten
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Worldshaper Ascension Perk
Beehive World
10,000
20
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Hive Worlds Ascension Perk
Synthetic Dawn Story Pack DLC
machine world
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Machine Worlds Ascension Perk
Utopia DLC
barren world
Continental, oceanic or tropical world
10,000
15
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Climate Restoration Technology Research
Terraforming Candidate Modifier
Arid, desert or savanna world
5,000
ten
Alpine, arctic or tundra world
15,000
20
Gaia World
12,500
25
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Worldshaper Ascension Perk
Terraforming Candidate Modifier
Beehive World
10,000
20
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Hive Worlds Ascension Perk
Synthetic Dawn Story Pack DLC
Terraforming Candidate Modifier
machine world
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Machine Worlds Ascension Perk
Utopia DLC
Terraforming Candidate Modifier
Barren world (cold)
Arid, desert or savanna world
15,000
20
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Climate Restoration Technology Research
Terraforming Candidate Modifier
Alpine, arctic or tundra world
5,000
ten
Continental, oceanic or tropical world
10,000
15
Gaia World
12,500
25
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Worldshaper Ascension Perk
Terraforming Candidate Modifier
Beehive World
10,000
20
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Hive Worlds Ascension Perk
Synthetic Dawn Story Pack DLC
Terraforming Candidate Modifier
machine world
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Machine Worlds Ascension Perk
Utopia DLC
Terraforming Candidate Modifier
frozen world
ocean world
12,500
25
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Climate Restoration Technology Research
Terraforming Candidate Modifier
tomb world
Continental, oceanic or tropical world
10,000
20
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Climate Restoration Technology Research
Alpine, arctic or tundra world
Arid, desert or savanna world
Gaia
12,500
25
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Worldshaper Ascension Perk
Nanite World
Continental, oceanic or tropical world
1,000
1
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Climate Restoration Technology Research
Terraforming Candidate Modifier
Distant Stars Possessed DLC
Alpine, arctic or tundra world
Arid, desert or savanna world
Beehive World
Continental, oceanic or tropical world
1,000
1
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Climate Restoration Technology Research
Synthetic Dawn Story Pack DLC
Alpine, arctic or tundra world
Arid, desert or savanna world
machine world
Continental, oceanic or tropical world
1,000
1
Wanted Earth Sculpture
Climate Restoration Technology Research
Utopia DLC
Alpine, arctic or tundra world
Arid, desert or savanna world
Terraform Cost and/or Time Changes
There are a few small exceptions to the exact cost required and time taken to terraform a planet as we detailed above. Refer to the table below to see if any of the situations apply to you; if so, it will change the cost or duration.
Source
Type
Terraforming Cost Change
Terraforming the time change
Downloadable content required
world shaper
Ascension Advantage
Cost decreases by 25%
None
None
Terraforming gas
Decree
None
The time required decreases by 50%
None
Exotic Gas Shortages
Situation
None
Time increases by 20% per stage of the situation
None
world shaper
Ruler Stroke
None
Time required decreases by 25%
None
Transformation Mask
Empire modifier
Cost decreases by 10%
Time required decreases by 10%
None
Hydrocentric
Tradition
Cost decreases by 25% if you create an ocean world
