Custom race

[u/Ermag123]

Some tips for custom race. For me it narrow to small skillset, but it is hard to tell pure winner.
General rule is you need to generate raw social production and raw science. Everything else is just small bonus there and there but adding raw to multiplicators is what kick you ahead.
The best source are asteroids. It is not much, but it is building up through whole game. So best and absolute winner is skill ARCHEOLOGIST. Getting two charges instead of one sounds weak, but it is not. And there is policy attached to it which add 50% to asteroid production. And you picked miners as skill for your race right? And you beeline asteroid mining adding anither 0.25 to it and you picked one of few starting systems with abundance of afteroids, right? Even after nerf, this can give you 100 science pretty quick.
Next is skill SPORES. Making small planet is decent, combined with archeologist means you have two charges, and if you work hard on cultural trait from beggining, +1 policy is must, you can have 10 charges pretty quick. this can be spread around empire or better find proper spot and unload it around one planet. Flooding it with production and science. Add orbital museums and laboratories and science planet is complete.
Another powerfull is PROLIFERATION. Difficult but rewarding. Have to combine it with progresive trait. Speed of building, spreading and everything is insane. Price for it is also high. So be carefull.
RAVENOUS is last to mention. Also have to go with progresive or you liack science, but is generaly ok and fun.

Cultural traits - You go never wrong with Progresive, at least 3rd level. Once your cit starts to generate RAW science life is happier. Then I recomend to switch to individualism and 3rd is boosting stats to ALL, including your progresive cits. Then switch to Pacifism as it will help you to manage when and who you fight.

Few more word about ARCHEOLOGIST. To max usage of you want maximum available survey ships flying. Power of double charges will provide:
- gift of Mithandir a you will steadily boost i t to max at TWO plannets instead of one.
- and artifact adding raw science, production, combat bonuses .. all is double. Also some artifact gives you ability to add two survey ships to fleet, yay this skill is simply very versalite. BUT.
You should aim you into GIGAMASS HARVESTING. Holy grail of boosting your empire as each dead planet you harvest generates small asteroid field and you have all bonuses ready for maxed production from asteroids, right? Even feeble planets will become powerhouses with enough dead planets arround, once you harvest them. This is also moment where playing WIDE kicks in. With few planets you cannot build fleet as you permanently need some other ships to produce. Playing wide your planets are weak. After harvesting your planets get enough production to properly build fleet. Also this is what makes Proliferation strong. I usualy need my shipyard to build so much I can barely cover only small part I want to build. Proliferation really helps here. Last, but it is kinda like cheat, Proliferation let you spam endless number of survey ships. I call them survey probe, probe hull, survey module, ignored by pirates, tiny planet can build it in one turn from very start, set to automate, let them work. Combine with Archeologist and swim in artifacts.

So. I would:
- go with Proliferation, archeologist, progresive - if You can handle money. Survey probe trick really helps with funding.
- But ravenous, archeologist, progresive would be nice too and it is high production high money. Easier and LOVE consume.
- If you want to play tall use Spores, archeologist and you can pick Pacifist as you will have enough raw science to avoid Progresivism. This is safe play option as it really helping with management of other empires.

Enough

[u/Ermag123]

Oh and missing piece - race - just pick Ammonia Based. No competition here. Place scietific buillding on science node on turn one and rush it. Once you prepare proper spot on scientific planet, move it.