Players can forge their own path inStellaris, guiding a fledgling civilization from the discovery of faster-than-light travel to mastery of an entire galaxy. Although there is no single road to galactic supremacy inStellaris, Overlord Empires and ruthless MegaCorps alike can boost their chances of victory by constructing Holdings on their rivals' planets.
Holdings are a special kind of building that can only be constructed on a planet belonging to another Empire, either by an Overlord on their Vassal’s planet, or by a MegaCorp on a viable planet belonging to a neighbor. Unlike most buildings andMegastructures inStellaris, Holdings have an effect on two Empires at once, weakening the Subject to strengthen the Overlord.
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How to Build a Holding as an Overlord
Before players can construct a Holding as anOverlord inStellaris, they’ll first need to ensure that their Agreement with their Subject allows them to do so. The Subject Agreement defines how many Holdings, if any, can be constructed, potentially withholding their powerful bonuses from an Overlord.
If the Agreement allows the Overlord to construct a Holding, then they’ll be able to do so by selecting their Vassal’s capital planet and going to the Holdings tab, or directly through the Agreements tab on the Contacts screen. There’s a huge range of Holdings that players can construct in their Vassal’s capital, with many only available to certain combinations ofStellaris' Civics, Ethics, or Traditions, while others are restricted by the Vassal’s specialist role. Among the most useful Holdings are the Aid Agency, which both produces Unity for the Overlord and boosts the Vassal’s Loyalty, and the Ministries of Acquisition, Energy, Extraction, Science, and Truth, which funnels some of the planet’s production straight to the Overlord.
How to Build a Holding as a MegaCorp
While normal Empires can build Holdings as Overlords, MegaCorp Empires get their own set of Corporate Holdings that can only be built in their Branch Offices. A Branch Office can be opened on each world of any Empire that either has a Commercial Pact, isin a Federation, or is the Subject, Overlord, or shares an Overlord with the MegaCorp. Alternatively, MegaCorps with the Criminal Heritage Civic can build Branch Offices within any Empire that they’re not at war with, and get their own set of Crime-themed Corporate Holdings.
Once players have established a Branch Office, they can build Holdings within it just like an Overlord on their Vassal’s planet. However, unlike Overlord Holdings, Corporate Holdings are all mutually beneficial, granting bonuses to both the MegaCorp and theowner of the planet. These Holdings will help to raise the Trade Value of the planet they’re built on, which in turn will boost the Branch Office’s Energy Credits production. Conversely, Criminal Holdings will increase the rate of Crime on the planet, and gain increased Energy Credit production based on the total amount.
Stellarisis currently available on PC, macOS, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
