Galactic Civilizations IV: Ultimate Guide to Abilities and Ideologies

Ideologies and Abilities are unique to each faction. Abilities simply offer two additional perks that are active throughout the game. Ideologies dictate a specific style of gameplay and ‘unlockable’ perks that you can gain access to through in-game events and Culture Points. Both of these faction qualities significantly impact how you play the game, and this guide goes over all of them in great detail.

This guide is an extension of our GCIV Biology and Traits guide. We recommend reading it alongside our other Galactic Civilizations IV guides for a better understanding of the game.

Galactic Civilizations IV: Ultimate Guide to Major Factions – Biology and Traits

Galactic Civilizations IV Abilities explained

• Every civilization can have two abilities that also determine how you play them. Abilities are like traits but there is no point system.

The following is a list of all the Abilities available in the game:

Adaptable – Can colonize extreme worlds.

Ancient – Gets research from Precursor Artifacts and anomalies. Starts with an additional policy slot.

Cartographer – Starts knowing the location of other homeworlds. They also receive three charges of the Dimensional Mirror power, which allows them to reveal a portion of space, and they get an extra charge every time a Culture Trait is earned.

Certain – Believes their philosophy should be universal, increase (+2) influence, and special planet improvements. Additionally, every time a Culture Trait is unlocked, you will receive 30 bonus Research.

Ravenous – After conquering a planet, Ravenous receives 1,000 credits and 10% Approval for 25 turns. In addition, the civilization gains the ability to consume aliens and produce new Festron Citizens.

Cybernetic – Gives access to more powerful technologies and improvements for factions who are not afraid to interfere with superior technologies.

Devout – Starts with a Cleric citizen and a Krynniac Temple on their homeworld. Culture grows every time they add to their technology.

Empathy – Increases Diplomacy and reduces crime.

Archaeologist – When an Artifact charge is earned, an additional charge is gained.

Engineers – Colony and asteroid production decay at half the normal rate.

Traders – Starts with a freighter and receives 3 free trade licenses as well as a significant boost to Persuasion.

Experienced – Battles grant 25% more Experience Points to all ships.

Explorers – 25% increased ship range. 

Starfaring – The ship range has been increased by 50%, and it now has the ability to detect and travel through Subspace Streams.

Hive Mind – Ships within your territory gain additional Hit Points based on per colony controlled.

Hopeful – Believes any civilization capable of space travel must be a potential friend. Higher Approval on planets. 

Inspired – An additional leader is available for recruitment and leaders cost 25% fewer resources to recruit.

Loyal – Leaders have +10 Loyalty and cost 25% less to recruit.

Intuitive – Stats with access to Xeno Anthropology technologies and a free Culture point.

Paranoid – Free drones defend shipyards, planets, and starbases. Ships within your borders also have their Hit Points increased by 25%.

Bureaucrats – Starts with 50 Control and access coordination technologies.

Fertile – Starts with 2 additional workers and your population grows 25% faster.

Proliferation – Hit Points across all ships are reduced by 25%. But whenever you construct a ship, two ships are constructed instead.

Resourceful – Starts with some basic useful Resources.

Promethion – Ships have double the normal Hit Points but they don’t heal normally. 

Crimelord – Starts allied with the pirates. Also grants access to the Look the Other Way Policy and improvements unlocked by increased Crime.

Slavers – Gain the ability to enslave your citizens, reducing their approval, production, and food consumption. Gain access to Slave Technologies.

Spores – Starts with the ability to deploy Spores to a dead world to restore life. Each time a new Culture trait is gained another charge is earned. 

Resilient – Ships are immune to nebula and have access to special Hyperion improvements.

Unrelenting – Starts the game with +10 Control. Planets generate +1 more Influence per turn.

Unwavering – Colonies are much harder to Culture flip. Also grants access to the Unbroken Spirit Technologies. 

Vigilant – Starbases have larger AOE. Enemy ships are slowed, and player ships gain an attack bonus, while in the area of any starbase.

War Profiteers – Receives a 200% bonus from trade routes established with warring factions. 

Warriors – Ignores 10% of all damage to their ships. All weapons also have a 10% longer range.

Wealthy – Starts with 2000 more credits and the Universal Translator technology.

Xenophobic – Starts game with +50% Research, -75% Influence and -3 to Diplomacy.

Galactic Civilisation IV: Ideologies Explained

• In GCIV, ideologies are similar to Civilization skill trees. They have various perks that you can unlock with Culture Points once you meet the requirements.

The following is a list of all the Ideology trees, along with their perks.

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