Megastructure is a very large artificial object by definition. In Stellaris, we have galactic megastructures like the famous Dyson Sphere, Ring World, Orbital Ring, and etc.
Stellaris megastructure buildings are the most powerful late-game investments. They can boost your economy, research, unity, military power, influence, and more. That’s why you should research them and build as soon as possible.
You can build all megastructures by researching their technology except for Ring World, Matter Decompressor, and Dyson Sphere. That’s because those three megastructures require you to pick galactic wonders ascension perk.
Also, you can find some ruined megastructures spread across galaxy. They are very rare, but you can always get lucky and find one spawned near your starting planet.
Without further ado, let’s start the stellaris megastructure tier list:
1. Ring World
Let’s begin with the best megastructure of Stellaris, The Ring World.
A capital with 21 districts (+4 from orbital ring) is fully populated with 90 pops. Whereas a ring segment with 10 districts can work 145 pops. Ring worlds also has lots of bonuses to production, pop growth, pop assembly, pop upkeep, etc. You can also ascend ring worlds to increase production and reduce empire size immensely. It’s GOD tier megastructure.
All in all, ring world segments are superior in all aspects to regular planets, capital planets, or even gaia / hive / machine worlds.Ring worlds also has 100% habitability for all species.
STELLARIS ASCENSION PERKS TIER LIST
That’s why the first megastructure I build after unlocking galactic wonders ascension is the Ring Segment.
Stellaris complete ring world guide:
You probably will have a good economy by the time you build or repair your first ring worlds. That’s why I’ll recommend you build 2 research focused rings first, then one forge and one generator / commercial to complete your first ring. After completing all traditions, spend all your unity on ascending research and generator / commercial rings. That would boost the production immensely. Just avoid ascending forge worlds because ascending it won’t increase the production, only reduce upkeep. That’s a definition of stellaris noob trap. You should also abandon your previous tech / generator worlds and move their population to ring worlds for maximum efficiency. In the end, the production will be boosted, and empire size will be reduced if you follow the steps I explained above.
Building more than one nexus segment would be waste, because the housing and maintenance can be gained via other districts and buildings. Also, I never build agriculture focused ring worlds because it feels unnecessary and wasteful. However, if your population really needs high amount of food, you can build one agriculture ring world on your second ring, meaning only one agriculture in eight segments.
Ring World pro tip: If your civilization is not gestalt consciousness, build your ring world as close as possible to your capital. Because you don’t want to lose any of your trade power on the way. Regular civilizations get to build commercial districts instead of generator districts on ring worlds. So, if you’re gestalt consciousness (machine, hivemind), you can build your ring worlds wherever you like since there will be no trade routes. Though you still want to keep your ring world in a safe spot because that system will be your most precious asset in the game.
Best Stellaris precursor start is Cyberx because it gives you a ruined ringworld and early access to mega engineering technology.
You can also access to mega engineering tech early by choosing either Arc Welders or Ring World origins.
Of course, there is always a chance of finding a super random ruined ring world megastructure in your side of the galaxy too. However, that is super rare occurrence.
2. Science Nexus
A fully upgraded science nexus 300 physics, 300 society, and 300 engineering production. But that’s not just it, fully upgraded science nexus also gives +15% research speed which is the most important bonus of a science nexus, and it is also why this is the second best Stellaris megastructure.
A single ring world segment can generate the 5 times more research than a science nexus does. However, that straight +15% research speed bonus is godlike.
Always try to build Science Nexus ASAP because technology is infinite in Stellaris. You’ll need all the techs and lots of +%5 repeated techs to beat 25x end game crisis factions and awakened fallen empires.
3. Mega Art Installation
Fully upgraded Mega Art Installation produces 400 base unity. That number can easily go up to 800 from cumulative bonuses such as unitary cohesion, administrative efficiency, uniform data standards, alpha hub, etc.
It also gives +20% amenities bonus which becomes very handy in the late game when you start populating ring world segments.
Empire size constantly increases in Stellaris thus raising the tradition adaptation cost. For that reason, I always rush mega art installation to complete traditions asap. But that isn’t the end of it. You’ll need much more unity once you complete the traditions for running high-cost edicts and ascending planets for boosting production / reducing empire size for science.
4. Arc Furnace
Arc Furnace is the first megastructure you can and should build in Stellaris for its ungodly amount of mineral / alloy production.
Back then I would build mining districts on my capital and colonize mineral production focused planets. Now it’s unnecessary thanks to arc furnaces.
Unlocking the tech sets arc furnace limit to 3 which you should hit whenever you can. Then, getting the Mega-Engineering technology increases arc furnace limit to 5. If you start with Arc Welders origins, you can build 6 arc furnaces in total. Which is my favorite origin by the way since it’s the S+ number one in Stellaris origin tier list.
Arc Furnace pro tip: Make sure to build your Arc Furnaces in systems with at least 15 planetary bodies and asteroids. Because a fully upgraded arc furnace will uncover 3 mineral / 2 alloy deposits on each and every one of them. If you can’t find systems with 15 possible deposits, go for minimum 11 – 12.
Unfortunately, Stellaris does not have an Arc Furnace planner yet. Thus, you need to manually check all your star systems to find the most optimal Arc Furnace candidate.
5. Dyson Swarm
Dyson Swarms must also be rushed in order to keep up with Arc Furnace upkeeps. One fully upgraded arc furnace will consume 100 energies each month. Luckily, fully upgraded Dyson swarms can produce 150 to 300 energy and will only 20 alloy upkeep.
This megastructure cannot be built on systems with more than one star. It’s one of the cons but not a big deal at all.
Dyson Swarm pro tip: You should build this megastructure on the highest energy producing stars because it will increase the star output by +3000%. Placing Dyson Swarm on a star with low energy is a waste of megastructure and cannot be undone. So, be careful. Also, upgrading your Dyson Swarm into a Dyson Sphere will allow you to build another Dyson Swarm because Dyson Sphere does not take Dyson Swarm limit slot once upgraded.
6. Matter Decompressor
Back then Matter Decompressor and Dyson Sphere was the most important megastructures in the game. That’s not the case anymore thanks to the arc furnace / dyson swarm additions with the new DLC.
You’ll be generating tons of minerals once you build all available Arc Furnaces and get the mining station output technologies. However, once you start to produce real deal alloy on your ecumonopolis, hive world, mecha world, or forge ring world, you’ll need ungodly amount of minerals. That’s when matter decompressor comes into the picture.
So, build other important megastructures first and don’t rush matter decompressor until you go negative or get close to negative on mineral production.
With the Arc Furnaces, you don’t need matter decompressor up until late game, but in late game, you’ll need more than matter decompressor for keeping a +5k positive alloy production.
7. Dyson Sphere
A fully operational Dyon Sphere will produce 4000 energy credits. A fully occupied generator ring world will generate the same amount too, but it’ll cost bunch of population and empire size. That’s why Dyson Sphere is amazing. Yet, you don’t need that amount of energy credits up until late game thanks to the Dyson Swarms, trade, and Solar Panel Networks.
So, don’t rush Dyson Sphere until you start going negative or getting close to negative on energy credits. But make no mistake, you’ll need Dyson Sphere to sustain your massive end game fleet. Going over naval limit requires lots of energy credits you know.
8. Orbital Ring
Orbital ring is one of the underrated megastructures of Stellaris. It is built around a planet to boost production and can increase planet district limit by 4.
Almost all of my end-game research, alloy, and energy productions are located in ring worlds because of the immense bonuses. However, you can’t build mineral and unity worlds on ring segments. They will be in ecumonopolis, gaia, machine world, or hive worlds if possible. Those are the planets you should build your orbital rings for bonuses and districts. Also don’t forget your capital. Getting 4 more districts on fully ascended capital world is really good production wise.
9. Sentry Array
Sentry Array will make entire galaxy visible to you when fully upgraded. It also provides +40 base intel level.
This megastructure is bit situational. For example, if you haven’t managed to find curator order and artisan troupe yet, you should build Sentry Array asap. Because Curator order and Artisan Troupe can give you insane amount of research and unity for a small amount of energy credits.
But other than that, you don’t really need Sentry Array before you build other important megastructures. Though once you build other megastructures, make sure to build Sentry Array because you’ll need the vision to fight against multiple empires, great khan, or the end game crisis faction.
10. Mega Shipyard
One needs minimum 3.000 fleet size in order to survive Stellaris late game. It’s impossible to get with citadels since one citadel can only support 6 shipyards. That’s why Mega Shipyard is almost mandatory in the late game with its 20 shipyards. Mega Shipyard also increases ship build speed by +100%. Yes, you read it right, hundred percent!
Can also build titans and colossus on Mega Shipyard without any additional buildings needed unlike citadels who needs titan assemble yards and colossal assemble yards.
If you lose your mega shipyard in the late game, you’re literally screwed because only a mega-shipyard can produce mass fleets with haste.
All in all, Mega Shipyard is the key megastructure to win the game as long as you’re up to date in tech and have enough resources to fully take advantage of massive fleet production capability.
11. Strategic Coordination Center
Fully upgraded strategic coordination center bonuses:
- +150 naval capacity.
- +6 starbase capacity. (6 anchorage and naval logistics on each starbase will increase your naval capacity by 216 total.)
- +12 defense platforms cap. (Not really important. You should direct all of your alloys to shipbuilding.)
- +15% sublight speed. (Good for blitzkrieg tactics.)
Strategic Coordination Center is all about increasing your naval capacity.
You’ll go over your naval capacity anyway but going too wild with will drain all your energy credits. That’s why you should increase your naval capacity as much as you can.
Unless you’re about to go over your naval capacity, don’t rush strategic coordination center, focus on other megastructures instead. But when the wartime gets close, you’ll need it really bad.
12. Interstellar Assembly
Max level Interstellar Assembly gives +40% diplomatic weight and just +2 available envoys. Now to me, to my playstyle, these bonuses are literally useless… This is the last megastructure I build if I build it at all.
However, it might be useful to some playstyles. For example, if you want to rush galactic reforms and become the Galactic Emperor (like Holy Roman Empire), it might be useful.
If you want to explore different aspects of Stellaris by going diplomatic traditions, federations, and galactic reforms, Interstellar Assembly is a good megastructure to build. Other than that, it’s useless. I just simply build it to veto / oppose galactic reforms that aren’t in my best interest.
13. Gateway
Gateways allow travel to any other gateway in instant. Imagine a wormhole, connected to all other wormholes in the galaxy. That’s what gateway is. Of course, to travel gateways inside another empires, you need border access.
I usually build one gateway right next to my mega shipyard and multiple gateways in strategic positions such as borders, chokepoints, ringworlds, etc.
14. Quantum Catapult
Jump drive, astral jump, worm holes, and gateways are all the things you need to move your fleets from point a to point b. That’s why Quantum Catapult is a waste of your megastructure build limit and alloys. However, you can build it for fun and its little utility after completing all of your megastructures.
I didn’t even mention its accuracy yet… A quantum catapult is very inaccurate evet at max level.
It’s very niche and only good for role-playing purposes in my opinion.
15. Hyper Relay
Hyper Relays mess up with fleet pathing which is the biggest turnoff about it. Want fast travel? Build Gateways instead.
Can build for fun and roleplaying but that’s it. I personally don’t touch them. They take lots of strategic resources anyway for little to no benefit.
Only positive side of this megastructure could be the three Hyper Relay exclusive edicts:
- Networked Dominance: Hyper relay network effects +3 stability.
- Networked Movement: Automatic resettlement chance +50% and resettlement cost -25%.
- Networked Amenities: Pop Amenities Usage: -10%.
But I personally don’t even bother.
16. Habitat Central Complex
I really don’t like this megastructure. Let me explain why you should avoid habitats like a plague.
First of all, habitats are useless, literally. There is no point in building them except for roleplaying and achievement hunting.
Secondly, spamming habitats and habitat buildings will slow down your game really bad. I wish there was an option to disable habitats for AI empires too. If you feel the same, try the mod called No AI Habitats.
Now let’s talk about the habitat habitability… If your species does not have a habitat preference, base habitability will be 40%. If preferred habitability is habitat, you can ignore the 25 size giga planets…
Habitats are the biggest noob traps of Stellaris.
Stellaris megastructure tier list ends here at number 16 with habitats. There aren’t any other megastructures in the game except for unique megastructures coming with custom player-made mods. If you really enjoy megastructures and mega-engineering aspect of Stellaris, try mods that are adding brand new lore-friendly megastructures to the game.
Tags: stellaris best megastructuresstellaris megastructurestellaris megastructure guidestellaris megastructure tier liststellaris megastructures
