Stellaris: Ancient Relics - The 10 Best Relics Your Empire Can Acquire (2024)

Added in the Ancient RelicsDLC for Stellaris, Relics are powerful artifacts and trophies an empire can collect if they defeat a crisis or own the required DLC. Relics can change the game significantly, and using them effectively can easily shift the odds in your favor.

Every relic has a passive effect, as well as a powerful triumph effect that requires resources. All Relics have a Triumph cooldown during which no other relic can be activated, most of which last 10 in-game years. If an empire conquers another empire's capital, there is a 10% chance to steala Relics, though this chance is increased if an Empire has the Barbaric Despoilers civic.There are 20 major relics to acquire in a game session, butthese 10 may be the most useful.

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Cybrex War Forge

The Cybrex were a precursor empire made up entirely of machines that attempted to wipe out all biological life in the galaxy but were supposedly destroyed. Once all 6 artifacts have been collected in random anomalies and events across the galaxy, you’ll be directed to Cybrex Alpha, a ruined Ringworld Megastructure. When your science ship surveys the system, you’ll be rewarded with the Cybrex War Forge relic. Its passive effect gives your empire a 5% increase to monthly alloys output and allows you to recruit Cybrex Warform armies at your capital world. The Forge’s triumph effect gives you 5000 alloys in exchange for 150 influence and 10000 minerals. It also has the shortest triumph cooldown time of only 900 in-game days.

Blade of the Huntress

The Blade of the Huntress acquired after finishing the Fossilized Remains Excavation Site on a random relic world. The Blade has a passive effect of a 25% boost to army morale and increases planetary sensor range by 2 systems. For 150 influence, the triumph effect will give all your ships a 25% increase to sublight speed for 10 years. While not as game-changing as most other relics on this list, it can offer a nice boost to both your naval and army forces.

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Head of Zarqlan

When surveying a relic world, you might come across the Ancient Tomb Archeology Site, which will reward you with the Head of Zarqlan relic once excavated. In addition to a passive effect of a 50% increase to spiritualist ethics attraction for your pops, if a Holy Guardians Fallen Empire was spawned in your galaxy, you will gain 150 opinion with them and permission to colonize their prized Holy Gaia Worlds without fear of repercussion. For 150 influence, the triumph effect will give your Empire a fleet of Fallen Empire battleships to command.

Miniature Galaxy

When coming across a relic world and completing the Abandoned Ecumenopolis Archeology Site, you’ll be rewarded with the Miniature Galaxy relic. This relic provides a passive effect of 5% research speed, and for 150 influence, a triumph effect of 50% research progress to any random technology.

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The Surveyor

The Ancient Mining Dronesare mechanical beings that will randomly spawn in different systems and are always hostile to any ships that get too close to them. The Drones have a home system that is heavily guarded and houses the Home Base Ore Grinder. The Empire that can successfully destroy this Ore Grinder will gainthe Surveyor relic. It has a passive effect of plus one sensor range for your ships and starbases. For 500 energy credits, its triumph effect will add a random resource, trade value or research deposit for you to build a station and exploit on celestial body within your Empire’s territory.

Vultaum Reality Perforator

The Vultaum Star Assembly is aprecursor empire that destroyed itself from madness. Once 6 Vultaum artifacts have been collected, the Vultaum’s former home system will be unlocked and can be explored, where you will gain the Vultaum Reality Perforator relic. The Perforator has a passive effect of a 10% decrease to pop amenities usage. For 150 influence, its triumph effect will give a random modifier to all your ships of a 40% boost to armor, shield, hull or weapons damage.

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The Galatron

Added in Megacorps, the Caravaneers home station isChars Compass, which also acts as a casino for Empires to interact with. One of the games is opening up a Reliquary; each Empire can select six Reliquaries, which can contain useful resources and buff your empire’s economy.

The rarest item you can potentially acquire is the mysterious Galatron chest. This item provides a passive effect of an additional three influence per month and an additional 100% diplomatic weight. For 150 influence, the triumph effect will give your empire a huge amount of random resources ranging from up to 8000 raw resources, 5000 manufactured resources, and 500 strategic resources.

Khan's Throne

If a Marauder Empire transforms into a Horde led by a Great Khan, you can gain a relic by defeating the Khan twice in battle. Khan’s throne grants your Empire a passive effect of -20% influence cost when laying claim to a system. For 150 influence, the triumph effect gives all the ships in your empire a 20% damage boost for 10 years, as well as a 25% boost to Militarist ethics attraction for your pops.

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Extradimensional Warlock

One of the endgame crisis’ that can appear is an extradimensional invasion by the Unbidden, which grants the Extradimensional Warlock relic on defeat, even if you don't ownAncient Relics.The Warlock’s passive effect gives all the ships in your Empire a 15% increase to sublight speed. For 150 influence, the triumph effect gives your Empire’s ships a 100% increase to Jump Drive range. Of course, your ships will need to be equipped with the rare Jump Drive technology for this to have any use.

Psionic Archive

The Zroni are the first Empire to ever contact the Shroud. By gaining their 6 artifacts and finding their hidden home system, you gain the Psionic Archive relic. This relic is a must for any Empire looking to follow the Psionic Ascension path, as its passive effect provides a 50% cooldown time for each time you wish to contact the Shroud. For 150 influence, you have a choice of what its triumph effect will be, such as 500 experience to your Empire’s ruler, a 20% ship damage boost for 5 years or a plus 5 planet stability, at the cost of 10% Edict and a 25% increase to government ethics attraction for 5 years.

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