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Stellaris, the hit sci-fi grand strategy from Paradox Interactive, is a game of galactic politics, exploration, and conquest. Players will face constant challenges, and even a pacifist Empire inStellariswill have to join the race to improve their planets, their technology, and their production to stay safe from potentially-hostile neighbors.
One of the best ways to boost an Empire’s resource output is the new Orbital Ring fromStellaris' Overlord DLC, a construction that’s halfway between a Station and a Megastructure. Unlike most Stations, Orbital Rings don’t take up the player’s Station cap, and they also cost significantly fewer Alloys to build than other Megastructures. Building an Orbital Ring can be a powerful tool inStellaris' mid-game, particularly if it’s constructed around a highly-specialized planet.
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How to Build an Orbital Ring in Stellaris
Before players can build their first Orbital Ring Megastructure inStellaris, they’ll first need to discover and research the Orbital Rings tech. Due toStellaris' semi-random tech choices, players will need to research Starhold, Ceramo-Metal Infrastructure, and Galactic Administration first. With the Orbital Rings tech completed, players will be able to build their first Orbital Ring byselecting a Construction Shipand right-clicking on the planet of their choice.
Although Orbital Rings cost less than mostMegastructures inStellarisand aren’t restricted by the Station cap, players should still choose carefully when picking their first planet to receive one. Building a Tier 1 Orbital Ring costs 1000 Alloys and 50 Influence, and players can later upgrade the Rings to Tier 2 and Tier 3 once they have the Star Fortress and Citadel techs respectively. However, these upgrades also require the planet to have a Tier 2 or 3 Capital building, which means Orbital Rings are most effective around planets that are already heavily-developed.
How to Use Orbital Rings in Stellaris
Players can build a variety of Modules and Buildings in their Orbital Rings, granting both additional defenses and powerful bonuses for the planet below:
Modules
Buildings
Upgrading an Orbital Ring to Tier 2 will unlock the first Building slot, allowing players to construct specialized Buildings that further boost their planet’s output. These benefits can be huge for ahighly-specialized planet, provided players have unlocked the correct technology.
Stellarisis available on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
