Trade in Stellaris Stellaris guide, tips
Last update: 14 March 2019
This section of the guide contains a collection of the most important information and tips regarding trading with other factions as a form of diplomatic action.
Choosing the trade exchange will automatically switch you to this window. Here you can chose to barter or just pay for the goods or privileges. On the left [1] are listed goods that you are able to offer - on the right [2] are listed goods that can be negotiated from the hostile empire.
In the center of the screen, you will find indication [3] of the likelihood of finalizing the exchange. In order for the other empire to even consider your offer, the number must be green - it will differ, depending on the details of the proposition. The base value is based on their attitude towards you - the higher they regard you, the lower will the costs be. The scroll-bar underneath is for setting the duration of the agreement in years.
In the remaining panels, [4][5] the list of propositions will appear, as soon as you decide what is it that you'd like to trade. In the center, there are buttons for confirming or canceling the offer.
The quantity of goods that you will be able to exchange depends on the technologies, and the degree of independence of the empire. Those of the empires that are vassals have limited abilities of trade and diplomatic actions.
Below, you'll find a list of goods that can be exchanged.
- Energy credits and minerals
- Strategic resources
- System relocation
- Territorial access
- Information
- Non-aggression pact
- Independence guarantee
- Migration agreement
- Research agreement
Energy credits and minerals
You can exchange credits and minerals for some privileges. It can be done in two ways:
Fast shipment one-time shipment of the resource, right after finishing the transaction. You can specify the exact quantity of the resource that you want to give away.
Monthly shipment it's a monthly exchange with another empire. Credits will be sent automatically while the agreement is in force.
Notes: If you have big income of energy credits, you might want to sent a lot of resource, either one time only, or over longer periods of time. Just remember that the cost of the monthly shipment cannot exceed half of the monthly energy income. Burdening your empire with too high expenses can block your way into colonization or maintaining a big army. You should be careful with exchanging minerals - mining for them is expensive, and so giving them to another empire is a significant boost for their economy.
Strategic resources
Within the exchange, you can also trade strategic resources. They are very valuable and hence can tip the scales in your favor - obviously, the less of a given resource your counterpart has, the more value it will have for him.
Note: Those are extremely valuable resources, so use them only in case of absolute necessity.
System relocation
If another empire has resources that you desperately need, you can give them one of your planets. The system will thence be included into that empire. You cannot, of course, give your home world.
Notes: An ultimate solution. Colonizing a planet and developing its infrastructure is a huge expense, and a lasting endeavor, so better don't give away a planet that you will then have to forcefully get back.
Territorial access
You can also gain access to other empire's territory, or offer such access to someone, in the trading tab.
Civil access - research ships can traverse alien space in order to survey it's resources and habitable planets.
Military access - allows military vessels to enter the space without rising hostility.
Access to station - allows construction of military stations and hyperspace tunnels.
Notes: It's best not to allow enemies onto your own territory. Access to space stations is a great help during invasions, so you might consider seeking access to them, before the treaties end... Of course, don't allow others to build infrastructure in your own space.
Information
Access to information about researched systems.
Stellar maps full data about resources and inhabitable planets.
Active sensor connection allows the enemy to pin-point your inhabited planets, research stations, mining operations, and your whole infrastructure in general.
Notes: You can consider giving access to resource localization, but do not ever give away information about localization of your infrastructure - this will make invading your empire much more pleasant for others. Trade stellar maps only with trusted empires that offer the same thing in exchange.
Non-aggression pact
You cannot declare war if this treaty is in force.
Notes: Remember that this treaty totally blocks any aggressive policies, so don't sign it with someone who you want to conquer. Make sure your neighbors sign such pacts with you. Keep the duration of the agreement in mind - if you have to bribe other, distant empires to sign it, you might want to consider it.
Independence guarantee
A military alliance of sort - everyone signing this document declares that they will join their counterparts in case of outside aggression.
Notes: Local treaties can actually control more powerful empires. Your neighbors can serve as a buffer between you, and a bigger empire. If you want to play real dirty, you can fight the big empire, wait till your ally bleeds out, and then gain so much territory that you will make the Roman Empire look like a bunch of kids.
Migration agreement
Allows inter-imperial migration. In order for this to be possible, your policy must also allow this.
Notes: First, look what are the characteristics of the alien population. If you find them useful, you can decide to let them in, and gain access to different bonuses.
Research agreement
This agreement allows 25% cheaper research of those technologies that the counterpart has already discovered. After hovering over the agreement icon, a list of available research will appear.
Notes: No empire will agree for this, and neither should you. Your task is to conquer the Galaxy. Don't make it harder for yourself by closing the technological gap between yourself and the others.