Paradox Interactive’s Stellaris team consistently pushes boundaries, and their latest creation is no exception. After introducing the fascinating sentient planet origin in the Biogenesis expansion, they’re now unveiling something even more unique for the Shadows of the Shroud DLC: the Endbringers. This faction is a truly ‘challenging and doomed’ experience, irrevocably tied to a cosmic power pulling them towards an inescapable destiny. Players can choose to resist, surrender to, or even accelerate this fate, but its arrival is always certain.
Veteran Stellaris players who recall the Utopia DLC will recognize the ominous ‘End of the Cycle,’ an eldritch entity from the Shroud capable of bringing galactic devastation. While most 4X games focus on building empires and achieving glorious progression, the Endbringers offer a thrilling reversal. This faction empowers you to actively usher in an era of cataclysm. Their very existence is born from despair, as their home system’s closest planet has already succumbed to the Shroud’s influence, marking them as irrevocably claimed by the coming End.
(Video detailing the Endbringers faction gameplay)
For the Endbringers, the path of ascension isn’t a choice; Psionic Ascension was predetermined for them. Their traditional Psi-Corps are transformed into the eerie Chamber of Silence, a place for communion with the End. Here, players will gradually uncover how to fully embrace and even master the Shroud, ultimately achieving a terrifying new form, ‘better and more powerful than we ever imagined we could be.’
Instead of a typical Shroud interface, players face a relentless ticking clock signaling the impending reckoning. This countdown, however, isn’t fixed; throughout the cycle, you’ll unlock unique covenant powers. While some allow you to delay the inevitable, complete escape is impossible – as Paradox puts it, ‘While the End is patient, it is relentless.’ Successfully engulfing a sufficient portion of the galaxy in the ‘Aura of the End’ promises eternal peace in a ‘perfected universe.’ Failure, conversely, means total annihilation by the reckoning itself.
Unsurprisingly, this apocalyptic scenario takes a toll on your populace, leading to escalating paranoia that can reach up to 50% over time. To counteract this, the new ‘Entropy Drinkers’ civic allows you to extract life energy from your citizens, channeling it directly into your leaders to empower them. Why bother with population growth when your elite can become immensely powerful, capable of enforcing your will—or rather, the will of the End—unimpeded?
Paradox’s recent blog also delves into the intriguing mechanic of proxy wars. This allows players to instigate conflicts between other civilizations, provided they’ve established sufficient trust or infiltration. The key is to select a casus belli that aligns with the target empire’s own ambitions, ensuring they pursue their war goals vigorously instead of settling for an early status quo. Furthermore, membership in secret societies grants earlier access to this potent tool for manipulating galactic politics.
The Stellaris Shadows of the Shroud DLC is set to release on Monday, September 22, priced at $19.99 / £16.75. It’s also included in the Season 9 expansion pass, available for $44.99 / £37.99. For a deeper dive into the unique modifiers and events tied to the Endbringers, consult the developer diaries. Remember, as they say, ‘The End of the Cycle is not a crisis. It’s an opportunity. An opportunity to end all things.’
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Which of these captivating new factions are you most excited to try? Share your thoughts with the community! Will you resist the psionic threat as the Mindwardens, or are you ready to unleash the Shroud-Forged, a unique blend of gestalt machine hivemind and cosmic power?