Favorite Abilities?

I almost always employ Luck at 25%, either through Ability points or by choosing the Universalists.
Remember: "It is better to be Lucky than Good."

Okay, but what does it do for you?

I usually play on huge or gigantic maps.

Sometimes I will choose the Populist Party (Morale +20, Diplomacy +20). Then I will pick either Speed +1/Morale +20/Economy +10, or Speed +1/Morale +15/PQ +5. Speed and high Morale always figure in my picks.

I play as the Populists, and pick +30 Influence, +20 Diplomacy, and +20 Morale.

We really don't exactly know what luck does, or at least I don't. Mostly, you can get lucky by finding a nearby PQ 26, or finding a Lucky Ranger, or by finding about 100 Corvettes.

I find the Populists, the Universalists, and the Industrialists to be the best parties.

Populists, +60% Diplomacy, +5% PQ, +20% Social Production, playing on huge/rare. Trade for everything.

Luck definitely increases your chances of finding a "lucky Ranger". I've never had one without it, but I have had the 100 useless corvettes. :notsure:

Populist, +50% Diplomacy, +40% influence, medium, common, maso. Trade, trade, trade, culture flip and invade planets of oppotruntity!

This seems to work real well at this map size but probably wouldn't work as well at either smaller or larger map sizes. I think a half dozen games using various combos should give you good idea which combo fits your personal playing style.

Ditto. Plus various with the left over points.

I play gigantic maso. Populists with +1 speed and maximum allowable Diplomacy is my favorite. On medium and smaller maps, speed is less important but maxing diplo always is my top priority. Good luck.
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I normally take the war party, +50% hit points for ships. Then I take a mix of economic, weapons and reseach bonuses. Makes for a real good combo of high powered ships and makes them affordable

I normally take the war party, +50% hit points for ships. Then I take a mix of economic, weapons and reseach bonuses. Makes for a real good combo of high powered ships and makes them affordable

I use a warrior race-war party, pq plus 5, weapons and more hps.

When I play maso I use Pacist, 60 percent dipomacy, 2 points in hps, and pq plus 5.

like ric in #9 says, diplo.always works and trade can't do you wrong,but of course i never win by military i play mostly huge and rare to uncommen...

I use a creative humanity with substantial tech abilities, and bonuses to trade. I also lead the technologists to give me even more of an edge.

If I don't play with tech bonuses then the AI get ahead of me early in the game and I never catch up. If you are miles ahead of everyone in tech then nobody dares pick a fight with you and you can rubbish enemy fleets with ease should they dare.

Also I can sell tech to my allies and the minors to help them keep my enemies at bay for me while I concentrate on winning.

I've switched to going for Fedies (+20% Economy), with +7% PQ and +20% Economy lately.

With Economy so high, I find that I often MAKE money when maxed out production-wise in the early to mid games. All that money in lets me stay WAY ahead on all the tech I want... and keep up where I need to. I get all the Unique Goodies I want, except for Galactic Stock Exchange. The AI always beats me to it these days. One of my favorites too...

I used to be big into Technologists, but I find that economy bonuses let me research QUICKER then Research bonuses.

And with tons of money, I can buy my way out of trouble if I get a "bad" start and somehow fall down into the "you look like a minor to me" range to the AI. And then I can pop my Military Rating above theres and tell them "Remember that *loan* I gave you? Time for you to pay it back, with *interest*!".

Money, not diplomacy, seems to me to be the king in this game. With enough money, you can buy whatever diplomacy you want.

I agree, Star Pilot, money does seem to make up for most other weaknesses, with population not far behind. Just finished a game with +50Econ/+70Pop, and the money just rolls in.

Though nest time I think I'll drop the Pop. a bit, add a little something to the Morale. It took quite a bit of slider adjustment early on, until I'd gotten some good morale boosting tech, just to deal with the growth.

GoblinCookie, that tech race does sound fun, I think I'll give that a go soon.