Stellaris: 7 Best Buildings For The Economy (2024)

As a game in the 4X (Explore, Expand, Exploit, Exterminate) genre, Stellaris has always been partly about managing bases in the form of planets and systems. On these planets, a player will need to carefully use their allocated building slots, which are dictated by the number of certain districts, civics, and technologies that they have researched.

Some of these buildings can function as something that can generate jobs, which in turn produce resources and have a pop working, inevitably eliminating crime and unemployment penalties. Some buildings can even generate resources on their own without generating jobs that need employment, making it more advantageous than other buildings.

1 Mineral Purification Plants

Increases Mineral Production With A Huge Boost

• Produces 1 Miner job
• Increases Minerals from Miners by 1

At first glance, building the Mineral Purification Plant seems to be not as beneficial as it should be due to the perceived low bonuses it provides to the planet. However, when built on a planet designated for mining purposes, the building immediately becomes a priority due to the huge potential it holds to boost the empire's economy.

When built, the plant produces 1 Miner job for the planet and increases mineral productivity by 1. If the planet has 30 miners employed from the start, the planet in total will provide an additional 30 more minerals per month, which is crucial to have in all stages of the game, especially in the early game.

2 Energy Grid

A Must-Have For Every Planet With A Single Generator District

• Produces 1 Technician job
• Increases Energy Credit from Technicians by 1

It is a rather common sight for an empire to have an energy credit deficit due to all the upkeep they incur per month, particularly for military ships and buildings. Some empires try to solve the problem by building a minimum of one generator district per planet to stave off the deficit, which is a rather crucial strategy to have to keep up with the neighbors, especially the Fanatic Purifiers.

By having an Energy Grid to pair up with the generator district, a planet will have the potential to even have a profit of energy credit per month without leeching from the empire's coffers. The additional Technician jobs and their increased productivity are hugely beneficial for empires of all sizes.

3 Betharian Power Plant

Harness The Unique Betharian Fields For An Advantage

• Produces 10 Energy Credits
• Produces 4 Technician jobs
• Requires the Planet to have a planetary feature: Betharian Fields

In a game of Stellaris, an empire will be faced with the task of finding the perfect planets for their colonies to thrive on, which sometimes also houses powerful features that can be converted into an advantage. One of these features would be the Betharian Field, which allows the planet to build the unique Betharian Power Plant.

Having the unique building will have the planet instantly produce 10 Energy Credit per month, which is quite powerful on its own. Moreover, it also produces 4 Technician jobs for the pops to work on, keeping them busy and productive for the empire's survival against the harsh galaxy.

4 Nanite Transmuter

Generate Strategic Resources Without Jobs

• Produces 2 Exotic Gases, Rare Crystals, and Volatile Motes
• Uses Nanite for upkeep

Taking over the legendary L-Clusters, which is a collection of unique systems, is hugely beneficial for the empire that succeeds in doing so. One of the main benefits they can have is obtaining Nanites per month, which in turn can be converted into precious Strategic Resources by the unique Nanite Transmuter building.

The building itself needs the rare technology Nanite Transmutation and a Tier 2 Capital on the planet to be built, not to mention the Nanite upkeep. However, the drawback can be seen as relatively cheap, as the building can generate 2 of each strategic resource without needing any jobs whatsoever, freeing up spaces for other jobs to flourish in the city.

5 Ancient Refinery

Obtain Various Strategic Resources While Saving Space

• Produces Exotic Gases, Rare Crystals, and Volatile Motes via Chemist, Gas Refiner, and Translucer Jobs
• Chemist, Gas Refiner, and Translucer productivity by 25% (40% with Archaeo-Engineers ascension perk)

It is more the norm for an empire to build refineries of several different types to keep up with their strategic resource needs, especially when the empire is building up a fleet with the best ship components, which usually requires those resources. With the help of Ancient Refinery, only the building is needed to produce the strategic resources while saving up space for other buildings.

The building produces Chemist, Gas Refiner, and Translucer jobs for the pops to work in. Moreover, it also increases their productivity by 25%, increased to 40% should the empire also have the powerful Ascension Perk, Archaeo-Engineers. It requires the Ancient Refinery technology as a prerequisite, which can be difficult to obtain in a playthrough due to its rarity.

6 Alloy Foundries

The Classic Yet Crucial Must-Have Building

• Produces 2 Metallurgist jobs
• Increases Alloys from Metallurgists by 1 (increase Minerals upkeep by 2)

Sometimes an empire can fall into the trap of focusing on all other resources except alloys itself while trying to build up its economy to keep up with its neighbors. This can lead to an extremely weak fleet for the empire, resulting in an early demise or subjugation by the nearest hostile empire on their borders. Therefore, having an alloy-focused planet with an Alloy Foundry is a necessity to have.

The building itself can look quite weak as it only produces 2 Metallurgists. However, the additional alloy modifier is the main talking point, as it is quite a substantial boost for an empire looking to build a fleet with an optimal ship design to either survive or simply conquer the galaxy.

7 Ministry Of Production

Increases A Planet's Productivity On Precious Resources

• Increases Metallurgists and Artisans output by 15%
• Produces 1 Politician (or Foundry Drone/Fabricator for Hive Minds) jobs

Despite the name of the building, the Ministry of Production can be constructed by any empire, including the Hive Minds, as it does not require any Corporate Civics or Government type to be acquired before building one. The bonuses to both Metallurgists and Artisans enable the building to be hugely beneficial in terms of producing both Alloys and Consumer Goods.

Moreover, the building also produces 1 Politician Ruler Job to increase the planet's amenities and unity generation, ensuring the increased productivity of the workers. The building shines the most when put on a planet with a heavy concentration of both Metallurgists and Artisans, such as an Industrial World.

Stellaris

4X

Grand Strategy

Platform(s)

PC , PS4 , Xbox One

Released

May 9, 2016

Developer(s)

Paradox Development Studio