The Best Stellaris Expansion DLC, Tier List Information & Why

Stellaris, Paradox Interactive’s grand strategy game set in space, has received a variety of downloadable content (DLC) packs that expand on the core game mechanics, allowing players to enhance their experience. With so many DLCs to choose from, it can be overwhelming to know which ones are truly worth purchasing. To help you make an informed decision, we’ve put together a tier list of all the Stellaris expansions, from the essential packs in S-Tier to the more niche, less impactful DLCs in D-Tier.

Tier List, The Best Stellaris Expansion DLC

D-Tier Stellaris Expansions: Optional and Niche Additions

These DLCs offer limited content and are often aimed at very specific playstyles or aesthetic preferences. While they aren’t necessarily bad, they don’t add enough to justify a purchase for the average player.

• Lithoids Species Pack: This DLC lets you play as a species of rock-based lifeforms, which can survive on nearly any planet but have slow reproduction rates. The unique Mineral-based economy and slower growth make it an interesting but niche addition. It doesn’t have the widespread appeal that other species packs bring, making it one of the less essential DLCs.
• First Contact Story Pack: This DLC introduces the concept of first contact with new civilizations, allowing you to develop unique narratives depending on how you engage with these unknown species. While it does add depth to role-playing and diplomacy, many players find its impact too limited to be considered a must-have.
• Astral Planes: Similar to First Contact, this DLC explores an esoteric concept that adds some flavor to the game but doesn’t alter gameplay in any significant way. Its abstract nature may appeal to a smaller audience but remains optional for most players.

C-Tier Stellaris Expansions: Flavorful but Not Essential

These DLCs bring some interesting new mechanics and species, but their niche appeal or lack of significant gameplay impact means they aren’t essential for everyone.

• Plantoids Species Pack: This DLC allows you to play as sentient plant-based civilizations, offering new civics and beautiful ship designs. It also includes unique gameplay mechanics like converting food into alloys. While it adds a nice touch of variety, it doesn’t substantially alter the core Stellaris experience.
• MegaCorp: The MegaCorp expansion introduces the ability to build Ecumenopolises (giant trading mega-planets) and expand your empire with new economic systems like branch offices and the slave trade. While this DLC can be fun if you want to role-play a megacorporation, it’s not essential to enjoy the full Stellaris experience.
• Apocalypse: This DLC adds game-altering mechanics like the ability to initiate a galactic apocalypse or use the new planet-killer weapon. While the destruction-focused features are fun in the right scenario, they can feel redundant or even out of place in most playthroughs.
• Necroids Species Pack: Adds a darker, more sinister species for players who want to play as undead or death-obsessed races. While it offers cool role-playing opportunities, it lacks the depth and widespread appeal of other species packs.
• Humanoids Species Pack: This pack gives players the ability to play as a species with humanoid traits. While it adds some new customization options, it doesn’t bring anything revolutionary to the game.
• Synthetic Dawn Story Pack: Focuses on the rise of synthetic civilizations and offers a narrative around the awakening of AI. While this expansion adds some fun flavor, it doesn’t do much to change the way you play the game on a macro level.

B-Tier Stellaris Expansions: Worth Picking Up During Sales

These DLCs are generally fun and worth their price, particularly during sales. They may not revolutionize the game but add enough value to justify their cost.

• Nemesis: Nemesis introduces espionage actions and allows you to become the final crisis or a defender of the galaxy. While espionage adds an interesting dimension to the game, it often feels underdeveloped. The final crisis feature is great but occurs in niche scenarios, making it less impactful overall.
• Distant Stars Story Pack: Adds exploration events and new anomalies, enriching the game’s already vast universe. While it doesn’t drastically alter the game, it brings a lot of fun discovery mechanics for players who enjoy uncovering mysteries in the galaxy.
• Aquatics Species Pack: This pack introduces aquatic civilizations and brings water-themed ships, as well as new gameplay features tied to aquatic species. While it adds some fun flavor, it isn’t a must-have DLC if you’re not particularly fond of the theme.
• Overlord: Adds the ability to oversee subjects and manage various aspects of a galactic empire. While it offers more depth for managing vassals and integrating new planets into your empire, its overall impact is more subtle compared to other expansions.

A-Tier Stellaris Expansions: Valuable Additions to Any Empire

These DLCs add features that are significant and meaningful in most Stellaris games. They enhance core mechanics and can provide substantial new gameplay elements, making them highly recommended for any player.

• Leviathans Story Pack: Introduces the concept of powerful, ancient Leviathans that can be encountered during your exploration. This pack brings exciting, high-stakes encounters that can change the course of your game, especially with the threat of Fallen Empires initiating wars. It adds a lot of atmosphere and challenge to the game.
• Toxoids Species Pack: Adds a new toxic species with unique traits and an interesting narrative around toxicity and survival. It’s a thematic species pack that fits well into the galaxy, offering an excellent challenge and customization options.
• Ancient Relics Story Pack: Adds an exciting new layer of discovery by allowing players to search for ancient artifacts that hold powerful rewards. This DLC adds depth to exploration, enriching the game’s already massive content base and enhancing role-playing potential.

S-Tier Stellaris Expansions: Essential DLCs for Every Player

The S-tier DLCs are considered essential by most Stellaris players. They enhance core gameplay in meaningful ways and are a must-have for anyone serious about the game.

• Utopia: This expansion unlocks key features like megastructures (Dyson Sphere, Ring Worlds), orbital habitats, and Ascension Perks. These additions greatly enhance the late-game and make managing your empire even more satisfying. Utopia is widely considered so important that it should have been part of the base game.
• Federations: This DLC expands the role of diplomacy in Stellaris, adding federations, the Galactic Community, and more options for playing with other empires. It strengthens the political and diplomatic dimensions of the game, making it essential for players who want to interact with other empires beyond war.

With so many DLC expansions available for Stellaris, it can be tough to figure out which ones are worth your time and money. The S-Tier expansions, Utopia and Federations, are essential for any serious player looking to enjoy the game’s full potential. Meanwhile, DLCs like Leviathans and Nemesis add exciting mechanics and content that enrich the experience. On the other hand, the D-Tier expansions, such as Lithoids and Astral Planes, are largely optional and can be skipped unless you’re particularly interested in specific content. Ultimately, the best way to approach Stellaris DLCs is by considering which aspects of the game—be it species customization, diplomacy, or exploration—are most important to you.