Endless Legend 2’s early access launch has largely been a success, so if you’re planning to jump in and wondering about the setting of Saiadha and the asymmetrical factions fighting for control of this doomed world, here’s everything you should know about them before playing.
Saiadha is a new fantasy world set in the Endless universe “at the brink of extinction.” Huge cataclysmic events and aggressive weather cycles like tidefalls and monsoons have reshaped the planet’s surface and influenced how the sentient species on this world adapt to its conditions and try to survive. It’s a world full of both wonder and beauty, and unlike anything we’d seen in Auriga (Endless Legend 1’s main setting).
Ahead of Endless Legend 2’s planned full launch into 1.0 next year, the game has five playable factions so far, with a six one coming later. Each one has different backgrounds, looks, and play styles. Much like the original game, Endless Legend 2 prides itself in how different each civilization in the game feels and plays.
After playing the early access launch build, we can confirm the mechanics and systems go even deeper this time around, and this quick but informative guide to every Endless Legend 2 faction confirmed so far should tell you everything you need to know before you jump into the game.
Every faction in Endless Legend 2
Like in other 4X games, players must choose a faction at the start of each match/run. On top of their distinct abilities, units, buildings, and whatnot, they can absorb smaller factions that are found all over the map, plus they’re all reshaped by how you (or the AI) decide to “build” them over the course of many turns through research and decision-making.
If “only” five factions at the moment sounds like a very low number to you, be aware that Endless Legend (and Space) games make the differences between factions/civilizations far larger than in traditional 4X titles. Furthermore, players will be able to create ‘custom factions’ at launch.
Aspects
Part machine, part coral, the Aspects are “a symbiotic species” joined by the Chorus, “a mind gestalt where all Aspects can psychically come together.” They look extremely alien, but they’re a mostly peaceful faction seeking to understand why and how Saiadha is undergoing devastating changes that may doom it entirely.
Aspects follow the Diplomats archetype, and their three key unique features and abilities are the following:
- Power Diplomacy: The Aspects can use the gained Influence resource to come up with advantageous treaties which can give them the upper hand in both war and trade.
- Coral Network: Through coral spores, coral networks are built. They improve movement, Dust (the main gold-like resource in this universe) collection, diplomacy, and even make cities faster to build.
- Assimilation: Subfactions are integrated into the Chorus at no cost, making the use of skills and units from others’ much easier.
Kin of Sheredyn
The Kin of Sheredyn are “an offshoot of the United Empire” (Endless Space 2) that arrived on Saiadha decades ago. Stranded on an unforgiving ocean world and with the faction’s original leader missing, General Shaparenko “dreams that the Kin will one day do more than merely survive.”
Kin of Sheredyn follow the Defenders archetype and can be considered Endless Legend 2’s most basic and easier to understand faction due to its human nature. Their three key unique features and abilities are the following:
- Strength of Our Zeal: For the Kin, the Capital city is, by far, the most important thing there is, so more fortifications in the Capital means more Holy Commandments to unlock and more Chosen that can be produced.
- Holy Commandments: This faction-exclusive skill allows the Kin to use special abilities within range of their Cities or Chosen units. Examples include Divine Service, Blessed Earth, Replenish Faith, and Wrath of the Skies, among others.
- The Chosen: Though outnumbered and struggling to rise in power on this new world, the Kin have giant war constructs (basically mechs) as the backbone of their military. On top of being formidable opponents, they can also extend the range of Commandments.
Necrophage
Every remarkable fantasy or sci-fi 4X game needs a ‘bug’ faction, and the Necrophage are Endless Legend 2’s version of that archetype. The massive Saiadhan swarm has “emerged to the surface” and is “always hostile, always ravenous” and relentless in its pursuits of conquest.
Necrophages follow the Warmongers archetype and should be treated as the game’s most aggressive faction revealed so far. At the time of writing, they’re restricted to the press demo and aren’t part of the public preview build. Their three key unique features and abilities are the following:
- The Matriarch: While it could be considered a weak point, the Necrophages only have one city, the den of the Queen, which can grow larger than any other faction’s. Through burrows, Necrophage units can travel quickly between it and other parts of the map.
- Devour: Necrophage’s generate the Corpse resource after defeating enemies in battle. This allows them to specialize units after killing foes and generate larva units automatically with each win.
- Ever Fighting: Since it’s part of their nature, the Necrophages suffer fewer penalties than other factions for prolonged wars.
Last Lords
The Last Lords are a returning faction (sort of) from the first Endless Legend. After escaping from Auriga before a world-ending cataclysm, these spirits trapped in armors landed on Saiadha expecting to harvest Dust for a long time. Instead, they found an unforgiving ocean planet.
The Last Lords follow the Economic archetype, with a strong focus on the production and consumption of Dust to create and heal themselves. Their three unique features elaborate on these guiding principles and their in-universe background:
- Dust is Life: The Lords have no need for Food. Instead, they use Dust to create and keep their populations alive. This resource is also how they heal themselves after battle.
- Ruling Minor Factions: Following the assimilation of a minor faction, the Lords can build and use Lord’s States in villages in order to directly enlist minor faction populations in cities.
- Primordial Last Lords: A special population type which boosts Influence and Dust production among Last Lord inhabitants. They’re created by building the Soul Repository.
Tahuks
The Tahuks are a new faction with ancient knowledge of Saiadha. They evolved from “giant, desert scavenging lizards” and their civilization was defined by the Sages, “godlike figures” who once walked among them.
Tahuks follow the Scientists archetype, as their civilization is built on the belief the Sages will eventually return to Saiadha. To achieve their goals, they mix faith and technology following a religious hierarchy, as illustrated by their unique features:
- Holy Oculum: A building which allows the Tahuk to turn research into special actions such as Stars’ Light, Service of Spirit, Eternal Sunshine, and Esoteric Delegation.
- Observatories: These buildings are placed on mountains to gain wide visibility. Additionally, they provide Food during monsoons and Science during other times. They can also be upgraded to become Sacred Flames and Libraries.
- Religion and the Called: By celebrating Religious Festivals, the Tahuk convert portions of their total population to Called fanatics. Depending on the Festival, the Called gain different attributes, and they can later be sent to other empires’ cities to “spread their message.”
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