Celestian

Celestians are an ancient order of psionically-gifted individuals that strive to achieve inner enlightenment and create balance and harmony in the universe. They believe psionic power comes form the stars, and use this power to protect their ideals and teachings.

Starting Unit: Light Bringer Sway enemy soldiers and colonists to your cause NPC diplomacy bonuses Strong buffing and damage reflection Uses and weapon groups

Origin

The Celestian Order was founded a long time ago when psionic abilities first started to awaken in the human race. They believed this was a new stage in evolution, and advocated a path of inner peace and enlightenment.

Commander Loadout

If the player has chosen close combat equipment as one of their starting perks, then they will receive the following weapons at the beginning of the game:

	Name	Stats	Tier	Description
	Inferno Fists	90% 13 1	2	High impact stagger units Melee bypass all Only affects ground targets
	Ego Bomb	100% 6 3 Cooldown: 2 turns	1	High impact stagger units Psionic bypass all and ignore line of sight 8 chance to apply broken mind to non-mindless units for 3 turns. Only affects ground targets

If the player has chosen to be Oathbound, the following option will be available at the beginning of the game. Note that this is the only way to get the paladin light bringer battlesuit, which will also be for sale in the shop with this selection. It is not otherwise available in the game.

	Name	Stats	Tier	Description
100px	Paladin Light Bringer Vehicle	1:90% 20 5 2:100% 9 7 Cooldown: 2 turns	2	+1 +1 1:Ignores cover and unit penalties High impact stagger units Enlightened: +20 damage against units with soulburn 2:Targets air hex, dealing damage to both ground and flying units. Lasts for 3 turns. Each turn, a random enemy gets soulburn to end of combat and burning for 3 turns. Enlightened: +20 damage against units with soulburn.
100px	Entropic Revolver	90% 7 7	1

Hero Skills

	Skill		Requirements	Effects
	Revealing Soul	4	Level 1	Hero becomes enlightened, and all units that attack the hero have a strength 8 chance of being afflicted with soulburn.
	Aura of Guidance	4	Level 4	Every unit in the hero's army has +10% . Only functions when the hero is the army's commander
50px	Cleansing Light	4	Level 5	Active Ability: Single action 100% 3 Can only be used once per battle. Target unit heals for 20 plus 5 for each enlightened unit in battle, and is dispelled of all negative status effects.
	Deny the Wicked	4	Level 6	Every unit in the hero's army has 2 damage reduction in all channels against attacks from units with soulburn. Only functions when the hero is the army's commander
	Compelling Presence	5	Level 8	Active Ability: Full action 100% 3 Cooldown: 4 turns. Target enemy unit has an 8 strength chance to be mind controlled, increasing to a 12 strength chance if the target is already affected by soulburn. If they survive until the end of combat, they are turned into a colonist. On failure, the unit takes 22 damage instead.

Units

Name	Tier	Type	Damage	Stats	Cost	Research	Source
Light Bringer	II	Skirmisher	^	32 ^	^	Luminance	Military Skirmisher Barracks
Star Guide	III	Specialist	10 8	60 32 0 4	105 400 20	Star Presence	Specialist Training Center
Ascended Teacher	IV	Strategic Summons	13 10	70 32 0 6	100 20	Axiom of light	Operation: True Ascendancy

^ Varies by faction

Technology

Celestian tech uses ancient astral philosophy to harness the nobler parts of the psyche.

	Technology	Tier	Group	Prerequisites		Unlocks
	Light's Embrace	1	Tactical		100	Tenets of Tranquility Cleansing Light
	Penance	2	Tactical	Light's Embrace	150	Shield of Remorse Spirit Flash
	Luminance	3	Forces	Light's Embrace	300	Unit: Light Bringer Equipment: Inferno Fists
	Inner Fire	3	Strategic	Penance	300	Sway Ideology Soulfire Blessing of Starlight
	Perseverance	4	Tactical	Penance	520	Tenets of Healing Negate
	Star Presence	5	Forces	Luminance	800	Unit: Star Guide Equipment: Light's Harmony
	Light of Truth	5	Strategic	Perseverance	800	Declaration of Truth Beacon of Truth
	Star Ward	6	Strategic	Light of Truth	1200	Futility of War Ward of Righteousness
	Way of Peace	6	Tactical	Perseverance	1200	Tenets of Pacifism Resurgence
	Colony Sanctuary	8	Strategic	Star Ward	2200	Compelling Cause Sanctuary of the Stars
	Repercussion	9	Tactical	Way of Peace	2750	Shield of Reckoning Area of Reprieve
	Axiom of Light	10	Forces	Star Presence	3600	True Ascendancy Equipment: Radiant Force
	Ascension	10	Strategic	Colony Sanctuary	3600	Final Revelation

Doctrine

	Technology	Tier	Prerequisites		Unlocks
	Celestial Reign	3	Tier 1 doctrine	300	Karmic Amplification Celestial Judgment Doctrine Development V
	Neo Evangelicals	7	Tier 6 doctrine or economic research	1700	Harmonious Existence Disincentive Prayers Missionary Negotiators

Strategy

Units, mods and operations primarily buff friendlies, with limited direct damage capability.

While higher tier units in this technology deal psionic damage, celestian units are more about utility than direct damage, so synergy with psionic weapons research is minor.