How the Senate Works in Xterium — 12 Senators, Classes, and Leveling Up

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12 senators in three classes
Unlock the Senator — for Achievement Points
Hire a Senator — for Star Ore
Leveling Up — Achievement Points plus Dark Matter
The level caps are different for each level
How to Apply This
Frequently Asked Questions
What to Read Next

The Senate is a council of 12 advisors (senators), each of whom grants your empire permanent bonuses: to attack, economy, fleet speed, and more. Senators are unlocked with Achievement Points, recruited with Star Ore, and leveled up using Achievement Points and Dark Matter. Let’s break down the system step by step—all numbers are taken directly from the game’s code, with no guesswork involved.

Where do these numbers come from? All values are taken from the game’s senator data (senators numbered 701–712) and in-game text. The senators’ names and their bonuses at max level have been verified against the encyclopedia section. Explanations in simple terms and tactical advice come from the player community (wiki, forum thread, authors Storm22073, Shataev, Kara). See the cards for all 12 senators in the “Senators” section.

12 senators in three classes

There are exactly 12 senators, divided into 3 classes of four each. Senator bonuses work like research—they are permanent and stack with the player's other bonuses.

Combat Class — Strengthens the fleet and defenses:

Admiral — Attack, Accuracy, Additional Attack (level cap: 35).
Tactician — Armor, Dodge, Additional Shields (cap of 35).
Technocrat — shields, shield regeneration, automatic post-battle repair (cap of 35).
First Mate — Additional shield and attack power, defense destruction (cap of 25).

Economy Class — Development and Construction:

Geologist — mine output, storage capacity, resource conservation during defense (cap of 50).
Architect — construction speed for buildings, defenses, and the fleet (cap of 50).
Scientist — Science Points, Energy Production, Expedition Teams (cap of 50).
Logistics Specialist — Contract Rewards, Production Fund Efficiency (cap of 25).

Naval Class — Flight, Exploration, Moon:

Navigator — flight speed, engine efficiency, expedition duration (maximum 30).
Engineer — Fleet carrying capacity and slots, parts bonus in Hostile (cap of 50).
Scout — Espionage Power (Level Cap: 7).
Lunodel — Chance to create a moon, Moon Protection, Death Star Power (cap of 25).

The exact bonus percentages at the maximum level are listed in the cards in the “Senators” section].

Unlock the Senator — for Achievement Points

Each senator is initially locked and unlocks once you've earned the required number of Achievement Points. The threshold is different for each one (from the game code):

Scientist — only 1 point (unlocks almost immediately).
Admiral — 5, Engineer — 15, Geologist — 20, Tactician — 30, Technocrat — 40, Architect — 50.
Navigator — 100, Lunar Engineer — 175, Scout — 275, Logistician — 300, First Mate — 350.

In other words, the Senate is unlocked gradually: the first advisors are available to new players, while the strongest ones are reserved for those who have played for a long time and earned a lot of Achievement Points. To find out what these points are and how to earn them, check out the guide “Achievements”].

Hire a Senator — for Star Ore

Just unlocking a senator isn't enough—you also have to hire them. Hiring is done using Star Ore. According to the game's code, the hiring cost for most senators is the same low amount, and only the Scout's cost is twice as high. Hiring is valid for a certain period of time, after which it must be renewed—so Star Ore is constantly being spent on the Senate.

The game even has a separate achievement called “Stellar Power” with the hint: “Pay the senators with Stellar Ore, and their dedication will know no bounds.” To find out where to get Star Ore, check out the guide “How to Mine Star Ore”].

Leveling Up — Achievement Points plus Dark Matter

When a senator is unlocked and hired, they level up. For each level, you receive two resources at once:

Achievement points are the same as those for unlocking. The higher the level, the more points you need to reach the next one.
Dark matter is the main paid resource for leveling up. The higher a senator's level, the more dark matter is required.

For example, for combat senators, the first level costs about 10 Dark Matter, and the cost of reaching the maximum level can run into the thousands. In other words, the main burden falls on Dark Matter: Achievement Points “unlock” the level, while Dark Matter pays for it.

The level caps are different for each level

This is a key aspect of planning. The maximum level for senators varies (from the game code):

Up to Level 50: Geologist, Architect, Scientist, Engineer.
Up to 35: Admiral, Tactician, Technocrat.
Up to 30: Navigator.
Up to 25: First Mate, Logistics Officer, Moonworker.
Up to 7: Scout.

The higher the level cap, the greater the final bonus—but the longer and more expensive the leveling process. A Scout with a level cap of 7 levels up quickly, but getting a Geologist or Scientist to level 50 is a long-term goal that takes months.

How to Apply This

Choose the Scientist first—he unlocks for 1 Achievement Point and immediately provides science and energy.
Don't spread yourself too thin. Dark Matter is a bottleneck: it's better to level up 1–2 key senators to a high level than to keep everyone at a low level.
Combat senators are for PvP, while economic senators are for peaceful development. Choose the one that fits your playstyle.
Keep some Star Ore in reserve—the recruitment is only temporary, and the Senate will “cool off” without a steady supply.

To find out which characters to level up first for your specific playstyle, check out the guide “Senate: Who to Level Up”].

Frequently Asked Questions

How many senators are there in the Xterium Senate? Exactly 12, divided into 3 classes of four each: military, economic, and naval. All cards are in the “Senators” section.

What are senators speaking out about? For Achievement Points. The thresholds vary: "Scholar" is worth 1 point, while the highest ranks ("Logist" and "First Mate") are worth 300 and 350 points, respectively.

How is a senator paid for his or her services? Two resources at the same time: Achievement Points and Dark Matter. The higher the level, the more of both you need.

What are senators hired to do? For Star Ore. The hire is temporary and must be renewed.

Do all senators have the same maximum level? No. The level caps vary: from 7 (Scout) to 50 (Geologist, Architect, Scientist, Engineer). The higher the level cap, the greater the bonus and the more expensive the leveling.