The Carcass Research and Technology Branches

Research is how your colony learns to digest gods, befriend parasites, and rewrite the carcass itself. The Carcass splits technology into four branches—combat, production, diplomacy, and forbidden arts—each consuming neurons and progressing on Pulse advances. This guide explains mechanics, timing, and planning. For priority rankings by game phase, see the research tier list.

Patch 1.01 fixed the research command calling the wrong internal function, which could fail to deduct costs properly. If projects felt “free” on old demos, update before trusting neuron math.

Core mechanics

Neurons are the research currency—harvested from events, buildings, and some treaties. Queue projects from the research menu; completion ticks when time advances via next or harvest (Pulse system).

Opening the research menu is a free action. Accidentally ending a Pulse while a project is one tick away causes “surprise” completions—read turn reports every time.

There is no full respec. Branch investment is a long-term bet aligned with your target ending.

The four branches

Production

Nutrient efficiency, Bone Quarries, bile chains, forge and altar upgrades. Default first investment for most runs—fixes famine and unlocks construction pace. Essential for Escape and economic stability routes.

Pair with colony buildings and resources guide.

Combat

Warrior quality, expedition survival, chamber defense. Required for Dominion, parasite crises, and late Extinction difficulty. Over-prioritizing combat before food stability starves the colony.

See combat guide for military Pulses.

Diplomacy

Treaty costs, trade yields, refugee integration. Powers Symbiosis and multi-species achievements. Collapses if you betray partners—see factions guide.

Terminal commands like sendenvoy now apply relations correctly post-1.01.

Forbidden arts

Occult mutations, wall-voice bargains, awareness events. Gates Transcendence and several secret endings. High backlash if neurons or biomass buffer is thin.

Cross mutations tier list when gene slots unlock.

Early, mid, and late priorities

Pulses 1–20: production to stabilize biomass and calcium; one diplomacy pick if neighbors appear early; combat only if events force it; delay forbidden arts.

Mid game: split neurons between diplomacy trade web and production tier upgrades; add combat before declaring wars; start forbidden partial if targeting Awakening or Transcendence.

Late game: forbidden arts and combat spike for endgame crises; diplomacy stabilizes Symbiosis; production still feeds armies and rituals.

The tier list page ranks S/A/B tiers by phase—use this guide for why those ranks exist.

Neuron income tips

• Secure harvest zones before expensive projects.
• Trade treaties can supplement neurons—do not rely on betrayed partners.
• Citizens with research traits matter—citizens guide.
• status after Patch 1.01 lists production lines—verify neuron buildings online.

Research and endings

Ending	Branch emphasis
Dominion	Combat + warriors
Symbiosis	Diplomacy + resistance mutations
Awakening	Neurons + partial forbidden
Escape	Production + map tech
Transcendence	Full forbidden arts

Secret endings mix branches—journal event choices in events guide.

Ironman and NG+

Wrong branch lock-in hurts permanently on Ironman. Scout branch order on Normal first.

New Game Plus can accelerate neuron income with carried victories—plan second runs for missed branches.

Demo vs full release

Demo teaches queueing and one or two branches; full release exposes complete trees and forbidden depth. Demo research progress does not transfer.

Common mistakes

Queueing forbidden arts before Nutrient Vats—rituals do not feed citizens.

Splitting neurons evenly—mediocre at everything; pick a primary branch per phase.

Ignoring Pulse timing—research completes when you harvest unexpectedly.

Trusting pre-1.01 cost bugs—verify deduction on latest build.

Research is hope measured in neurons—fund the branch that prevents your next catastrophe, not the last one.