Quick answer
No Compass path is best for every save. Choose the next upgrade by four visible inputs: the goal you want now, the Principle Path points you already have, the next threshold, and whether the settlement can use the desired unlock. Official Deeds and Compass records jointly support the core loop: Deeds award their associated path points, and the first five listed Compass tiers use thresholds of 0, 3, 7, 12, and 20 points.
That evidence supports a threshold-aware method, not a fixed quadrant order. Use the Compass primer for the tree's mechanics and the Deeds guide when the problem is earning the next associated point.
Original guide diagram — not in-game UI. The first path is the one that removes the next real blocker in this save.
Path choice criteria
Apply these criteria before recommending an order:
- Current goal — 40%. Name the mission result, ship option, or progression change you need next.
- Next point threshold — 25%. Measure the gap from the current associated-path total to the next useful listed tier.
- Unlock value — 20%. Verify that the live Compass item actually serves the named goal.
- Settlement readiness — 15%. Check whether construction, crew, and supply can use the option after it appears.
The weighting is editorial. The point relationship and threshold sequence are source-backed, while exact upgrade contents and the best time to take them can change. The result is a goal-specific order, not an official build.
Original guide diagram — not in-game UI. Count the gap first; then choose work that awards the associated path point.
Early upgrade order by goal
| Situation | Goal-specific order | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You can name the needed unlock and see its path | Check current points → locate the next useful threshold → choose associated Deeds → spend → recheck the unlock | Every step follows the documented Deed-to-path-point relationship |
| You are one threshold short | Prioritize achievable Deeds for that same associated path | Unrelated points do not close the stated gap |
| Several upgrades look useful | Score each by goal, threshold gap, unlock value, and readiness | The visible criteria replace an unsupported universal path order |
| A powerful option is visible but unusable | Stabilize the prerequisite or choose a nearer useful unlock | Unlock value is low when the save cannot act on it |
| You are considering an adjacent-path border | Inspect the current Compass and ship options before spending | Hybrid-variant behavior comes from one version-sensitive official Compass record |
A practical threshold sequence
The official pages jointly list 0, 3, 7, 12, and 20 points for the first five Compass tiers. Use those values as checkpoints, not commands to rush one path:
- Record the current associated-path total.
- Identify the next listed threshold that contains an upgrade serving the current goal.
- Calculate the gap rather than assuming every available Deed belongs to that path.
- Complete only enough useful associated Deeds to reach the target.
- Spend, inspect what changed, and define the next blocker again.
A version-sensitive official Compass note says adjacent-path ships can unlock stronger hybrid variants at defined borders. Treat that as a reason to inspect border value before spending, not as proof that a hybrid route always beats deeper investment in the current path.
Original guide diagram — not in-game UI. A successful order states its goal, threshold, and readiness check.
Common mistakes
- Following a named path order without identifying the current save's blocker.
- Counting total Deeds instead of points for the associated Principle Path.
- Spending toward the closest threshold without checking what the live upgrade does.
- Unlocking a ship or option before the settlement can construct, crew, or supply it.
- Treating adjacent-path hybrid information as a mandatory route.
- Reusing an old threshold chart after a progression patch without reviewing the Compass.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions
Which Compass path should I unlock first?
Choose the path containing the next useful upgrade for your named goal, then compare the current point total with the next listed threshold. The approved evidence does not establish one first path for every save.
Should I finish one path before starting another?
Not as a general rule. The criteria favor the next useful unlock and a reachable threshold. An adjacent path may matter when a live border option improves the current goal, but that behavior is version-sensitive.
What if I am short of the next threshold?
Open Deeds and choose achievable objectives that award points for the associated path. The Deeds guide explains that selection loop; the progression roadmap helps when you have not yet named the blocker.
What to do next
- Use the best-ships guide if the desired Compass result is a fleet option.
- Read the Compass primer for path and tier mechanics.
- Return to the progression roadmap when several unlocks compete for attention.