Now that the Victorian Era setting of Victoria 3 emphasizes the growth of ideologies alongside nations, players who want their nations to dominate the global scene may have to research Technologies that not only give them the edge in war but also in their production and overall socio-political standing. With Technologies arranged according to Eras and split into their areas of focus, it may be easy to feel overwhelmed when choosing which Technologies to develop.

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However, players who are starting their Victoria 3 campaign may find themselves leaning towards specific patterns when pursuing goals with Technologies. On top of pursuing basic Era 1 Tech, players should consider unlocking specific Technologies to give them an unprecedented edge in specific areas of nation-building.

10 Currency Standards

Guarantees Tax As A Form Of Extra Budget

Establishing a currency has become one of the most pivotal developments of nations throughout history, with players capable of enacting the same change in their Victoria 3 gameplay with Currency Standards (Societal Tech). Upon researching this Technology, players get access to Per-Capita Taxation, allowing them to tax all members of their Pops except Slaves and Peasants.

While some may argue that Proportional Taxation is more useful in the long term, having the option for Per-Capita Taxation gives players extra breathing room should they require the flexibility of adjusting taxation options on a whim. Securing guaranteed taxation beyond typical Percentage (Consumption, Income, Dividend Taxes) and Poll (Heathen, Poll Taxes) options can greatly boost a nation’s economic opportunities.

9 Ironclad

Enhance Naval Warfare

As with other grand strategy titles, a well-equipped navy in Victoria 3 can empower multiple facets of a nation’s performance. Thanks to Ironclad (Military Tech), players can have their ships venture into the seas knowing their improved armor should keep them relatively safe from hazards and hostilities. At its core, Ironclad seemingly only unlocks specific upgrades for naval structures and ships, which can seem limiting for an Era 3 upgrade.

However, where Ironclad shines is how it bolsters the overall survivability and performance of available ships in the game. With Ironclad unlocked, players can rely on their ships to either wage naval warfare or pursue trade routes more consistently in the mid-game. As such, Ironclad works well for both industry-focused and conquest-leaning playthroughs.

8 Napoleonic Warfare

Secure Defense Against Early-Game Skirmishes

Napoleon Bonaparte remains a popular figure in history for his momentous conquests, wherein he combined his tactical acumen with the proper utilization of artillery. This method of revolutionized warfare is known in Victoria 3 as Napoleonic Warfare (Military Tech), an early-game Military Technology that gives players a significant boost to deter opponents who may try hostile opening moves.

Napoleonic Warfare unlocks the Mobile Artillery, drastically improving the player’s capability of fielding both artillery and basic infantry in the earliest stages of the game. This should give players ample time to deter assaults from enemies of a similar lower-tech tier, though players who want more aggressive future plays should consider upgrading further.

7 Nationalism

Make Unification More Manageable

Being able to play Victoria 3 as any nation at the time and trying to overcome their existing hurdles based on history simply proves there are different ways of approaching Technologies in any one playthrough. In the case of Nationalism (Societal Tech), the way it unlocks the Ethnostate and the Stir National Agitation options for Agitators is built precisely for nations with unification-centric missions.

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Rushing Nationalism works for nations such as Germany and Italy that have unification objectives. However, the +10% Authority that Nationalism confers could be useful in states where players need additional assertion when enacting laws.

6 Colonization

Grab Early-Game Vassals Before Others Retaliate

Upon unlocking International Relations (Societal Tech), players may want to fast-track acquiring Colonization (Societal Tech), especially if their nation is capable of quick bouts of exploration. Being able to unlock Colonial Exploitation, Colonial Resettlement, and Frontier Colonization early on can give nations incentives to look for border provinces and coastal states to invade before players even have to create a potent navy.

If successful, invading much weaker nations should give players vassals to control in faraway lands, as well as free Declared Interest in the region where their colonized nation is located. Players opting for a more aggressive campaign should consider securing Colonization in their Victoria 3 playthrough for fast-tracked invasions.

5 Steelworking

Start Leveling-Up Investments

Investment Pools remain an integral part of a player’s Victoria 3 experience, especially since they help players further improve their Economy through structures and other buildings. Researching in Steelworking (Production Tech) can give players a much-needed boost in their Investment potential, especially with the economy-jumpstarting capabilities of Steel Mills.

Unlocking Steelworking and then researching Lathe (Era 1, Production Tech) afterward will convert Shopkeepers to Capitalists, expanding their Investment options due to their transition towards the upper strata. Likewise, following up this research with Pumpjacks (Era 3, Production Tech) will unlock Oil Rigs and Automatic Irrigation to boost the performance of all the player’s Plantations.

4 Human Rights

Inalienable Human Rights Also Grant Tech To All

The idea of universal and inalienable human rights remains as a global concept in the Victorian Era, with players capable of making it possible with Human Rights (Societal Tech) upon unlocking Egalitarianism (Societal Tech). On top of unlocking more “open” sociocultural options such as Multiculturalism, Old Age Pension, and Workers’ Protections, its most important benefit comes from its Protected Speech access.

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When regulated within Free Speech, activating Protected Speech will give +25% Technology Spread at the approval (Intelligentsia, Trade Unions) and annoyance (Armed Forces, Devout, Landowners, Petite Bourgeoisie) of certain Pop groups. Players should try to persevere amid opposition, as Technology Spread means passively learning Technologies other nations already have access to at a slower pace, which guarantees they will catch up to other countries.

3 Egalitarianism

Compared to other grand strategy titles, the addition of Societal Technologies in Victoria 3 emphasizes the game’s reliance on managing Populations and Ideologies to facilitate nation growth. Representing developing ideals at the time, Egalitarianism (Societal Tech) being a doctrine that pursues equality for all will also unlock Proportional Taxation, Universal Suffrage, and Radical Party for a nation.

Players who want more flexibility in their nation-building should pursue Egalitarianism for these additional options. For instance, players who need to stabilize their economy much faster can simply switch to Proportional Taxation for a while instead of waiting to enact Trade Unions. In Victoria 3, where global events can destabilize nations, Proportional Taxation provides an easy way of adjusting a nation’s finances in emergencies.

2 Dialectics

Fast-Track Technologies More Efficiently

In the Victorian Era setting of Victoria 3, players, as nation-builders, became exposed to the birth of some of the most influential ideologies seen today. The birth of such globe-spanning ideas is courtesy of applying philosophy to the real world via Dialectics (Societal Tech), which, in the game, unlocks the Philosophy Department for the University and increases investments towards Education.

Players who want to pursue Technologies much faster should grab Dialectics as soon as possible, especially since the Innovation cap for researching tech is capped based on Literacy, which in itself is tied to a nation’s Education access. However, players do need to take note that upgrading Universities and the School System may help their nations slowly “keep up” with the rest of the world but never beyond what everyone else has already researched.

1 Railway

Paves The Way For More Consistent Infrastructure

Among the earliest Technologies to prioritize in one’s Victoria 3 playthrough would be the Railway (Production Tech), which is a must-have for any nation that wants to jumpstart its infrastructure. Along with Mechanical Tools (Era 2, Production Tech) and Atmospheric Engine (Era 2, Production Tech), the addition of the Railway forms the “Holy Trinity” of priority tech for any nation due to how it enhances overall infrastructure.

Despite its lack of Modifiers, researching the Railway will unlock Rail Transportation for some of the most essential early-game industries that any country can focus on. Before players focus on other aspects of their nation-building, rushing Railways and the rest of the Holy Trinity can give players more freedom in tinkering with their country’s specifics.

Victoria 3

Platform(s)

PC

Released

October 25, 2022

Developer(s)

Paradox Development Studio

Genre(s)

Strategy