Research-Based Raids Difficulty

This mod shifts the storyteller's focus from Wealth to Research.

In vanilla RimWorld, raid size is primarily driven by colony wealth. But why would high-tech mechanoids or elite mercenaries underestimate a colony that just unlocked Pulse Munitions and Cataphract Armor simply because they haven't hoarded enough silver yet?

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Features

• Knowledge is Danger:
  Raid points now scale based on your total completed research.
• Tech-Level Weighting:
  Not all research is equal. Industrial and Spacer techs increase threat points significantly more than Neolithic or Medieval ones.
• Customizable Blacklist/Whitelist:
  Take total control over what drives your threat score. Use Blacklist mode to exclude specific techs from your difficulty calculation, or Whitelist mode to count only the projects you choose.
• Research-Only Scaling (Default: Disabled):
  You can toggle the mode to calculate raid points solely by research, completely ignoring colony wealth for a unique progression challenge.
• Fully Customizable:
  Use a adjustable range (e.g., 0.5x to 2.0x) to scale difficulty. Want a primitive start to be a breeze? Set a low minimum. Want the endgame to be a nightmare? Crank up the max.
• Saturation Point:
  Set a ratio (like 80%) where the mod considers your tech level "max difficulty"—no need to research every single project to hit the cap.
• Optimized Performance:
  Scores are cached and only recalculated when you finish a project or load a save. Zero impact on your TPS.

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Why was this made?

In vanilla RimWorld, 'wealth management' often feels like a tedious chore.

This mod targets players who find the vanilla scaling nonsensical. In this vision, Knowledge is the ultimate asset. Hostile factions are no longer just looking to loot your silver; they are threatened by your technological leap. The more knowledge you possess, the more dangerous — and the more valuable — you become in their eyes. If you possess advanced technology, you’d better be ready to defend it.

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How does it work?

Knowledge is power, and power invites hostility. Instead of just counting the wealth, this mod calculates a "Threat Multiplier" based on your total completed research.

Not all research is created equal. Each project's cost is multiplied by a weight based on its era. This means a single Industrial project increases your "threat score" much more than a Neolithic one.

• Animal: 0.5x
• Neolithic: 1.0x (The baseline)
• Medieval: 1.2x
• Industrial: 2.5x (Major jump — reflects the power of firearms)
• Spacer: 4.5x (High impact — advanced shields and weapons)
• Ultra: 7.0x
• Archotech: 10.0x

The mod scans your entire research tree to establish two values:

• Total Score:
  The sum of every available research project's base cost, each weighted by its Tech Level. This creates a "benchmark" for a fully advanced civilization.
• Current Score:
  The sum of all research projects you have actually completed, also weighted by Tech Level.

The final threat multiplier is derived from the ratio between these two. Wealth still counts, but your technological superiority will now draw the aggression it earns.

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Recommended Mods

Research Papers:

Want more immersion? This mod makes research a physical asset. No more free tech from a menu—you’ll need to secure your papers to keep your progress. Watch your labs closely; one bad raid could torch your library and set your colony back by decades.

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FAQ

Q: Can I add/remove it mid-game?
A: Yes, you can add or remove it at any time.

Q: Does this replace wealth scaling?
A: It acts as a multiplier on top of it. Wealth still matters, but your research progress will now heavily amplify (or suppress) the final raid size.

Q: What if I have a massive mod list with hundreds of new research projects?
A: Easily manage it in the settings:

• Blacklist/Whitelist:
  Use filter settings to exclude specific mods or force-include essential research, giving you full control over your threat score.
• Saturation Point:
  Adjust the threshold to hit max difficulty without needing to grind every single project in your massive tech tree.

Q: Is it compatible with ?
A: It should be compatible with almost everything, including mods that add new research projects or custom storytellers. It also natively supports Anomaly knowledge costs.

Q: Is it compatible with other difficulty mods?
A: It should be compatible with almost any mod that modifies raid points or difficulty.

Q: Does this mod bypass the game's maximum Raid Point cap?
A: No. This mod applies its multiplier to the base threat points before the final game constraints (like the vanilla 10,000-point cap) kick in. It makes reaching that cap faster if you are high-tech, or keeps you well below it if you are primitive, but it won't break the game's internal limits.

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