Iso-Emulsion Efficiency is a Starbase-tree research that discounts the Territory tree: it improves Iso-Emulsion cost efficiency for Territory research, from 10% at level 1 to 50% at level 5. It unlocks at R&D Department 25 with Assembly Chambers 1, and its levels are paid partly in Assembly Medals.
What Iso-Emulsion Efficiency does
Nearly every Territory research level charges Iso-Emulsion, so a 50% efficiency line effectively stretches every emulsion you refine across the whole tree. The unusual part is where it lives: the Starbase branch, costing Assembly Medals from starbase content, while its benefit lands entirely on your Territory spending.
| Level | Cost efficiency bonus | Building required | Research required | Cost | Base time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10% | R&D Department 25, Assembly Chambers 1 | Territory Mitigation 1 | 15.2K Dilithium, 1.1K Assembly Medals | 2.4 d |
| 2 | 20% | R&D Department 36 | — | 1.7M Dilithium, 1.5K Assembly Medals | 27.5 d |
| 3 | 30% | R&D Department 43 | Isogen Scanners 6 | 32.6M Dilithium, 2K Assembly Medals | 237.7 d |
| 4 | 40% | R&D Department 52, Assembly Chambers 8 | — | 2.7B Dilithium, 2.6K Assembly Medals | 2.7 yr |
| 5 | 50% | R&D Department 56, Assembly Chambers 14 | Isogen Scanners 9 | 13.5B Dilithium, 3.2K Assembly Medals | 3 yr |
Unlock requirements
Level 1 needs R&D Department 25, Assembly Chambers 1, and Territory Mitigation 1. The five-level ladder is in the table above.
Cost and research time
Per-level costs are in the table above. Maxing all 5 levels totals about 16.1B Dilithium, 10.4K Assembly Medals. The base research time adds up to roughly 6.4 yr on paper; research speed bonuses cut real timers to a small fraction of that, so use it to compare levels, not to plan your calendar.
Is Iso-Emulsion Efficiency worth it?
Yes for anyone invested in Territory research; efficiency multiplies with the mining-rate lines like 1★ Isogen Extraction, since you gather more and spend less of it per level. See the Starbase Research guide and Territory Research guide for both branches.