Updated July 2026
Research Priority Tier List
Research priority tiers rank the six Foundation Management topics by how much progression they unlock per dollar and hour invested. Unlike anomaly tiers, research order is more linear—skipping Multiple Floors hurts almost every save style. This list labels each topic S through C tier for standard progression saves and notes when alternate orders make sense for creative builders.
S-Tier Research
Multiple Floors ($22,000, 2h) — S-tier universal. Unlocks vertical efficiency, elevators, and separated zoning. Euclid Class Anomalies ($40,000, 1h) — S-tier for income players. Gates mid-game SCP purchases and captures. Foundation Transport ($45,000, 2h) — S-tier for capture-focused saves; A-tier if delaying Wilderness content.
These three entries define the first week of most saves—everything else is timing and cash flow after gross profits stabilize.
A-Tier and B-Tier Research
Tesla Gates ($100,000, 16h) — A-tier before heavy Euclid testing, B-tier if staying Safe-only. Long timer demands planning but breach mitigation pays off. Keter Class Anomalies ($500,000, 1.5h) — B-tier until Euclid income stabilizes; S-tier trophy unlock for endgame collectors.
Foundation Technologies ($1,000,000, 4h) — A-tier once gross profits exceed ~$50,000 per paycheck; D-tier on fresh saves. Unlocks server racks—the multiplier capstone.
Defer Foundation Technologies until Tesla Gates and stable Euclid gross profits coexist—otherwise you research racks you cannot afford to place for weeks.
If you only play weekends, Tesla Gates sixteen-hour timer is higher research tier value than same-day Keter unlock attempts.
Recommended Sequences
Standard: Multiple Floors → Euclid → Foundation Transport → Tesla Gates → Keter → Foundation Technologies. Capture-heavy: swap Transport immediately after Euclid. Creative builders: Multiple Floors → Tesla (long offline queue) → defer Keter indefinitely.
Never queue Keter before Euclid unless roleplaying—half a million dollars without mid-tier income stalls the save.
Write your planned sequence on paper before opening Foundation Management—impulse research clicks cause more mid-game stalls than anomaly breaches.
Time Investment vs Cash Investment
Tesla Gates cost less cash than Keter but more real time (16 hours)—S-tier value for players who queue overnight. Foundation Technologies costs the most cash but only four hours—A-tier for rich late saves. Multiple Floors offers the best combined low cash and moderate time unlock for new directors.
When you cannot play daily, prioritize long timers before sessions end; when you play actively, prioritize short Euclid timers to unlock income faster.
Research Tier Summary List
S-tier: Multiple Floors, Euclid Class Anomalies, Foundation Transport (capture saves). A-tier: Tesla Gates (pre-hostile Euclid), Foundation Technologies (late gross). B-tier: Keter Class Anomalies until Euclid income stable. C-tier: Tesla if staying Safe-only forever. D-tier: Foundation Technologies on fresh saves with under $10,000 gross.
Use this summary when advising friends—full costs live on the research tree page with exact dollar and hour figures.
Research Tiers by Playstyle
Combat-capture playstyle: S-tier Transport immediately after Euclid. Builder playstyle: S-tier Multiple Floors, B-tier Transport until aesthetics finished. Economist playstyle: rush Euclid then Foundation Technologies, defer Keter indefinitely. Roleplay playstyle: Tesla Gates for lore-accurate containment, delay server racks as "corporate bureaucracy."
Match research tier to how you actually spend session time—capture players who never visit Wilderness should downgrade Transport to C-tier personally.
Offline Timer Strategy by Tier
Queue 16-hour Tesla Gates before bed—A-tier time value. Queue 1-hour Euclid before lunch—S-tier income unlock. Never start 1.5-hour Keter research without $500,000 cash plus containment build budget remaining—B-tier until banked. Foundation Technologies four-hour timer pairs well with weekend gross profit farming sessions when Euclid lines run hot.
Dollar and Hour Efficiency Notes
Multiple Floors costs roughly $11,000 per hour of research time—excellent efficiency. Tesla Gates costs about $6,250 per hour but spans 16 hours—plan accordingly. Keter costs about $333,000 per hour of unlock time—expensive burst. Compare these ratios when choosing what to start before logging off.
Foundation Transport at $45,000 for two hours sits near Multiple Floors efficiency—capture players should treat it as S-tier timing once Euclid unlock completes, not as optional flavor research.
Frequently Asked Questions
What research should I unlock first?
Multiple Floors is the universal first pick at $22,000 for layout and elevator access.
When should I research Tesla Gates?
Before scaling hostile Euclid testing or when Class-D riots become frequent—typically after Transport and mid-tier staffing.
Is Foundation Technologies S-tier?
It becomes S-tier only after gross profits justify $500,000 rack placements—otherwise defer for Euclid and Tesla.
Can I skip Foundation Transport?
Yes if you only buy non-capture anomalies, but most income tier Euclid entries require Wilderness captures eventually.