HI!

So, funny enough I too have been on the search to figure this out today. Apparently there's NOWHERE on the internet documenting this. It's almost as if the devs (and probably most of the community) have just been playing since royalty DLC launched and just automatically remember what specific backstories are "Royal."

BUT I just got into rimworld recently and this information was HELLA vague. I actually had to ask a friend of mine whose making their own psycast mod to figure this out for me. This is what we found:

There are specific childhood and adult backstories that have certain invisible tags attached to them. These tags (we're guessing) are used to weigh the backstories generated for pawns in quests and events. The specific tags in question are

- ImperialCommon
- ImperialFighter
- ImperialRoyal

There's a fair few of the in game backstories with this tag. My friend did not provide an extensive list, but the few she gave me are:

"Child spy" (child)
"Information broker" (adult)
"Envoy of the stars" (adult)

having any one of these backstories on a pawn should unlock the archotech tree for you. If people have more they found it'd be awesome to add them here.

TBH, devs if you read this please know:

I love this mod and all it brings, but maybe ungate this or update the requirements? This felt like it took far too long to sleuth through info that should seem straightforward. Also note: the backstories:

"Imperial student" (child)
"Imperial general" (adult)
"Imperial Inquisitor" (adult)
"Imperial Priest" (adult)

do NOT unlock these trees. which, imo, feels counter intuitive.

Sorry if this was a super long reply, but I wanted to make sure to get this information out there since it doesn't seem to be readily available to you and anyone else whose probably been scratching their heads at this.

Holy crap! Thanks so much!

I wonder if there is a list anywhere that shows ALL of the tags which unlocks certain focus types (Because I guess that's the limiting factor here)

Or if not - Then if it is mod specific - It would be good to know all the backgrounds that affect the "Animat", and "Archotechist".

I were under the impression that as soon as they provide me with the ability to cast, I would unlock the Archotechist, but sadly no =(

The Psycast paths check for
-ImperialFighter
-ImperialRoyal

Looking at the backstory defs for Royalty is easy enough it's the core background defs that retroactively had the tag added that are tricky.

Backgrounds that can be found outside of Empire spawns.

-child

vatgrown soldier
sickly child
coma child
pyromaniac
mute
musical kid
child spy
shop kid
medical assistant
story writer

-adult

information broker
envoy of the stars

Backgrounds that are in Empire spawns.

-child

ship boy
military cadet
political captive
delinquent
rich kid
street rat
soldier's kid
machinist
country lordling
urban lordling
shipbound lordling
pampered lordling
unwanted survivor

-adult

line infanteer
pious soldier
infantry engineer
infantry medic
military cook
loyal janissary
recon sniper
shipcracker
broken soldier
intelligence agent
deserter
warmonger
infantry officer
disgraced officer
military commissar
artilleryman
demolitionist
firebomber
military chaplain
royal guard
propagandist
warmaster
regent
beastmaster
arts patron
spymaster
landworker