Small altar

Small altars are buildings added by the Ideology DLC which act as a focus for colonists to perform, and take part in, rituals.

It is the smallest size of altar, with the larger sizes being the medium altar, large altar and grand altar. Altars also act as alternative to the ideogram.

Acquisition

Small altars can only be constructed by colonists whose ideoligion has them selected as one of their buildings. They require 50 Stuff (Metallic/Woody/Stony, 500 for SMVs) and 5,000 ticks (1.39 mins) of work.

Summary

Altars or ideograms are used as a ritual focus for the Social party, Animal sacrifice, Scarification, Blinding ceremony, and Prisoner execution rituals. Starting these rituals in an altar increases their ritual quality by +20%, increasing the chance for a positive outcome.

If the small altar is chosen for an ideoligion, a proper temple room will be demanded at either moderate or high expectations. These expectations are reached at 80,000 or 180,000 colony wealth, respectively. Once expectations are reached, altar rooms can have the following requirements:

No work facilities or beds (always required)
Room Impressiveness - 60
Room area - 25 tiles
4x column
All floored

These requirements, and the level of expectations where they apply, can change each time you regenerate the altar.

If the altar's room requirements aren't met, then colonists will gain −4 <Altar> disrespected, or −4 Missing <Altar> if nonexistent. They only apply once moderate / high expectations are actually reached. For example, you can place an altar inside a bedroom until you reach the expectation threshold. Altars are instanced per ideoligion; even if 2 ideoligions use a small altar, you will have to build their own dedicated altar.

Analysis

Small altars are the cheapest altar to create. Small altars also have the highest wealth, style dominance, and beauty per tile. Ideograms cost 50 steel, unable to be made of wood or stone, and take up a 3x3 area. Therefore, small altars are generally the best altar in terms of raw stats.

Small altars are the only altar option with a "light terrain affordance", allowing it to be placed on any tile that can support a wooden wall, including bridges.

Stats table

Small altar	Beauty	Work to Build	HP	Flammability	Market Value
Material	Beauty	Work to Build	HP	Flammability	Market Value
Bioferrite	2	012,500 ticks (3.47 mins)	100	0%	83
Gold	60	004,500 ticks (1.25 mins)	30	0%	5,015
Granite blocks	10	030,140 ticks (8.37 mins)	85	0%	154
Limestone blocks	10	030,140 ticks (8.37 mins)	78	0%	154
Marble blocks	14	027,640 ticks (7.68 mins)	60	0%	145
Plasteel	10	011,000 ticks (3.06 mins)	140	0%	490
Sandstone blocks	11	025,140 ticks (6.98 mins)	70	0%	136
Silver	26	005,000 ticks (1.39 mins)	35	0%	520
Slate blocks	11	030,140 ticks (8.37 mins)	65	0%	154
Steel	10	005,000 ticks (1.39 mins)	50	0%	113
Jade	35	025,000 ticks (6.94 mins)	25	0%	340
Uranium	5	009,500 ticks (2.64 mins)	125	0%	335
Wood	10	003,500 ticks (58.33 secs)	33	0%	73

Styles

Ideoligions allow the selection of styles which then change the texture of the certain items and buildings when constructed by the colony. These style variants can be crafted if the colony has the selected style, or can be looted from raiders from factions with the requisite style.