They Are Billions Reset Tech Tree [cracked] May 2026
In the unforgiving steampunk apocalypse of They Are Billions
, a single bad research choice can feel like a death sentence for your entire campaign. Unlike many modern strategy games, the developers intentionally designed the tech tree to be permanent and immutable once a mission is successfully completed.
Here is a deep look into why the "no-reset" rule exists, how to work around it, and the essential strategies to avoid a campaign-ending soft lock. The Design Philosophy of Permanence
The campaign's tech tree is built on the principle of high-stakes commitment. Research points are a finite resource earned from colony, tactical, and swarm missions.
Tactical Weight: By making choices permanent, the game forces you to plan your entire campaign from the first mission.
Risk of "Soft Locking": If you over-invest in early-game luxuries (like starting units) while ignoring critical mid-game defense (like Shocking Towers), you may find later missions physically impossible to beat on higher difficulties.
Limited Respec: You can only change your mind about a technology before you complete a mission with it. If you purchase a tech and then lose or restart the mission, your points are returned, allowing for a "single-use" trial. Methods to "Reset" the Tech Tree
Since there is no official in-game button to respec, players must rely on external tools or save-file manipulation.
External Reset Tools (Mods): The most reliable method is the TAB-research-tree-reset tool available on GitHub and the Steam Workshop. This .exe utility cracks the save file's encryption to refund all spent research points.
Save File Backups: Proactive players often create manual backups of their save files before spending large amounts of points. If a chosen path proves non-viable, they can revert to the older save. they are billions reset tech tree
Starting Over: For many purists, the only "true" way to fix a broken tech tree is to restart the campaign. This allows you to apply knowledge of upcoming mission requirements to a more optimized build. Strategy: Avoiding the Reset
To avoid needing a reset, prioritize "Essential" technologies that provide high utility across all maps:
Technical Report: Research & Technology Tree Reset Capability 1. Executive Summary Currently, in the campaign mode of They Are Billions
, there is no official in-game mechanic to reset or "respec" the Research Tree. Once Research Points (RP) are spent on a technology, the decision is permanent for that save file. This report outlines the implications of this design and the manual workarounds available to players. 2. Current Gameplay Constraints
Irreversibility: Technology choices are locked in immediately upon selection.
Resource Scarcity: Research Points are a finite resource earned through mission completion and finding hidden caches. Making "suboptimal" early-game choices (e.g., ignoring Soldiers or Farms) can make late-game missions mathematically impossible on higher difficulties.
Save File Integrity: The game utilizes a single-slot "Ironman" style saving system for campaigns, preventing players from reloading an earlier state to change a tech choice. 3. Alternative Solutions (Workarounds)
Since a native "Reset" button does not exist, players typically use the following methods to rectify build errors:
Campaign Restart: The only official way to change your tech path is to restart the campaign from the beginning. In the unforgiving steampunk apocalypse of They Are
Manual Save Backups: Players can manually navigate to the save folder (typically %Documents%\My Games\They Are Billions\Saves) and back up files before spending points.
Save Editing: Third-party tools or hex editors can be used to modify the Saves file to refund Research Points, though this carries a risk of file corruption.
Community Maps/Mods: Some custom scenarios in the Survival mode offer different progression styles, but these do not apply to the official "New Empire" campaign. 4. Strategic Recommendations
To avoid the need for a reset, the following "Core Tech" path is widely recommended by the community: Logistics: Increased gold and resource storage. Soldiers: Essential for clearing the map. Farms: Critical for sustaining population growth.
Shock Towers: Necessary for defending against mid-to-late game swarms. If you’d like, I can:
Recommend a specific build order based on your current difficulty level.
Provide a guide on how to find the hidden Research Point caches in tactical missions.
Explain the pros/cons of specific late-game units like Lucifers vs. Thanatos. How would you like to proceed with your campaign strategy?
They Are Billions: How to Reset the Tech Tree and Reroll Your Strategy
Survival is not enough. You must thrive. Phase 1 (First 10 Missions):
In They Are Billions (TAB), the difference between a victorious final wave and a catastrophic swamp of infected isn't just about micro-management or kiting zombies. It is about your Tech Tree. This sprawling, branching network of upgrades defines your economy, your defenses, and your army. But what happens when you invest 2,000 research points into farming efficiency, only to realize you desperately needed stone walls? What if you backed the wrong hero unit? What if you simply want to try a "Sniper Rush" instead of a "Soldier Rush"?
The game does not hand you an obvious "RESET" button.
This leads to a single, panicked Google search: "They Are Billions reset tech tree."
Let’s get one thing straight immediately: They Are Billions does not have a built-in, one-click "Refund" button for your tech points. You cannot, mid-campaign, hit a keystroke and get all your research back. However, resetting the tech tree is absolutely possible. You just have to know the specific rules of each game mode.
This article will cover three distinct methods to reset the tech tree for three different game modes: The Campaign, Survival Mode, and The Challenges.
Phase 1 (First 10 Missions):
- DO NOT research the Soldier. Go for the Ranger upgrades. Rangers are silent and cheap.
- DO rush Farming. Food is the bottleneck of every colony.
- DO get Wood Towers and Ballistae. Do not waste points on wooden wall upgrades early.
- AVOID the Tesla Tower Range upgrade. It is a trap. Build more Tesla towers instead.
1. Executive Summary
This report clarifies the mechanics regarding the "resetting" of the Technology Tree in the RTS/Colony Survival game They Are Billions. Unlike traditional 4X strategy games where technology persists across playthroughs, They Are Billions treats technology as a resource purchased via "Research Points."
The ability to "reset" or "undo" technology choices is strictly limited to the active game session in Survival Mode. There is currently no mechanic to reset the Global Technology Tree to re-play the campaign with a blank slate, as progression is linear and cumulative.
3. The Global Tech Tree (Campaign/Progression)
It is a common misconception that the Tech Tree can be reset globally (i.e., wiping all progress to start a new campaign from scratch).
- Nature of Progression: In the Campaign mode (and the broader meta-game introduced in the New Empire update), the Tech Tree is persistent. Technologies are unlocked across the global map.
- Reset Capability: The game does not provide a native button to "Reset Global Progress."
- Workaround for Full Reset: Players wishing to reset their global technology progress (start a fresh campaign) must manually locate and delete the game save files.
- Default Path (PC):
C:\Users\[Username]\Documents\My Games\TheyAreBillions\Saves - Deleting the contents of this folder will reset all progress, forcing the game to initialize a new, empty global tech tree.
- Default Path (PC):
✅ Method 2: Edit the Save File (Manual Respec) – Advanced
Using a text editor (Notepad++) or a hex editor.
- Open
TechTree.sav(it’s a binary file, but partially readable). - Look for patterns like
"ResearchedTechs":[1,5,12,23](not exactly this format; data is encoded). - Remove specific tech IDs manually. Risk of corruption – always back up.
Better alternative: Use a third-party save editor (community-made, e.g., TAB Save Editor on GitHub) which provides checkboxes for all techs.

