awww.... I can see where you might have a point. I turned off Super-Abilities (SA) for my last game or so, and researched almost all the diplo skills. I managed to keep the little buggers running in circles by spending around 1500 every time I wanted to get one of them to declare war on another. It was fairly easy (at challenging level) to keep the AI's busy and so they would leave me alone long enuff to build up enuff to get frisky with a little alien-bashing of my own later in the game. It was touch-and-go when i ran short of moola, once or twice. I was hoping that turning on the SA would make it so I could do something similar at the next higher level. Maybe the key is to get all the diplo techs and not rely on SA by itself?

When the screen says our super ability gives us a great advantage over.....I'm betting this statement is being pasted generically because of the super diplo trait,no longer taking into account each races actual starting diplo stats.Why would I be trading two or three techs at a higher level to get one generic tech?Maybe for planetary invasion or logistics but not the others!!!Or five or six techs to get one?Thats absurd.

I'm rather fond of the super diplo ability. I rule the universe by buying it. Basic logistics, basic miniaturization and some early level weapons here and there usually nets me 2 plants from different races. The AI is not all that bright. They'll sell me virgin worlds of high class, or lower class worlds that despite having all of one lab and no bonuses on them, will have their tech capital. Not that I complain, a bit of renovating and I have two productive tech capitals.