Andromeda Viability Points

Andromeda Viability Points (AVP) represent the collective integrity of the colonization efforts in Andromeda.

Overview
AVP is earned by deploying Forward Stations, completing Priority Ops/Mission/Tasks, establishing Outposts, and activating Remnant vaults.

When enough AVP is earned, the Nexus level will increase, allowing more colonists to be awoken from cryo sleep. The colonists that are awoken determine what perks and advantages that will be available during gameplay.

Cryo Pods
There are 3 categories of cryo pods - Science, Military, and Commerce. There are a total of 28 cryo pod perks that can be unlocked. Since patch 1.08, a total of 24 perks (up from 17) can be unlocked in a single game run.

Not all of the cryo pod perks are available at the beginning of the game.
 * Certain cryo pod perks are unlocked by unlocking prerequisite cryo pod perks.
 * Other cryo pod perks are unlocked as planets and other game milestones are reached.

Science Pods
Selected for their years of field experience and ingenuity under pressure, these scientists' expertise can quickly improve the Initiative's research and resources gathering capabilities.

Military Pods
Military veterans from across the Milky Way have brought their expertise to Andromeda, including advanced combat training and wilderness survival skills.

Commerce Pods
Trade is the lifeblood of civilization. These talented merchants and entrepreneurs can use their connections to acquire rare items, grow financial investments, or improve inventory management.

Time-Based Rewards
Cryo pod perks that give rewards at regular intervals do so every 45 minutes of real world time. This time interval means time actually spent in game, and not spent in game menus, with the exception of the AVP menu itself.

Time-based rewards are not automatically received after each timer interval. To receive the rewards, visit the AVP menu and manually collect the rewards, then the timer is refreshed for the next reward. The AVP menu can be accessed on the Nexus in Addison's Office or in the Research Room of the Tempest.

Time-based rewards do NOT stack over time. If applicable rewards are available after 45 minutes of time, after an additional 45 minutes (90 minutes total) the same reward amounts will be available. No extra rewards are accumulated over time. Rewards have to be manually collected for the timer and reward process to start over.

Science Pods

 * Lab Technicians - 100 is awarded every 45 minutes.
 * Mining Operations - A small selection of and/or  minerals are awarded every 45 minutes.
 * Accelerated Research - Research Data awarded from Lab Mechanics is reduced to every 30 minutes.
 * Accelerated Mining - Minerals awarded from Mining Operations is reduced to every 30 minutes.
 * Improved Development II - Research Data gain stacks with Improved Development for a total of 20%.
 * Innovation - Augmentation slots are only increased for items that can utilize augmentations. Items that can't be developed and/or do not have augmentation slots do NOT gain an augmentation slot.

Military Pods

 * Munitions - 1 - 2 consumables are awarded every 45 minutes.
 * Hunting Parties - A small selection of Bio materials is awarded every 45 minutes.
 * Special Forces - A small selection of Tech materials is awarded every 45 minutes.
 * Reconnaissance - Hidden caches award weapons, armor, and items scaled with Ryder's level. Caches will NOT award higher Ranks of weapons, armor, items than Ryder's level allows. See Scaled Item Rewards.
 * Advanced Training - XP increase is only for killing enemies. All other XP sources are unaffected by this XP increase.
 * APEX Tactics II - Credit gain stacks with APEX Tactics for a total of 30%.

Commerce Pods

 * Financial Infrastructure - 500 is awarded every 45 minutes.
 * Financial Infrastructure - 750 is awarded every 45 minutes. Incorrectly labeled in game as a [Permanent] reward. This is a [Time-Based] reward.
 * Grey Market Connections - 5% less when buying, 25% more when selling.
 * Grey Market Connections II - 5% less when buying, 25% more when selling. Stacks with Grey Market Connections for 10% less when buying, 50% more when selling.
 * Trade Capacity - Inventory capacity increases from 100 to 150. (Before patch 1.05, inventory was set at 50 and increased to 65).
 * Trade Capacity II - Inventory capacity increases from 150 to 200. (Before patch 1.05, inventory was set at 65 and increased to 80).

Strategies
Playstyle will determine which cryo pods are best to unlock during gameplay. A few items to keep in mind are the following:
 * Time-based perks seem like a good perk to unlock but require constantly returning from gameplay to collect rewards.
 * Minerals and materials are only common and/or uncommon rarity. Deconstructing found items can provide potentially many more items.
 * Credits aren't used much at higher levels and there are plenty of other methods to obtain credits. The amount given by perks is fairly small.
 * Using Reconnaissance to find hidden caches is an excellent way to find good items. Take note that the caches level with Ryder. It is best to not open every cache right away but save a portion of them as Ryder levels up to get even better gear.
 * Extra consumables slots awarded by Always Prepared and Versatility are only useful if using a playstyle that uses consumables. Otherwise it is best to save the points for other cryo pod perks.
 * Lab Technicians is an excellent cryo pod perk to obtain as Milky Way RD is the least found during gameplay but used for the most blueprints. A ready supply of Milky Way RD is always a good option to have.
 * Improved development and Improved Development II are excellent perks to obtain as soon as possible. Both increase RD obtained from all sources. As RD can be hard to obtain at times, anything that increases RD that Ryder obtains is a good thing to have.
 * However, if research and development of items is not a playstyle priority, perks relating to RD are not a useful set of perks to unlock.
 * Innovation is an excellent perk to obtain as it gives an additional opportunity to add another augmentation to an item. An additional augmentation slot allows another opportunity to add a Stacking General augmentation (or other augmentation) to an already customized item.

Mission Rewards
For missions that award AVP, see Mission Rewards.

Scanning Rewards
For scanning that awards AVP, see Scanning Rewards.