Plots are the number of available spaces to build normal buildings on a planet surface.  The number of plots on a planet is equal to the size of the planet. All starting empires begin on a size 45 planet.

Platforms

• To access plots on a planet outside your habitable orbits you will need a Terraforming Platform.
• To access plots on a Gas Giant you will need a Gas Giant Settlement Platform.
• You will need both types of platforms on a Gas Giant outside your habitable orbits.

Extra Plots

• The Pantheon of Hagness is a glyph building that increases the plot number above the size of the planet.

Glyph buildings do not use up a plot.

42

 

Planet Size Ranges

Orbit	Min Size	Max Size	Average Size
3	35	55	45
1-2 & 4-8 (Normal)	30	60	51
1-2 & 4-8 (Gas Giant)	70	121	95

Negative Plots

Having a negative number of plots causes your planet to start producing unhappiness at a rate of 50x1.62^(Number of negative plots).

There is a maximum on the rate of negative happiness that is produced which is also effected by the amount of happiness that the planet has on hand.

Once the planet crosses into negative happiness the rate will cap at -10k per hour, but note that the production of unhappiness calculated is first calculated by deducting the cost of having negative plots from your happiness production, and then if it's over the max amount, capped to that. 

Note: Plots are not the same thing as spaces.  There is a maximum of 121 spaces on any planet be it Gas Giant or Habitable.  There is no plot limit, however if you do happen to get a planet with more than 121 plots you will not be able to use the additional plots since you can not fill more than 121 spaces on a planet.  As noted above some buildings do not take a plot so they will not affect the plot count of your planet.  However they do take one of the 121 spaces available on the planet.  It is possible to have a planet be completely full but still have plots available.

Defensive Tip: One strategy used by many players to prevent the usage of bleeders or thuds on their planets is to fill the planet with various decor glyph buildings or Halls of Vrbansk.  With all the spaces filled any Bleeders or Thuds that may make it past the planetary defenses will just burn up in the atmosphere causing no harm to the targeted planet.