Not all of the stats are worth the same. If you drop your stats too low you only get 10 points per point of decrease. Reproduction and construction both switch up to costing 100 per point at 110, while intelligence doesn't do that until 120.
These are from memory, so I might be a bit off, but I'm 90% sure this is the case. Still, they need to be much more differentiated. Physical strength is so utterly meaningless. When I capture a planet with 50% strength, I just send extra troops. The problem is that nomatter how you change it, this stat is just free points. It's so utterly meaningless to gameplay that there's no reason to not suck all you can out of it.
------------------
Compete in the Space Empires IV World Championship at
www.twingalaxies.com.