Summary
Paradox Interactive’sCrusader Kings 3is a complex strategy and management title in which players will take control of a dynasty across several generations. One key component to running a successful kingdom lies in the management of the player’s council. Each council member will grant bonuses to the entire realm depending on their attributes in their assigned sector. There is a different sector for each of the five main skills, as well as a slot for a spouse to add further benefits.
Particularly for expanding Kingdoms and Empires,management of the councilwill be crucial to maintaining stability inCrusader Kings 3, with many vassals vying for positions on the council. It can lead to negative opinions and even rebellions.
5Gifts & Schemes
Sway, seduce, or line the pockets of your councilors
Maintaining a positive opinion from vassals is key to running a successful Kingdom and willreduce the chances of factions being formedand civil wars breaking out. One of the easiest ways to win the favor of these council members, or any vassals and courtiers for that matter, is the use of Gifts and Schemes. Sending gifts will essentially just trade coins for approval, but it works instantaneously.
Meanwhile, schemes will take longer in order to reap the benefits but can lead to a higher overall opinion by the end of them. Schemes to positively influence characters come in the form of Sway, Seduce, and Romance. Be careful if picking either of the latter, however, since these relationships can lead to bastard children and cause complications if the secret is exposed by a rival scheme.
4Vassal Contracts
Make sure to get it in writing
One key tool in managing vassals is through the use of their feudal contracts. Each vassal will have certain quotas of taxes and levies to meet and these can be altered at least once for every character. Once a vassal dies and their heir takes over, or similarly if their territory is successfully occupied by another ruler, these contracts can be renegotiated. It is always worth checking out the contracts of any new vassals conquered since they might demand Council Rightsor the Right To War.
These contracts can also be used to leverage opinion, though generally, most vassals will not be happy to have their contracts modified unless the terms are extremely favorable to them. Negating pesky and demanding vassals from having Council Rights can be a solution, though this can sometimes result in war. If successful, players can then install a new ruler of their choosing instead. It is important to check these contracts since vassals with Council Rights can automatically appoint themselves to the council, and can be very frustrating to get rid of.
3Numbers Matter
Give councilors a job where they perform best
Every character inCrusader Kings 3will havea series of attributes that change over time. These attributes are split into the following categories: Diplomacy, Stewardship, Martial, Learning, Intrigue, and Prowess. While Prowess is mainly useful in the case of combat and hunts, the others will influence almost every other aspect of the game, and it is crucial to keep an eye on this to ensure that vassals and courtiers with the highest respective stats are assigned to the relevant departments.
Generally, any numbers above 20 will be good enough, but some characters can even have attributes in the 30s as time progresses. While some powerful vassals may become upset at not having a place on the council, it is always wise to assign the character with the highest skill to the requisite department, especially Stewardship for those wishing to build a prosperous economy and Intrigue to help prevent the player from being assassinated.
2Meeting Demands
“Powerful Vassals expect Council Positions”
When a vassal owns a considerably sized territory, or simply has theGlory Hound vassal stance, they might press for council positions and lose opinion of their Liege if not given what they demand. There are two ways to approach this: either the vassal can be further isolated in an attempt to remove them from their position, or positive opinion can be gained in an attempt to repair the relationship.
If their requisite attributes are similar or higher to those of an appointed council member with less power, it can be beneficial to replace them and appoint the more powerful vassal, even at the cost of a few attribute points. Keeping a balance of positive opinion in conjunction with maximizing the attribute points in the relevant sectors is the key to maintaining a strong council.
1Spouses
A spouse’s skills can make or break a ruler
One final way in which players can vastly boost the effectiveness of their council is to have an available spouse assigned to the Spouse role within the council. This will provide varying benefits depending on the character’s attribute points, but their focus can be altered and reassigned at a whim, even to grant players benefits during Activities as well as battles. In this way,choosing a spousebecomes not only about the genes they may pass on to an heir but about their effectiveness on the council as well.
Players who have had a successful tenure with a powerful Spouse will understand just how beneficial they can be, and how much they can be missed when gone - which seems much healthier thansecretly scheming to murder them!
Crusader Kings 3is available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Crusader Kings 3
WHERE TO PLAY
Your legacy awaits. Choose your noble house and lead your dynasty to greatness in a Middle Ages epic that spans generations. War is but one of many tools to establish your reign, as real strategy requires expert diplomatic skill, mastery of your realm, and truecunning.Crusader Kings IIIcontinues the popular series made by Paradox Development Studio, featuring the widely acclaimed marriage of immersive grand strategy and deep, dramatic medieval roleplaying.Take command of your house and expand your dynasty through a meticulously researched Middle Ages. Begin in 867 or 1066 and claim lands, titles, and vassals to secure a realm worthy of your royal blood. Your death is only a footnote as your lineage continues with new playable heirs, either planned… or not.Discover a sprawling simulated world teeming with peasants and knights, courtiers, spies, knaves and jesters, and secret love affairs. An extensive cast of historical characters can be romanced, betrayed, executed, or subtly influenced.Explore a vast medieval map stretching from the snowswept Nordic lands to the Horn of Africa, and the British Isles in the west to the exotic riches of Burma in the east. Claim, conquer, and rule thousands of unique counties, duchies, kingdoms, and empires.
