Summary
Crusader Kings 3is a game that doesn’t end when the player’s character dies. Instead, they carry on playing as the heir as long as the heir is of the same dynasty. While occasionally it can be beneficial for the heir to assume power, especially if they havethe best congenital traits, successions more often than not are a messy affair.
When a new ruler ascends the throne inCrusader Kings 3they likely won’t have inherited everything, and they will suffer a short reign loss of opinion from vassals who don’t yet trust them. All the perks, lifestyle traits, levels of fame, and piety will also be lost with the life of a ruler. With this in mind, players should aim for long reigns inCK3, which pretty much means they need to know how to make their characters live longer.
6Hire The Best Court Physician
The Court Physician is arguably the most important court position inCK3, but by appointing an incompetent healer, players won’t only miss out on the best medical treatment, but they could actually make things worse. An inept physician is more likely to cause harm or even death with their experimental treatments, killing crucial family members or cutting a reign short.
Therefore,players should save up goldto hire the best of the best when using the Find Physician decision, or else they should search manually for a character with high learning and beneficial Traits. It is also important to make sure that the Court Physician likes the ruler in question, otherwise, they could use their proximity as a powerful enemy agent in hostile schemes.
5Medicine Focus & Whole Of Body Lifestyle
A healthy body and healthy mind
Any player looking to see their character reach old age should absolutely choose the Medicine Focus, which is a Learning Lifestyle Focus and rewards the player with a small health boost on top of a +1 Learning bonus. By gaining Learning Lifestyle points they will then be able to unlock some ofthe best Learning Perks inCK3, specifically those from the Whole of Body tree.
Perks in the Whole of Body tree give the player more health boosts, make physician treatments more successful, and prevent diseases and mental breakdowns. At the end of the tree, the Whole of Body Trait is unlocked, boosting fertility, reducing stress, and once again providing a health buff. All of these help players live longer inCK3, allowing for long and productive reigns.
4Turn Off Harm Events
Unplug from the harsh realities of Medieval life
Harm events were introduced toCrusader Kings 3to spice things up and have more random and tragic deaths or injuries to stop players fromsteamrolling the gamewith 100-year-old gods.
However, for players who don’t like the increased risk of their ruler dying randomly, there are different settings in the game rules for harm events. They can be turned off completely or set to only happen to AI characters, or if players still want a small challenge the Illusion of Safety option makes harm events fire much less frequently.
3Protect Against Enemy Schemes
Set your Spymaster to Disrupt Schemes
Crusader Kings 3is a game where even if players take great care of their character’s health, death can still find them easily. There are many reasons why AI characters may wish to murder a ruler, from desiring their throne to seeking revenge. Therefore, the simplest thing players can do is avoid making enemies in the first place.
Appointing a skilled Spymaster and setting them to the disrupt schemes task is the best course of action for defending against enemy plots. By unlocking one ofthe best Intrigue Perks inCK3, Court of Shadows, this task will be even more effective. It is also important that the Spymaster has a good opinion of the ruler.
WithRoads to Powerand the Basileus Update, schemes have gotten a major upgrade. Players can now enact various Countermeasures, such as Redouble Guards, to stop hostile schemes before they have a chance to start. Be warned, though, as every Countermeasure comes with a price.
2Don’t Take Risks
One of the easiest ways to not die early and have a long reign inCK3is to simply not take risks. For example, if players don’t assign their ruler to lead armies in war, their character won’t tragically die in battle. Avoiding wars in general can be a good tip for escaping death as opposing forces may siege the player’s capital, killing them or taking them captive.
Throughout a playthrough, players will also be presented with plenty of decisions and events, some of which come with danger. By avoiding the RNG risks of certain choices, players have a better chance of making it to old age. Certain activities or even traveling to said activities also pose their own risks.Fighting in a Grand Tournamentor hunting down a boar both present serious danger and even if players don’t die immediately, any long-term injuries will eventually lead to a shorter reign.
1Manage Stress
InCrusader Kings 3, players don’t only have to worry about the physical health of their character, but also their mental health. The stress mechanic is one of the best things about the game as itrewards players for role-playingand making decisions that align with their character’s personality. Going against the grain will incur stress, as will tragic events such as the death of a family member.
Accumulation of stress can result in mental breakdowns where characters either develop a coping mechanism that comes with its own pitfalls or instead, they will gain even more stress. Repeated mental breakdowns can end in death. Thankfully,there are many ways to manage stress inCrusader Kings 3, including activities such as hunting, sacrificing some matters of the realm to avoid stress gain, and gaining the Whole of Body Lifestyle Trait.
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.
