Beginner Tips And Tricks For Crusader Kings 3

Key Takeaways

• Crusader Kings 3 is beginner-friendly, allowing new players to grasp the basics before tackling more complex aspects.
• Marriage is crucial for alliances and heirs; choose a spouse wisely for traits or alliances in early game.
• Prioritize managing stress, council, vassals, and heirs while focusing on roleplaying the current ruler for success.

Paradox Interactive has always been at the helm of creating spectacular grand strategy games that end up being a blast to play through. However, if there’s one negative that players can point out about this studio’s games, it’s the fact that these titles are extremely convoluted at first glance and can be quite a pain to get into for new gamers. This complaint was addressed by Paradox in their latest game, Crusader Kings 3.

No other game by the studio has been as beginner-friendly as Crusader Kings 3. New players to this series can easily start with this title to slowly understand the basics of the series before getting into its more complex aspects. As beginners, it’s recommended to utilize the following tips to grasp the game’s mechanics and take the first step into the amazing gameplay loop of Crusader Kings 3.

Updated November 12, 2024 by Emily McElroy: Crusader Kings 3 has been conquering land – and our hearts – for over four years now, and it has only gotten bigger and better with time. Starting out in the world of lords and lies still remains a bit difficult, what with all the new things added as well as the old basics. But never fear – here are the best things to do when starting out in Crusader Kings 3.

New Queen, Who Dis?

Marriage is one of the core mechanics of Crusader Kings 3 – it’s what leads to alliances, and heirs, and all sorts of things that make a kingdom function. It also can lead to love, but who marries for love in this day and age?

Finding a good spouse starts well before the proposal. It’s important to check things like stats and traits before popping the question, as well as seeing who the potential spouse is related to. Some people prefer to marry for traits, while others prefer to marry for alliances. In the early game, it’s best to just pick somebody and start spawning those heirs, but it helps if that somebody is the comly daughter of somebody useful.

17

Keep An Eye On Your Neighbors

Get Off My Lawn, France

Even if you aren’t planning on invading them, it pays to keep an eye on what your neighbors are up to. Nothing is so demoralizing as getting things just so, and then scrolling over to see that France has totally blobbed out and is now bearing down on your borders.

Keeping an eye on what nearby countries are doing is useful, as it helps keep them from coming after you, and may even provide you with a golden opportunity. If your neighbor suddenly becomes very weak due to infighting, now might be the time to snag that beachfront property you’ve been eying in Aquitaine. And if your neighbor is doing well due to alliances or a particularly adept monarch, you might be able to, uh, handle them before they come after you. Prevention is worth a pound of cure.

16

Invest In Your Court

Pimp My Castle

The Royal Court DLC might be a bit of a mixed bag, but there’s no denying that this expansion does have its fair share of advantages. Witnessing a physical court is pretty neat, and the events — while repetitious — do add a bit of flavor to the game.

The best way to make use of this DLC’s offerings is to invest in the Royal Court’s furnishings to enjoy all the bonuses that come with it. It might seem like a waste of money, but if you’re patient and improve your Court Splendor, you will gain amazing benefits over time.

15

Raise A Few Men-At-Arms

Men-At-Arms In Moments

Just having a large armed force won’t guarantee victory in a battle. Crusader Kings 3’s wars can be pretty frustrating at times, especially if you have to deal with continuous losses, a barrage of losses, and poor ally AI.

Thankfully, most of the problems with wars can be reduced by just investing in your men-at-arms. Make sure to not overdo it, since it takes quite a bit of funding to maintain these decked-out armies, especially when forces are active.

14

Figure Out Ways To Reduce Stress

Take A Chill Pill, My Liege

Stress is a great mechanic in Crusader Kings 3 that makes roleplaying more of a blast. Now, characters with personality traits will gain stress if they act out of character, which can cause serious problems further down the line if it isn’t managed.

Characters who accumulate stress levels develop vices at the first stage, before having a great chance of dying as they continue to get stressed out. An uptick in stress can come at any time, so you should be wary and keep it as low as possible whenever you get the chance – go on hunts and host feasts often!

13

Playing Through The Tutorial Is A Must

What Is A ‘France’, Anyway?

Most games nowadays tend to feature rather annoying tutorials that mention the most obvious information possible. So, most players can’t be faulted for jumping into games right away without a second thought.

However, Crusader Kings 3 is an exception to this rule. The game is almost impossible to get into without tutorials, and you will be left dumbfounded at every turn without a proper guide.

No, Seriously, They’re Useful Here

One major reason why Crusader Kings 3 is such an accessible title is mainly due to the importance of tooltips in this game. Pretty much every complex part of the game is made easier with the inclusion of tooltips that lay out crucial information pertaining to the mechanic, the historical term, or anything else along the same lines.

You should never skip these tooltips, especially if confused. The fact that there are extensive settings to control the duration and locking of these tooltips is a testament to just how pivotal they are to understanding the nuances of Crusader Kings 3.

11

Keep An Eye Out For Important In-Game Notifications

What Is The Game Yelling About Now?

Another thing that Crusader Kings 3 employs to make the game less confusing is the use of in-game reminders along with the in-your-face events. With this mechanic, no important information or urgent tasks should be ignored.

While these in-game notifications can feel rather oppressive to follow at times, new players should definitely keep an eye out on them. Following the points mentioned here, they can be critical to ensure your success.

10

Secure An Heir

He Has My Vassal’s Eyes

Game over in Crusader Kings 3 happens when you die with no heir to follow you. You get a nice big Game Over screen that gives you lovely details about your dynasty, sure, but it’s far better to avoid that fate.

Make sure that your player character is married at all times to ensure you have the ability to produce rightful heirs. You can also legitimize bastards or swap to a government type that can nominate heirs from amongst family members – just make sure you have an heir!

9

Raise Your Heir Personally

Come On Junior, Let’s Crush This Revolt

Raising kids can be hard, even in video games. It’s tempting to hand off your Crusader Kings 3 children to others, and in some cases it is optimal. Characters can only have two wards at a time, and it’s a good idea to have your children raised by influential vassals or those with good education traits.

But when it comes to heirs, raising them yourself is best. This allows you to have control over what traits they develop. Some traits are much worse than others, and keeping your kid from becoming a Craven could mean having your child keep the throne when you’re gone. Giving your child the best start is the best gift to them – and you.

8

Don’t Declare War At A Moment’s Notice

War? In My War Game?

Unlike most strategy games, the objective of Crusader Kings 3 is not to declare war and take over territories by force. If anything, being a war-hungry ruler will lead to your vassals and neighbors harboring ill will towards you for the longest time.

Instead, you should try to marry into power and strike deals — some more fatal than others — to gain control over certain territories. After all, Crusader Kings 3 is a game about politics, and warfare is just a small part of it.

7

Always Keep Vassals Happy

Vassal Or Three Angry Babies In A Trenchcoat?

Vassals are the bread and butter of Crusader Kings 3. Given the fact that you can’t really control each and every territory on your own, it’s only a given that the job of governance would need to be delegated to other members of the court.

However, keeping vassals happy is a task in its own right. These people can be quite demanding, especially if they become a Powerful Vassal who demands a seat on the council at all times. Try sending them gifts or swaying them to your cause.

6

Keep Competent People On The Council

Trying To Kill Me? Do You Want A Job?

The council is another part of Crusader Kings 3 that you need to focus on at all times. Each councilor ends up bringing their own skills to the table, and having to shuffle around lineups to get the best combination around is a surprisingly engaging part of the game.

However, you can’t keep the most ideal members on the council at all times due to the system of Powerful Vassals. Therefore, a perfect balance needs to be struck so that the council doesn’t end up being totally incompetent.

5

Form Fewer More Powerful Alliances

Wait, Why Am I Allied To That Baron Again?

A big part of Crusader Kings 3 is definitely the alliances that you can make with other rulers, mostly guaranteed through marriages or hooks. Even in this area, you need to strike a balance as well.

Having too few allies will lead to you getting overwhelmed by powerful opponents during a war. However, too many alliances also have their drawbacks, with you being forced into numerous petty conflicts with dire repercussions if you decide to ignore these call-to-arms.

4

Pick The Right Lifestyle Focus

It’s Not A Phase, Lady Mother, It’s Who I Am

Every character in Crusader Kings 3 should have a lifestyle focus – they will passively earn points in this focus as they live their lives and can eventually take neat perks to provide more concrete bonuses.

When picking a lifestyle, the game will try to sway you to a focus that you’ll naturally gain lots of points in thanks to your stats – but don’t be afraid to pick a focus that more suits your playstyle. If you want to play as that dreadful seducer, pick Intrigue!

3

Start With Some Of The Easier Dynasties To Enjoy Initial Playthroughs

One Way Ticket To Ireland, Please

There’s no need to prove anything by trying to play as a lowly duke or county ruler in Crusader Kings 3. This move is mostly recommended for experts who have a solid idea of the game and how it plays out.

You should stick to the tried-and-tested rulers that start off with a wealth of resources. Doing so will help you grasp the basics of the game easily without getting too frustrated in the process.

2

Place A Great Emphasis On Roleplaying As The Current Ruler

You Are A Craven, Actually

Each ruler in Crusader Kings 3 has their own distinct and unique personality. Trying to force these characters to perform actions that go against their nature will lead to an unnecessary buildup of stress, which can have dire consequences later down the line.

To prevent rulers from being ravaged by stress, you should put yourself in the shoes of the current ruler and think from their point of view. Performing actions that make them happier is the key to a long and prosperous reign.

1

Learn From Your Failures Instead Of Retracing Your Steps

The King Is Dead, Long Live The King

Losing is integral to the experience of Crusader Kings 3. After all, most real-life dynasties have experienced both glory days and moments of ruin, and Crusader Kings 3 is no exception.

Loading up previous saves whenever you are stuck in a tight spot is definitely not the way to go. Instead, you should learn from your mistakes and prioritize the succession of your lineage no matter what. It’s the most crucial aspect of Crusader Kings 3, and everything else is secondary.