There are currently 34 game rules you can change in Crusader Kings 3. Some have multiple options, some only two. Some change the game slightly, some significantly. Default settings are cool to, im not trashing it. However, you can alter the game in a way you’ll enjoy much more. To that end, I’ve pointed out 10 best game rules to experiment with in Crusader Kings 3.
Some changes in the game-rules will disable the Ironman. But I said some. Not all game-rule changes affect the ironman. Meaning, you can still experiment with game-rules and keep getting achievements.
CK3 favorite game rules:
1. Faith Conversion Speed
There are three or four things effecting faith conversion speed in CK3:
- Learning level of clergy.
- Development level of the targeted county.
- Religious icon perk in the Theologian tree of learning lifestyle. (Ignores fervor.)
- Fervor of your religion. (That’s why I like to choose the tenet that’s increasing fervor when reforming a religion.)
Even if you do everything right, faith conversion speed of CK3 is still slow. So, I set its rule to faster. You can set it to significantly faster too but it kinda feels like cheat as oppose to faster.
2. Culture Conversion Speed
I always set this one to faster too because culture conversion speed is really slow in the game. It does block the achievements but who cares? I don’t like ironman either because one miss click can cost you the game. It’s counterintuitive. Achievements should be available for non-ironman runs too.
Things that are affecting the culture conversion speed in CK3:
- Development.
- Stewardship skill level of the steward.
Other than these two, there is nothing you can do to speed-up the culture conversion. It becomes harder to convert especially in the late game because development significantly increases.
These are the reasons I like to set culture conversion speed to faster in the game rules. It doesn’t feel like cheating as long as you set it to significantly faster.
3. Hybrid Culture Frequency
Hybrid Culture Frequency rule has three options. Default, less common, and none. My favorite is the latter.
I hate it when my vassal leaves my culture and creates a new hybrid one. If you feel the same, you can set Hybrid Culture Frequency to less common or even none. If none feels like cheating, set it to less common.
Chaning hybrid culture frequency does not disable achievements either. So, you can experiment with it to your liking with no restrictions.
4. Divergent Culture Frequency
This one comes with 4 options. Relaxed, default, less common, and none. As with the hybrid culture frequency, I set this one to none too.
What’s wrong with you my vassals and dynasty members? I have reformed our culture in a best way possible, its literally perfect. Why do you want to leave our glorious culture so much? To me it’s unrealistic. I bet you guys feel the same.
5. End Date
To be honest, I’ve never played the game up until 1453. Because I’m either conquering the entire world or lose my interest on the run and go start a new game. Is it ADHD or the natural way of playing CK3? Who knows.
Of course that’s just me. Some players like to stick to one save game and see where it goes. If you like playing late game and want to conquer the world before the date ends, simply set end date to no end date!
6. AI Embarkation Cost
AI is not smart enough to calculate embarkation costs and some overseas battles end up in bankruptcy. Paradox knows it too that’s why there is a game-rule like that.
In default, The AI, much like the player pays gold to embark. But you can set AI embarkation cost to zero. Thankfully this option doesn’t disable achievements.
Just watch the AI troops during a crusade. They constantly embark, disembark, suffer unnecessary attrition, and do unbelievably stupid things.
Also, AI is not good with economy either. It builds unnecessary or bad buildings. Setting AI embarkation cost to none slightly helps the AI in terms of economy too.
7. Casus Belli Cost
Okay this one is too cheesy for me. But if you’re a newbie who enjoys conquering, you can set this to no cost until you get better at the game. But its real deal cheating in my opinion.
One counter argument would be like this: Why would I need prestige or piety to declare war? I’m the king, when I say war, it’s war!
I don’t recommend you mess with casus belli costs. It’ll reduce the fun significantly. But as I’ve said before, its easy mode for newer players to enjoy the game.
8. Scandinavian Adventurers
Scandinavian adventurers will try to target Russia and the North Sea every 15 years by default. There are two more options to explore. You can choose either off or apocalyptic.
If you set it off, you can play and relax as a North Sea ruler. With no invaders whatsoever.
But some men just want to watch the world burn. You can set it to apocalyptic and watch a Scandinavian adventurer attack every year. Playing away from North Sea and watching the AI get decimated by Scandinavian adventurers is one hell of a fun way to play the game.
9. Regional Heresies
Regional Heresies default:
Heresy outbreaks in certain regions are more likely to be historical heresies, such as Lollardy in England.
Default setting of the Regional Heresies is good, realistic, and natural. However, after a while, it gets boring. It becomes a cliche, and or a chore. I hate the fact that same heresy appears at the same place, always. I want a little bit of randomness. Because each gameplay is shaping the world in a different way.
Setting this rule to relaxed allows some religions you never get to see in unexpected places. Therefore, it’s fun! Besides, it doesn’t disable the achievements.
10. Generate Families
If you’re having performance issues, you can tick it off. It doesn’t really do much really but it’s something.
It doesn’t really affect the gameplay much either. Because all the relevant characters already have recorded family. This rule only effects the rulers from far distant corners of the available world.
Besides, having bunch of children in a small amount of time is not really a hard thing in CK3. Which is quite unrealistic in my opinion. Maybe developers will do something about it in future.