Crusader Kings III is a model of a very specific vision of society, and in many ways that vision is pessimistic and horrifying even as its abstracted remove allows it to be darkly hilarious and engrossing. It is a hell where you chase things like prestige and piety because they are quite literally the currency with which you enforce your will. For Crusader Kings II on the PC, GameFAQs has 97 cheat codes and secrets. King Aerys has been free-falling into madness, but hopefully, this tourney of Harrenhal, starting in a few months time, will change things-X You are barely a man/woman grown, on the cusp of adulthood. (15 years old)-X You are the Courtier. You have an incredible talent for making friends, earning the best deals, and you are.
With over two thousand mods on Steam Workshop alone, the Crusader Kings II modding community have recently passed a milestone in user-generated content. This impressive feat is a blessing for players but also a cause for paralysis: Which of these mods should one choose?
After all, even if one focuses on just the popular choices, so many other excellent mods might be overlooked.
For first timers wanting to modify their game, Steam Workshop has thankfully made the whole process as easy as clicking the subscribe button on the mod you want and Crusader Kings II will automatically download it and add it to its launcher. From there, the player can choose to enable or disable any mod of their choice.
As outlined in previous guides, here are some essential tips for modding a Paradox title via Steam for the first time:
For mods too large for Steam, you can usually hunt for their pages on the Paradox Forums and find the instructions on how to install from there. You can also google search large mod Wikipedia’s in order to find instructions for installation.
Mods that change almost everything with a singular guiding hand. A total suite is presented to the player to try. Thankfully, CKII has some of the best Total Conversion Mods in the Paradox Stable.
This is a 'fan continuation' of the original 'After the End' CK2 mod set in a post-apocalyptic USA. The year is 2666, and centuries have passed since a cataclysmic event knocked human civilisation back to the medieval period. You can play anywhere in North America, the Caribbean, or the northern coast of South America with over a thousand provinces, 47 different religions, and 31 different culture groups.
Our resident Paradox mod expert, Timothy, commented that he hadn't seen a mod get as fervent a fanbase since Hearts of Iron 4's Kaiserreich mod. Just the setting alone makes this worth checking out, not to mention all of the work that's gone into setting up this post-apocalyptic North America. Well worth checking out if you want something completely different. Compatible up to the latest patch & with Holy Fury.
One example of a mod not on the Steam Workshop, CK2+ is a massive overhaul that changes every aspect of the game from the map to core mechanics to events. Aimed at giving more content for the player to explore whether it's new provinces, new interactions with other characters, or new mechanics such as a factions overhaul, there is a reason it is titled CK2+.
This mod is so venerable and respectable as a total upgrade for the game that individual mods on the Steam Workshop make CK2+ compatible versions of their mods specifically to be included in this grander Crusader Kings II experience.
Follow the link above and follow the instructions on the forum to find how to install this amazing piece of work! If you like this mod, also check out the Historical Immersion Project located in the same modding sub-forum as CK2+. It's wort noting that since mid-2019 the team have been working on trying to rebuild this mod from the ground up, as it was proving too difficult to maintain in its current state.
As such, the mod hasn't been updated since mid-2019.
Crusader Kings II is probably the best game in all of PC gaming to represent the intense political action of George R.R. Martin's world. This mod seeks to do the universe of A Song of Ice and Fire justice with its impressively researched bookmarks and hefty focus on character interactions. It is not only a complete overhaul of the game mechanics to match the books, but the addition of other interactions such as magic and a complex system to handle massive civil wars with multiple claimants expands the CKII experience to new heights.
Compatible up to Version 3.2.1
Delve into the “dark” ages of late antiquity and the Early Middle Ages when the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West brought about a chaos that shook the very core of European Civilization. Pushing back the start date to 476, a whole new world of content is available to the player and a rich time extension is populated by meticulously researched settings, bookmarks, and historical persons. New decisions and mechanics bring this unique part of world history to life in stunning detail.
Compatible up to Version 3.2.2.
Not to be outdone, the Elder Scrolls fandom has its own gorgeous and deeply detailed mod. Replete with custom events and custom mechanics, this puts the TOTAL in Total Conversion. You don't even need to be a fan of the Elder Scrolls to appreciate a dive into this dense and fully fleshed out world.
One of their most clever converted mechanics is the transformation of the Chinese Empire console from the base game into whole realms you can interact with ruled by their respective diety. One of the most polished mods out there.
Compatible with Holy Fury.
CKII is the Paradox game that focuses on characters and historical figures more than simply abstract nations or empires. A whole treatment of mods just for this central focus is a big part of modding CKII.
Finally, creating your perfect starting character has never been easier. The mod's title is self explanatory as traits are available for your custom character without any restrictions (unless you yourself place those restrictions!). Unique playthroughs and unique dynasties are finally available to the player. A simple yet incredibly rewarding mod, this is a must for anyone who wants full control over the progenitor of their dynasty.
Rich is the right word for it. This mod brings to life the interim years of a young man or woman's rise to adulthood. Instead of a tiny whelp that eventually becomes a “real” character, this mod seeks to make the experience of growing up as exciting as adult life. There is no downside to this mod. The events offer a playful and intriguing encounter for the player for those (hopefully) rare times where regencies must be in charge of a young prince or princess.
Another simple mod that adds a plethora of interesting and necessary traits available for characters to have. Physical traits such as fluency and fertility as well as personality traits such as psychopathy and creativity are some of the additions that puts another dimension to the already character-oriented nature of CKII. Whether it's seeking extra bonuses or looking to generate a compelling narrative, this mod helps to add texture to the character trait system.
All that hard work making all the “right” decisions to develop the character and personality you've always wanted is now finally preserved! CKII intrinsically has a hidden limit for character traits and this mod simply eliminates this cap. With this mod, a player's actions finally stick and personalities culminate in grandiose and memorable characters. Available here.
Modding can be as simple as changing game mechanics to suit one's needs or elevate gameplay. Here are some of the best in the genre.
Isn't it strange that your capital holding is almost completely indistinguishable from anyone else's? Your Personal Castle addresses this issue by allowing the player to build bonus-creating additions to their home holding. Whether it's secret passages or studious libraries, not only are these great for customizing one's capital experience, but the mod also provides associated events to each addition to the castle that immerses the player in what it means to build a grand stronghold. By far one of the most popular mods out there!
A lesser known and small mod, but one I believe that truly makes sense. This mod disallows defensive pacts to form between different religions. There has been plenty of discussion about the game-mechanic known as defensive pacts while some saying it artificially hampers gameplay by gaming the system to resist the player. While other mods do away with defensive pacts in totality, I believe this small mod finds the better middle ground. Defensive pacts will form, but at least you won't have to worry about Richard the Lionheart and Saladin somehow joining forces to stop you. While some players might want that challenge, this mod is for those who want a slightly more historical treatment of expansion.
Using scientific data to bring more realism to CKII's genetics is the stated purpose of this mod and while it's a subtle change (since CKII's genetics system is not that far from 'reality'), this mod actually helps to make heredity in the game more reliable, stable, and predictable (thank you, science). The creator is not just versed in Mendelian genetics, but has factored in polygene inheritance for a truly fascinating if not invisible experience of heredity.
What would be a mod list without some gorgeous aesthetic options to choose from? Django serialize dict object has no attribute meta. Here are some of the most pleasing offerings available.
What would the Middle Ages be without the glorious beauty of heraldry? This mod takes this basic premise and turns it into a rich aesthetic experience. This is not simply a graphic pack that adds hundreds of new heraldic styles as well as enriching the present options, but this mod also implements them in a historically researched way.
True to history coats of arms are restored as well as dynamically generated crests are in line with researched records. This also presents a plethora of different options for custom dynasties that the only drawback is that it makes the selection menu for a heraldic shield over a thousand clicks long!
While Paradox's choice to present an abstracted three dimensional contour map is beautiful enough as it is, this mod brings the player back to a cartographical setting. It is as if the player is pulled into a map room with his or her closest advisers reviewing the state of the world on a map worthy of the timeframe. Let this graphical upgrade help to immerse you into the world of CKII!
I was surprised to discover it years ago and I was ashamed to admit that I loved it. Who knew that Crusader Kings II could be a unique anime experience? Oddly perfect portraits for every type of character and character condition make this mod both dazzling and frightening. Even if one is not a fan of the style, it stands as a testament to an impressive graphical upgrade. While not everyone's cup of tea, it also serves as an indication that there are plenty of mods out there that modify and improve character portraits to suit the player.
We can never overlook the rich musical history of the Middle Ages. From chants to poetry, this mod is one example of the plethora of auditory enhancements that reintroduces a bit of history to the game. While Paradox provides impressive music for its games, it commits a crime by not including period songs like it used to do for games like Europa Universalis II. Mods like this fix this disparity.
What are your favourite CK2 Mods? Let us know in the comments!
Keeping your council busy is an arduous task but can have some huge long-term benefits. One of the more mysterious actions of your counselor is the Sow Dissent ability. It is a little ambiguous and a lot of players ask how to sow dissent and what the benefits are.
Let’s start off by saying that this ability is a little weaker than some of the other actions you can take, but when used properly, it is a pretty neat effect. In its most basic operation, Sowing Dissent lowers the opinion of a character toward their liege. While on its own, it doesn’t seem to do much, when combined with other strategies, it can be very effective.
Some of the interactions in Crusader Kings 2 are connected to the opinion rating between players. When trying to secure a strategic alliance or plotting to remove the competition, the opinion rating means a great deal. Simply put, you need characters to like you more than they like the other characters. Getting characters to support your plot is a whole lot easier if they dislike the target.
When attempting to lower a character’s opinion of another character, keep these things in mind. Like most things in the game, there is a percentage chance over time of being successful. To maximize this change, make sure you have a highly rated counselor. Their ability bonus will help the event spawn more reliably.
Next, make sure to place the councilor in the location of the character you want to have the lower opinion. Most players make the mistake of placing their counselor in the capital city of the liege instead of the targeted vassal. When properly placed, the councilor with whisper dissention for as long as it takes to have an effect. With a good counselor, you can expect an average rate of three years for this event to spawn.
There is a chance that the barony of the affected county will get mad at your target as well, but such is the trade of rumors and secrets. They are unpredictable. Sowing Dissent in CK2 is definitely not the most powerful thing you can do, but it can be part of a complex strategy to help you achieve your goals.
Let me know in the comments below how you use this ability.
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