Crusader Kings 3: How to Gain Renown

Crusader Kings 3: How to Gain Renown

As a seasoned historian and avid fan of the intricate tapestry that is the history of our realm, allow me to guide you through the labyrinthine pathways of Renown, a treasure sought by many a noble house.


In Crusader Kings 3, the game meticulously monitors a variety of assets at your disposal. These assets encompass tangible items such as Gold and Troops, yet also intangible ones like Prestige, Piety, and Renown, which exert significant influence.

Renown doesn’t increase as fast as most other resources, but you use it to buy dynastic Legacies. Each Legacy gives your ruler (and everyone in the same dynasty) a permanent bonus that lasts for the rest of the game. So while Renown isn’t as immediately useful as other resources in Crusader Kings 3, boosting your Renown is always worth the effort.

How to Become a Dynasty Head

Crusader Kings 3: How to Gain Renown

To get started with the game, it’s simplest to choose a character who is the leader of a substantial kingdom or empire, usually the founder or present head of his dynasty. With only a few exceptions, like the Karlings in Central Europe in the year 867, most significant rulers fall into this category.

An alternative approach could be to design your own unique ruler, even if it means taking the place of an iconic historical figure. Such homemade rulers often mark the beginning of a brand-new reign or dynasty.

Beyond an initial step, becoming a dynasty leader typically involves fulfilling several prerequisites:

  • Your character must be the head of their dynastic house. The original dynastic line counts as its own house, and rulers can create cadet houses if they’re adults who are third in line or worse from the main house’s line of succession.
  • Your character must command the largest army of any house head within the dynasty. This mostly involves counting levies, and the number that matters is your current troops, not your potential troops. If a war goes badly, you may temporarily lose your status as the dynasty head until your levies come back.

If you keep your royal line within your kingdom, it’s straightforward to fulfill this condition and preserve your sovereign’s position as the dynasty leader. But if multiple independent kingdoms are governed by your dynasty, another branch of the family could potentially seize the title from you, making life a bit more complicated. However, the additional prestige you gain might outweigh the hassle.

The Best Sources of Renown

Crusader Kings 3: How to Gain Renown

Reputation often builds gradually under any circumstances, yet there are trustworthy channels that can swiftly provide you with the required resources.

Independent Leadership

Instead of aiming to rule the entire world as a singular empire in Crusader Kings 3, it is more advantageous, in terms of gaining Renown, to establish your dynasty on numerous independent thrones rather than focusing on one. Here’s the base Renown value associated with holding a

  • Emperor: +2
  • King: +1
  • Duke: +0.5 (includes mercenary companies and holy orders)
  • Count: +0.25
  • Baron: +0.12

Keep in mind that when it comes to a ruler’s renown, it’s their highest title that matters: an Emperor earns 2 Renown, not 3 because they rule an Empire and also two Duchies. Instead, only the Emperor title contributes towards their total Renown.

Rulers can only increase your Renown if they aren’t subject to a ruler from the same dynasty. In other words, when you elevate your ruler to a kingdom and create dukedoms for all your children, these titles won’t boost your monthly Renown, at least not because of their ruling position. To swiftly accumulate Renown, consider expanding into adjacent territories, establishing duchies and kingdoms there, bestowing them on members of your dynasty, and then granting them independence.

An alternative strategy could be to form alliances through royal marriages. If a member of your family were to marry a ruling figure, your family would receive 80% of that ruler’s usual prestige value. This applies even if the family member getting married already holds an independent title. However, it is crucial to note that the person being married must belong to a distinct family line.

In summary, every living family member who isn’t a ruler contributes 0.02 points to your dynasty’s reputation. However, this contribution is capped at 2 points in total, or up to 100 living family members.

Mystical Ancestors

In various cultures depicted on the map, there is a custom known as “Mystical Ancestors.” Leaders from these cultures are forbidden to disinherit their relatives. Instead, granting a title to a fellow dynasty member will enhance your reputation.

  • 50 for each county
  • 100 for each duchy
  • 150 for each kingdom
  • 250 for each empire

Expansion of the empire significantly boosts your reputation, but it simultaneously complicates dealing with rebellious kin.

Different from various traditions, incorporating Mystical Ancestors isn’t an option through cultural reform; it must be part of your initial culture selection, or (with the addition of the “Royal Court” DLC), achieved by hybridization. Cultures with Mystical Ancestors include:

  • Akan (West Africa)
  • Guanche (Canary Islands)
  • Mon (Burma/Pagan)
  • Han (Northeast Tibet)
  • Malvi (Southeast Rajasthan)
  • Rajasthani (Central Rajasthan)
  • Hebrew (No starting location)
  • Buryat (North Mongolia)
  • Lhomon (Southeast Tibet)

Royal Court

With the release of the “Royal Court” expansion pack, there was a complimentary update introducing various in-game artifacts for your inventory. Several of these items offer a modest boost to your Renown on a monthly basis. It’s important to note that players who have purchased the DLC gain access to even more artifacts, each providing additional Renown.

  • Most small and large wall ornaments provide a Renown boost, including the dynasty and house banners you most likely started the game with.
  • Furniture, pedestal items, and thrones are also good sources of Renown.

Additionally, you can acquire a modest and consistent amount of Prestige if your Court Grandeur surpasses the necessary level for your realm size. This bonus ranges from 0.15 Prestige for being 4 levels above, up to 1.3 Prestige for being 10 levels above, or it could go as low as -1.4 Prestige for being 10 levels below.

Legitimacy

Legitimacy represents the degree to which your people perceive that their ruler has a rightful claim to power. Similar to the grandeur of the court, each ruler possesses an expected level of legitimacy, and you may receive benefits in reputation (Renown) for surpassing this level or face penalties if falling below it. The maximum bonus is 0.5, while the maximum penalty is a decrease of -0.2 per month.

Legends

If you possess the “Legends of the Dead” expansion pack, certain legends you craft will grant you reputation points continuously while you propagate these tales. Notably, validated legends offer a dual benefit – they boost your reputation and increase the rate at which they do so, with the boost growing in proportion to the quality of the legend.

  • Famed: +0.1 Renown and +5 percent Renown
  • Illustrious: +0.25 Renown and +10 percent Renown
  • Mythical: +0.5 Renown and +20 percent Renown

Events

As a gamer, I’ve noticed some pivotal moments in the game where choices grant an instant boost of reputation points, or Renown. If a choice is labeled “in memory of” someone significant, aligns with my family motto, or seems to uphold my kin’s values, it usually rewards me with Renown. Given the long-term perks of Renown, I often opt for such choices when presented with the opportunity.

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2024-09-07 12:04