How Do Schemes Work In Crusader Kings 3

As a seasoned ruler with years of cunning political maneuvers under my belt, I must say that understanding the role of Agents in CK3 schemes is crucial for any aspiring monarch. These loyal subjects can significantly aid you in your quest to secure power and influence.

In the game Crusader Kings 3, the schemes have undergone a significant revamp following the release of the Roads to Power DLC, which was provided free of charge. Now, players possess greater control over the success of their schemes and can decide when to execute them more effectively.

As a dedicated fan, I’ve found myself pondering over the intricate details of schemes in Crusader Kings 3 (CK3), especially with its added complexity that leaves even seasoned players scratching their heads. To help alleviate this confusion, I’ve put together a friendly guide to unravel the mysteries behind CK3 Schemes. This comprehensive walkthrough will delve into the different types of plots, explain the roles of Agents, and provide insights on maintaining secrecy while ensuring your schemes flourish.

The Types Of Schemes In Crusader Kings 3

How Do Schemes Work In Crusader Kings 3

Personal Schemes In Crusader Kings 3

Simplified Strategies offer an effortless approach since they don’t necessitate the presence of characters and there’s no need for active participation beyond choosing options as situations arise. These strategies primarily focus on influencing or endearing a specific personality.

Sway: Try to improve the Opinion another character has of you.
Befriend: If characters become friends, they will have very high Opinions of each other and other options are opened up.
Learn Language: Attempt to learn the language of the target.
Seduce: Attempt to sleep with a character with the option to become lovers.
Romance: Characters who are romanced will have very high Opinions of each other, and they may even become soulmates.
Elope: Convince a lover to move to your court to marry, even if they are already married.
Convert to Witchcraft: Characters with the Witch Trait can convince others to become a Witch.

Hostile Schemes In Crusader Kings 3

Hostile Schemes make use of Agents and need to be kept secret.

Murder: Assassinate another character.
Abduct: Unlocked with the Kidnapper Intrigue Trait and can lead to ransoms.
Fabricate Hook: Unlocked with the Truth is RelativeIntrigue Perk and characters will gain a Hook on the target.
Claim Throne: Unlocked with the Meritocracy Stewardship Perk and is used on a liege to get a claim that can be pressed via a Faction.
Steal Artifact: Players must have a claim on an artifact to attempt to steal it.
Overthrow Regent: Try to become the new regent and gain immense power.
Seize Realm: Adventurers in Roads to Power can attempt to seize a ream when they have a high level of fame.

Having a high Intrigue stat will help with most Hostile Schemes and many Political Schemes.

Political Schemes In The Roads To Power DLC

Political Strategies can exclusively be accessed through the expansion pack called Roads to Power DLC, or by those belonging to Administrative Governments like the Byzantine Empire. Some of these strategies involve using Agents and need to remain confidential. Others employ different methods or none at all.

As a gamer, I’ve noticed that some in-game political maneuvers can be downright adversarial, making life tougher for my characters. On the flip side, there are those that lend a helping hand to my characters, which in turn, can advantage me as a player.

Challenge Status: Attempt to steal Influence and lower their family’s status.
Slander: Lower their chances of being appointed to titles and their Governor Efficiency for 10 years.
Raid Estate: Gain gold, damage a rival’s estate, and potentially kill their family.
Boundary Dispute: Attempt to take a neighboring county from another Governorship into yours.
Subsume Governorship: Take a neighbor’s Governorship.
Damage Legitimacy: Lower a liege’s Legitimacy.
Depose: Try to replace an emperor, and decide their fate.
Foster Legitimacy:Raise a liege’s Legitimacy and possibly gain a hook on them.
Promote: Help a target get appointed to a title.
Mentor in Governance: Requires a Private Study and improves a target’s Governor Trait, while granting small bonuses to the player.
Ingratiate Family: Requires Fine Living Quarters. Gain Influence and Opinion with the target.

Contract Schemes In Roads To Power

For those adventure-seekers without land in the game “Roads to Power”, lucrative opportunities can be found through Contracts, which function somewhat like intricate plans or strategies.

As an enthusiast, I often find myself delegating my trusted companions as my representatives in the game world. More often than not, they jump at the opportunity without much persuasion needed. These roles, known as Agents, can range from innocuous, like overseeing a construction project, to downright criminal activities.

How Do Hostile, Contract, & Political Schemes Work In Crusader Kings 3

These strategies often demand a greater level of hands-on supervision compared to Personal Schemes, and the traditional approach overall. A multitude of fresh terminologies associated with these strategies are crucial for players to master to excel in their Crusader Kings 3 adventures.

Scheme Success, Potential, Phases, & Secrecy

These are the key terms to know about Schemes in CK3:

Scheme Success Chance: A Scheme with 80% current Scheme Success has a 20% chance of failing if attempted.
Scheme Potential: This determines the maximum percentage of Scheme Success and can be increased with better Agents.
Scheme Phase: At the end of a Scheme Phase, the Success Chance will be boosted, and an Advantage will be gained.
Scheme Phase Length: A Player’s Intrigue and that of their Spymaster can reduce the length of each Scheme Phase. Agents can help lower this too.
Scheme Secrecy: How likely a Scheme is to remain undetected by a target. Agents can help keep a Scheme secret. Even successful Schemes can be exposed. For example, the world would know your character is a murderer.
Breach: When a Scheme is breached, the Success Chance is lowered. After 5 breaches, a Scheme fails.

Strategies may implement safeguards that reduce their vulnerability towards Plans, but at a cost of something else. In the Intrigue section, characters can perform this action when they are marked as a target.

What Do Agents Do In CK3 Schemes?

In many non-personal schemes within the game CK3, players have the option to designate up to a maximum of five representatives, or agents, to assist them. These agents can lend their aid in various tasks.

Increasing the Scheme Potential.
Lowering the Scheme Phase Length.
Increasing the Scheme Secrecy.

The effectiveness of Agents in influencing these three metrics is largely determined by their fitness for the role. To illustrate this, let’s consider a Murder Scheme scenario. An Assassin who enhances the Scheme Potential would thrive with high levels of Prowess and Intrigue, as well as personality traits such as Sadism and Patience.

As a gamer, I can strategize the distribution of the three types of Agents across the five slots according to my preference. For certain gameplay scenarios, I have the freedom to decide what aspects I want to prioritize, such as focusing on secrecy by choosing more Agents who enhance this quality. To play it safe, I might lean towards selecting more agents that boost secrecy in my team composition.

Appointing Agents

When selecting an Agent, players will encounter the most suitable candidates listed first, chosen from individuals who are willing to participate or can be persuaded to do so.

If an Agent needs to be convinced to join the plot, the following enticements can help:

Leverage Scheme Advantages.
Bribes.
Use existing Hooks on them.
Offer a Hook on yourself.
Offer Prestige, Piety, or Influence.

What Are Advantages In CK3 Schemes?

Each time I finish a Scheme Phase, I’ll rack up some Scheme Points. Once I have 5, 10, 15, or 20 points, I can choose to implement a Scheme. The more points I use, the higher the chances of success become.

Benefits can equally serve as a tool for persuading hesitant Parties to participate. This strategy is particularly effective in complex and challenging Projects, as the right Party can tip the balance significantly.

The Process Of A Scheme In CK3

Below is a step-by-step guide for how most Schemes play out:

Choose whether the selection of Agents should benefit success, speed, or secrecy. Taking a balanced approach is another option.
Appoint individual Agents.
Wait for Scheme Phases to complete.
Interact with events that pop up. These can help or hinder the Scheme.
Once 5 Advantages have been acquired, players can execute the Scheme if they are happy with the odds.
Otherwise wait for 10, 15, or 20 Advantages.

Appoint an experienced Spymaster to manage ‘Strategic Plans’. This individual will help shorten the duration of the planning stages and boost the likelihood of a successful outcome.

2024-09-26 16:14