The beauty of Crusader Kings 3 is that there is no correct way to play the game nor are there any real parameters for success other than those that players set themselves. One of the most common ways to play the game is to simply try and conquer as much land as possible via war or any other means possible. However, this can get repetitive after a few playthroughs.

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With that in mind, here are some fun playthrough ideas and goals that players can use to make their next Crusader Kings 3 game a unique and unforgettable experience.

Updated June 19, 2024 by Joe Grantham: With the introduction of epic legends via the Legends of the Dead DLC, Crusader Kings 3 has become even more fun. Players can now spin epic tales of ancient ancestors or boast of more recent heroic deeds performed by their very own protagonist. A few of the historical Legend Seeds that certain characters inherit perfectly set players up for epic playthroughs with what they require.

For example, one Legend Seed asks Alfred the Great, or a descendent of his, to eradicate all pagans from Britain. Deadly plagues spreading across the map also put a fun twist on CK3's best playthroughs, as even the most solid plans can be crumbled by the Black Death.

1 Completely Roleplay As Each Ruler

Make Decisions Based On The Character's Traits & Change Playstyle Upon Succession

Despite primarily being a strategy game, CK3 is one of the best medieval RPGs thanks to Traits and the Stress system, which punishes players for going against their character's nature. While players will invariably adhere to their character's wishes and wants either through min-maxing or light roleplay, most players will still have their own overarching plan in mind, and that's fine.

However, a super fun playthrough to try out is where players completely surrender themselves to the whims of their character and Personality Traits. For example, if the ruler is Ambitious, then go all out and try to raise their station, but if they are Lazy and Shy, then perhaps take one foot off the pedal and watch the realm weaken under an ineffective ruler. The fun thing about this is that when one ruler dies and another ascends, the playthrough is completely turned on its head.

2 Play As A Crusader

After A Succesful Crusade, Play As A Family Member In A New Crusader State

Despite its name, Crusader Kings 3 is not all about crusading. In fact, it's one of the weaker aspects of the game which many players hope to see improved. Nevertheless, one of the older mechanics that is often forgotten or that new players might not know about, is that after a successful crusade in which the player made significant contributions, they will be given the option to switch characters and move to the new crusader state.

To become a crusader king, queen, count, or countess, players will want to start in 1066 as a Catholic ruler and wait for the pope to declare a crusade. They will need to select a beneficiary such as a sibling, younger child, or other relation who is not currently in line to inherit. The more soldiers the player is able to send and the more battles or sieges they play a part in will dictate the land they are given, and if they contribute the most, their beneficiary becomes the new king or queen. To be in the best position, players should spend the years from 1066 till the crusade acquiring the best Men-at-Arms and focusing on the Marshal Lifestyle.

3 Forge An Empire Out Of All The Islands

Rule The Seas

Starting small and eventually forging an empire is very common in Crusader Kings 3, but one way to shake this up is to only conquer islands and eventually rule the seas. Islands were and still are highly strategic locations and centers of trade too, so making an empire out of them is not only fun, but powerful too.

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Players will be able to build lots of Trade Ports and should certainly consider acquiring sea-based Cultural Traditions, such as Coastal Warriors, Seafarers, Maritime Mercantilism, and Dexterous Fishermen. Some of the standout islands include Visby, Sicily, Venice, Crete, and the Isle of Mann. This is even part of an achievement, King of all the Isles.

4 Restore The Roman Empire

Reclaim The Old Borders With Roman Culture

While Crusader Kings 3 is all about the Middle Ages, that doesn't mean that fans of Roman history can't have a bit of fun with the possibility of completely restoring the Roman Empire. To do so, many requirements must be met, including having a massive realm size of 140 and holding three kingdom titles.

Reclaiming the Roman Empire will earn the Rise from the Ashes achievement, but players can take this further by bringing back Roman culture and perhaps even a Hellenistic faith. They can then set about securing the same borders that Rome held at its height.

5 Make The Most Acclaimed Dynasty By Focusing On Legends

Have Epic Legends Told About Generations Of Rulers

Spinning, spreading, and consolidating legends is one of the most fun aspects of CK3, and players will be more than rewarded for the effort and gold they put in. With this in mind, an interesting playthrough idea is to entirely focus on legends for not just one character, but their entire dynasty throughout the ages.

Players will want to start as a family steeped in history who will ideally have a few legend seeds to begin with, and then they will also want to progress through the new Dynasty Legacy branch, Heroic Bloodline. With these unlocked, players will have access to more legends which spread faster, and they will gain unique rewards such as being able to become a Saint or build a legendary watchtower.

6 Aim To Complete The Hardest Achievements

Some Achievements Require A Dedicated Playthrough & Make For Epic Stories

If players are ever stuck and can't think of what to do for their next playthrough, the best thing to do is simply look at the hardest achievements in Crusader Kings 3. While some of these involve niche instances of gameplay, others require true planning and often a dedicated playthrough.

For example, the Lingua Franca achievement requires every royal court in the world to speak the language of the player's court. A feat of this scale often requires world domination or a ton of ingenuity to convince foreign rulers to speak a certain language.

7 Travel The World As An Adventurer

Use Activities Or Unique Casus Belli To Travel The World

Playing as an adventurer has always been fun in Crusader Kings 3, but with the new travel mechanic, exploring the medieval world has never been more fun and engaging. Players can plan out each step of their journey and recruit companions, but the events of their travels are out of their hands.

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There is also a new Traveler trait that players can level up as they try to see as much of the world as possible. Norse explorers are great starting rulers for this kind of playthrough as they can also raid overseas or conquer faraway lands of vastly different cultures, which they can then try to hybridize with their own. These experiences are even more epic when paired with legends, such as one for the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok.

8 Go From Rags To Riches

Start As A Lowly Count & Climb The Noble Ladder To The Rank Of Emperor

Starting as a lowly count and making one's way up to emperor is one of the most rewarding playthroughs in Crusader Kings 3, and the number of ways to achieve this rags-to-riches story is endless.

For a more fun and challenging playthrough, players can select one of the hardest starting rulers in CK3 who are on the brink of disaster from the get-go. Difficult starting characters might find themselves facing a massive invasion, or they might have no immediate heir, which would mean the game would end if they died.

9 Attain The Most Grand Royal Court With The Best Artifacts

Become Revered As The Centre Of Medieval Culture

Players with the Royal Court DLC can aim to reach the height of medieval culture in their playthrough by fostering the greatest court in the land. Naturally, the court amenities should all be the highest they can go, and players should own the finest historical and religious artifacts of the Middle Ages. The Expert Artisans cultural tradition can help produce better artifacts.

Royal courts aren't just about relics and grandeur though, as they would feel empty without the most refined courtiers. Players should therefore seek out the greatest minds and artisans of the age to fill the various court positions that will, in turn, benefit all. All of this will come at an extraordinary cost though, so players will first need a great economy to finance their grand ideas.

10 Replicate History

Enjoy Following In The Footsteps Of Legendary Medieval Rulers

While the game isn't completely historically accurate, Crusader Kings 3 can still teach players plenty about real history, and those interested in the real Middle Ages might find it fun to try and replicate history in a playthrough.

There are endless options for this playthrough idea and players can either try and achieve one goal in the lifetime of an original starting ruler such as William the Conqueror, or they can play the long game and try to achieve something that happened centuries after one of CK3's starting dates.

11 Create A Dynasty With The Best Genes & Stats

Use Eugenics To Conquer The World

Often in Crusader Kings 3, players will marry their characters to secure alliances with neighboring realms, but they can also arrange marriages that will result in better offspring. By min-maxing and unlocking the Blood dynasty legacies, they can spawn a dynasty of overpowered future conquerors, diplomats, and mastermind philosophers.

Congenital Traits to aim for in CK3 are Beautiful, Genius, and Amazonian/Herculean, all of which have lower levels too, as well as Fecund and Intelligent. With the introduction of the Legitimacy mechanic, this playthrough is slightly more challenging and thus rewarding, as players will be punished for marrying random low-borns who happen to have great Traits.

12 Conquer The Most Land Without Ever Declaring War

Experience A More Challenging Way To Expand

Conquering land and expanding one's realm is arguably the most common goal in Crusader Kings 3, but doing this without ever declaring war flips the premise on its head, creating an engaging challenge. There are many ways to conquer peacefully, but none are easy and some options are as morally questionable as war itself.

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For example, players can scheme their way into power, murder heirs, or manipulate votes with a high Intrigue skill. Diplomacy is another option and by becoming a king or emperor and unlocking the True Ruler perk, players should be able to vassalize independent counts and dukes. When other kingdoms stand in the way, players can try to destroy them from within and then pick up the individual broken pieces.

13 Become The Greatest Tournament Knight Ever

Train, Compete, & Bring Home Bounty & Glory

Tours & Tournaments is arguably the best DLC for Crusader Kings 3 so far and one of its most alluring features is the grand tournaments that players can host or attend. There is also an accompanying Hastiluder trait with four different aspects of Bow, Foot, Horse, and Wit, all of which can be leveled up by succeeding in the various tournament events.

All of this makes for incredible fun and players can have an entire playthrough that focuses on becoming the greatest tournament knight of all time. The bonuses gained for winning tournaments are nothing to be scoffed at either, and after a few generations of knights, players should have accrued enough gold, artifacts, and Renown to become a political force too.

Crusader Kings 3

Platform(s)

PS5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , PC

Released

September 1, 2020

Developer(s)

Paradox Interactive

Genre(s)

RPG , Grand Strategy