Crusader Kings 3 has shot up the charts to become one of the most popular grand strategy games around. Paradox Interactive has knocked it out of the park and let people get into one of their most accessible titles, which is saying a lot. After all, Crusader Kings wasn't the most accessible franchise around for a long time, and the latest game has taken steps to ensure that more people can get into this title without feeling overwhelmed.
A big part of Crusader Kings 3 is managing vassals and ensuring that they stay loyal to the player while also providing them with a steady flow of gold and troops. This is easier said than done, especially since modifying vassal contracts can prove to be a huge challenge in its own right. Players who find the act of altering vassal contracts to be a pain should keep on reading.
Things To Keep In Mind Before Modifying Vassal Contracts
First, always remember that Crusader Kings 3 is a complicated game where a single change can have a massive domino effect. This is especially true in the case of modifying vassal contracts, which will almost always be for the benefit of the player and won't really keep vassals happy...at least, in this department.
This makes it important to only modify the contracts of vassals who are either happy with the player or are unable to enter factions against them. This ensures that the negative penalties incurred from higher taxes or levies won't be so severe that they'll start rebelling against the player.
Modifying a vassal contract isn't the easiest thing in the world. Players will have to either incur a Tyranny penalty or use up a Weak Hook in order to modify said contract, which can be a tall order. Players will need to weigh the risks and advantages of this decision before choosing to modify a vassal contract for their own benefit.
Finally, the player should keep in mind that a vassal with a Hook on them can blackmail them to change the vassal contract for their favor too. This can prove to be a major annoyance, but a slight decrease in income isn't worth getting a secret revealed, since a ruler's regime can be destabilized if the secret is particularly heinous.
How To Modify A Vassal Contract In Crusader Kings 3
For the most part, accessing a vassal's contract and altering some of its parameters is pretty easy. Players just need to right-click on a vassal, and they'll find the option to modify their contract under the Vassalage & Court tab. Clicking this tab lets players take a look at the vassal's contract, which includes the following information:
- How much tax they give
- How many levies they're obligated to raise
- Details in the case of a special contract
- Any other unique obligations or benefits
For the most part, players should only care about the taxes and levies. Of course, those who feel like they have a grasp of the basics can move on to more advanced steps and figure out the kind of vassal contract that will help them in their current playthrough.
Outright changing the obligations of a vassal is a tyrannical decision that is better off avoided. Of course, players who want to pursue this move regardless can easily increase whatever parameters they want and force the vassal to oblige, although this can have serious repercussions down the line.
Instead, it's best to use either a Weak or Strong hook to change said contract without suffering any negative repercussions. It removes the Tyranny penalty, and the Strong Hook had the added benefit of staying intact even after being used as a bargaining tool.
How Necessary Is It To Change A Vassal's Contract?
While players can always change the contract of a vassal whenever they see fit, the domino effect that can arise as a result should be taken into account. Sure, a Weak Hook can be used up for a small increase in tax, but is that really worth all the effort? After all, Weak Hooks are pretty powerful bargaining tools that can be used for other helpful schemes instead.
Also, keep in mind that charging a vassal to give more taxes or raise more levies will have a negative effect on their opinion of their current liege. If not managed properly, then unhappy vassals can team up to form factions and cause a civil war, which can be especially irritating when the player is low on money or is already in the middle of another way.
Finally, the incremental change that is made to a vassal's contract doesn't even have that big of an impact, barring certain powerful vassals with big realms. Investing too much time into trying and optimizing every vassal's contract can prove a massive waste of effort, especially since vassals come and go while the realm's list of issues will just increase if left unaddressed. So, while changing a vassal's contract is pretty fun, it's far from the only thing that players can or should do to make their playthrough easier in Crusader Kings 3.
Crusader Kings 3 is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.