Omar Bennett
Crusader Kings II is a grand strategy and RPG video game developed by Paradox Interactive, where players engage in courtly intrigue, dynastic struggles, and holy warfare in medieval Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, India, the steppes, and Tibet. Diplomacy is a crucial aspect of the game, allowing players to form alliances, negotiate with other houses, and expand their territories. While the game already features an intricate diplomacy system, some players have suggested improvements to make it even more engaging. This includes ideas such as introducing an aggressive expansion modifier, making it harder to negotiate with houses that the player has wronged in the past, and adding more options for alliances beyond just calling for war.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Choose a Diplomacy Education | Picking a diplomacy education can help improve your diplomacy level. The Carousing and Family Focus educations can help you make friends with family and get a family patriarch modifier. |
| Pick a Mentor | Choose a mentor with a high diplomacy level and good traits. |
| Pressing Claims | "Pressing claims" is a common way to expand your territory. Claims can be weak, strong, or de jure. Weak claims are tied to specific circumstances and characters. |
| Declare War | Right-clicking on a character's portrait allows you to enter diplomacy and declare war. If you win, their vassal becomes your vassal. |
| White Peace | If you are winning a war, you can open diplomacy and offer a "White Peace," which ends the war amicably without major consequences for either side. |
| Aggressive Expansion Modifier | An "aggressive expansion" modifier could make it harder for players to acquire large amounts of territory through war, similar to the mechanic in EU4. |
| Alliance Mechanics | Alliances could be expanded beyond simply calling allies to war. For example, players could loan resources from allies, with the alliance ending and a potential prestige penalty if the loan is not repaid within a certain time. |
| House Rivalries | Diplomacy could be made harder with houses that the player has had conflicts with in the past. Conversely, diplomacy could be made easier with houses that the player has helped or allied with previously. |
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What You'll Learn
Choose the right education focus
When it comes to choosing the right education focus to improve diplomacy in Crusader Kings 2, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, it's important to understand that the child's education trait is influenced by the adolescent's focus, with a randomised level selected based on the child's traits. "Good" traits increase the likelihood of a higher education level, while \"bad\" traits make a lower level more probable.
With that in mind, here are some tips to choose the right education focus for improved diplomacy:
- Aim for positive traits: Traits like "genius", "quick", and "diligent" are considered good traits and can increase the chances of your child receiving a better education level. These traits can also lead to an intelligence increase event, which can further enhance their diplomacy skills.
- Encourage relevant interests: Select a focus that aligns with diplomacy, such as the "carousing" or "family" focus. These can help improve your child's ability to form connections and build relationships, which are essential aspects of diplomacy.
- Choose the right guardian: Select a guardian with high diplomacy skills and desirable traits that you want your child to emulate. A guardian with the "brave" trait, for example, can be a positive influence. Additionally, consider choosing a guardian with a high base stat in the relevant attribute, such as diplomacy.
- Avoid negative influences: Be cautious of guardians with negative traits, such as "deceitful", as these can lead to undesirable traits in your child, like "weak" or "misguided". It's important to remember that the guardian's traits can rub off on the child.
- Monitor progress: Keep an eye on your child's progress and make adjustments as needed. While the education outcome is not entirely within your control, you can influence it by providing the best opportunities and role models for your child.
By following these guidelines and staying involved in your child's education, you can increase the chances of them developing strong diplomacy skills in Crusader Kings 2.
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Use the right dialogue options
In Crusader Kings II, clever direction of dialogues is essential to success. Here are some tips to improve your diplomacy through dialogue options:
Start by assessing your position and strengths. If you are not an important count, you may need to avoid open conflict with more powerful enemies and instead utilise diplomacy to achieve your goals. Plan your moves carefully, keeping your intentions hidden, and act faster than your enemies.
Choose the right dialogue options to build and maintain alliances. For example, you can form non-marriage alliances, which could be beneficial for a set period, such as 5 or 10 years. Additionally, seek to strengthen your relationships with friendly houses by continuing alliances and gaining positive opinion modifiers.
Keep in mind that your actions have consequences. If you have wronged another house in the past, it will be more difficult to negotiate with them. Similarly, if you are outed as having certain traits, such as being a serial seducer or incestuous, it may negatively impact your diplomacy with certain characters.
Focus on selecting mentors and advisors with high diplomacy traits. A grey eminence, for instance, can have a diplomacy skill of 25 or higher if they possess good traits. This can significantly enhance your own diplomacy skills and increase your chances of success when dealing with other characters.
Lastly, remember that diplomacy is a key tool for expansion. Through diplomacy, you can "press claims" and legally acquire new territories. Assess the available claims at the top of your screen and determine whether you have a weak, strong, or de jure claim on a particular land. Weak claims are often tied to specific circumstances and characters, so choose your dialogue options wisely to take advantage of these opportunities.
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Plan your expansion
Planning your expansion is crucial in Crusader Kings 2, as it can help you achieve glory and outmaneuver your enemies. Here are some strategies to consider:
First, understand the different types of claims: weak, strong, and de jure. Weak claims are tied to specific circumstances and characters, such as claiming land controlled by a child. Strong claims are typically based on legitimate inheritance or legal rights. De jure claims refer to lands that were historically part of your realm but are now held by another ruler. Assess which type of claim you have on a territory before deciding to expand.
Next, evaluate your strength and position. If you are a lowly count, openly challenging a powerful emperor may not be wise. Instead, use diplomacy to build alliances, seek support, and find opportunities to expand through marriage or inheritance. Remember that expansion is not just about military conquest; it's also about political maneuvering and seizing the right opportunities.
Keep an eye out for vulnerable enemies or rebellious territories. If a rival ruler is facing internal strife or external threats, it may be a good time to strike. You can also take advantage of rebellions or civil wars within a realm to weaken your target and increase your chances of success.
Utilize the "pressing claims" strategy, which is a common way to expand in the game. This involves identifying available claims at the top of the screen and pursuing them strategically. Remember that expansion should be consistent but carefully planned to avoid overextending yourself.
Finally, consider the long-term implications of your expansion. Plan for the legal and diplomatic consequences of your conquests, as they can affect your relationships with other rulers and the stability of your realm. Remember that expansion is a means to an end, and ensure that each move aligns with your broader strategy and goals.
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Manage house rivalries
Managing house rivalries in Crusader Kings 2 can be tricky, as once a rivalry is formed, it is difficult to resolve. Rivals can be gained in a number of ways, but one of the most common is by being caught with another person's spouse. This results in a permanent -100 opinion modifier, and no amount of resources should be spent on trying to please them.
If a character ends up with a rivalry with their wife, there are a few things that can be done. Firstly, it is important to note that rivalry with a wife does not affect the chances of having children. If there are fertility issues, becoming lustful or a hedonist may help. Waiting for a certain event to fire can also resolve the rivalry, but this is a passive method that requires patience.
Rivals can be duelled, imprisoned without tyranny (depending on how the rivalry started), or incited to revolt and then crushed, allowing their titles to be stripped. However, these methods are aggressive and may not always be feasible or desirable.
Overall, managing house rivalries in Crusader Kings 2 requires a strategic approach, and players should be prepared to adapt their strategies based on the specific circumstances of the rivalry and the characters involved.
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Use war as a tool
War is an inevitable aspect of Crusader Kings 2, and it can be a powerful tool to improve your diplomatic standing if used judiciously. Here are some ways to use war as a tool to improve your diplomacy:
The first and most obvious way is to use war to gain leverage in negotiations. If you are engaged in a conflict with another ruler and have the upper hand, you can use your military advantage to extract favourable terms in a peace treaty. This could include forcing them to accept a non-aggression pact, becoming your vassal, or even granting you land or titles. By using war to gain leverage, you can improve your diplomatic position and secure long-term benefits.
Secondly, war can be used to forge alliances and build strong diplomatic ties. If you find yourself facing a powerful enemy, consider seeking allies to join your war effort. Offering to join an ongoing war or inviting others to join yours can break the ice in establishing diplomatic relations with potential allies. These alliances can then be cultivated into long-term relationships, providing benefits beyond the immediate conflict.
Additionally, war can be a means to demonstrate your military might and establish deterrence. By decisively defeating a rival or successfully defending against an invasion, you send a message to other rulers that you are a force to be reckoned with. This can lead to increased respect and potentially deter future aggression, as other rulers may think twice before challenging you.
War can also provide opportunities for expansion and the establishment of protectorates. If you have your eye on a particular territory or kingdom, a successful war can be the fastest way to achieve your goals. By conquering new lands, you not only expand your realm, but you also gain the opportunity to install rulers favourable to your interests, creating puppet states or installing vassals who will be loyal to you.
Lastly, remember that even in defeat, there is potential for diplomatic gain. If you find yourself on the losing end of a war, use the opportunity to negotiate the best possible terms for surrender. Offer to become a tributary or vassal to your conqueror or propose a marriage alliance to strengthen the relationship. While you may have to cede some territory or pay reparations, you can also use this as an opportunity to forge a lasting diplomatic connection with your former enemy, setting the stage for potential future alliances or cooperation.
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Frequently asked questions
Right-click on the character's portrait to open their character screen. Right-clicking on their face will give you the option to enter diplomacy with that character.
Pick the Grey Eminence with the highest diplomacy level. You can also increase your diplomacy level by taking the carousing focus and the family focus.
You can improve relations by entering diplomacy and offering a White Peace, which ends the war with no major consequences for either side. You can also surrender at any point to end the war.
By winning a war, the enemy's vassal can become your vassal. Possessing a county that you're warring over is more effective than possessing random enemy territory.
