Hello folks!

It's Thursday, and you all know what that means... pea soup, pancakes and warm Punsch! Also, a Crusader Kings II dev diary. Today's topic is Plots. Like in EU:Rome, characters can have a specific ambition in life. It can be innocuous things like getting married, getting rich, or having a nice glass of warm Punsch, but sometimes it can be more sinister, like having your wife fall down the stairs. These nasty ambitions are called Plots, and they are hidden from other characters unless they are in on it (or have been made aware of it.) Those of you who have played Sengoku will recognize the general concept, although it works slightly differently in Crusader Kings II. You pick an available plot, then you can start inviting other characters into it. If the plot is military in nature, like gaining control of a title, the plot gains power from rulers commanding a military force. If it's an intrigue plot, you should rather invite those who are close to the target of the plot. Plot power is just a percentage, and will unlock new events and decisions the further along it is. At 100% plot power, the plot is likely to succeed.

The problem is that Spymasters (the council position) can discover plots, depending on their intrigue skill vs the plotter's intrigue skill. Unless they too are in on it, they will report to their liege, who can then choose to take action. If you are lucky, he might just demand that you cease and desist. However, since he has evidence of your scheming, he is allowed to imprison you without repercussions (normally, other characters will perceive you as a tyrant when you throw people in the dungeon.) Being imprisoned automatically ends the plot, by the way.



These are some of the more interesting plots:

• Change the Succession Law
• Take a landed title from your Liege
• Have a character killed

Over the last week we've been balancing the succession law plots, because everyone and their uncle were plotting to institute Elective Monarchy. (In 1453, all kingdoms had ended up with this law.) Of course, it does make perfect sense for vassals to pick this plot, because it gives them a chance of getting elected themselves. However, it wasn't very nice of the Duke of Aquitaine to start a civil war over this right when King Philippe was trying to take Normandy back from William the Conqueror... So, we tweaked the likelihood of others joining in the plot and tightened up the conditions for taking it.

That's all for now!

 

[InboxMadness]

Is the Election an event after the ruler's death? Can you choose who to vote? And can you bribe other's to vote for you?

I'd love if the Election was like a Papal Conclave with promises exchanged for votes

 

[Slaxl]

I hope it's easier to recruit characters for your plot and than it in Sengoku. I don't think I've ever been able to recruit anyone for a plot in that game.

I think the plots in Sengoku work fine. I've had more than a few successful ones. Bear in mind you don't want them too easy, because they get used against you as well. Plus you want it realistic, and clans and kingdoms weren't overthrown every month. It needs to be difficult, and thus rare.

 

[Galaahd]

Are there plots to try to influence the elections of a new Pope?

 

[davinewrath]

This sounds awesome!

 

[Joelainen]

Are there plots to try to influence the elections of a new Pope?

I would like to see someting like that

 

[l3illyl3ob]

Can you elaborate on Crown Authority? How does it work?

 

[Alastor]

Can you elaborate on Crown Authority? How does it work?

Now thats a very interesting question, I'd like to hear more about it myself.

 

[Zzzzz...]

Can you elaborate on Crown Authority? How does it work?

I think that's how powerful the king is on putting his vassal in line. Not sure. I'm not part of Beta btw.

 

[Nick B II]

Henry IV was a member of the Royal Family? A cousin, yes. A heir, certainly not.

Re-read my post. Where did I say the legal heir always succeeded?

Then re-read the wiki. Henry IV's relationship to the throne was exactly the same as his predecessor. They were both male-line grandchildren of Edward III. By Salic Law Henry IV would have been heir. By semi-salic law he was preceded by one family (that of the Earls of March).

If that's not in the Royal Family I don't know what is.

Nick

 

[Capt. Kiwi]

but it's good to be the king?

Depends on how safe being King is likely to be...

But it does make me wonder if anyone ever turned down being King once elected? Or would that have been made known before votes were cast, if it were for whatever reason the case?

 

[Orinsul]

Depends on how safe being King is likely to be...

But it does make me wonder if anyone ever turned down being King once elected? Or would that have been made known before votes were cast, if it were for whatever reason the case?

alot of people have, as a loyal vassal you have power and long-term security, becoming king is putting personal ambition above long term stability and power of the house. Godwin turned down the throne as he knew taking it would start a civil war, but putting St-Edward of the old pre-conquest royal house on the throne was the future stability option, only then he didnt have kids so it didnt work. End of the Anarchy, Stephen and Matilda agree to give up their claims on the throne, choosing Henry as the compromise.
And im sure not england has heaps of examples.

It would be very annoying if you couldnt play a loyal, powerful duke without being elected king against your will. Becoming King might lessen the power of a duke and his house as then he would be answerable and have foreign kings to worry about instead of just his well trained king and lesser counts. Why give up a strong and safe position for a prestigious but shaky one.
That happens in Sengoku and its very annoying, you cant play a vassal as every keeps trying to elect you and you cant do anything about it. You should be able to refuse nominations in support of legitimate candidates.

And having elective would allow you to conquer a kingdom but leave it to someone else, Rise as Leofricsson or the Wake, or invade as Malcolm Dunkeld to drive the normans out, rule for a generation then leave it to the Aethelings son, restore the legitimate king once the crisis has passed.

So its just vassals and rulers heirs? surely every in-realm claimant should be available for nomination, probably every claimant no matter where he is, be a king in exile in the varangian guard or fighting the crusades or quietly sitting in a university next to the capital all the way to the King of France, whoever has a rightful claim should be electable.
In the 1066 scenario start, Harold Godwinsson is king but surely if you get an elective succession, Eadgar the Aetheling should be a candidate. but hes not a vassal nor a relative but having a legitimate claim should make him an option.
Brother too, for 'stability from the dynasty but a need for strong, tested hands' situations.

 

[A_Dane]

Depends on how safe being King is likely to be...

But it does make me wonder if anyone ever turned down being King once elected? Or would that have been made known before votes were cast, if it were for whatever reason the case?

If watching Blackadder taught me anything, it was that no matter what, becoming King was desirable

 

[Orinsul]

If watching Blackadder taught me anything, it was that no matter what, becoming King was desirable

you mean how they all died?
if anything its shows why you wouldnt want to

 

[Capt. Kiwi]

If watching Blackadder taught me anything, it was that no matter what, becoming King was desirable

My first thought when you originally posted was the Archbishop of Canterbury in Season 1... Not exactly a welcome appointment

Of course, that was because of the interference of the King. But I think Blackadder certainly shows it can be good to keep your head down and out of trouble sometimes, and some players simply won't have the ambition in a particular game. Much like some real nobles probably didn't have the ambition, they were content with what they had. Don't ask me to name any though, it's why I asked.

 

[A_Dane]

you mean how they all died?
if anything its shows why you wouldnt want to

He only died because he drank posioned wine, he already knew was poisoned

But was reffering more to the third, where he accidentally manages to pose as the prince regent (and hence, one day become king )

Oh and the blackadder movie ofcourse.

But point taken, sometimes becomming King, has dire consequences

 

[Jomen]

Plot will be moddable ?

 

[Orinsul]

Plot will be moddable ?

conditions to start them are, how they work wont. atleast i think so.
i.e. you can change the trigger but not the effect

 

[Captain Gars]

The system sounds interesting and more thought out than in Sengoku which is a plus

How so? Just curious to know what I do better with CKII than I appraently did with Sengoku

 

[mp84]

How so? Just curious to know what I do better with CKII than I appraently did with Sengoku

Well Gars, it seems for CK II you're going to have way more Plots than just "Military Centric" ones that are currently in Sengoku, but since that's the focus of Sengoku (War) I guess that's all you needed, heh. Overall I think that user just simply meant there will be more variety in the plots available for CK II than to what's currently available in Sengoku, and I'm sure he meant no offense .

Speaking of Plots I do have a simple question if it can be answered:

If there are certain plots we don't like because we feel it just simply unbalances the game (As I have a feeling the Elective Monarch Plot will be a pet peeve for many people, but again you still got 4 months to balance it out anyway) can we just simply disable any plot in the game by "commenting" it out in the .txt file for plots? Or are all Plots "hardcoded" into the game that it won't be possible?

thanks!

MP

 

[Captain Gars]

Speaking of Plots I do have a simple question if it can be answered:

If there are certain plots we don't like because we feel it just simply unbalances the game (As I have a feeling the Elective Monarch Plot will be a pet peeve for many people, but again you still got 4 months to balance it out anyway) can we just simply disable any plot in the game by "commenting" it out in the .txt file for plots? Or are all Plots "hardcoded" into the game that it won't be possible?

thanks!

MP

Plots and ambitions are scripted so you can comment them out if you like.