A few questions about succession and claims.

[NewOutlook]

There are some fine points in CK2's succession system that I can't seem to figure out:

1. In elective succession, how are claims determined? The "pretender" list doesn't seem to do anything in elective.
2. When someone has no eligible heirs, how precisely is the successor to the title determined?
3. (Since this is a special case) What about when there are no other members of the dynasty?

 

[JonStryker]

1) The pretenders are the children of the old ruler who got claims when he died. Oddly not dangerous at all in an elective realm, you're right.

2,3)
If he has family members left the next member in the family tree will be selected. It depends on the law whether females can also be chosen. The engine will traverse the family tree back level by level until it finds some eligible person on a level (first children, then the father, then siblings, then uncles/aunts and so forth).
If someone who would have been next in line is already dead, his children would be eligible.
If there are no family members left, his liege will inherit his stuff. If he doesn't have a liege some random dude will inherit.

 

[Kimberly]

I don't know if pretenders get claims in elective realms, but the ruler's children still do, even if they weren't under consideration for election.

As an addition to JonStryker's answer to 2 and 3, I've found that the "random dude" who will inherit is usually a member of the previous ruler's council.

 

[yezhanquan]

For info: When you leave the mouse cursor over the CoA of a county/duchy/kingdom/empire, it will show you the next 3 characters in line for the title.