Expressing extreme frustration with "Chess with Death"

[PsysmicSound]

Only seen this event once myself. Happened to be playing as a drunkard at the time, and I ended up winning. Felt very nice indeed. I understand that it would be annoying to get the event over and over again, but I'd rather be haunted by recurrences of a fun and interesting event like this one, than of the damn hedge knight events that were ceaseless in previous patches.

 

[STABBY5]

They made an option to turn of supernatural events for a reason. If you don't like it don't play with it. The rest of us like it. I haven't seen this event since reapers due came out. Of course I'm known for playing with theology lifestyle always active which gives a boost to health. The thing is with playing a game where a lot of it is based on probability is that it can really screw you or you end up with Jesus giving you military advice and immortality.

 

[Slaists]

I don't know that a solution exists out there, but I have to vent about how infuriating the stupid "Chess with Death" event is.

Over the past week I've tried to start a total of 8 games. All of them I've started as a single count, either in Britanny or Ireland. And all 8 - every. single. game. was ended within 14 years due to Chess with Death showing up.

Not only should this be statistically improbable, but it's pretty much evaporated my joy from the game. I like playing with the rules the developers rolled it with - but someone at PDS decided it would be "really fun" and "oh so hilarious" to give you a nearly-unavoidable instadeath with a ridiculously high chance to happen, and happen repeatedly.

8 games in a row - every single one of them ended because I die from Chess with Death, either with no heirs or my heir is a baby. I haven't had a single character make it to 35 years old yet. They all get a supposedly "RARE" "supernatural" event where whoops nope! You can't defend yourself from this garbage, you just get to die ha ha ha ha WHAT A FUN MECHANIC.

Anyway. I'm pretty much venting at this point. The game's lost its charm. Normally I can fight and struggle my way through any nonsense the RNG throws at me. But now after the past 25 or so hours in-game, this apparently now default feature that's oh so fun is going to ruin it no matter what.

Hmm. I came back to the game a couple months ago and have clocked probably more than 150 h since then. I have not experienced Chess with Death once. My rulers have died young on many occasions though, "being cornered and slain" being the most popular way to go; dying from food poisoning probably close second.

 

[Xinkc]

I love how the OP in this thread gets "respectfully disagreed" to oblivion just for complaining about an event that he - legitimately - doesn't like, while there are many people posting false infos who get upvoted.

No, chess with death does not always lead to death.
Yes, bubonic plague has an influence on it.
Yes, this supernatural event seems to be more common than the others. Since the Reaper's Due, I've seen the Demon's Spawn like 2 times, Immortality three times (2 fails) and chess with death like 10 times. And with only one victory. I play only in multiplayer by the way, so I reckon other players as well.
And no, CK2 is not more a spreadsheet game than many other games... How do you think that other strategy games work? Event chains could totally take into account the presence of the characters involved. And in fact, it's the case in various big mods, and it's also the case when you flee the Black Death by putting your character on a boat. There are also events that get cancelled when the character is found dead. This has nothing to do with how the game works, or how spreadsheet-y it is...

The OP's issue is that he's having an event that is supposed to be rare on a frequent basis such that his characters (apparently a mostly blank template in ruler designer) die at a young age. That is obviously a bug of some sort, outside the experiences of the majority, and the OP apparently hadn't made the effort to fix it somehow. The OP then treats it like it's an intended occurrence instead of a bug or horrendous luck (the fact it happens early in custom ruler games implied the former), ranting about the game being ruined. Of course there's going to be plenty of "respectfully disagrees" based upon his tone and apparent attitude.

 

[Kalderus]

I for one really like the Chess with Death event, I never expect to win so if by chance some day I do I will be over the moon.

That seems like a strange attitude to have from my perspective. I've only seen the event twice, and currently the scoreboard reads: "Me - 2, Death - 0".

Granted, the first time I was luckily a Game Master (acquired unintentionally before I even knew about the event), and by the second time I had read the reddit strategy guide and knew to a) give the nun shelter, b) pick the white pieces, c) cheat , and d) offer my second son, and for the last two I seemed to have a 2/3 chance of success (probably due to having previously completed the scholarship focus and high learning).

 

[Kalderus]

Can't you just tell the pilgrim to piss off with the 3rd dialogue choice and avoid chess with death altogether?

No, no, no, NEVER do that, unless you actively want your character to die. She will still appear in your chambers and play you, and only be angry that you denied her shelter. In order to win, you need to accumulate a set number of "points" and one of the points is awarded by either giving death shelter yourself, or paying for an inn. If you tell death to screw off you are essentially forfeiting an easy point towards victory

 

[Naughtius Maximus]

Hmm. I came back to the game a couple months ago and have clocked probably more than 150 h since then. I have not experienced Chess with Death once. My rulers have died young on many occasions though, "being cornered and slain" being the most popular way to go; dying from food poisoning probably close second.

Apparently it is a Christian only thing.

I play Zunist/Zorastrian (and now trying Dharmic) and like you I have never once gotten it.

 

[Vareoth]

I've had it happen 3 times in 100 years, successive rulers. Even though I managed to win it once it really sucks out all the fun of the game. Why not put a 150 - 200 year cooldown timer on the event so that it doesn't pop up all the bloody time? It's not hard.

 

[Xinkc]

Maybe this is a Christian thing since my reformed Germanic pagans don't get it as frequently (haven't killed off all believers of Christ yet).

 

[Rationalsanity]

I really hope it doesn't strike certain religions or cultures more/less often, what sense would that make?

EDIT: Just went through the thread again, and I see/remember that only Christians (or those with Christian neighbors) can get this event. What kind of logic is that, this chain is dumb enough but they couldn't even be bothered to spread the pain out evenly?

Oh, and its player only. Now, if this was something that occurred exclusively or almost exclusively during the plague, that would be one thing. But as it stand it just feels like an event designed exclusively to give the finger to the player, for no given reason. I'd be happier just dropping dead of poor health, at least that's a logical game mechanic.

 

[Naughtius Maximus]

I really hope it doesn't strike certain religions or cultures more/less often, what sense would that make?

EDIT: Just went through the thread again, and I see/remember that only Christians (or those with Christian neighbors) can get this event. What kind of logic is that, this chain is dumb enough but they couldn't even be bothered to spread the pain out evenly?

Oh, and its player only. Now, if this was something that occurred exclusively or almost exclusively during the plague, that would be one thing. But as it stand it just feels like an event designed exclusively to give the finger to the player, for no given reason. I'd be happier just dropping dead of poor health, at least that's a logical game mechanic.

There is some new pre game rule option (like setting epidemics to more and stuff) where you can let AI get these supernatural events.

I turned it on and am expecting immortals and spawn of satan in my game in my new playthrough. Presumably AI will get this event also.

 

[Legal Assassin]

No, no, no, NEVER do that, unless you actively want your character to die. She will still appear in your chambers and play you, and only be angry that you denied her shelter. In order to win, you need to accumulate a set number of "points" and one of the points is awarded by either giving death shelter yourself, or paying for an inn. If you tell death to screw off you are essentially forfeiting an easy point towards victory

That's VERY helpful, thanks a lot, I didn't think that there might be some kind of roleplaying outcome that in hindsight makes total sense (considering you denied a pilgrim shelter). You saved me an instant death in the future when I see that lol

 

[Masternachos]

I generally like supernatural events; and the first time I got Chess with Death, I thought it super awesome. I wouldn't have minded so much if the next two times were with awesome rulers who I'd been raising perfectly and had just started their reign (in Ironman, no less).
If there was one very specific path you could take that makes survival at least 80% likely or something, without having to make sure your character had certain traits BEFORE this random event, (and I knew what it was), then that would be awesome. Because right now it's basically, "OHGODNO, a monk/nun is asking to stay over again! Better get my affairs in order..."

Being able to see how many "points" you have during the chess game would be nice (unless there is, and I am just unaware- which is very likely).

 

[Rags17]

I generally like supernatural events; and the first time I got Chess with Death, I thought it super awesome. I wouldn't have minded so much if the next two times were with awesome rulers who I'd been raising perfectly and had just started their reign (in Ironman, no less).
If there was one very specific path you could take that makes survival at least 80% likely or something, without having to make sure your character had certain traits BEFORE this random event, (and I knew what it was), then that would be awesome. Because right now it's basically, "OHGODNO, a monk/nun is asking to stay over again! Better get my affairs in order..."

Being able to see how many "points" you have during the chess game would be nice (unless there is, and I am just unaware- which is very likely).

What they could do is separate the "monk asks for a place to stay" event by a goodly time period from the rest of it, say 1-2 years, then make the rest of the chain dependent upon the character NOT having some trait such as Pilgrim. That way if the player can devote the time and money to go on Pilgrimage they will be let live for a while yet.

An alternative would be to make traits like Pilgrim and Content count as points towards winning the match against Death.

 

[Burned Coffee]

I for one am disappointed it does not actually makes you play chess against death. How cool would it be if a board just popped up and you had a chess puzzle to solve in 3 moves, timed.

I don't disagree about the event, if you don't like it, it is fair.
However, the thing with randomness is that you can't really predict it. I seems like the probabilities are workng fine by me.