Learning: Intrigues!

[Enish]

So, I've set my first goal and started into the game (all expansions, save the Aztec one and Conclave). I just wanted to make sure I have the basics down to achieve said goal:

So I want to expand, but less with military and more with duplicity/diplomacy. Am I correct in assuming the only ways I can do so, non-militarily, is if I'm an an heir? I assume so.

My real question is this: The neighboring realm was one where I was the heir to a king without child (I believe he is my brother). The only option I saw to usurp his lands was to conduct a murder plot. However, I ran into two problem:

1) I managed to get the plot percentage up to 87%, but then it started to mysteriously fall (without losing any backers). What governs this? Is there a way to correct course? This leads me to my second question:

2) Aside from putting my spymaster in the region to create the spy network, which I see has some yearly percentage chance of sowing discord, is there anything else I can do to duplicitously malign my target?

Reading guides and forms, I came across a recommendation for finding backers to a plot, namely to search for people who had a high opinion of you and the opposite personality characteristics than your target. However, I'm fuzzy as to where I'd find what the opposite of Trait X was (definitively), and/or where to search for these people (it wasn't the people on offer in the intrigue menu, but somewhere else).

Final question: if a vassal starts a plot against you, the response options seemed limited to appeasement (offering gifts to modify opinion, something that didn't seem to work) or harsh options like imprisonment/revoking of titles/etc. Is there another option I'm missing that fits more with my intrigue sowing goals? Since only one murder plot can be active at once, I imagine that isn't the best recourse (but is it my only "behind the scenes" option?).

Thank you.

 

[Rags17]

Put your Chancellor in the target's area to Sow Dissent (you can find out where the target is by hovering over their portrait and reading the tooltip).

Put your Spymaster in the area to set up a Spy Network.

Tick the box that says "Auto invite to plot" in the Intrigue tab.

Click on the plus button on the Intrigue tab and look through the potential plotters. Sort by potential Plot Power and send gifts to all those with high Plot Power and/or low cost (eg 45 gold for a +3% PP might not be worth it, but 75 gold for +215% would be).

If you are using the Intrigue focus then choose the Spy On action against the target.

If you are using the Intrigue focus then try to Seduce his wife, lovers, concubines and daughters, then try to get them to join your plot.

One trick I just read on another thread - send your own lover to their court by arranging a marriage with someone close to the target, eg a family member or Councillor, then get her to join the plot (she will if she REALLY loves you !).

Try getting rid of his Spymaster first - try inviting him to your court, alternatively and if he is good then try having him killed.

Note that the chance for the assassination event to fire goes up drastically at 100% Plot Power and every +50% PP after that, going from 105% to 145% does nothing for you, going from 149% to 151% does a LOT ! AT 100% expect the plot to fire in a year or two, at 250% expect it to fire next week.

 

[Robert II]

If you don't mind the cheese rags lover idea works. Invite some woman,seduce them then send them to the target via marriage proposals.

 

[Enish]

Put your Chancellor in the target's area to Sow Dissent (you can find out where the target is by hovering over their portrait and reading the tooltip).

Put your Spymaster in the area to set up a Spy Network.

Tick the box that says "Auto invite to plot" in the Intrigue tab.

First off, thank you very much for this detailed summation. If there was a single distillation of what prompted me to post this it would likely have been "worry I was missing options" -- and you painted a clear picture of what the non-violent options are (I hadn't considered seducing him or sending lover his way, thanks for that).

This bit I quoted also brings up a question -- why would you ever not tick the auto invite to plot?

Also, why would a plot success percentage go down? I mean, if the backers stay constant. Is it the target's spymaster or other councilors at work?

 

[Xinkc]

why would you ever not tick the auto invite to plot?

I can, at least, answer this question. It's to ensure that you don't get a drunkard in on the plot. They tend to blab about the plot which makes the target hate you and you look bad.

 

[Rags17]

First off, thank you very much for this detailed summation. If there was a single distillation of what prompted me to post this it would likely have been "worry I was missing options" -- and you painted a clear picture of what the non-violent options are (I hadn't considered seducing him or sending lover his way, thanks for that).

This bit I quoted also brings up a question -- why would you ever not tick the auto invite to plot?

Also, why would a plot success percentage go down? I mean, if the backers stay constant. Is it the target's spymaster or other councilors at work?

What Xinc said.

When you start an assassination plot two potential events go to work. The first has a chance of firing to activate the assassination, the second has a chance to activate the "oops, your plot has been found out" event. Each one has a chance to fire based on the character's stats and their position in the target's court.

For example, you may have noticed that bringing a high intrigue patient and deceitful wife, spymaster or regent into a plot MASSIVELY bumps up plot power, while bringing in a craven drunkard lowborn brings in just 3% or so. However, as I noted, sometimes that 3% may be all you need if it takes you from 148% to 151% ("I won't poison the wine but I will leave the door to the pantry unlocked . . ."

If you really want to minimax your assassination then leave the "auto-invite" button unticked then go through each potential plotter individually. Ignore any drunks, lunatics or hedonists, invite all suitable green thumbs up characters, then check the suitable yellow wavering hand characters for gift size - if the gift matches the potential PP gain then send the gift and invite to the plot.

BTW, on a related topic this is why you may also want to keep the "Auto stop plot" button unticked - sometimes you may want potential plotters to start a murder plot just so your Spymaster can uncover it and give you just cause to imprison that faithless traitor's sorry ass !