Some questions from returning player

[cephalo]

So I haven't played in a year or so, and I have a couple of questions.

Back in the day, if you entrusted your properly educated, thoroughbred genius heir with land of his own, he would be ruined by accumulating every possible vice and malus in the game. Your brave, diligent and kind boy would become a craven, cruel, paranoid, disfigured, stressed lunatic in just the few years before you die. It was always better to just keep him in court. Is this still the case?

Also, I'm a bit confused by the new counsel mechanics. For example, someone was recently caught plotting to kill me, and every council member voted against imprisoning them (with the exception of my mother). This in spite of the fact that I have good relations with all of them. Is there something I should know to avoid this kind of absurdity?

 

[thevmag]

Landing your favourite heir has always carried its risks, but, anecdotally, I've had no problem with them. I give my heir a bit of extra land, and when I die we consolidate the trading posts he built (95? yes!) and he brings some extra prestige with him. Only real issue is him marrying off his kids wrong, if your death takes too long, and him picking the wrong childhood focuses for his kids. Overall: if you're getting on in years or want your heir to have some extra starting prestige, I say go for it.

Councils are pushovers. My strategy on councilors: If you need to vote on something (executions... war... disabling council power...), replace your standing council with sycophants. You've got a whole court full of random courtiers and low-stat mayors who would love to be marshal for a day. Request their council support, vote for what you need, then... kick them out.

 

[RX2000]

Back in the day, if you entrusted your properly educated, thoroughbred genius heir with land of his own, he would be ruined by accumulating every possible vice and malus in the game. Your brave, diligent and kind boy would become a craven, cruel, paranoid, disfigured, stressed lunatic in just the few years before you die. It was always better to just keep him in court. Is this still the case?

This still happens, but honestly I like it better that way. Its more fun for me to play with an heir that has some "bad" traits rather than just having a perfect heir every time, & never having to deal with any internal strife because of it. Give me the arbitrary, gluttonous, lunatic guy as my heir please!

 

[cephalo]

Councils are pushovers. My strategy on councilors: If you need to vote on something (executions... war... disabling council power...), replace your standing council with sycophants. You've got a whole court full of random courtiers and low-stat mayors who would love to be marshal for a day. Request their council support, vote for what you need, then... kick them out.

What about the really talented guys you want to keep in the council though? Don't you ruin your relationships with them by firing them?

I imagine it was an interesting meeting.

So you guys think we should let this person continue their plans to assassinate me? I don't agree with this decision. It is a serious crime after all, to kill the king... *pause*. I understand that maybe you think I'm biased, since I am the king, but even if I wasn't, I'm sure I would see this crime punished.

 

[thevmag]

What about the really talented guys you want to keep in the council though? Don't you ruin your relationships with them by firing them?

Your typical council has 7 spaces. All you need is a 1 vote majority. You can keep the people you actually like or will vote for you anyway, fire the people who hate you, and do just enough to gain your majority vote.

Otherwise... sure, he might be miffed that you fired him, if you've got no choice but to fire him for a second and reinstate him cause his stats are just that good. He'll get over it though, and either a marriage between your kids will patch things up or a few months having your chancellor visit him.

 

[cephalo]

So the reasons for them voting against you are just arbitrary and according to favors etc? Do they actually weigh the decisions present or just vote randomly or no by default?

 

[thevmag]

Each councilor falls under a certain affinity: Loyalists, Zealouts, Pragmatics, Glory Hounds, or Malcontents. They'll vote according to these affiliations primarily, vote with whoever they owe favours to, or if they have no opinion on the matter then they'll vote for whichever side has the bigger diplomacy.

There are certain things that determine which affiliation they take, but these can change with time. I just think of it as a part of their personality, and treat it as such.

 

[Matthias_Wlkp]

Also, I'm a bit confused by the new counsel mechanics. For example, someone was recently caught plotting to kill me, and every council member voted against imprisoning them (with the exception of my mother). This in spite of the fact that I have good relations with all of them. Is there something I should know to avoid this kind of absurdity?

They might be returning a favor to the guy you want to imprison. Check the council view.

Your typical council has 7 spaces. All you need is a 1 vote majority. You can keep the people you actually like or will vote for you anyway, fire the people who hate you, and do just enough to gain your majority vote.

Actually you need a draw. Ruler's voice is the tie breaker.

 

[Rags17]

Councils are pushovers. My strategy on councilors: If you need to vote on something (executions... war... disabling council power...), replace your standing council with sycophants. You've got a whole court full of random courtiers and low-stat mayors who would love to be marshal for a day. Request their council support, vote for what you need, then... kick them out.

Even easier trick - give a favour to some lowborn nobodies, THEN make them your Councillors, it's a lot cheaper getting a favour from a nobody than it is from someone with power. Call in favours. Profit !

 

[deadhand13]

Also, if they are landless nobodies in your court, you will inherit their money when they die, making bribes risk free.

 

[RX2000]

Even easier trick - give a favour to some lowborn nobodies, THEN make them your Councillors, it's a lot cheaper getting a favour from a nobody than it is from someone with power. Call in favours. Profit !

Then enjoy the negative opinion modifiers from all your powerful vassals for the next forever......

 

[thevmag]

Then enjoy the negative opinion modifiers from all your powerful vassals for the next forever......

Even if I wasn't dumping 500 ducal and kingdom viceroy titles on them for max opinion every time one of them dies, just marrying your kids into your vassals' family means they'll never complain even at -100 opinion

Plus, filling the council with nobodies is only for as long as you need to make the votes you want. Once that's done, the sycophants get fired and it turns back into a meritocracy.