What cultures give the best buffs?

[0rth0d0xypr0xy]

I'm aware tanistry is associated with the Celtic/Brythonic culture, which is useful to escape gavelkind, but having recently attempted to get the five bloodlines in my Habsburg run I'm curious which ones when combined perform optimally?

Despite being tarred for their famous jaw, the Habsburgs were famed for their multilingual ability. I'd be interested to hear your responses.

I was originally thinking I'd revoke all my non-German vassals and try to achieve what Henry VI couldn't: make the HRE hereditary with the Pope as my vassal in Venaissin, whilst I rule from Rome!

N. B.

And yes, I've seen maxirage's epic Haesteinn of Nantes world conquest thread - but there have been many developments since 2013.

 

[Rockphed]

A couple cultures get to raid even when feudal or republic. Norse get to raise runestones, though I am not sure that is particularly useful. Jewish and khazar get an extra building in silk road trade posts. Aside from retinue differences, I'm not sure there is anything else culture does.

 

[Andrew0Red]

Commanders from certain cultures get extra tactics, e.g. scotsmen and italians are better with pikes, north-germanic are ... different with HI, some of the horse-peoples can go from melee phase to skirmish phase, &c, &c. https://ck2.paradoxwikis.com/Combat_tactics#Cultural_Specific_Tactics

BTW, norse culture does it's best to split into different cultures mid-game, so if you want to go that way, read up on how not to.

Also, being [reformed] pagan is an alternate route to raiding post-tribal.

 

[jonjowett]

Having the cultural ability to raid is probably the biggest cultural bonus IMO (Norse, Berber, Hungarian, Altaic group, Tibeto-Burman group, Nepali).

Tibeto-Burman group has access to Monastic Feudal goverment and a special extra building (Gompa Monastery) in all castles.

Chinese group, Tangut, Khitan and Jurchen have access to the unique "Chinese Imperialism" government. This is powerful, but has a lot of significant downsides for my particular playstyle.

Mongol nomads get a lot of unique flavour (Mongol Empire, special hunts, etc).

Celtic group can use Tanistry (as per OP) - which is nice in the very early game, not so good later, and is also granted by the Neill & Brian bloodlines.

Some cultures (Basque, Zhangzung, Sumpa) give immediate access to Absolute Cognatic succession - but this can be obtained in other ways within a century or two.

Byzantine group can manipulate their succession via castration and blinding. (Some other cultures disqualify blind people, but might not give the option to b,find prisoners.)

Khazars (which are Altaic!) and Israelite group get a few nice Jewish-themed things (eg. Radhanite trade post).

Cultural tactics can be quite powerful (as per @Andrew0Red's post) - but this depends on the general's culture, not your character's culture.

A number of cultures are scripted to split or change - you can build enjoyable runs around either leaning into the change or resisting it.

Cultural retinues vary widely. Some are very good, others... aren't. (Quite a few sound good but the game mechanics mean they perform badly - eg. cataphracts.)

 

[GuardianGI]

Altaic group cultures can turn into wandering adventurers (landless raiders) looking for land.

 

[0rth0d0xypr0xy]

Having the cultural ability to raid is probably the biggest cultural bonus IMO (Norse, Berber, Hungarian, Altaic group, Tibeto-Burman group, Nepali).

Tibeto-Burman group has access to Monastic Feudal goverment and a special extra building (Gompa Monastery) in all castles.

Chinese group, Tangut, Khitan and Jurchen have access to the unique "Chinese Imperialism" government. This is powerful, but has a lot of significant downsides for my particular playstyle.

Mongol nomads get a lot of unique flavour (Mongol Empire, special hunts, etc).

Celtic group can use Tanistry (as per OP) - which is nice in the very early game, not so good later, and is also granted by the Neill & Brian bloodlines.

Some cultures (Basque, Zhangzung, Sumpa) give immediate access to Absolute Cognatic succession - but this can be obtained in other ways within a century or two.

Byzantine group can manipulate their succession via castration and blinding. (Some other cultures disqualify blind people, but might not give the option to b,find prisoners.)

Khazars (which are Altaic!) and Israelite group get a few nice Jewish-themed things (eg. Radhanite trade post).

Cultural tactics can be quite powerful (as per @Andrew0Red's post) - but this depends on the general's culture, not your character's culture.

A number of cultures are scripted to split or change - you can build enjoyable runs around either leaning into the change or resisting it.

Cultural retinues vary widely. Some are very good, others... aren't. (Quite a few sound good but the game mechanics mean they perform badly - eg. cataphracts.)

Thanks for the feedback @jonjowett I really need to do a Norse campaign at some point. I'm so used to only having played feudal Catholics - even the truly 'Byzantine' government of "Imperial" entices me yet I've never dared to play such a game due to sheer shock of being overwhelmed at having to administrate soo many vassals.. The same uneasiness is felt when I gaze upon the myrmidons which are the Abbasid/Umayyad caliphates too!

@Andrew0Red, yes I've played the Orsini's of Orvieto to death recently and their pikes are fantastic! Felt like the proto-Swiss due to the repeated edge this gives you against the cavalry-mad HRE, Norman squatters of Sicily and the bellicose Byzantines!

@Rockphed Thanks, I had no idea. I've enjoyed many Semien starts with House Gideon and felt adopting either Ashkenazi/Sephardic culture to be worthwhile instead of remaining Ethiopian.. Even if that defeats the purpose of why they are included to begin with - I just dislike the near-constant rain/dry season which accompanies the culture..

 

[jonjowett]

I just dislike the near-constant rain/dry season which accompanies the culture..

FYI, the rain events (including the worst event, flooding) are driven by province location (West, Central or East Africa region), not culture.

If you don't want the events, you have to move your entire demesne out of the region. Which is why I avoid that area like the plague.

Spoiler: ...\events\hf_african_flavor_events.txt

# Rains down in Africa (SETUP)
character_event = {
    id = HF.15099
    is_triggered_only = yes
    hide_window = yes
    has_dlc = "Holy Fury"
    only_playable = yes

    trigger = {
        any_realm_province = {
            is_land = yes
            region_africa_west_central_or_east_trigger = yes
            has_rain_or_drought_modifier_trigger = no
        }
    }

    immediate = {
        any_realm_province = {
            limit = {
                is_land = yes
                region_africa_west_central_or_east_trigger = yes
                has_rain_or_drought_modifier_trigger = no
            }
            # Solid start... Activate this for more sunny weather from the get-go...
            add_province_modifier = {
                name = africa_light_rain
                duration = -1
            }
            change_rain_effect = yes #Activate this instead, if you want it more random...
        }
    }
}