Of the many mechanics in Crusader Kings 3, Attributes are the core of a character and govern the greatest aspects of both a player character and NPC's proficiency in the different playstyles available in this complex game. These stats are used in calculating the success (or failure) of taking certain actions.
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The physical, mental, and emotional factors that can influence Attributes (or vice versa) are numerous and varied, though can be classified and organized to help players make sense of all the game's gears and cogs.
There are 6 main Skills in CK3 and each determines one's ability to succeed when taking various types of actions. It is better to focus on increasing 1 in order to achieve greater and more significant feats. There are numerous other benefits that can be gained by increasing specific Skills, which will help the player in a variety of ways.
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- +1 General Opinion per level over 8 & -1 per each level below 8
- +1% Monthly prestige per level (starting from −8 at level 0)
- Determines the Opinion gained from specific events
- Determines the effectiveness of diplomacy actions
- +2% Levy size per level
- +2% Levy reinforcement rate per level
- +1 Advantage per level
- +2% Domain taxes per level over 8 & -2% Domain taxes per level under 8
- +1 Domain limit per 5 levels
- +1% Scheme discovery chance per level
- +1% Hostile scheme success chance per level
- Determines the effectiveness of intrigue actions
- Determines success chance of imprisonment actions
- +0.1 Monthly piety per level
- -1% Conversion cost per level
- +1% Cultural fascination bonus if the player is the cultural head of a Faith
- Determines the prestige cost of increasing the crown authority
- Determines the success chance of Demand Conversion actions
- Determines the effectiveness of a character in duels
- +10 Toughness per level
- +100 Damage per level
Dread is how afraid everyone is of a ruler, and the higher this stat is, the easier one can diplomatically bully others into submission without having to go to war or begin assassinating people. Dread can be gained or lost through acts of intimidation and terror, as an effect of various Attributes, and naturally through many traits. It will also slowly decrease over time, so players seeking to permanently cast a shadow of fear over the world should keep lots of prisoners handy.
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If one's Dread is high enough, other characters will become Intimidated or Terrified of them, both of which affect how they will react to certain actions taken or proposed by the player.
Bonuses To Actions Gained If Character Is Intimidated
- Arrange marriage +75
- Blackmail +50
- Negotiate alliance +50
- Offer guardianship +50
- Offer ward +50
- Ransom +40
- Ask to take vows +25
- Imprison +25
- Retract vassal +25
- Revoke title +25
- Demand conversion +10
- Offer vassalage +10
- Marry -50
Bonuses To Actions Gained If Character Is Terrified
- Arrange marriage +150
- Blackmail +100
- Negotiate alliance +100
- Offer guardianship +100
- Offer ward +100
- Ransom +100
- Ask to take vows +50
- Imprison +50
- Retract vassal +50
- Revoke title +50
- Demand conversion +20
- Offer vassalage +20
- Marry -75
Dread will get affected by a plethora of different modifiers from a ton of different sources.
- Building The Tower of London (a special structure) +30%
- The first perk of the Guile dynasty legacy +20%
- The Authority focus +20%
- Dreadful perk in Torturer tree (Intrigue lifestyle) +30%
- Hard Rule perk in Overseer tree (Martial lifestyle) +20%
- Public Display of Ruthlessness modifier (Host Feast) +25%
- Suspicious Reputation modifier (Learning lifestyle event) +20%
- Dangerous to Know modifier (Learning lifestyle event) +20%
- Wind Spirits' Blessing modifier (Seek Aid of the Spirits decision) +25%
- Torturer trait +50%
- Paranoid trait +25%
- Callous trait +25%
- Vengeful trait +15%
- Irritable trait +10%
Focuses, perks, and traits of many kinds will affect one's passive increase and decrease in Dread.
- Intimidation focus +30
- Serve the Crown lifestyle perk +15
- Wrathful trait +20
- Arbitrary trait +15
- Sadistic trait +35
- Albino trait +15
- Scaly trait +10
- One-Eyed trait +10
- Cannibal trait +20
- Greatest of Khans trait +50
- Compassionate trait -15
- Wounded trait -10
- Severely Injured trait -15
- Brutally Mauled trait -20
- Sickly trait -20
- Infirm trait -15
- Incapable trait -25
- Maimed trait -15
- Blind trait -10
- Ill trait -10
- Bubonic Plague trait -30
- Cancer trait -20
- Consumption trait -10
- Great Pox trait -20
- Gout-ridden trait -5
- Leper trait -20
- Lover's Pox trait -5
- Pneumonia trait -10
- One-Legged trait -10
- Small Pox trait -15
- Typhus trait -15
As opposed to many games, CK3's Health stat is less of a measure of life and more of a measure for how close one is to death. Male characters are born with a Health stat somewhere between 4.5 and 4.9, while female characters start with between 5 and 5.4. When characters reach 25 years old, they have a small 7.5% chance to lose -0.125 health every year, which increases by 2.2% every following year. There are different ranks of Health, which the game tells the player in sometimes cryptic yet accurate descriptions and titles.
- Dying: "You are at Death's doorstep" Health < 0
- Near Death: "You are not long for this world..." 0 ≤ Health < 1
- Poor: "You are ailing" 1 ≤ Health < 3
- Fine: "You are feeling fine" 3 ≤ Health < 5
- Good: "Your humors are balanced" 5 ≤ Health < 7
- Excellent: "You are full of vim and vigor!" Health ≥ 7
There are different categories of penalties and boosts that one can gain to their overall Health, each with different values. Here's what they all mean:
Penalties
- Catastrophic Health Penalty: Health < −4
- Critical Health Penalty: −4 ≤ Health < −3
- Severe Health Penalty: −3 ≤ Health < −1
- Major Health Penalty: −1 ≤ Health < −0.75
- Moderate Health Penalty: −0.75 ≤ Health < −0.5
- Minor Health Penalty: −0.5 ≤ Health < −0.25
- Tiny Health Penalty: −0.25 ≤ Health < 0
Boosts
- Small Health Boost: 0 < Health < +0.25
- Medium Health Boost: +0.25 ≤ Health < +0.5
- Significant Health Boost: +0.5 ≤ Health < +0.75
- Huge Health Boost: +0.75 ≤ Health < +1
- Massive Health Boost: +1 ≤ Health < +2
- Godlike Health Boost: +2 ≤ Health
When a character's health drops to nothing, they will die. If they had a title, it will pass onto their heir and the player will take control of them after a grim death screen. There are plenty of ways to die in CK3 and each from varying causes.
- When Health is either Poor, Near Death, or Dying, there is a chance to die upon hidden dice rolls every now and then, which are deadlier the lower a character's Health is
- Upon the success of a murder scheme, the targetted character dies
- The Attempt Suicide action has a high chance for the character to die
- Knights can die in battle or in duels and this chance increases the lower their Prowess is
- Characters can die within a holding that has been sieged
- Characters can die in battle
- Rulers can execute prisoners, which will cause those characters to die
- Random events of all kinds can lead to death, so be wary