Crusader Kings 3 has been out for a little while now. It’s fairly popular, and is great for a laugh or just a good time conquering the world with your own dynasty. However, it seems as though the modding scene for the game is just as popular, with more than 600 Crusader Kings 3 mods already on the Steam Workshop at the time of writing. Here, I’m going to talk you through some of the best post-launch mods for the game. Mods that you might actually want to use, as opposed to the many awful mods that you know are lurking out there.
Prince of Darkness
This first mod is absolutely phenomenal. It was inspired by the World of Darkness, and puts you in control of an immortal vampire. You can still die, but not of old age. This means that you can have as many children as you want, go on epic campaigns across the world, and generally leave the chains of mortality behind. The mod even has its own story, one pulled straight from the pages of the World of Darkness books. It’s a fantastic way to give your next playthrough a brand new flavor. Of course, that flavor is blood.
Daddy Pika’s Cheat Menu
This mod is incredibly popular, as it brings one of the best mods from Crusader Kings 2 over to the latest release. It’s basically a mod that will allow you to do all of the things that you really want to, but can’t because of limitations set by the game. For example, if you want to force a marriage, you can with this mod. If you fancy naming every character something rude or funny, this totally allows you to do that. You can even order other characters to murder or impregnate each other, if that’s part of your grand master plan.
Sunset Invasion
Sunset Invasion was a well-loved DLC for Crusader Kings 2. While the original DLC was limited to a single culture and religion, this mod expands upon what was originally released. It even has a brand new relationship system inspired by Mass Effect and Dragon Age. As you become friendlier with a particular faction, you can unlock new abilities and options with them. The same obviously goes for turning the relationship sour. But you wouldn’t do that, would you?
The Bronze Age: Maryannu
If you wanted to see Egyptians, Minoans, and Mycenaens in Crusader Kings 3, this is the mod for you. It adds more to the map, and opens up a completely new way for you to play. The mod contains everything you’d need from each of the new factions that have been added, and it really does seem like a completely different game, or a DLC at the very least. If you’re even remotely curious to see what other cultures feel like to play in this game, then this mod is perfect. You never know, you might end up preferring it.
More Game Rules
Are you sick of being restricted by the rules in Crusader Kings 3 and want more? Well this mod does just that. Using this mod, you can set up more challenges for yourself with an entirely new ruleset being applied to the game. Things like secret bastards will suddenly pop up to ruin your day. You can even be seduced by the AI, if you’re not careful that is. This mod really is more for the players who are looking to totally mix up their next playthrough without knowing how. There are some fantastic surprises here, even for the most experienced players, and I can’t recommend it enough.
Shattered Kingdoms
Based on Crusader Kings 2 Shattered World, this mod literally shatters the world in Crusader Kings 3. It might look destructive, but it’s really quite clever. Underneath the Earth-shattering surface, it simply destroys everything within a certain tier. This is designed to make you play the game in a completely unexpected way, and I think it does a pretty good job of it. If you were a fan of Shattered World in Crusader Kings 2, definitely give this a go.
Better AI
The author of this mod is extremely angry. They say that Paradox intentionally makes the AI in Crusader Kings 3 stupid, and blocks them from using certain mechanics. That’s why this mod was created, and it gives the AI some brand new abilities. Apparently, it’s all about teaching the AI how to act, so they’re now better with their money, and far superior in combat. Generally, the mod makes them much better at being rulers than you. I’d watch out if you’re looking to use this mod, as it seems a little too much like asking to be destroyed in your next playthrough.
Merciless Ruler
I know there are some of you out there who need this mod, so here it is. Merciless Ruler is one of the best Crusader Kings 3 mods for being the most horrific ruler in history. For example, you can easily castrate anybody you come across without a care in the world. You’ll also be pleased to know that the cooldown on torture is a thing of the past. Torture away! Mutilation is also in there, allowing you to remove arms and legs. Unfortunately, the mod gets even darker than the violence I’ve mentioned, so discretion is advised if you choose to install it.
Pantheon of Gods
Pantheon of Gods is a brilliant mod. The number of new cultures modded into Crusader Kings 2 was what inspired its creation. It adds in more gods than you can imagine, including demi-gods. It even has the ability to make you a fallen god, if you suffer from too much corruption. As if you needed more of an ego while playing, you can also bestow godhood, how does that sound? It’s still a work in progress, but I can see this being a mod that most players use before too long. Best to get in on it now.
Those are all of the post-launch Crusader Kings 3 mods that I’d recommend playing with right now. Some are stupid and fun, while others are a lot more serious, but still quite fun. There are sure to be many more as modders continue to tinker with the game, so check back at mod hubs often to see what’s new.
