The new expansion for Crusader Kings III: Royal Court has a bunch of special roles that can be assigned to characters. Doing so nets you an opinion bonus, as well as several buffs for your character, realm, and grandeur. Here’s our Crusader Kings III: Royal Court guide to help you with Court Positions.
Note: For more information, check out our Crusader Kings III guides and features hub as well as our beginner’s guide/the things to do before you unpause.
Crusader Kings III: Royal Court – Court Positions and Aptitude guide
Generally speaking, the basic requirements for most Court Positions in Crusader Kings III: Royal Court are that the character is not imprisoned, not employed in a full-time Court Position or as a Council Member, and not your spouse (unless it’s for the Court Physician role). A select few, however, have certain requirements that need to be fulfilled. Before we get to those, we need to discuss the factor that makes their buffs stronger: Aptitude.
The Aptitude level in Crusader Kings III tends to differ depending on the Court Position. In most cases, it’s one attribute/stat (i.e., Diplomacy, Martial, Prowess, and the like). For example, the Food Taster position has a chance to stop poison murder schemes made against you. Someone with high Intrigue, and thus excellent Aptitude, will be better suited for it. That person will reduce the success chance of that scheme by 10%, whereas someone who only has average Aptitude reduces it by just 4%.
Meanwhile, positions like Master of the Horse/Master of the Hunt use both Martial and Prowess, with an extra bonus if the candidate has the Brave trait. But, if that person is landed already, then this level is also slightly reduced as they’re “busy ruling.” You can mouse over a candidate’s Aptitude level to see the stats, traits, and other modifiers that affect this value.
Note 1: Employing a character and assigning them a job will cause you to pay a monthly salary. Watch out because trying to get all those benefits might drain your treasury.
Note 2: Many Court Positions will also affect your Grandeur. Some provide a percentage-based increase per month, while others add a flat increase.
Common Court Positions in Crusader Kings III: Royal Court
These are available to all landed rulers:
| Common Court Position | Specific Requirements (apart from not being imprisoned, having a Council role, etc.) | Effect |
| Court Physician | None | Performs medical treatments +monthly court grandeur +court grandeur bonus |
| Antiquarian | None | Reduces artifact decay Can reforge or repair artifacts Can commission artifacts via decision Protects artifacts during sieges and raids |
| Court Tutor | None | Increases the Learn Language scheme power Improves education outcomes (i.e., traits) – does not automatically become a guardian for children Unlocks the Have Child Study Language interaction (right-click on child’s portrait) |
| Seneschal | None | Increases monthly control growth |
| Court Jester | Target character is a direct vassal or a courtier; the ruler must have a duke rank or higher | Chance for stress-relieving events +monthly court grandeur +court grandeur bonus |
| Bodyguard (can have 2x) | None | Can prevent assassination murder schemes Reduces the chance that you’ll die or get captured in battles if your bodyguard is with you |
| Personal Champion | None | Reduces dread decay +prestige per month Can take your place in some duels |
Royal Court Positions in Crusader Kings III: Royal Court
As the name implies, these are only available to those who have a Royal Court active (i.e., owners of kingdom or empire level titles):
| Royal Court Position | Specific Requirements (apart from not being imprisoned, having a Council role, etc.) | Effect |
| Lady-in-waiting (can have 2x) | Available if the ruler is female | Improves stress loss Increases hostile scheme resistance |
| Food Taster | None | +court grandeur bonus Reduces enemy hostile scheme success chance Chance to stop poison murder schemes Ruler will lose weight more quickly |
| Cupbearer | None | +monthly court grandeur +court grandeur bonus Chance to stop poison murder schemes |
| Master of the Horse | For direct vassals only | Increases knight effectiveness +monthly court grandeur +court grandeur bonus |
| Master of the Hunt | For direct vassals only | Aids when using the Hunt activity +monthly court grandeur +court grandeur bonus |
| Royal Architect | For direct vassals only | Speeds up building construction time |
| High Almoner | None | +monthly piety +monthly court grandeur +court grandeur bonus |
| Court Poet | Has the Poet trait | May randomly become inspired +monthly court grandeur +court grandeur bonus |
| Court Musician | None | Increases opinion gain when hosting a feast +monthly court grandeur +court grandeur bonus |
| Executioner | Either you have a valid reason to imprison them, they’re already imprisoned by you, or you have a strong hook on them | Increases dread gain Reduces dread decay Can publicly execute prisoners to increase control and popular opinion The character’s crimes are forgiven |
| Court Artificer (can have 3x) | Either they have an active Inspiration, or they’ve already completed an Inspiration for you; doesn’t seem to be available to rulers with Tribal governments | Has a chance to become Inspired again- This is a way to continuously have people gathering artifacts for you +court grandeur bonus |
Special Court Positions
The last few Court Positions in Crusader Kings III: Royal Court are quite special in that they have very unique requirements that only apply to a given nation, culture, or religious grouping:
| Court Position | Specific Requirements (apart from not being imprisoned, having a Council role, etc.) | Effect |
| Keeper of the Swans | Ruler holds Kingdom of England Target character must be a direct vassal | +Diplomacy per level of fame +court grandeur bonus |
| Chief Eunuch | Ruler has a kingdom title or higher Target character must have the Eunuch trait This seems to be available to the Byzantine Empire already | Increases hostile scheme power Increases hostile scheme resistance +monthly court grandeur +court grandeur bonus |
| Chief Qadi | Ruler has a kingdom title and Muslim faith Target character must have Muslim faith and a trait from the Students of Knowledge group | +Learning per level of devotion +monthly piety |
| Cultural Emissary | Target character must have a Diplomacy stat of 8 or higher There are no ruler requirements, but this seems to be available to some rulers in the steppes of Central Asia | +prestige per month Increases opinion of those with a different culture |
| Garuda (can have 5x) | Ruler has a kingdom title or higher Target character is a knight This seems to be available to rulers in the Indian subcontinent | Increases dread gain Reduces dread decay Reduces the risk of dying or getting captured in battles if your Garuda is with you +monthly court grandeur |
Crusader Kings III: Royal Court is available via Steam. For more information, check out our guides and features hub.
