How to Play as a Landless Adventurer in Crusader Kings 3

With more content and new systems to sink your teeth into since the release, Crusader Kings III is somewhat of an improvement over its predecessor, the historical strategy game Crusader Kings II. CK3 pulls that off with a dexterity that's one of its greatest strengths and indeed one of the most significant for the series since its inception-the way it treads that tightrope between historical RPG and historical strategy games, fusing such RPG elements as character and character development with the army, conquest, and running of a medieval realm. The latest addition to the game, Roads to Power, grants players something many have clamored for the best part of a decade in the form of the Landless Adventurer.

Unlike other ruler types in Crusader Kings 3, the landless adventurer does not own any land; instead, an itinerant wanderer, the Landless Adventurer ruler type moves from province to province in search of fame, glory, and gold. This new ruler type plays differently than anything else in Crusader Kings 3, offering several new ways to play the game, but it can be a bit tricky to get started thanks to the massive differences between it and a feudal lord.

Roleplaying a Nomadic Adventurer Strategies

There are a couple of paths open to players who opt to create a Landless Adventurer right at the beginning of the game. You can choose a pre-defined character Landless Adventurer from the options presented in the character pick screen; this is an OK option, but relatively thin compared to the many landed options.

Alternatively, you can begin with a clean sheet and create your own Landless Adventurer. This is most likely the best choice for most players since this allows them to tailor their Adventurer down to their religion, culture, dynasty, and more. It triggers certain cultural traditions, religious options, or specific Men at Arms that wouldn't otherwise be available. First, click on a county on the map, then click the Create a Landless Adventurer button in the bottom right corner of the screen.

The third one is choosing a landed character who is a duke or count and possesses a puny realm with less than three holdings. In addition to this, the character's culture needs to have the Futuwaa, Audacious Cadets, Swords for Hire, or Horse Lords cultural traditions. These types of rulers will possess an option under the Decisions menu titled the Become an Adventurer Decision.

Starting the Camp

The main difference between landed rulers and landless adventurers is that the former have possessions extending beyond a single county. A landless adventurer can create a free-roaming Camp in any county on the map, for the cost of a special resource type, called Provisions. You can access the camp by going to a character's profile and then hitting the Camp button, which is bottom left on the screen alongside the Lifestyle and Inventory buttons. From this menu, players are able to build 'buildings' for their camp-a process which yields similar bonuses to creating buildings in a more traditional type of landed holding. The Camp is represented by an icon of a clearing containing a tent.

You can travel, moving the Camp to another location in the world by clicking the "Move Camp" button at the bottom of the Camp screen.

Provisions

Provisions, in Crusader Kings 3, is the self-sufficiency of the camp. This is one aspect where both the usage of the Provisions from the Camp and these events come into play in a very significant way. You will be able to increase your Provisions through events, follower jobs, or by active searching out minor Adventurer Decisions you may perform. Poor consequences await if you don't have enough provisions.

Adventurer Camp Buildings That Don't Require Land

You'll be able to choose between hundreds of unique Camp buildings, each with its own set of benefits and upgrades, as well as a variety of interior customization options.

Camp Members

Campers are the lifeblood of any adventuring party. Take two with you from the outset, or none at all, if that's what you prefer-the choice is yours. There are many more opportunities to complement the camp later in the game. Because Landless Adventurers are always on the move and have the special recruiting trip activity, the trip menu is another fine place to find Camp members. If traveling, this can be utilized in order to find new recruits like knights or characters. Recruiting also occurs due to several events, along with some Contract results. This can bring a fleet of mixed followers that can lead to marriage, and fulfilling of contracts.

Camp Spirit

To get an idea of whether their leadership is loved or loathed, players can use the buttons along the side of the Camp interface to toggle on the 'mood' of their Camp. Given that a lot of new events were added to the Landless Adventurer ruler type-some positive to opinion, some negative-the metric is useful to gauge the overall attitude of the camp.

Camp Spirit

To get an idea if their leadership is liked or hated, characters are able to view the'mood' of their Camp by using one of several buttons along the side of the Camp interface. With so many new events added to the Landless Adventurer ruler type, some which positiviely increase opinion and others that negatively decrease it, it's nice to see a way to determine the general attitude of the camp.

Different Kinds of Camps

There are six different types of camps that players can cater to within Crusader Kings 3, all with their very own emphasis and bonus system, appealing to the preferred kind of adventure. The groups include: one called the Legitimists; these people want to claim their rightful title. Then there is another group called the Explorers; well, their goal is to explore. Check out the various camp types for what they have available for bonuses and job titles for the members of the camp.

Camp Types:

Explorers

Nomads

Mercenary

Legitimacy Doubters

Free Loaders

Academics

Lifestyle Focus Types for Landless Builders

In terms of Lifestyle-related Focus types, the Landless Adventurer ruler type is pretty unique. Sure, they still have access to all the useful Lifestyle routes, but their Focus types have been crafted for the Landless Adventurer play style rather than the other way around. Types of new

Focus projects:

Strength Honor

Calling all warriors

Bartering

Hidden agenda

Sagacity

Crusader Kings 3: How to Navigate Without Land

Feudal, tribal, clan, and administrative monarchs play very differently in Crusader Kings 3 than do the Landless Adventurers. The acquisition of land is the goal of a Landless Adventurer, but it's not quite that simple as just making up some claim and pressing an army on it. First off, a novice adventurer has neither claims nor an army.

New Contracts introduced with Roads to Power are the focal point of Landless Adventurer gameplay in CK3. The Contracts available to the Landless Adventurers are highly varied, in missions offered by the landed lords. There is literally an array of excellent choices that can fit any character type, from assignments relating to Diplomacy to Stewardship and in fact each stat type. There is also a wide range of Contract types, from the heavily event-based ones to those using this new novel Scheme framework. If it is not earning enough money, or too few Contracts in one region, the player can always move their Camp to another part of the map.

Contract Finalization

You'll find contracts all over Crusader Kings 3. The only area you will be able to find Contracts is around a player's Camp, so it's usually a good idea to relocate the Camp from time to time to reveal new realms. Clicking on the Contract on the map will bring up details on the conditions for success, the prizes and any consequences for failure. Most Contracts require the player to invest in it within the Scheme system accessed through the Intrigue menu, where the player assigns "Agents" to tasks in order to improve the

Unique Decisions for Adventurers

The Adventurer ruler type has a number of unique Decisions available from within the Decisions menu. These decisions may be major or routine. Major Decisions are broad objectives to guide the Adventurer gameplay, supporting a range of play styles. Some will involve religious efforts, while others will be about gaining land and titles in order to segue into regular Crusader Kings 3 play and one or two on becoming a famous Landless Adventurer. Most of the contracts directly enhance a character's ability to make these Major Decisions, and they're fun goals to work toward. It's easy to get confused because this gameplay style is so different from the landed ruler. For a rundown of what to do to get various results, check out the Major Decisions.

Less important A number of options are available to the adventurers, like visiting a nearby castle holding to gather supplies for the camp or recruit soldiers. Due to this, several interesting events may happen that apply only to Landless Rulers.

A Nomad's Marriage Guide

Landless Adventurers are hardly a magnet for brides and suitors, unlike even the lowest Count. It may take some great effort to get a suitable spouse to obtain an heir, since the "arrange marriage" page is usually empty. Having no acceptable wives might be game over because they are still going to need heirs. Fortunately, Landless Adventurers can find spouses in a number of ways. Women may be attracted to the Camp as followers through various events. Landless women adventurers are never in short supply of marriageable friends.

However, for the Landless Adventurers, desiring to be married, there is the Rescue a Fair Subject Contract which is very suitable. Upon completion of this Contract, the player character will be afforded the opportunity to wed an intelligent and beautiful courtier of the opposite sex. The courtier shall be rescued by the Adventurer.

Marshaling Armies as a Landless Interloper

While there is a ton of non-military content in Crusader Kings 3 for the class known as the Landless Adventurer, it is, at the end of the day, a game about lords and armies. For many players, landed ruler status is just a longer-term aim; without an army to prop this up, it's not that easy. The good news is that ruler class Landless Adventurers can hire Men at Arms for their adventures. The uniqueness lies in the fact that these Men at Arms require no upkeep fee whatsoever, but their number can only be replenished with provisioning and cash. With all said, the player does have the option to build a small mercenary army in the Landless Adventurer Men at Arms.

This would also mean that the character has a better chance of rising through the ranks in the world and can receive Contracts of a military nature, for instance.

Feel free to keep the above in mind as you begin your exciting journey as a landless adventurer in Crusader Kings 3. Remember, success here means being flexible, resourceful, and opportunistic.