Crusader Kings III – Defusing Vassal Factions Guide

‘To do’ list for rapid faction take-down during your next succession crisis.

Guide to Defusing Vassal Factions

All credit goes to Sputnik!

Dissolve a Faction by Removing Its Members

When a faction’s combined Military Power hits 100% they’ll launch their Ultimatum. But if you remove enough faction members to lower their power bar below the 80% line, their faction will begin to dissolve and eventually vanish.

How? I prefer the peacenik approach. You can remove a faction member by raising his Opinion over +80 (if this doesn’t work it means another faction member already has a hook on him).

Who to target? The Faction Panel arranges its member’s portraits in order of descending military strength. So consider targeting the left-most guy first. However, the case below I’d probably schmooze on the weaker member, since he’s the closer to +80 opinion.

Schmoozing Checklist

Feast, Hunt, Sway and Befriend are all good, but they all take time you’ve probably have run out of. Here’s some things to instantly boost a vassal’s Opinion:

• Appoint Powerful Vassal to Council (+50)
• Appoint Regular Vassal to Council (+10)
• Gift of gold (scaled effect with rank)
• Gift artefact (varies with quality and usefulness)
• Reduce Feudal tax obligations (varies with size of reduction)
• Grant Duchy title (+60)
• Grant vassal (+10)
• Reduce Crown Authority (varies with the exact reduction)

Things to Be Careful About

• I tend to avoid any drastic methods to remove faction members. ‘Revoke Title’ and ‘Imprison’ will work, but these are usually seen as acts of tyranny, causing faction-wide opinion penalties, triggering more factional strife.
• A Feast is still something you may as well organise, on the off-chance you can complete it in time. Hunts though, are a little dangerous in times of discontent – as you might find an arrow in your neck.
• ‘Demand Conversion’ interaction might make a different-faith vassal happier. But if it fails you’re gonna get hit with-10 Opinion instead. And a failed conversion of a Dynasty member can prompt a Cadet Branch to form.
• Reducing Feudal Taxes can be a good fix, although you won’t be able to increase it again for years. Not so sure if it’s wise to reduce their Levee obligations though, as this might just skew the faction power bar in their favour.
• Lowering your Crown Authority will make everyone happier, even if they’re not rioting for it. But for me is the last resort – the loss of Liege benefits is high and the reset time is long.