What are Theocratic Vassals in CK3?

In Crusader Kings 3, theocratic vassals are rulers who serve as their own realm priests and can hold both castles and temples. They offer many advantages, including high gold and levies, stability, and simplified succession.

Creating theocratic vassals requires giving them enough land to exceed their domain limit, and it is important to consider factors such as religion, existing theocratic vassals, temple holdings, domain limit, opinion and traits, government type, piety and devotion levels, and the balance of power within your realm. Changing your religion may impact the status of your theocratic vassals, resulting in the loss of their theocratic privileges.

Theocratic vassals in Crusader Kings 3 are rulers who act as their own realm priests. They can hold both castles and temples, making them efficient in terms of domain management. Theocratic vassals exist in religions that have theocratic clergy, as opposed to lay clergy where feudal rulers can hold temples.

It’s important to note that creating one or two theocratic vassals is possible, but to establish a continuous generation of theocratic vassals, you need to give them enough land to exceed their domain limit.

Why are Theocratic Vassals OP?

1) High Gold and Levies: Theocratic Vassals provide the highest amount of gold and levies compared to other vassal types. This is based on their opinion of you as the ruler, making it beneficial to maintain a positive relationship with them.

2) Stability: Theocratic Vassals tend to have pious traits, which make them more stable and less likely to rebel or cause trouble within your realm. Their zealous nature also means that appeasing them can have a significant impact on the majority of your realm.

3) No Title Claims and Inheritance Issues: Theocratic Vassals are randomly generated, which means they do not come with title claims or complicated inheritance situations. This makes them easier to manage and prevents potential conflicts over succession.

4) Theocratic Succession: Theocratic Vassals have Theocratic Succession, which guarantees a continuous line of worthy heirs. This ensures that there will always be a suitable ruler to take over their position, eliminating the need to worry about succession crises.

5) Chastity Doctrines: Theocratic Vassals with Chastity Doctrines will never create dynasties that could grow to rival your own. This helps maintain your dynasty’s dominance and prevents any potential threats from emerging within your realm.

6) Allies in Great Holy Wars: If you plan on converting the world to your religion, Theocratic Vassals can become excellent allies in Great Holy Wars. They will not convert to another religion unless they are unlanded, making them valuable assets in expanding your religious influence.

How to create theocratic vassal step-by-step?

To create a theocratic vassal in Crusader Kings 3, you can follow these steps:

• Find a county with a temple and grant it to a character of theocratic faith.
• Grant additional counties with temples to the theocratic ruler.
• Exceed the theocratic ruler’s domain limit to prompt them to grant temple holdings to other theocratic rulers.
• Grant higher-tier titles to the theocratic vassals to expand their realm further.

There is no specific ideal amount of land to entrust to theocratic vassals in Crusader Kings 3, as it can vary depending on your goals. However, it is generally recommended to give them enough land to exceed their domain limit (as I mention above) By doing so, they will create theocratic barons who will become their direct theocratic vassals. This allows for a continuous generation of theocratic vassals within your realm.

The more theocratic vassals you have, the higher your tax income will be, especially if you have a high level of devotion in your religion. Additionally, upgrading temple buildings in vassal-held territories can further boost tax income. It’s important to balance the power dynamics between your personal territory and theocratic vassals to maintain stability and maximize income.

What to check on potential theocratic vassals?

Remember that this isn’t just about creation. You still need to consider government type, religion, and opinion of the characters you grant titles to for stability and loyalty within your realm. Specially you need to focus on these stats:

1) Religion: Theocratic vassals can only be created in religions that have theocratic clergy. Make sure your character follows a religion that allows for theocratic rulers.

2) Existing Theocratic Vassals: Check if there are already theocratic vassals in your realm or neighboring realms. You can try to vassalize them instead of creating new ones from scratch.

3) Temple Holdings: Look for counties that have temple holdings. These counties are ideal for creating theocratic vassals. You can grant the county to a character of theocratic clergy faith, and they will become your theocratic vassal.

4) Domain Limit: Consider the domain limit of your ruler. It is important to give theocratic vassals enough land to exceed their domain limit. This will allow them to grant temples to other theocratic vassals, creating a continuous generation of theocratic vassals.

5) Opinion and Traits: Take into account the opinion and traits of potential theocratic vassals. Theocratic vassals tend to provide higher gold and levies based on opinion, so it’s beneficial to have vassals with positive opinions. Additionally, look for theocratic vassals with pious traits, as they tend to be more stable and loyal.

6) Government Type: Consider the government type of the potential theocratic vassal. Theocratic rulers can have vassals of feudal or republic government types under them. This can impact the dynamics of your realm and the interactions between different vassals.

7) Piety and Devotion: Increasing your piety and devotion levels can have a positive impact on the tax income generated by theocratic vassals. Consider focusing on religious activities and perks that boost your piety and devotion.

8) Balance of Power: It’s important to maintain a balance of power between your personal territory and theocratic vassals. Having too many theocratic vassals can lead to a loss of control and potential factionalism. Find the right balance that suits your playstyle and goals.

What if I change religion in my kingdom?

If you change your religion in Crusader Kings 3, the status of your theocratic vassals may be affected. Here are a few possible outcomes:

1) Conversion to a religion with lay clergy: If you convert to a religion that has lay clergy as its clerical tradition, your theocratic vassals may no longer be compatible with your new faith. They may lose their theocratic status and become regular feudal or republic vassals, depending on the government type of the county they hold. This can result in a loss of the benefits and stability that theocratic vassals provide.

2) Conversion to a religion with theocratic clergy: If you convert to a religion that also has theocratic clergy, your theocratic vassals should remain unaffected. They will continue to function as theocratic rulers and retain their theocratic government type.

3) Conversion to a religion that does not allow theocratic rulers: If you convert to a religion that does not allow theocratic rulers at all, your theocratic vassals may be forced to convert to a different government type. They may become feudal or republic rulers, depending on the government type of the county they hold. This can lead to a loss of the benefits and stability provided by theocratic vassals.

It’s important to note that the specific outcomes may vary depending on the mechanics and rules of the religion you convert to, as well as any specific events or decisions that may be triggered during the conversion process.