Crusader Kings 3 gives you plenty of opportunities to showcase your ruler’s glorious exploits or absolute incompetence across a single playthrough, from conquering great swathes of land to drinking enough to die just 40 days into your reign. Yet, although painting the map in your realm’s color definitely sends a message, character nicknames are a subtler way to make your ruler stand out from the rest.
CK3 character nicknames are solely cosmetic and do not grant any gameplay benefits, but getting them certainly helps with the title’s already strong roleplaying element.
They are given after characters take important decisions or reach a certain outcome in specific events that may or may not pop up during a playthrough.
Some are internally labeled as “bad” and may be replaced by “good” ones, should you obtain them later.
Being chums with your head of faith can, for example, lead to your ruler being called the Pious. A certain Intrigue lifestyle event’s outcome can see your character called the Flayer, while enacting the Restore the Danelaw decision will earn you the Dane nickname.
A number of historical characters have access to more special nicknames of which only some can be earned by other figures.
It’s also worth noting that character nicknames aren’t doled out as often in CK3 as they were in its predecessor. Depending on who you ask, this is either a little too restrictive or makes earning them more special.
At the same time, if you absolutely must have more nicknames in your game, there’s a handy mod that more or less showers you in them.
While they may not turn your ruler into a genius or give them the strength of a thousand men, Crusader Kings 3 character nicknames remain a fun way to track the things that made the people in charge of your realm (not so) great during and at the end of a playthrough.
For more on the game, check out our guides on traits and console commands.
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