Crusader Kings 3 divides its map into several layers: empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties, and baronies. Each barony is an independent town or city (called a holding), but it also belongs to the county, the duchy, the kingdom, and the empire above it.
However, while the de jure borders of kingdoms and empires can fluctuate as the game unfolds, duchy borders will always stay the same. This is largely due to how the game mechanics work, but Crusader Kings 3 also uses this as a reason to give each duchy access to a single powerful building. But not every player will be able to access duchy buildings right away.
How to Unlock Duchy Buildings
If players choose the 867 starting date, duchy buildings will be out of reach for some time. The player ruler's culture needs one of two innovations to construct duchy buildings, and these innovations are in the Early Medieval Era. This era only becomes available in 900, and to unlock it, a culture needs half the Tribal Era innovations and then still has to wait several years to get access.
Once all that is done, the player ruler's culture needs to discover the Burhs innovation for military buildings and the Manorialism innovation for economic buildings. Each duchy building has three upgrade levels, and the upgrades unlock during the next two eras. Specifically, players will need Castle Baileys and Royal Armory for military buildings and Windmills and Cranes for economic buildings.
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How to Build Duchy Buildings
Each duchy has a capital county, and the capital of this county has a special building slot for duchy buildings. Players can move a county capital to any barony they directly control, but the duchy building slot won't move with it.
Players can identify duchy building slots by the arrows that point in from the four corners of the box. This is different from the special building slot, which has two leaves in the corners instead.
To construct a duchy building, players need several things. First, the county owner must have the duchy title. For instance, if the Duke of Berry owns three of the Berry Duchy's counties, but another duke owns Berry County itself, neither of them can build the duchy building in Déols, nor can the King of France build it for them. The King of France also can't choose a duchy building for Paris unless he also holds the title Duke of Valois.
Aside from that, the culture of the county must have the right innovations to access the duchy buildings. Finally, players must have around 500-600 gold, which is a lot more than what a normal building costs. However, the benefits are worth the extra payment. Here's a summary of what they each do:
- Military Academies: less army maintenance, more and cheaper men-at-arms, more and more effective Knights, can use Train Knights when traveling.
- Marches: better defenses across the duchy, more taxes from hill and mountain holdings, -10 Danger when traveling through the duchy.
- Siege Works: siege weapons stationed in this holding are tougher and more effective; siege weapons, in general, are cheaper; Fort Level goes up across the duchy.
- Royal Armories: men-at-arms stationed in this holding are tougher and deal more damage, less army maintenance, more levies from the duchy, and cheaper Grand Tournaments in the holding.
- Jousting Grounds: cavalry units stationed in this holding get a buff to everything, fewer men-at-arms maintenance, and Joust and Horse Race contests for the Grand Tournament are half off in the holding.
- Crown Smithies: heavy infantry and spearmen stationed in the holding get more damage and toughness, fewer men-at-arms maintenance, Grand Tournament Duels are half off in this holding, and can use Superior Armaments when traveling.
- Archery Grounds: archers and skirmishers stationed in this holding get buffs, fewer men-at-arms maintenance, and Grand Tournament Archery contests are half off in this holding.
- Tax Offices: extra taxes from every holding in the duchy.
- Leisure Palaces: more prestige, more stress loss, a slight scheme success boost, faster Control growth, Feasts are half off, and more rewards for hosting a Grand Wedding in the holding.
- Royal Reserves (requires good terrain): more taxes, faster development growth across the duchy, Popular Opinion boost, and better odds when Hunting in the holding.
- Royal Gardens (requires Garden Architects tradition): more taxes, more prestige, less stress gain, Popular Opinion boost, and more rewards for hosting a Grand Wedding.
- Great Megalith (requires Megalithic Constructions tenet): more taxes, faster development growth, Popular Opinion boost, more Renown, more Piety, more Learning XP, and faster naval speed.
There are also two unique duchy buildings: the Aurelian Walls in Rome and the Theodosian Walls in Constantinople. Players who own the right county and duchy can replace these buildings, but the benefits they provide are at least as good as a level 3 duchy building and are completely unique.
Crusader Kings 3 is available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 99%
- Released
- September 1, 2020
- ESRB
- T for Teens: Drug Reference, Language, Mild Violence, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Paradox Interactive
- Publisher(s)
- Paradox Interactive
WHERE TO PLAY
Your legacy awaits. Choose your noble house and lead your dynasty to greatness in a Middle Ages epic that spans generations. War is but one of many tools to establish your reign, as real strategy requires expert diplomatic skill, mastery of your realm, and true cunning. Crusader Kings III continues the popular series made by Paradox Development Studio, featuring the widely acclaimed marriage of immersive grand strategy and deep, dramatic medieval roleplaying.
Take command of your house and expand your dynasty through a meticulously researched Middle Ages. Begin in 867 or 1066 and claim lands, titles, and vassals to secure a realm worthy of your royal blood. Your death is only a footnote as your lineage continues with new playable heirs, either planned… or not.
Discover a sprawling simulated world teeming with peasants and knights, courtiers, spies, knaves and jesters, and secret love affairs. An extensive cast of historical characters can be romanced, betrayed, executed, or subtly influenced.
Explore a vast medieval map stretching from the snowswept Nordic lands to the Horn of Africa, and the British Isles in the west to the exotic riches of Burma in the east. Claim, conquer, and rule thousands of unique counties, duchies, kingdoms, and empires.
- Engine
- Clausewitz Engine
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Crusader Kings
- Platform(s)
- PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Grand Strategy
- How Long To Beat
- 70 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
- File Size Xbox Series
- 11 GB (November 2023)
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
