There are more than 50 different traditions in Crusader Kings 3, each with a different purpose, whether it is to improve your kingdom, strengthen your army, strengthen your economy or even faith. With so many options, it can be difficult to choose the right ones. So, I’ve compiled a complete list of traditions for CK3.
Best Traditions in CK3 Tier List (Crusader Kings 3)
I have divided each tradition into one of five levels, ranging from S-level (the best) to D-level (the worst).
| Tier | Tradition |
|---|---|
| S | Eastern Roman Heritage, Polders, Shepherds, Coastal Warriors, Recognition of Talent, Only the Strong, Hardworking, Diaspora, Mystical Ancestors, By the Sword, Horse Lords, Visigothic Codes, Lords of the Elephant |
| A | Legalistic, Agrarian, Metalworkers, Cultural Mixing, Family Business, Maritime Mercantilism, Malleable Subjects, Longbow Contests, Malleable Invaders, Quarrelsome, Respect for Veterans, Practiced Pirates, Chivalry, Ritualizing Friendship, Philosophical Culture, Linguists, Culinary Artists, Chanson de Geste , Druzhina, Futuwaa, Byzantine Traditions |
| B | Monastic Communities, Castle Keepers, Esteemed Hospitality, State Redemption, Garden Architects, Amharic Highlands, Warriors by Merit, Horse Breeders, Northern Tales, Keen Falconers, Military Admiration, Xenophiles, Skilled Fishermen, Storytellers, Tolerant, Skilled Craftsmen, Frequent Feasts, Religious. Patronage, Tabletop Warriors, Khadga Puja, Mountaineer Ruralism, Saharan Nomads, Ting-Meet, Mubarizun, Garuda Warriors |
| C | Ancient Miners, Republican Heritage, Dryland Dwellers, Collective Lands, Hill Dwellers, War Ceremonies, Court Eunuchs, Mountain Homes, Fervent Temple Builders, Wetlanders, Adaptive Skirmishers, Strength in Numbers, Stand and Fight!, Warriors of the Dry, Highland Warriors, Jungle Warriors, Loyal Subjects, Sailors, Fair, Perform Honor, Pacifists, Charismatic, Sacred Groves, Sacred Mountains, Compassionate Blinders, Regional Mixing, Remedies, Polygamous, Monogamous, Desert Travelers, Forest Rangers, Caucasian Wolves, Himalayan Settlers, Lands of the Arc, Upland Skirmish, Mountain Herding, Bush Hunting, Mountain Skirmish, Defensive Tactics, Royal Army, Steppe Endurance |
| D | Hidden Cities, City Guardians, Matriarchal, Hereditary Hierarchy, Shrewd Diplomats, Ruling Caste, Parochialism, Forest Man, Tribal Unity, Recluse, Equal Inheritance, Staunch Traditionalist, Junglers, Mountaineers, Warrior Priests, Battlefield Marauders, Forest Fighters, Experts, , Stalwart Defenders, Winter Warriors, Hit and Run Tactics, Swords for Hire, Frugal Armorers, Music Theorists, Refined Poetry, Mendicant Mystics, Produce Hunters, Vegetarian, The Right to Prove, An Eye for an Eye, Spartan, Charity, Life’s Just a Joke, Warrior -Culture, Modest, Strong Believers, Bound by Faith, Witchcraft, Runestone Raisers, Concubines, Holy Hunts, Konni Raids, Warrior Queens, Desert Ribats, Strong Kinship, Caravaneers, African Tolerance, Hirds, The Witenagemot |
S-Tier Traditions in Crusader Kings 3
These are the best traditions in Crusader Kings 3, and you should prioritize unlocking them before anyone else. Depending on the type of tradition, these can provide a strong economic, cultural or even military boost that can help you get ahead of other kingdoms. For example, the Eastern Roman Heritage tradition can reduce your men-at-arms costs by 30% while increasing your maximum regiment of men-at-arms by +2, giving you a massive boost in military skills.
Unless you have other specific needs in your kingdom, you should prioritize these traditions over any other. I usually prefer to unlock the hard working tradition first to get a +25% Development boost in the early game, which culminates with strong economic support in the late game.
How to unlock S-Tier Traditions
Here are all the S-level traditions that require certain prerequisites to be unlocked:
| Tradition | Prerequisite | Optional Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Roman Heritage | Must have Byzantine tradition | Culture has 50 Jure Districts as part of the Byzantine Empire |
| Polders | Must be a culture of Dutch origin Must be present in a coastal county Should not have Amharic Highlanders tradition |
30% of culture is present in coastal districts |
| Pastors | 40% of your culture is present in Districts located in Plains or Steppe | 60% of your culture is present in Districts located in Plains or Steppe |
| Coastal Warriors | Must have Northern Lords DLC Must be of North German heritage Culture must be present in a coastal county Should not have a tradition of Warrior Culture Shouldn’t have a Mariners tradition |
30% of culture is present in coastal districts |
| Recognition of Talent | No one | 10 Prisoners with skill stats of at least 12 |
| Only the Strong | Shouldn’t have the Equality vibe | Have at least 6 knights with Prowess 12 |
| hardworking | No one | Your culture has 5 Counts with the Diligent trait |
| Diaspora | Must be of Israelite heritage Can only be selected by Divergence |
No one |
| Mystical Ancestors | Your culture must descend from a culture that had this tradition | No one |
| By the Sword | Your Faith should not have the dogma of Pacifism Your Faith should not have the dogma of Dharmic Pacifism |
Your culture has 5 Counts with the Zeal trait |
| Horse Gentlemen | Must be of Mongolian or Turkic heritage | No one |
| Visigothic Codes | Must be of Basque or Visigoth descent Should have Christian religion |
Your culture has three male and three female Earls. |
| Gentlemen of the Elephant | Must have the Elephantry upgrade | Your culture has three level 2 Elephantry buildings |
A-Tier Traditions in Crusader Kings 3
The traditions listed in the A tier are some of the better ones you can unlock in CK3. While most advanced traditions are either bound by Cultures or some unique prerequisite, most here do not have those shackles and are much easier to unlock. For example, the Cultural Mixing tradition can be unlocked by any Culture and reduces the Cost of Creating a Hybrid Culture by an amazing 75% while boosting Cultural Acceptance. This not only saves you the hassle of getting 40% acceptance among your desired cultures (which can take decades) but also improves acceptance with other cultures, promoting better Development and Control within your kingdom.
Some traditions in this level, like Byzantine Traditionsare also quite essential as they are a prerequisite for unlocking various S-level traditions, such as Eastern Roman Heritageas mentioned in the table above. Depending on the culture, I try to pick the traditions I’ll need to unlock better ones down the line..
B-Tier Traditions in Crusader Kings 3
The B-level lores are more niche lores that you should only unlock in certain situations. If you don’t have a better tradition to unlock or lack a lot in a certain aspect like economy or military strength, only then these traditions are worth considering. For example, if you struggle with Cultural Acceptance in a great kingdom, receiving the Cultural Mixing tradition will not suffice. In such cases, adding the Xenophilic tradition in addition to that would do wonders, because it provides an an additional 25% Cultural Acceptance Gain.
C-Tier Traditions in Crusader Kings 3
The traditions listed in the C level should generally be avoided. I only get any lore from this tier when I’ve finished unlocking every lore in the tiers listed above, which usually takes a long time. In most cases, unlocking these traditions will not be worth the time and effort. For example, if you are considering unlocking the Loyal Subjects tradition, it will only provide +5 Popular Opinion and +50% success to Schemes against Liege. This benefit is completely overshadowed by any tradition listed at a higher level.
D-Tier Traditions in Crusader Kings 3
The D-level lores are the worst choices in Crusader Kings 3. Unlocking them would not only be a waste of time, and you might end up with detrimental effects on your kingdom. I generally do not condone any of these traditions, and try my best to avoid them. For example, I had unlocked the Life is just a joke tradition to get lower case +5 Opinion (and only from characters with certain characteristics). This tradition also raised the AI boldness by +50which led to increased Schemes against my character and Declarations of War, making the game much more difficult.
For more on Crusader Kings 3, check out CK3 Traits Tier List – Crusader Kings 3 in Pro Game Guides.
