Crusader Kings 3: Ruler Designer, tried the king editor

Will Ruler Designer be able to increase the depth of Crusader Kings 3? We are talking about a free DLC that incorporates the homonymous Crusader Kings 2 add-on package (where, however, it was paid), to give players the opportunity to create their own rulers, so that they can direct their games from the beginning, also doing some crazy experiment just to please.

For those unfamiliar with it, Crusader Kings 3 is a strategic one in which you take the reins of a dynasty, giving oneself from time to time objectives related to the type of ruler controlled and the political situation of our kingdom. The game system leaves a very wide freedom to the player, who can really do what he wants, even going so far as to eat the Pope. For more details on the game itself, we refer you to our review. So let's focus on Ruler Designer which, as already mentioned, is basically a big editor of rulers that allows you to alter every single parameter.

Essential traits

Ruler Designer is accessible from the selection menu of the countryside . By clicking on the free mode (the button at the bottom left), you are given the opportunity to embody any ruler of the selected year, or to create one from scratch. To get started just choose the country you want to play with and then click the "Create your own Ruler" button at the bottom right. The first screen of the editor shows a character randomly generated by the system, which we can use as a starting point.

The essential choices to be made are related to sex and sexual orientation, then we move on to faith and the cultural group to which one belongs. As you know if you know the game, these are not decisions to be made lightly, because they have a strong impact on the games and on how others see and judge you. To say, how would a polytheistic woman at the head of church state be considered? The beauty of Ruler Designer, already from the initial stages, is that it does not set big stakes and allows you to experience the most absurd situations, like a woman of Central African ethnicity at the head of a Nordic kingdom, just to give an example, which however have reflections very concrete on the gameplay in terms of relationships that are established with other characters and with other territories. Intertwining so multifaceted that other strategists dream of.

Personality

Having chosen the name of our or our ruler, decided on the coat of arms of the family and the kingdom to which they belong, it is necessary to focus on its characteristics more personal, namely age, weight and height. But first it would be good to change its appearance to give the character the desired features. Also from this point of view, the Ruler Designer reveals itself as complete, with options to modify practically every aspect of the face and physical structure of the new ruler: from the depth of the eyes, to the color of the hair, passing through the inclination of the ears and the mouth size. In this case the choices have a purely aesthetic value, so it is really possible to indulge yourself.

But let's go back to the more intimate aspects of our character. At this point all that remains is to decide on his character traits. What will our king be like? A shrewd diplomat? A ruthless and bloodthirsty war lover? A lazy incapable? Will he love culture? Will he be able to manage the finances of the kingdom? All this can be decided by specifying his upbringing and defining his personality, including additional traits.

There are so many selectable options and so many possible intersections that we don't even try to reduce everything to a few lines of text. The ruler's traits then interact with his abilities, six voices that indicate his military, diplomatic and administrative skills, his ability to plot intrigues using intelligence resources, his culture and his prowess. Once this is done, you have to choose if our sovereign has one or a spouse and if he has already procreated. Then you can finalize and return to the general map, where all that remains is to start the game.

What can come out? Of everything, really. For example, the first personalized empress we created is Zora of the Holy Roman Empire, a sixteen-year-old asexual girl, angelic-looking but lusty in her own way, as well as a lover of torture. At the same time, however, she is cultured and of Vedic religion, despite being of Frankish culture. Little used to diplomacy, he loves very much to kill his enemies using all sorts of intrigues. What's more fun than imagining them gasping on the ground after eating poisoned meat? Maybe kidnap their children and torture them in our dungeons? Let's not get carried away.

Comment

Ruler Designer is exactly what the title says: a very complete editor of rulers, no more, no less. Being free, you won't even have to evaluate the purchase, so it wouldn't make much sense to recommend it or not starting from the price. Let's say that if you have been playing Crusader Kings III since launch, or for many hours, then it will come in handy as a stimulus to keep playing. Instead, newbies would do well first to use some of the pre-set rulers, so as to be more aware of what they want to accomplish in the editor. Otherwise it is a very welcome addition, which enhances what is already a masterpiece of its own.

PRO

Extends the longevity of the game a lot Lots of customization options Completely free CONS Nothing relevant to report