Crusader Kings II is a 2012 grand strategy title developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. The studio released the game solely on PC, as it found its UI and gameplay inadequate for a console experience. It received several expansions over the years, before moving to a free-to-play model back in 2019. This was just prior to the release of its sequel, Crusader Kings III.
Crusader Kings II Premise
Crusader Kings II is about creating a dynasty, as you play through the medieval era between the 8th to 15th centuries. You do so by becoming the ruler of a Kingdom, which you must expand through careful and considered use of war, marriages, and political assassinations, as well as plenty of other tools at your disposal.
Throughout the game, you can either choose to play as one of many historical figures such as William the Conqueror and Genghis Khan, or create your own ruler. Once you’ve chosen your character, you then work to earn prestige and piety points which you use to gain advantages over the other societies of your time, and can work to alter your society in some brand-new ways. For example, you can use your points to dictate that your civilians all follow one particular religion, but that might make you an unpopular leader.
Personal relationships are at the heart of Crusader Kings II. With every single character in the game, you have a ton of interactions that you can take part in. These interactions affect both the characters and the people around them, so you have to be careful. For example, if you try to bribe someone with a secret, you’re putting yourself at risk of an assassination plot. However, the advantage you gain from that could still prove worth chancing it. You can even choose to do your business in the shadows, working in secret against your enemies – or allies. If someone discovers your plot, the consequences could be dire.
It’s rather difficult to actually “lose” in Crusader Kings II. The game only ends once your character dies without an heir to succeed them, which is why it’s so crucial that you nurture personal relationships throughout.
Crusader Kings II Main Characters
There’s no doubt that Crusader Kings II is massively unique when compared to the rest of the grand strategy genre. Other games hone in on the bigger picture, making the land and the world the focus. But Crusader Kings II makes the characters the heart of the experience, with their interactions taking up a bulk of the gameplay.
You’re a King, and want to marry a lowly peasant? Crusader Kings II lets you do that. Or do you want to enter into a convoluted plot to murder another monarch to steal their spouse? The game certainly lets you try. It’s an incredibly versatile experience that adds a layer of unique storytelling to each and every save file. No two playthroughs are ever the same.
While the game has a few characters pulled straight from the history books, there are none you’ll encounter enough to consider them “main characters.” Ultimately, Crusader Kings II is your story, making your protagonist the only true main character of the game.
Crusader Kings II Titles in the Series
Since Crusader Kings released back in 2004, the series has established itself at the top of the grand strategy genre. Despite this, the game has only three titles in the entire franchise, with eight years between each release. It’s no fluke that the games remain so popular, though. Between each title, Paradox Development Studio does a great job of ensuring that there’s a massive amount of substantial expansion packs for each that expand on the base games in new and exciting ways. Here’s the list of titles so far:
- Crusader Kings (2004)
- Crusader Kings II (2012)
- Crusader Kings III (2020)
Crusader Kings II Cheat Codes
There’s good news, and there’s bad news. The bad news is that there are technically no “cheat codes” in the traditional sense for Crusader Kings II. However, the good news is that the game has an enormous list of console commands that allow you to alter just above every variable available in the game. In a way, it’s far more versatile than any cheat code could ever be.
You can enter these console commands by pushing the Tilde key (~). This opens up the in-game console, where you input the codes.
We’ve got the full list of console commands for Crusader Kings II below:
Character Crusader Kings II Cheats
| Command | Parameter 1 | Parameter 2 | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| add_artifact | <Artifact Name> | <Character ID> (optional) | Adds selected artifacts to chosen character |
| get_all_artifacts | <Character ID> (optional) | Gives all artifacts to chosen character, or your character if no target is selected | |
| destroy_artifact | <Artifact Name> | <Character ID> (optional) | Removes an artifact from the chosen character |
| add_diplomacy | <Character ID> | <Number> | Changes the base of a character’s diplomacy statistic |
| add_intrigue | <Character ID> | <Number> | Changes the base of a character’s intrigue statistic |
| add_learning | <Character ID> | <Number> | Changes the base of a character’s learning statistic |
| add_martial | <Character ID> | <Number> | Changes the base of a character’s martial statistic |
| add_stewardship | <Character ID> | <Number> | Changes the base of a character’s stewardship statistic |
| add_offmap_currency | <Offmap Power> | <Number> | Gives you currency with the specified offmap power. |
| add_trait | <Trait Name> | <Character ID> | Adds any trait to the selected character. Opposite traits are checked while using this. Trait names are entered in all lowercase. If no character ID is inputted, the trait is given to the character you are currently playing instead. The same also applies to the remove_trait, add_modifier, and remove_modifier commands |
| remove_trait | <Trait Name> | <Character ID> | Removes a trait from the selected character |
| add_modifier | <Modifier Name> | <Character ID>, <Days> | Adds a modifier to the selected character. Use -1 for “Days” to have the modifier become permanent. |
| remove_modifier | <Modifier Name> | <Character ID> | Removes a modifier from a character |
| age | <Character ID> | <Number> | Changes a character’s age |
| banish | <Character ID> | Banishes a character | |
| capital | <Province ID> | Changes your capital to selected province | |
| clr_moved_capital | <Character ID> (optional) | Clears the moved capital-flag of a character. | |
| cash | <Amount> (optional) | Gives you the chosen amount of gold (default 5000). Inputting a – before the number subtracts that amount instead. | |
| claim | <Title Name> | <Character ID> (optional) | Gives a claim to yourself or another character |
| coalition | <Character 1 ID> | <Character 2 ID> | Character 1 starts, joins, or leaves a coalition against Character 2, depending on their current affiliation |
| council_positions | <Character ID or Title Name> | Displays the AI scores of each council position | |
| clr_focus | Clears the focus of your character | ||
| culture | <Character ID> (optional) | <Culture> | Sets a character’s Culture |
| decadence | <Number> | Modifies the Decadence of your Dynasty relative to unmodified decadence | |
| decision | <Decision ID> | <Character ID> | Executes a decision |
| die | Kills your character by natural causes | ||
| enforce_peace | Triggers the enforce peace mechanic in your realm. Council must be empowered, other requirements are waived. | ||
| liege_enforce_peace | Triggers the enforce peace mechanic in your liege’s realm. Council must be empowered, other requirements are waived. | ||
| enable_ambition | <Character ID> | Allows a character to choose a new ambition | |
| event | <Event ID> | <Character ID> or <Province ID> | Executes an event for yourself or for another character or province |
| testevent | <Event ID> | <Character ID> or <Province ID> | Tests an event without actually triggering it |
| favor_get | <Character ID> | Get a favor from another character | |
| favor_grant | <Character ID> | Grant a favor to another character | |
| gfx_culture | <Character ID> (optional) | <Culture> | Sets a character’s GFX culture based on default graphical_culture of a culture |
| give_birth | <Character ID> | Makes a pregnant character give birth instantly | |
| give_title | <Title Name> | <Character ID> | Instantly gives a title to a character |
| infamy | <Number> | Modifies your character’s threat | |
| imprison | <Character ID>(jailed) | <Character ID>(jailor) | Imprisons a character by another character |
| join_society | <Society Key> | Join a society. Valid society names are: monastic_order_benedictine, monastic_order_dominican, monastic_order_orthodox, monastic_order_nestorian, monastic_order_monophysite, monastic_order_hindu, monastic_order_buddhist, monastic_order_jain, hermetics, the_assassins, the_satanists, the_trollcrafters, the_cult_of_kali, the_cold_ones, the_plaguebringers, and secret_religious_society_<religion> | |
| leave_society | <Society Key> (optional) | Instantly leave a society | |
| kill | <Character ID> | Instantly kills a character | |
| move | <Character ID>(Mover) | <Character ID>(Move To) | Moves a character to another character’s court |
| neg_opinion | <Character ID>(Hater) | <Character ID>(Hated) | Adds a negative opinion between two characters |
| nickname | <Nickname> | <Character ID> | Gives a character or yourself a nickname |
| piety | <Amount> (optional) | Gives you piety (default 5000) | |
| play | <Character ID> | Switches to play as another character (This deletes and resets the chronicle of your current character each time you switch.) | |
| prestige | <Amount> (optional) | Gives you prestige (default 5000) | |
| run | <File Mame> | Maxes out tech in all provinces, or in the specified province | |
| score | <Amount> (optional) | Gives you score (default 5000) | |
| techpoints | Gives you 1000 technology points of each type | ||
| max_tech | <Province ID> (optional) | Maxes out tech in all provinces, or in specified province | |
| recalc_succ | <Character ID> | Recalculate the succession for a character or yourself | |
| religion | <Character ID> (optional) | <Religion> | Sets a character’s religion or your own if a character is not specified |
| secret_religion | <Character ID> (optional) | <Religion> | Sets a character’s secret religion. |
| set_government | <Government Tag> | <Character ID> (optional) | Changes government to specified type (Government Tags are: merchant_republic_government, nomadic_government, feudal_government, theocracy_government, tribal_government, republic_government, muslim_government, theocratic_feudal_government, chinese_imperial_government, confucian_bureaucracy, order_government, roman_imperial_government) |
| titleowner | <Title Name> | <Character ID> (optional) | Sets the holder of a title. Does not include tribal capital holdings. |
| validate_government | <Character ID> (optional) | Validates government of a character | |
| validate_laws | <Character ID> | Validates the laws of a character’s primary holding | |
| validate_lieges | <Title Name> | Validates the liege of a title | |
| set_char_flag | <Flag> | <Character ID>(optional) | Sets a flag for a selected character |
| clr_char_flag | <Flag> | <Character ID>(optional) | Clears a flag from a selected character |
| set_society_grandmaster | <Character ID> (optional) | Sets the grandmaster of the society you’re in to the chosen character | |
| show_all_societies | Shows all societies in list of society view | ||
| society_rank_up | <Amount> (optional) | Ranks you up in society (default is 1) | |
| society_rank_down | <Amount> (optional) | Ranks you down in society (default is 1) | |
| society_currency | <Amount> (optional) | Gives you society currency (default 5000) | |
| quickbuild | Your constructions are instantly finished | ||
| usurp | <Title Name> | <Character ID> | Sets a title to be usurped by a character. If title currently does not exist, this command will create the title instead. |
General Crusader Kings II Cheats
| Command | Parameter 1 | Parameter 2 | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| allow_laws | Allows you to change laws freely | ||
| real_fathers | Shows the true fathers within the family tree | ||
| charinfo | <Character ID> | Adds debugging information to character, title, and event tooltips. Also reveals your spouse’s other lovers | |
| de_jure_counties | Shows de jure counties map mode | ||
| discover_plots | Toggles auto plot discovery | ||
| fow | <Province ID> (optional) | Turns off Fog of War in a province or entirely | |
| game_speed | <Speed> | Sets the game speed, on a scale of 0 to 4 | |
| game_paused | <true/false> (optional) | Toggles/sets the game paused state (must be entered in lowercase) | |
| get_offmap_holder | <Offmap Power> | Shows name and character ID of the current holder of an offmap power | |
| set_offmap_status | <Offmap Power> | <Status> | Sets the status of the specified offmap power |
| set_offmap_policy | <Offmap Power> | <Policy> | Sets the policy of the specified offmap power |
| kill_offmap_ruler | <Offmap Power> | Kills the ruler specified offmap power | |
| kill_offmap_dynasty | <Offmap Power> | Kills the ruler specified offmap power, and generates a new one with a different dynasty | |
| manpower | <Amount> (optional) | Adds nomadic manpower to a nomad player character (default 5000) | |
| population | <Amount> (optional) | Adds nomadic population to a nomad player character (default 5000) | |
| marry_anyone | Toggles the ability to marry anyone | ||
| morehumans | <Amount> | Adds more humans | |
| neg_diplo | Toggles the ability to send diplomatic messages that will be refused | ||
| nextsong | Changes the currently playing music track | ||
| listsongs | Shows all music tracks | ||
| outbreak | <Disease> | Starts specified disease outbreak in a random province. Black Death may only start in Kundina and Jiuquan | |
| plots_known | Toggles all plots to always be known by others | ||
| recalc_council | Will recalculate the council positions of each council member | ||
| reload_succession_voting | Spawn specified disease in the chosen province. Black Death will start in either Kundina or Jiuquan | ||
| set_flag | <Flag> | Sets a global flag | |
| clr_flag | <Flag> | Clears a global flag | |
| set_prov_flag | <Flag> | <Province ID> | Sets a flag for a province |
| clr_prov_flag | <Flag> | <Province ID> | Clears a flag from a province |
| validate_cultural_names | Validates cultural title names | ||
| spawn_disease | <Disease> | <Province ID> | Spawn specified disease in the chosen province. Black Death can only start in either Kundina or Jiuquan |
| character_stats | Displays multiple game statistics, such as number of characters, plots, and fertility. | ||
| dynasty_stats | Displays multiple dynasty statistics, including the number of unique dynasties and how many historical dynasties have died off. | ||
| destroy_settlement | <Title Name> | Destroys a holding. | |
| murder | <Character ID>(Murderer) | <Character ID>(Victim) | One character attempts to murder another. |
| pollinate | <Character ID>(Mother) | <Character ID>(Father) | Impregnates a character by another character |
| cuckoo | <Character ID>(Mother) | Impregnates a mother by an unknown father | |
| revolt | <Province ID> | Starts a Revolt in a province | |
| succ | <Succession Type> | Changes the succession type. Valid values are: gavelkind, elective_gavelkind, tanistry, seniority, primogeniture, feudal_elective, ultimogeniture, turkish_succession, papal_succession, appointment, open_elective, catholic_bishopric, patrician_elective, nomad_succession, offmap_succession | |
| add_lover | <Character ID> | <Character ID> | Makes a character the lover of another character |
| add_friend | <Character 1 ID> | <Character 2 ID> (optional) | Makes another character your friend |
| remove_friend | <Character 1 ID> | <Character 2 ID> (optional) | Removes another character as your friend |
| add_rival | <Character 1 ID> | <Character 2 ID> (optional) | Makes another character your rival |
| remove_rival | <Character 1 ID> | <Character 2 ID> (optional) | Removes the character as your rival |
| flip_mapmodes | Cycles to the next map mode each day | ||
| province_religion | <Province ID> | <Religion> | Sets a province’s religion |
Crusader Kings II Cheat Code FAQs
How Do I Enable Console Commands in Crusader Kings II?
Press the tilde key (~) to open the console command menu in Crusader Kings II. For most, this will simply be the button above the Tab key on your keyboard.
In the sequel, Crusader Kings III, you had to enable the console before using it. However, there are no such checks with the previous game.
How Do You Add Money in Crusader Kings II?
Simply enter the cheat cash <amount of cash>. This will give you the amount of money that you entered into the command. If you simply enter cash, the game will instead give you a default of 5000 extra cash to play with.
If you’re a player looking for a challenge, you can even enter a – before the number to remove the cash, too.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Paradox Interactive.