Cultures have been a staple of the Crusader Kings franchise for multiple games. And while on paper you’ve been able to create wonderful Frankenstein nations, such as a Venetian merchants republic filled with Berber Doges, it’s not always had the in-game effects it does now in the Royal Court expansion. In CK3: Royal Court, you can create a Hybrid Culture, and this guide will tell you how.
Firstly, you need to understand Cultures in Crusader Kings 3. Cultures benefit from Traditions, Ethos, and Cultural Pillars. These affect your nation or line with various bonuses and traits. However, you can incorporate new Cultures into your nation to create a Hybrid Culture.
You’ll first need to amass a significant amount of Prestige to do this. Prestige is earned by creating titles, winning wars, and doing other specific missions which earn Prestige. Once you’ve saved up enough, you can consider making a Hybrid Culture.
To trigger a Divergent Culture, you’ll have to add people of a different culture than your own to your court. This can be done by simply adding courtiers that speak a different language, or through marriages and the like. In addition, children raised by tutors and parents of different cultures will sometimes adopt their Culture.
Next, you'll need to increase Cultural Acceptance. You can do this by bordering the Culture you're trying to create a Hybrid Culture with, picking up the Language of the Culture, and avoiding wars with members of that Culture. You'll also need some Vassals of that Culture to set your Steward to increase Cultural Acceptance.
Once your court is sufficiently diverse, you’ll be given the option to Diverge from your Culture. In this menu, you’ll be able to select which Cultural Pillars and Traditions to take into your new Hybrid Culture. What’s more, if there’s more than one language spoken in your court, you’ll be able to choose a new language from the ones spoken. You’ll also have the option to change the aesthetics and marriage customs.
Once you’re ready, click Diverge Culture, and you’ll lose Prestige depending on how dramatic the Divergence is. Some Hybrid Cultures you create will have their own name pre-selected, but you can also customize the name to make something brand new. Honestly, with Hybrid Cultures, the weirder, the better. Experiment, and see just how strange your court’s new Culture will be!
For more Crusader Kings 3 guides and tips, check out Crusader Kings 3 Console Commands on Pro Game Guides.
Michael lives in the UK, but wishes he lived in Eorzea. A life-long gamer, Four years ago, he ditched a "real" job to write about video games for a living, and hasn't looked back. When not guiding players how to get the latest mounts, crafting recipes, and in-game goodies, he spends his time nurturing an unhealthy addiction to MMOs and gacha games.