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Crusader Kings 3 console commands and cheats

Everything you need to access the Crusader Kings 3 command console and what cheat codes to use

So, you want some CK3 console commands and cheats? Crusader Kings III is a grand strategy game of great complexity, and planning. You could spend hours establishing your realm, raising your armies, and increasing your income – or alternatively, when nobody’s looking, you could give yourself a little boost to prestige, perform a sneaky stabbing on someone who’s annoying you, or simply conjure up a whopping great army from nowhere.

If you don’t feel like playing by the book and want to have a go at scribbling all over it instead, there are a wealth of console commands available to you that can set pretty much every modifier in the game to your chosen value. With these cheat codes you’re free to nudge the stats in your favour, or use them as tools to customise your experience and play out whatever scenarios you have in mind.

Unlike previous Paradox strategy games, in order to access these ‘cheats’, you have to launch the game in debug mode. This will disable achievements, but it will also allow you to access the command console like you can in other games. We’ve put together this guide to walk you through the process.

CK3 console commands

Here’s the full list of Crusader Kings 3 cheat codes and console commands, including new ones released as part of patch 1.5:

  • age Adds [amount] of age to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Negative values lower it.
  • add_claim Adds a pressed claim on [title id] to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character.
  • add_doctrine Adds [doctrine id] to [faith id], if no faith is specified then the player character’s faith. Pressing tab reveals all doctrine IDs.
  • add_dread Adds [amount] of dread to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Negative values lower it.
  • add_maa Adds [regiment id] of of men-at-arms to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Pressing tab reveals all regiment IDs.
  • add_perk Adds [perk id] to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Pressing tab reveals all perk IDs.
  • add_piety Adds [amount] of piety to the player character. Negative values lower it. Default 1000.
  • add_prestige Adds [amount] of prestige to the player character. Negative values lower it. Default 1000.
  • add_realm_law Passes [law id] to the realm of [character id], if no character is specified then the player character’s realm. Pressing tab reveals all law IDs.
  • add_realm_law_skip_effects Adds [law id] to the realm of [character id], if no character is specified then the player character’s realm. Pressing tab reveals all law IDs.
  • add_relation Adds [relation id] between [character id] and [character id], if only one character is specified then between the player character and them.
  • add_secret Adds [secret id] to the player character. Pressing tab reveals all secret IDs.
  • add_stress Adds [amount] of stress to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Negative values lower it.
  • add_title_law Adds [succession law id] to [title id].
  • add_trait Adds [trait id] to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character.
  • add_lifestyle_xp_all Adds [amount] of experience to all lifestyles of [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Default 1000.
  • add_diplomacy_lifestyle_xp Adds [amount] of diplomacy lifestyle experience to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Default 1000.
  • add_martial_lifestyle_xp Adds [amount] of martial lifestyle experience to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Default 1000.
  • add_stewardship_lifestyle_xp Adds [amount] of stewardship lifestyle experience to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Default 1000.
  • add_intrigue_lifestyle_xp Adds [amount] of intrigue lifestyle experience to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Default 1000.
  • add_learning_lifestyle_xp Adds [amount] of learning lifestyle experience to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Default 1000.
  • change_culture Changes the culture of [county id] to [culture id].
  • change_development_level Adds [amount] of development to [county id], if no county is specified then the player character’s capital. Negative values lower it.
  • change_fervor Adds [amount] of fervor to [faith id], if no faith is specified then the player character’s faith. Negative values lower it. Default 10.
  • change_diplomacy Adds [amount] of diplomacy skill to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Negative values lower it.
  • change_martial Adds [amount] of martial skill to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Negative values lower it.
  • change_stewardship Adds [amount] of stewardship skill to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Negative values lower it.
  • change_intrigue Adds [amount] of intrigue skill to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Negative values lower it.
  • change_learning Adds [amount] of learning skill to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Negative values lower it.
  • change_prowess Adds [amount] of prowess skill to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Negative values lower it.
  • clear_character_modifiers Removes all character modifiers from [character id], if no character is specified then the player character.
  • clear_title_laws Removes all title succession laws from [title id].
  • clear_traits Removes all traits from [character id], if no character is specified then the player character.
  • discover_all_eras Discovers all innovations for the culture of [character id], if no character is specified then the player character’s.
  • discover_era Discovers [era id] and all its innovations for the player character’s culture. Pressing tab reveals all era IDs. Default current era.
  • discover_fascination Discovers the current fascination for the culture of [character id], if no character is specified then the player character’s.
  • discover_innovation Discovers [innovation id] for the culture of [character id], if no character is specified then the player character’s. Pressing tab reveals all innovation IDs.
  • dynasty_prestige Adds [amount] of renown to [dynasty id], if no dynasty is specified then the player character’s dynasty. Negative values lower it. Default 1000.
  • end_schemes All schemes targeting the player character are abandoned.
  • event Triggers [event id].
  • gain_all_dynasty_perks Buys all dynasty legacies for the dynasty of [character id], if no character is specified then the player character’s.
  • gain_all_perks Gives all lifestyle perks to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character.
  • give_title Gives [title id] to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character.
  • gold Adds [amount] of gold to the player character. Negative values lower it. Default 1000.
  • instabuild Holdings and buildings in the player character’s domain are finished in a day. Entering it again disables it.
  • instant_birth Pregnancies last a day. Entering it again disables it.
  • join_era Enters [era id] for the culture of [character id], if no character is specified then the player character’s. Pressing tab reveals all era IDs.
  • kill Kills [character id], if no character is specified then the player character.
  • know_schemes Discovers all schemes targeting the player character.
  • merge_culture Changes the culture of all counties of [culture id] to [culture id].
  • pregnancy Impregnates female [character id] with father [character id], if no character is specified then an unknown father.
  • remove_doctrine Removes [doctrine id] from [faith id], if no faith is specified then the player character’s faith. Pressing tab reveals all doctrine IDs.
  • remove_nick Removes the current nickname from [character id], if no character is specified then the player character.
  • remove_relation Removes [relation id] between [character id] and [character id], if only one character is specified then between the player character and them.
  • remove_trait Removes [trait id] from [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Pressing tab reveals all trait IDs.
  • set_culture Changes the culture to [culture id] for [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Pressing tab reveals all culture IDs.
  • set_dread Sets the dread to [amount] for [character id], if no character is specified then the player character.
  • set_faith Changes the faith to [faith id] for [character id], if no character is specified then the player character. Pressing tab reveals all faith IDs.
  • set_focus Sets the focus to [focus id] for [character id], if no character is specified then the player character.
  • set_nick Gives [nickname id] to [character id], if no character is specified then the player character.
  • set_sexuality Changes the sexual orientation to [sexuality id] for [character id], if no character is specified then the player character.
  • set_stress Sets the stress to [amount] for [character id], if no character is specified then the player character.
  • set_diplomacy Sets the diplomacy skill to [amount] for [character id], if no character is specified then the player character.
  • set_martial Sets the martial skill to [amount] for [character id], if no character is specified then the player character.
  • set_stewardship Sets the stewardship skill to [amount] for [character id], if no character is specified then the player character.
  • set_intrigue Sets the intrigue skill to [amount] for [character id], if no character is specified then the player character.
  • set_learning Sets the learning skill to [amount] for [character id], if no character is specified then the player character.
  • set_prowess Sets the prowess skill to [amount] for [character id], if no character is specified then the player character.
  • yesmen AI characters accept all proposals. Entering it again disables it.
  • bypass_requirements Lets you do decisions, interactions, schemes, laws, and title creation despite the requirements not being met
  • instasiege Instantly completes a siege
  • AI.try_send_decision Allows you to for the AI to try a decision option
  • AI.try_send_interaction Allows you to for the AI to try an interaction option
  • ironman.ToggleIgnore When ignored, saves will act as if they’re not ironman, including that when you hit save it’ll result in a non-ironman save. This can be toggled during gameplay
  • complete_schemes Lets you complete any scheme, including NPC ones
  • guaranteed_scheme_success/failure Guarantees player scheme success
  • guaranteed_scheme_secrecy_success/failure Guarantees player scheme secrecy
  • set_date Lets you set the in-game date

Crusader Kings 3 Cheats

First you must start CK3 in debug mode – if you’re launching it from Steam, right-click on the game, go to Properties, General, Set Launch Options and add -debug_mode.

If you’re using the game via Game Pass for PC, run the following in command prompt:

start shell:AppsFolder\ParadoxInteractive.ProjectTitus_zfnrdv2de78ny!App -debug_mode

If you don’t fancy pasting that code in every time, you can copy it to a Notepad document and save it with the extension .bat (CK3debug.bat for example) – this will save it as a batch file, which will automatically run the code when you click on it.

Command Console

Now you’ve launched the game in debug mode, you’ll already have access to cheats even before you type anything in – but first you must access the CK3 command console by pressing the tilde key (`). If that doesn’t work, you can try Shift+2, ALT+2+1, Shift+3, or Shift+ALT+C.

Note that many cheats will need you to fill in variable information such as a title id, or a character id. For more information on how to source these, please consult the CK3 wiki.

Cheat Engine

Alternatively, if you’re too fancy to manually type out console commands, mods like Daddy Pika’s Cheat Menu provide you with an in-game menu from which you can select your cheat of choice.

While we’re on the subjects of mods, it’s worth checking out some of the other CK3 mods you can install.

Additional contributions by Joe Robinson.