TABLE OF CONTENTS
This article was written under Crusader Kings 3 Game Version: Peacock (1.11.5)
Please note that much of the information in this article is based on anecdotal evidence and a lot of trial and error. I have not had the opportunity to delve into the actual source code, but I am happy to make any corrections if more accurate information is discovered. If you have any comments, you can either post here or e-mail me at: [email protected]
1. INTRODUCTION
One of my favorite parts about Crusader Kings 3 is the stress system. This is what really sets it apart from its predecessor, Crusader Kings 2. Characters with different traits gain and lose stress in different ways so the stress system really emphasizes role playing. Thus playing different characters can result in drastically different experiences. It also helps you better empathize with others by understanding that their situation might be different than yours. Doing something might not be stressful for you because of your personality, but it could inflict stress on other people. Also, the various coping mechanisms for stress give you insight on how other people may productively or unproductively handle their stress.
While stress is meant to guide role playing decisions and to create a cost or penalty for certain choices, power gamers and min/maxers will logically seek to circumvent this by looking for ways to avoid stress.
In Crusader Kings 3, stress gain modifiers stack. What this means is that if you get enough negative stress gain modifiers you can get -100% stress gain and avoid stress altogether. This guide will present several ways you can stack these stress gain modifiers and how you can take advantage of a zero stress life.
2. INVENTORY ARTIFACTS
The biggest potential source of stress reduction comes from artifacts. There are many trinkets that reduce stress and some court artifacts.
There are various hunting related artifacts and trophies that reduce stress.
There is a non-unique Famed trinket called Healing Water which reduces stress gain by 10% that you can get from a random travel event involving a questing knight.
And if traveling through Persia, there is a chance you can get a non-unique Achaemenid Drinking Vessel (they come in Common, Masterwork, Famed, and Illustrious quality levels) which reduces stress gain.
You can get up to a -40% stress gain reduction if you equip 4 trinkets that each provide -10% (Famed Healing Water or certain Illustrious Achaemenid Drinking Vessels or hunting trophies).
3. COURT ARTIFACTS
In the 867 start, Amir-e Amiran Ya'qub Laythzade of the Saffarid Grand Amirate (Kingdom of Makran) starts with an Achaemenid Drinking Vessel that is a Famed Pedestal artifact which reduces stress gains.
However, since Achaemenid Drinking Vessels are not unique and can be found during travels through Persia, if you end up with extra trinket versions, they can be converted into pedestal versions that reduce stress gain. Please note that Healing Water and hunting related trophies cannot be turned into pedestal court artifacts.
There are several book types which reduce your stress gains. Punishment, Hunter, Pet, Relationship (Soulmate or Nemesis), Cannibal, and Deviant books can give a -2% or -4% stress gain modifier. Apparently, Lunatic books can give as much as -10% and Dhammapada books, which can only be obtained from Adventure Inspirations, provide -15% stress gain.
Also in 867, Amir-e Amiran Muhammad Tahirzde of the Tahirid Grand Amirate (Kingdom of Khorasan) starts with an Incense Burner Sculpture that is a piece of Famed Furniture which reduces stress gains.
As far as I know, this artifact is unique. Thus far, I have not seen another Incense Burner Sculpture, nor have I seen any other pieces of furniture that reduce stress.
So in theory, if you have 4 Illustrious Achaemenid Drinking Vessels as pedestal items, 2 typical Books, and the Incense Burner Sculpture, you could have up to a -56% stress gain reduction through court artifacts. If you have 2 Illustrious Lunatic books, it could be up to -68%, and if you have 2 Dhammapada books, it could be up to -78%. Usually though, I have enough stress reduction through trinkets and don't need to spend court artifact slots on it.
4. PERKS
There are two perks which also help with reducing stress gains.
In the Diplomacy Family Hierarch tree, two perk selections will unlock Confidants, which gives you -5% stress gain for each Friend that you have (maximum of 5).
And in the Learning Whole of Body tree, two perk selections will unlock Carefree, which gives you a fixed -20% stress gain modifier.
So you can get a -45% stress gain reduction if you have Confidants, Carefree, and at least 5 Friends.
5. MODIFIERS
There are also a variety of different modifiers that you can get through random events which reduce your stress gain. Typically these modifiers are not permanent but could last for several years.
One of the best stress modifiers is Life Reaffirmed, which provides a hefty 50% reduction in stress gain. It is possible to gain that modifier during Feasts.
6. LIVING A ZERO STRESS LIFE
If you are able to get up to -100% stress gain, then you don't have to worry about decisions, actions, and events that would normally incur stress.
Diligent rulers have access to a special Develop Capital decision which increases monthly development in their realm capital for 5 years but taking the decision normally incurs 80 stress. But with enough stress reduction, you can do it stress-free.
Once per lifetime, a ruler can reset all their perks. Normally this incurs a hefty cost of 100 stress but you can reduce that to 0.
If you take an active hand in rearing your kids or the children of your dynasty, then Influence Ward's Personality normally generates at least 20 stress each time - more if your attempt fails. But if you reduce the stress cost to 0, that frees you up to instill positive traits on the next generation of your entire dynasty. You can also get a lot of those kids to have 4 traits instead of the normal 3.
If you have sufficient stress gain reduction, then you can help other characters lose stress by challenging them to a friendly board game and then intentionally losing.
Last of all, reaching -100% stress gain means you do not have to worry about normally stressful actions for your personality traits:
7. TIMING YOUR STRESS GAINS
Sometimes you instantly gain stress when an event happens, such as a Friend or Close Family member dying.
But sometimes you have more control over when you gain the stress. And in those circumstances, you can swap in stress reducing artifacts. In other words, you don't need to equip stress reducing artifacts all of the time. If you are okay with micromanagement, you can just equip them briefly right before you gain stress and then unequip them afterwards.
For decisions (develop capital) or actions (reset perks, grant titles/vassals/independence, execute or release prisoners, torture, blackmail, imprison, demand payment, send gift, etc.) you can simply equip your stress reducing artifacts before you do them.
And with most events with a display, you don't actually lose the stress until you click the button or make a choice. For example, with Influence Ward's Personality you don't gain the stress when you initiate it. Instead, once you get the event pop-up (of it being successful or unsuccessful), you get the stress when you click to proceed.
So that means you can temporarily equip stress reducing artifacts before clicking.
Here is another example:
After equipping some stress reducing artifacts, I can avoid stress when I resolve the event.
