Maximize Your Kingdom: Mastering Domain Limit in Crusader Kings 3

In Crusader Kings 3, each realm is divided into two main parts: the counties and holdings controlled by vassals, and the ruler's personal domain that is administered directly. As a player, it is crucial to expand and maintain a large personal domain that can be effectively managed by the ruler. While vassals only contribute a portion of taxes and levies, the ruler receives all income generated by their personal domain. This can be a significant source of income, even in the case of large empires, underscoring the importance of increasing the domain limit as much as possible.

What Can Raise the Domain Limit?

A ruler can increase their domain limit by gaining certain traits, such as Ambitious or Just. They can also increase it by constructing specific buildings in their capital, such as a Castle Town or a Stone Hillfort. Additionally, certain laws and succession types can also affect a ruler's domain limit. It is important for rulers to manage their domains carefully, as exceeding the limit can lead to significant penalties and unrest among vassals.

A ruler's domain limit in Crusader Kings III is determined by their title and Stewardship skill. Kings start with a limit of 3 while Emperors get 4. However, with every 6 points in Stewardship, the ruler can control an additional holding. This includes bonuses from Traits, the Spouse's council job, and other sources. The bonus is rounded down, so a ruler gains +1 domain limit at 6 Stewardship, +2 at 12, and so on. In addition to this, an entrenched regent can also contribute to the ruler's domain limit through their own Stewardship skill. Cultural Innovations like Gavelkind and Court Officials add +1 domain limit each, while the Stewardship lifestyle's Divided Attention perk adds +2. Certain Tenets like Pacifism and Dharmic Pacifism also provide a bonus of +1 each, but a Faith cannot have both at the same time. Finally, the Crown of Justinian Artifact grants +1 domain limit, but it requires the "Royal Court" expansion to obtain.

Tips for Maintaining a Large Domain

Maintaining a large domain that can withstand partition succession laws is crucial, perhaps even more important than having a high domain limit. To ensure players keep as much land as possible, here are some helpful tips to follow.

Players have the ability to control as many counties as their domain limit allows, without incurring any Opinion penalty. However, it is important to ensure that duchy titles for those counties do not exist, as this may lead to resentment from vassals. Players can revoke duchies and counties from vassals, as long as they have a valid claim to their titles, without it being considered tyranny. These claims can be obtained through various means, such as the Head of Religion, spending Renown to claim a dynasty member's title, buying a claim after acquiring the Sanctioned Loopholes perk in the Learning lifestyle, or using the Realm Priest's "Fabricate Claim on County" job. It is worth noting that players can grant and revoke baron-level titles without any consequences, and they can also utilize the Lay Clergy Doctrine to concentrate holdings within a few counties. However, players must weigh the benefits of adding more castles versus temples to their personal domains, as the former generally offer better defenses and levies.