Crusader Kings 3 Personality Trait Guide: Best and Worst Traits

Honesty is a bad thing in this game.

Crusader Kings 3 Traits
Crusader Kings 3

Personality traits are one of the four main types of traits in the game and are gained through the games education system that allows you to choose trait options as you raise your children. There is an increased chance for a child to gain the traits that their guardian has, but not always. Remember that it is important for you to engage with the education system to create high-quality heirs for your realm.

These traits are also defined in the religious system as virtues, sins, or neutral and have an impact on piety. Depending on the faith there may be a different set of rules in regards to which traits are ‘good’ or ‘bad’. For example, Catholics value honesty but condemn deceit, but a pagan faith may be the opposite. If you want to then you can even try to adapt your playstyle to try to live in the way your faith prescribed which can be a fun challenge.

There are a lot of personality traits for you to explore in the game. Continue reading to find out Which Crusader Kings 3 traits are the best and worst, and which have the greatest impact on your gameplay.

Best Traits
Good Traits
Average Traits
Worst Traits

Best Crusader Kings 3 Traits

Crusader Kings 3
Crusader Kings 3

The traits in this category are the best personality traits you can get in Crusader Kings 3 and all have strong benefits while having little to no negative side effects. They also are tied to some of the better in-game events that can occur. If you get a chance to choose one of these when raising your heir, you should go for it.

Gregarious
Increased diplomacy and opinion from other characters.

Just
Increased stewardship for your character.

Lustful
Increased fertility, intrigue, and seduction power.

Temperate
Increased stewardship and health.

Good Crusader Kings 3 Traits

Crusader Kings 3
Crusader Kings 3

The traits in this category are still solid choices as they still have great benefits but tend to have some larger side effects. The events they pair with are oftentimes good for you but can be a big cause for stress depending on your choices. If there are no better traits to choose from then pick one of these.

Cynical
Increased Intrigue and learning, but a slight penalty to piety.

Deceitful
Slightly decreased diplomacy but huge intrigue gain.

Sadistic
Increased intrigue, prowess, and natural dread, but a slight opinion penalty.

Stubborn
Increased stewardship and health, but minor opinion penalty from vassals.

Vengeful
Increased Intrigue, prowess, and dread, but minor diplomacy penalty.

Zealous
Increased martial, piety, and opinion from those of your faith, but an opinion penalty from opposing faiths.

Average Crusader Kings 3 Traits

Crusader Kings 3
Crusader Kings 3 review

The traits in this category are decent and will at least give you some form of benefit. The downside is that all of them have some penalty or side effect that brings them down. These traits are likely what you will receive the most when raising your children as they are the most common in the game.

Ambitious
Plus 1 to all traits, but take additional stress in certain events.

Arbitrary
Increased intrigue and dread, but lower stewardship and diplomacy.

Arrogant
Increased prestige gain but receive a vassal opinion penalty.

Brave
Likelihood to die in battle, increased prowess.

Callous
Lower diplomacy, but increased intrigue and dread.

Calm
Increased diplomacy and intrigue but lower dread.

Chaste
Increased learning but lower fertility.

Compassionate
Increased diplomacy but lower intrigue and dread.

Content
Increased learning and opinion from vassals, but lower intrigue.

Diligent
Plus 1 to all traits, but take additional stress in certain events.

Fickle
Added diplomacy but lower stewardship.

Forgiving
Increased diplomacy but lower intrigue.

Generous
Increased diplomacy but 15% less income.

Gluttonous
Lower stress gain but also lower stewardship.

Greedy
15% more income but lower diplomacy.

Humble
Increased Piety and the same faith opinion and lowers different faith opinions.

Patient
Increased learning and opinion from vassals.

Trusting
Increased diplomacy and vassal opinion, but lower intrigue.

Wrathful
Increased Martial and dread, lower diplomacy and intrigue.

Worst Crusader Kings 3 Traits

Crusader Kings 3
Crusader Kings 3

The traits in this category are the worst in Crusader Kings 3 with little to no benefit while having large negative side effects. They also tend to be tied to the worst events the game has to offer with large stress penalties for your actions. If you can avoid one of these traits then you should.

Craven
Lower martial, prowess, and attraction opinion.

Honest
Slightly increased diplomacy but huge intrigue loss.

Impatient
Lower learning and vassal opinion penalty.

Lazy
Slightly lower stress but minus 2 to all skills.

Paranoid
Slightly increased Intrigue but lower diplomacy and higher stress.

Shy
Lower diplomacy and attraction.

Crusader Kings 3 is available now for PC.

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