REVIEW of Tours & Tournaments (CK3) 

I played a crazy amount of hours to bring you this review where I dissect individual features. While Tours & Tournaments and its accompanying free patch have some conceptual weaknesses, there is a lot to be extremely happy about! The Royal Court lessons have definitely been learned!

I think it would be great if CK3 had its own Custodians who upgrade older DLCs features to match the new ones just like in Stellaris

I was playing as a child, and I had just organized a grand wedding just as i turned adult, and i was squealing like a little girl the whole time my character and his betrothed were just soulmates instantly. 10/10 DLC

For the first time since I started playing Crusader kings, I looked at the map and went "This is enough territory" and one of my rulers spent most of his life at peace, holding feast, arranging weddings, etc. While that probably won't last, it's a great piece of DLC and added some MUCH needed peace time activities to the game, Very happy with it and hope they can continue with this level of quality going forward.

For the first time in the game I played for more than 3 hours at speed 2 or 3 without waging a single war. Usually I just blitz through at speed 5 between 2 wars.

I hope they keep adding more Realm Management, that is the most fun part of the game, actually doing things that a King would do back then. I stopped playing as I just spent the whole time playing the game at 4/5 speed, declare war, beat my opponment, repeat. There wasn't any realm management really in the game

I could listen to OPB talk about literally anything for hours. It's very convinient that he's usually right otherwise I'd be screwed.

When you get to the point that you have a stable empire, doing the travel and tournaments is probably the way that your characters will get killed. No more sitting at home for a hundred years while nothing happens.

I agree with most of your assessments, especially in regards to regencies. I felt that they could (and should) tie them into the Royal Court more. Not only would this make the Royal Court more attractive, but it also makes regencies cooler. Imagine holding court or touring the realm in the name of your liege as you said. That is such a good idea. Even small things like simply seeing your regent sit the throne while you are away from it (or too small to sit on it). In addition, events such as coups could be set in the Royal Court, rather than just being like any other event. This would go a long way in improving the Royal Court and regencies I feel.

Best part for me is, you now can use mods while hunting for achievements. 10/10

As someone who prefers roleplaying as a loyal subject to a king or emperor (I rarely conquer land outside of de jure), this gives me A LOT more to do when not helping my liege win a war. It's so rare to see a game have a meaningful DLC that actually changes the way you play the game (in a good way). 10/10

This is somewhat nitpicking, and I wish there was a feasible way to implement this, but kinda hoped they would've applied regencies while your ruler was commanding an army. Either way, currently enjoying this update.

While I haven't played this much to give a review. Considering it just came out today. I am for the first time actually caring about the little things. Becoming a hunter was a push button hope for stages in being a master hunter. Now it has two types. I find the amount of pop ups to greatly increased and I actually care. Before not so much. Was far... far more interested in the end result instead of the journey. I find this to be a welcome change. I've often been pretty 'meh' about roleplaying. Now, I'm far more vested and interested in playing my personality instead of by passing the little things for the end result. As far as power creep. It seems like any knight or count can be more renowned / prestigious than say Alexander the Great or Genghis Khan. A solution the comes to mind is something like diminishing return. An example would would be. Of course your a known knight of amazing prowess of course you won. So you get half the prestige gained. On the other end. As a nobody or low prowess character, you gain more.

Would be nice to see squires for the accolade system show up in wards and wardens.

This dlc is honestly the first time since ck3 came out where I feel like it's worthwhile compared to ck2 with all its dlcs. Don't get me wrong, I like ck3 and have played a ton of it, but it's still missing key features like better nomad gameplay. The travel system is such a game changer though, I honestly can't wait to see how they expand upon it in future content.

One thing that I'm certainly considering re: modding(and maybe even pitching to the devs) is using the travel system to create a system for nomadic peoples to be able to move around the map instead of being considered little more than tribals with a tengri coat

I think regencies could be used for a shogun mechanic for the Shogunate mod.

With some balancing tweaks this update could well stand as a central pillar of CK3 for the rest of the titles lifetime. I have natural things to do between wars for the first time since the launch of the game instead of having to force RP. While I would have liked a more integrated version of some of these new mechanics like regency, overall this DLC and update are a wonderful addition. I agree with you in that I would never want to go back to the previous version of the game and with further patches this could be wonderful.

I hope repitition won’t be too big of an issue but we’ll see with time I suppose

Very nice montage, it feels very fluid to watch !

The mods that expand on this content are going to be SO GOOD

Man...imagine a new player trying to learn CK and walking into this video haha.

I really liked your criticism of this one, felt very balanced and you've got good suggestions on how to fix these issues that I wouldn't have even thought of. Made me excited to play CK3 again :)

Great point of view. I like a lot of this new way of content ;) big up from Portugal bro!!

I have to say the years in game definitely seem to go by quicker now due to this update and dlc which Is something that I love, I’m looking forward to what modders can do

The fact that it is the price of an entire game by itself means no matter how good the features are its a pass from me. If more people had this mentality maybe they'd reverse their insane policy on pricing for CK3 DLC

Great review! Haven't picked up the DLC yet, as too busy to begin a new playthrough. Looking forward to when I get around to it though.

Best Review of the DLC ive seen, TnT and Fate of Iberia are my favourite 2 DLCs for CK2 and CK3 now great sign of the trajectory for future DLCs!!

thank you for the clear and concise information. great vid

Very succinct video. Great job dude!

This DLC is on my wishlist, I have to find the funds! Looking forward to gaming it out, at least with the FLC for now.

Was waiting for this to drop,Ty! U have an affiliate link btw in case I wanna buy?

As someone who didn't pay any attention to this DLC before watching this video, that traveling system is so simple and yet such an amazing idea in terms of improving gameplay. Now there's an actual limitation to realm size other than just an arbitrary vassal limit.

I hated how i've missed already 2 tournements because my party arived 2 days late. In mean while my whole party returned home and had time to spare before the entire event was even past. I mean I get that you'd miss the start of a hunt and cant join anymore but a tournement can be spectated, i think you should be able to still arive at it but just not be able to join in the first contest anymore or something.

*Please* tell me that you’re gonna be doing a new RP playthrough with this, I’d love to watch it.

Glad the patch is adding some of the features of character permanence. It was a massive shock to have everyone just teleporting around.

first time i couldn't / DIDNT want to use 5x speed. by far the best DLC for Ck3 9/10 stars. with atleast 2000 hours played this feels like it should've been apart of the game in the beginning but hey better late than never. actually gives more immersion, more dynamics, a reason to play small and not paint map

All right you've convinced me blue and white checkered man, I shall buy this

Don’t know about the all of the DLC since I haven’t been to much tournaments, but the free patch is INSANE, and tours across your realm are my favorite activity rn

Excellent all around. As you said the regency mechanic could use some work and the Accolades could use a slightly better UI and flavor but even then they’re very cool. My only prayer is that things continue this way. I get something like this will only happen once a year but I hope the other flavor and event packs have the same level of quality.

Was about to just buy the DLC before I got this notification lol, danke OPB.

I’ve been hating on the DLC since it was announced, I’ve got over 1000 hours in the game and haven’t touched it since last year bc it’s just too bare bones atm. Actually genuinely surprised it added WAY more content than just tours and tournaments. Worth while DLC

So I’m looking to pick up CK3 at the next Steam Sale. It looks like Chapter 1 is disliked quite a bit. Would it be worthwhile to do CL3+Tours/Tourny only?

We really need royal court to get updated with these new mechanics. It's a fantastic opportunity for Paradox to turn the negative reaction they got for Royal Court to something really positive!

I wonder if, alongside the whole "accolades" system, they will ever implement personal coats of arms? Would be amazing if they did...

This really does look great! But honestly speaking $30 is relatively expensive

Hi ! i have'nt played ck 3 in ages, having played more than 10 000 jours on ck 2 and over 2 000 hours on ck3, i'd want to try this new expansion, but i don't know where to start. Do you guys have any advice for a fun place to start ? I do not want to paint the map, nor to be destroyed in 10 years...

Building off of what you said regarding dynamically increasing regent power instead of spending a currency, I do think it would be cool to integrate both. Like travelling to a Lord's castle on a tour and gaining the ability to select a decision similar to [Swing the Scales]. However, it could be expanded to allow the player to promise more than just currency; things like promising lands and titles, minor titles, council positions, etc... should be an option. In any case, when spending currency, players should have an option to "Dip into the Treasury" as they take their lieges scores as their own. It would lead to some cool situation when a liege comes into their majority, or returns to their throne, only to find drained resources due to their regent.

The regency is also amazing as it makes sense for your family hopefully to rule on your stead and get some prestige of their own before they take full office.

What start should I play for the new DLC?

I'm so glad this DLC added fun ways to play that isn't just map painting. That was sorely needed, and they delivered.

What do you think about the price of the dlc?

Looking forward and hoping for another let's play from you. Also any plans for your other channel?

Ive been dying for a filter of any kind in the vassal page I can't believe it took this long.

How this DLC is as first one?

Since the update I have been experiencing game crashes. Anybody else got those?

9:33 why does the mask move? why does it move? who signed off on this?

Looking forward to AGOT mod getting updated with these features implemented but for now, I'll take a break from CK3 until the DLC is on sale.

Good review. I've dabbled with TaT for a few days now. I really like the changes, although I'm a bit hampered by playing the Iberian campaign with the sister who has only a county to begin with. One big gripe I have so far is the fps drop. I can survive it being a bit choppy but 7 fps on a rtx 3060 is overdoing it. I hope they fix it because at this point it really affects my experience and the gameplay by being so laggy

I've just been playing the free version and I really like it!

Paradox just learns what the people want and deliver. I do wish they would go back to Royal Court and give that an update itself. Many of this DLC style could be implemented and would be greatly appreciated.

They've got to change the event intention screen so that I can filter and search.

Nice review.

Only really issue I have with the new update is that most of the new mechanics all come with the free version. Why are we paying 30 bucks for some slightly modified events

I wished buildings have branching paths. Like, a barrack can be turned into a royal barrack for retinue bonus, or a large barrack for more levied. Farms can be built for greater income or greater supply. A little variety for all our baronies.

the new way how things are done are incredibly rewarding too, I found a feral boy who I ended up adopting and he had amazing stats and then in a hunt I got a tier 3 artifact basically for free because I was invited lol

Overall I agree with your conclusion that this DLC is must have - but there are also some minor annoyances. As an example I went on a Grand Tour of England and I got a lot of duplicated events - even at the same holding. As an example the event where a random Courtier will interupt your conversation. I had this happen 3 times at one holding with the SAME Courtier. The next holding I also got this event with literally a clone of the same Courtier - she looked exactly the same, but with a different name. Some of the events are also very immersion breaking. I had a Mayor event where my son refused to pay tribute. I had an event where a lowly peasant will be able to get close enough to give a hug, even though I had hired mercenaries, yes a hug is not a bad thing, but it could have been an assasination attempt or she could have had a disease. Speaking of which- I also had 3 fake assination attempts at one holding. On the road there my 30 prowess ruler lost in a duel to a peasant with 4 prowess. All that being said, having travel at all makes up for most of these issues. I wish there was more interaction between the expansions though. Royal Court seems completely segregated from the rest of the game and the events are even more repetitive and immersion-breaking than Tours so I guess that is an improvement. Update: Also held a Grand Tournament- was clearly the strongest person there, but still lost for reasons unknown. Great use of 480 gold plus the 80 gold I had to pay for a peasant that was wandering around the archery grounds during the contest...

Great break down!

Would really like if they created some sort of visible sign someone has won a tourney. Perhaps the Kills icon and menu could be traded for and expanded to include such accolades. Kills, Wins and placements, Battles and war W/L... etc.

they moved the mine in sardeigna to a barony holding ..... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!!!

I love that council archetypes actually matter again. The only things I now personally miss from the game are reapers due (would fit perfectly with this travel update!) and secret societies (less likely, but it could come with the religion rework so many people have requested).

i havent played sincer release yesterday i couldnt stop playing

My own opinion: 1. Travelling: activity in itself, something you can do all the time instead waging wars. However, some events are immune to this system and fire while shouldn't (i.e. I got certain monk event chain while I was in the middle of pilgrimage; some court events also fire while I'm absent). 2. Stances: I don't find them particulalry influential or relevant. 3. Activities: very good, but there're some issues: tournaments tend to be OP (prestige/renown farming and chance to get really powerful artifacts); delay between pilgrimages is way too short (I was able to start new pilgrimage right after I returned from previous one); invitation bar needs time adjustment button (so I don't have to wait nine months in the middle of nowhere to actually begin hunting because one person needs a lot of time to come).

Im thinking of getting ck3 while it's on sale. Are the dlcs necessary or could i just get base game? And if some are necessary, which ones? I don't want to spend too much

Ok, that thumbnail got me anxious cus I have the chapter pack. I found the intrigue mechanic to require a real commitment to rp as an schemer and have really only used it to murder rivals and learn languages. So maybe the next big dlc should add a new flesh to it. Make assassinations and hook collection more proactive. I am surprised to hear that tourney didn’t add to court events. With every dlc, I think they would add new events to the court as it serves as a nexus for events. The lack of density deminishes that impression.

It really is like a whole new game now. Can't wait for Ek2 to be compatible.

You almost had me there

the iron mask moves the mouth LOL

I was pleasantly surprised by this DLC - it seemed like it would introduce a ton of dead-end mechanics again (hey there, CK2 Republic DLC, how have you been?), but so far, it looks pretty well-integrated into the game and certainly makes peacetime play more enjoyable. That said, I do believe that the travel events will sadly get boring *really* quickly, and constant hunt invitations are already getting a teensy tiny bit annoying. But that's mostly evened out by the fact that the world now feels a lot bigger and lived-in, which makes every decision just a bit more meaningful and enjoyable. Plus, painting the map, while still fun in its own right, no longer feels like it's the only endgame.

Can you return to your aquatine play through

How are people able to afford these events? 500 gold is way out of reach for my 5ish gold per month dude

Im having a torrid time not even managing to play the game (through Xbox game pass) and not even managed to download the update at all. 😅

This week I have already spent my money on Age of Wonders 4, Tours and Tournaments, Voice of people for Vic3 and Mechabellum. Paradox, please stop. Have mercy!

A holy fury like expansion would be most welcome

Hmmmm I would like to see another role play series with this update.

The ability to destroy artifacts for gold is such a blessing as well. I feel this dlc makes the life of each character feel more interesting and longer, or should I say, it feels like they are not aging at the speed of light. I have to admit the artifacts obtained from tournaments are so good they been making even my worse heirs viable for a long play. Over all and amazing dlc imo.

One of the most fun things I've spotted now is that in the late stages of your characters life you usually just try to blob out as much as possible because there is simply nothing else to do, so why waste the piety & prestige by not attacking? But now I had my character the son of the starting Duke of Bavaria expand rapidly and reform the Holy Roman empire as a race against the clock (making sure he doesn't die and his realm doesn't fracture). But now he's done it and instead of having to keep expanding and dying admitst a war, he is just chilling out, organising tours and participating in tournaments. He's essentially just retired and all his vassals love him for it.

A definite improvement! I hope paradox continues on this path for future dlc. However a lot more should be done with the game before it is comparable to paradox's other flagship titles.

So judging by the complaint 6 min into the video the solution would be to introduce challenge in a new dlc? Something akin to adventurers or claimants.... a threat that could bring difficulty to those OP kingdoms you mention a couple centuries into a save becoming a problem by making these activities redundant due to modifier stacking. A threat to kings and emperors. But what else could it be.....

It’s going to be amazing in modded role plays like agot

Good Stuff.

When doing a grand wedding, plan it early instead of waiting until the last minute. If your betrothed spouse starts an activity you will not be able to plan the wedding and will still have to deal with the negatives

I hope they will update regencies soon, I don't think it would be much work to add those things you asked for in a free patch very soon, it really is a glaring issue!

No mention of the price? Seems incredibly steep for a DLC.

Regencies are a little underwhelming, but they had the good sense to make that part free, so really that cushions some of the criticism for me.

The itches I have with the DLC: - tribal tournaments - was it so hard to have a different set of images and tourney grounds for tribals? It was clearly created for feudal types but I don't think a different set of images and tourney grounds map would have been such a difficult thing to change. Hopefully they will add them in the future (current ones are kind of immersion breaking). I think that a tiered tourney grounds would have been better with more interaction options as you progress through the ages. Cause for sure my norse village in the early 900's didn't look like that :D. - accolades -the Primary/Secondary abilities thing is .... weird. Obviously it's the primary that interests you as it's the one that never changes, so since the secondary 99.9% most surely always changes....why bother? Why not just keep it simple - The Chad Bearer of The Pointy Stick - who makes spearmen better, that's what I want, I don;t care if he's a thug or a charmer or whatev. His personality is enough to tell me how he's gonna do his job. - regencies - I found that usually my liege is not gone long enough for me to affect the scales in any meaningful way. Child liege is the only realistic option for actually getting to the stage where you can perform a coup. The scales of power level should not reset for a specific regent, so as to when you have multiple regencies you can work your way up the chain so to speak. It would be much more interesting if one day my liege would discover that he could just not dismiss me with a wave of his hand because I had multiple regencies and every time I spread my influence more and more in his kingdom. At the moment you're regent for a couple of months, maybe a year or two, your liege comes back and you get dismissed before getting to make any significant impact. Keep the previous scale level for the second regency so as to not start from 0 every time, if your liege is foolish enough to trust you again. For a more organic treason that is :D -

One problem with this dlc is that the ai donest undertstand what buildings they should build in a county and they end up screwing themselvs over

I honestly don't think I will touch the update until EK2 updates. I love EK2's map and world way more than CK3's. Glad to hear it is a good update and DLC though.

It's good, but I had a crash and lost a really good Asturias start 😢

Problem is the price for this dlc is the price for the game itself. Way too expensive