Horse Lords added trade dynamics via the Silk Road in the East, while The Republic is an earlier analog for the West.įor the most part, you can enjoy a game of Crusader Kings II without ever playing as a merchant republic. This one allows you to play as various merchant republics in the game world. The RepublicĬontinuing with the trend of “only if you want to play as a specific faction” is The Republic. So for the most part, this expansion just offers Mongol hordes and steppe nomads. Playing as nomadic rulers was already possible via The Old Gods which released two years prior.

With this expansion, you’re able to establish tributary states while giving more flavor for nomadic rulers and enjoying the benefits of a pre-determined Silk Road. Jade Dragon did try to follow in the footsteps of its older cousin, Horse Lords. It’s also worth noting that you’re going to have a hard time maximizing your enjoyment if you don’t have Horse Lords, The Old Gods, or Rajas of India since the action takes place on the eastern end of the map unless you allow for zero restrictions when interacting with China. The mechanics just become a little too ahistorical and anachronistic. Unfortunately, it’s like the Sunset Invasion but set in the East. Jade Dragon has all the right ingredients to make it a brilliant expansion. But it did make Western Europe a lot livelier for a time. The highly unrealistic Aztec invasion of Europe is not something that history fans appreciated. Sunset Invasion isn’t so much an expansion as it is a glorified event.

It’s a feature that should have been included in the base game from the start or as a free update, which has earned the ire of many players. The feature allowed you to customize your ruler’s looks, traits, and heraldry before you start a game for a $4.99 price tag. We’re kicking off our list with what might be one of the most controversial DLCs in Crusader Kings II history: the Ruler Designer. (Dis)honorable Mention: Crusader Kings II Ruler Designer I’ve also added a (dis)honorable mention for a certain offering.

As someone who has been playing the game from the start and has tried out every expansion and DLC that Paradox Interactive has provided.įor the sake of clarity, I’ve arranged the expansions/DLC from worst to best while also summarizing the features they provide. Then there are certain expansions that benefit from previously released DLC. Some add major improvements to specific religions or cultures without doing anything for others. But not all of them are worth the time and money. Since the game’s launch in 2012, Crusader Kings II has wracked up 15 expansions and counting.

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