CK3: Meaning of Landed & Unlanded Characters

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Landed and unlanded refers to whether a character currently owns any titles.

Landed characters can be rulers or vassals. Unlanded characters can be guests, courtiers, wanderers, or Lowborn.

 

What Are Landed Characters?

Landed characters currently hold land. That means they own a title, either by inheriting it from family, conquering land, or being granted it by a ruler.

 
A landed character with multiple titles / CK3
A landed character with multiple titles
 

A landed character rules over counties directly, often upgrading individual holdings like castles and churches. They can also control armies.

 
The upgrade and construct screen for players / Crusader Kings III
The upgrade and construct screen for players
 

Landed characters belong to a dynasty, and they must have heirs in order to pass on their titles properly.

Players without heirs will lose the game.

 
A player heir and his future inheritance / CK3
A player heir and his future inheritance
 

There are also characters with higher tier titles, like duke, king, or emperor. At these tiers, characters may have vassals, who are all minor landed characters themselves.

In CK3, you always play a landed character!

 
The vassals menu in the player’s character window with a duke and two counts shown / Crusader Kings III
The vassals menu in the player’s character window with a duke and two counts shown
 

What Are Unlanded Characters?

Unlanded characters do not currently own any land. This includes heirs who will inherit titles in the future.

 
An unlanded character, who is part of a dynasty / CK3
An unlanded character, who is part of a dynasty
 

Unlanded characters may have a dynasty or they may be Lowborn. This depends on their parents.

 
A lowborn character, who does not have a dynasty / Crusader Kings III
A lowborn character, who does not have a dynasty
 

These characters usually exist at the courts of landed characters as Courtiers.

Courtiers can be involved in events, hired as councilors, married, or a range of other options.

 
The courtiers menu in the player’s character window with a knight and bishop / CK3
The courtiers menu in the player’s character window with a knight and bishop
 

Unlanded characters have no land, no holdings, and most of the time no armies.

You will never play an unlanded character in CK3 without modding.

 

Wandering Characters

Wandering characters are always unlanded, although they can be dynasty members or Lowborn.

Wanderers are not tied to a specific court and can move around. They will ask rulers to help them press claims or provide other services.

 
A wandering character who is not tied to a court / Crusader Kings III
A wandering character who is not tied to a court
 

Wanderers visiting your court are called guests.

You can pay them to stay as courtiers and give them a role, like councilor, champion, or antiquarian.

 
A guest in the player’s court / CK3
A guest in the player’s court
 

If you don’t give your unlanded heirs anything to do, they may become wanderers too! Be careful, because they can return with armies or stir up other trouble.

 
Guests who will leave soon / Crusader Kings III
Some guests who will leave soon, if they aren’t hired
 
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Samantha Campbell

Samantha is a Scottish writer, editor, and lifelong gamer living in Czechia. She loves to travel around Europe and enjoy the outdoors, as long as it's not too hot! She can usually be found constructing her next CK3 dynasty, carving some tails in Monster Hunter, or enjoying a horror show or two.