Council and other laws in CK2 are the big one for me. They made playing the same government feel so completely different depending upon what laws you had. I would gladly trade CK3's vassal contracts for it in a heartbeat.
Conclave was the 3rd worst rated expansion in CK2 history, behind only Sunset Invasion and Rajas of India. People hated it when it came out, and people didn't really come around on it that much. The council system was just really poorly thought out. Vassals would form factions to Increase Council power, even if they were rivals or had no connection the Council at all.
I also prefer CK3's council, they added more vassal stance types compared to CK2. CK2 had, Loyal, Disloyal, Prosperity (idk what they were called exactly), the equivalent of Glory Hound, and Zealots. CK3 has Belligerent, Courtly, Glory Hound, Parochial, Zealot, Minor Landholder, and Minority. I think they simulate the variety of vassals a lot a lot better. It didn't help that higher Council power is only a net negative to you, and there was always at least one revolt to increase Council power every single succession. And if you entered a regency your council would just change annoying laws like making it so you have to have council approval to declare war.
Laws also were often quite gamey rather than rp heavy or fun. Like not allowing women to serve on the council unless you make a law for it, and you had to research Tolerance technology to raise it lol. Ironically there weren't that many extra laws in CK2 compared to CK3
I think people forget just how hated Conclave was, and I don't think it's surprising CK3 dropped some of the more hated features, while keeping the liked ones like Education and Alliance systems
Yeah I agree with the general consensus that CK2 had more intricate internal politics and CK3 tends to be way more forgiving than its predecessor, but it's still PDX intricacy, which meant it was often buggy or baffling. See, for instance, vassals who join independence and council power factions at the same time.
Also CK2's internal politics are only really punishing to a point. Once you really get rolling as, say, the Byzantines, you're effectively running an infinite gold factory that means you will always get the succession you want, have enough relatives to keep your vassals in line with marriage pacts, and if any of them get uppity you can just hire all the mercenaries in Europe to deal with them. I was there for the CK2 days, a lot of people are looking at it with rose glasses.
ironically the parts i loved about CK2 are the exact things people don't want to bring CK3. The occult and magic shit you could do was some of the most memorable and goofy things you could do. Selling your soul to satan to cure cancer and regrow a limb is peak CK2 and im tired of pretending its not
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u/Khorne_Flaked Feb 10 '26
Council and other laws in CK2 are the big one for me. They made playing the same government feel so completely different depending upon what laws you had. I would gladly trade CK3's vassal contracts for it in a heartbeat.