Advice on playing Diplomacy lifestyle

[Banyan42]

I'm a new CK player, and this is my new favorite game, but I am not very good at it. I have a decent handle on Martial and Intrigue, I think. I'm scratching my head on how to approach playing Diplomacy though, just looking at the skills.

I know its supposed to be really powerful based on other folks's comments, I just haven't grasped the way to go about it yet. It seems like I'd have a lot of problems without being able to conquer or assassinate my way through the game. Any quick advice? Thanks in advance.

[Eddie Latium]

Diplomacy is the Tree that can make easily a super stable Realm, that alone is a lot. It has many bonuses, can Make Friends, Alliances and easy Marriages, it's really versatile. Check the Trees and see what's more interesting for your goals, I'd advice to try the one on the right once at least, it's great.

[Psikraut]

On the right side of the tree you can make friends and get 1-3 random skillpoints per friend. The scheme takes around a year so you would be able to have 10 friends ergo 10-30 free skillpoints in just 10 years if everything works out. The double bonus of opinion per fame level in the middle tree is OP when you are big and can get to the highest level very quick and it gives like +80 opinion. Pair this with +15 become vassal aceptence and everyone will want to be your vassal just because they think your awesome. No wars needed.

In my Hispania campaign i just did wars to get the peninsula and then some weird "Wants to become your vassal" chain reaction happened and eastern europe + half or germany just joined my empire one after the other. Had just a small enclave in the balkans from my vassal somewhere and Diplo 30+ King.

I would recommend to take it rather when you have at least a king though or have problems with opinion.

[Banyan42]

Thanks, what you guys say makes sense. So, start with martial or intrigue (or a mix of both) and put together some land, then maybe diplomacy on succession? I might give that a shot.

[Twelvefield]

The thing with Diplomacy is that you try to avoid assassination and conquest in the first place. Put those tools back in their box. With diplo, your new best friends are alliances and friends. (Your new best friends are friends. Way to go Twelvefield.) The thing is all of that angry stuff just goes by the wayside and peace becomes possible. While you are peaceful, you can build things that enhance your reputation which in turn feeds your diplo again. Once you get the ball rolling, it's hard to stop diplo from being OP, until the final days and the end of all pleasures which comes to us all. Then you'd better hope that the goodwill you built extends to your heir!

If you like recursive Trees, try Edumacation. Do the thing that gains piety and then just sit back and power your way through with superior brains. There should be a character model of a brain in a jar, you get to be that powerful. Edumacation gives you some health buffs, marry a smart spouse to help with the thinkwork, and you will get bonus after bonus. I filled the entire Tree, became a religious icon and boom, I am the Pope of Twelvefieldism. Mel Brooks famously said "It's Good To Be The King," but let's face it: dear Mel is Jewish and perhaps not up to speed on the awesome august power of pure Popery.

[Banyan42]

Being nice to people. Huh. Never even considered the possibility. Okay, sure, why not?

[Twelvefield]

It's not so much that you are nice to them. It's that they feel compelled to be nice to you. Diplomacy is just an invisible sword to the gut made out of words.

[Eddie Latium]

No worries! That could be a viable strategy indeed, personally I find Intrigue getting better as you progress, as it gives different "tools" to keep things under control and manipulate situations, but you need money and relationships to make it work properly, or if you start as a vassal alternatively.

Starting with Martial as a small independent ruler is great as well, as you'll probably face different wars in a short time with limited general and knights, but playing Diplomatic is great indeed, I started in the good ol' Ireland for example and just formed an Empire in late game, I got both Scotland and Danelaw (basically England and Wales, they were taken by the Norwegians) exclusively diplomatically, all with Marriages.

Another thing to consider is how it helps to spread your Dynasty, which will get you Renown and help in wars when you'll need it.

Originally posted by Twelvefield:

It's not so much that you are nice to them. It's that they feel compelled to be nice to you. Diplomacy is just an invisible sword to the gut made out of words.

It sounds like something Machiavelli could have said, I really like it.

[Banyan42]

@Twelvefield You have a way with words, man. I think I've been looking at the game with too limited of a mindset. Looking forward to trying those trees.

@EA Latium All that sounds great as a concept. I'll just have to fumble around for awhile and ruin a few games to put it into practice. I'm playing as Ireland start too at the moment (not the tutorial). Knowing you brought all of the british isles under your rulership amazes me.