What are the practical benefits of amassing lovers?

[TwoTonTuna]

The only real benefit I can think of is increasing renown gain via more living relatives. Aside from that, collecting lovers seems more like a liability than an asset. High-intrigue characters will get hooks on you, rulers can divorce their disloyal wives, parents can disown/disinherit bastards. And if adultery is a sin in your religion, you're going to get a hefty opinion penalty if people expose your affairs.

Romancing seems like the better choice for two simple reasons:

1) you get prestige from romancing multiple characters.
2) romancing without sex is not a sin
3) you can steal away a potentially good partner by eloping with them.

am i missing something about seduction? is there some hidden benefit from amassing lovers that i'm missing here?

[DecayWolf]

Bastards are amazing. If you need an alliance or you saw an opportunity to put a family member as a emperor/king you can take this opportunity as it presents itself. Legitimized sons, you either have too many, or too few, bastards you have as many as needed and when needed.

Lovers are easier/faster to get.

The opinion modiffer is what? -10? That's nothing.

[Xef]

It's situational, sometimes you have a lot better chance of seducing characters than you would have romancing them. Often it's worth the risk of being sinful to get a character with kingdom claim to your court for an example.

I also like using it to get concubines with good traits as they'll be happy and usually start producing the goods right away.

Lovers also can't join factions against you.

[The Former]

Bastards are potential opportunities, basically. They can be legitimized if they need to be, but they're not legal claimants who can go after your heirs if you don't want them to be. Amassing both lovers and romanced paramours are valid for their own reasons, so it really comes down to play style and intent.

[TwoTonTuna]

Originally posted by DecayWolf:

Bastards are amazing. If you need an alliance or you saw an opportunity to put a family member as a emperor/king you can take this opportunity as it presents itself. Legitimized sons, you either have too many, or too few, bastards you have as many as needed and when needed.

Lovers are easier/faster to get.

The opinion modiffer is what? -10? That's nothing.

Huh. I remember only one lover getting exposed, and I got a -30 general opinion penalty. That, and the piety/devotion penalty which will slow down attempts to invade kingdoms of a hostile/evil religion.

Originally posted by Xef:

Lovers also can't join factions against you.

Kinda irrelevant if you're a male leader in a male-dominated society. Although having lovers in the court might help prevent assassination plots with the right perks.

Originally posted by Knight-Errant:

Bastards are potential opportunities, basically. They can be legitimized if they need to be, but they're not legal claimants who can go after your heirs if you don't want them to be. Amassing both lovers and romanced paramours are valid for their own reasons, so it really comes down to play style and intent.

Hm. This might work if I go on a murder spree. Assassinate the father, assassinate the other heirs, and then legitimize the kid. Too bad they nerfed murder plots in the recent patch though

[Freeman]

Originally posted by Kodesh:

Originally posted by DecayWolf:

Bastards are amazing. If you need an alliance or you saw an opportunity to put a family member as a emperor/king you can take this opportunity as it presents itself. Legitimized sons, you either have too many, or too few, bastards you have as many as needed and when needed.

Lovers are easier/faster to get.

The opinion modiffer is what? -10? That's nothing.

Huh. I remember only one lover getting exposed, and I got a -30 general opinion penalty. That, and the piety/devotion penalty which will slow down attempts to invade kingdoms of a hostile/evil religion.

Originally posted by Xef:

Lovers also can't join factions against you.

Kinda irrelevant if you're a male leader in a male-dominated society. Although having lovers in the court might help prevent assassination plots with the right perks.

Originally posted by Knight-Errant:

Bastards are potential opportunities, basically. They can be legitimized if they need to be, but they're not legal claimants who can go after your heirs if you don't want them to be. Amassing both lovers and romanced paramours are valid for their own reasons, so it really comes down to play style and intent.

Hm. This might work if I go on a murder spree. Assassinate the father, assassinate the other heirs, and then legitimize the kid. Too bad they nerfed murder plots in the recent patch though

They nerfed diplomacy as well :( Its like they want us to play fair, cmon its just a game, its supposed to be fun to cheat the AI and win big wars. For example, I had a Claimant in my court, who had a claim on Holy Roman Empire, well she was a women, so I wasnt able to press the claim. And even if I could, what is the point, if she becomes independent either way, she wont be part of my realm/kingdom/empire whatever the case. The only positive I could see is if we were lovers, had a son, I legitimized that child, he would be of my dynasty, then I could claim his title as a Dynasty Head interaction. Thats so convoluted though :D

[SpiderOrca]

cause I want to have my original guy's DNA in 75% of the world population by 1453, starting in 867

[Mr W]

How are you going to get thousands of living dynasty members if you aren't willing to do your part?

[TwoTonTuna]

Originally posted by Mr W:

How are you going to get thousands of living dynasty members if you aren't willing to do your part?

Renown gain got nerfed significantly in the recent patch. You can only get a max of +2 a month from 100 living members. Anything more than that is just for RP purposes.

[Markus Reese]

There are a few reasons if not criminal in your empire. First is more heirs. You get more control of education and genetics allowing the spreading of superior vassals.

Depending on rights, it can also be used as warfare with creating children of your house in other houses, or to destabilize other powerful nations.

I had an early play where an heir out of my ability to directly influence education was heavily intrigue with seducer before I got control. Married to somebody not good for kids. So with legitimization, went around and had kids with the best genetics in council. Nearby were enemies whom it was very illegal. Seduce and kids with them when opportune destabilizing those countries and disrupting their lineage, etc.

It was only a soft nerf at the 2 max for 100 cause spread the house? Stll get the rank and power bonuses.

[VipreRX]

Originally posted by Kodesh:

Originally posted by Mr W:

How are you going to get thousands of living dynasty members if you aren't willing to do your part?

Renown gain got nerfed significantly in the recent patch. You can only get a max of +2 a month from 100 living members. Anything more than that is just for RP purposes.

Doesn't impact renown from independent rulers though right and the more living members you have the more likely they are to rule.

Wait I'm having mad déjà vu, didn't we have this thread already?

OHHH!
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1158310/discussions/0/2966141980967960632/

Same basic info applies to lovers.