Shy, Craven, Paranoid

[Vincent_Krys]

As most know, when raising your next heir you get a series of events that lets you choose the traits the'll have. But Jesus Christ, this is the ONLY event you get where all 3 options are actually insufferable - Literally.

Other 'bad' ones you get, I can usually pick out a trait I actually don't mind. But man, these 3 in the title, I can't justify ANY of them. The only thing worse than getting this event for a personality trait, is when the game forces the same event on you 3 times in which you get all 3 traits (Like Ambitious, Sadistic, and Cynical, but the event comes up all 3 times so you have to pick all 3). That instance, along with this single instance are one of the only times I save Scum.

Can anybody tell me of these 3 which is the best to choose? I lean on Shy but even then Shy is so awful

[taomastercu]

Shy is arguably one of the worst traits in the game. Paranoid is not great. Craven is honestly not a real issue at all. Unless you specifically want to play a general.

Absolute do not choose Shy ever. And you almost always want to take Craven out of these 3.

[turkey_pilot]

I usually go with paranoid. At least you get some intrigue benefits.

But if the other 2 traits are not good/great and/or a 4 star education, I'll get a mistress and start working on a different heir.

[JC]

I made a Paranoid person for my newest start, It hasn't been all bad, in fact a few times it's helped. :) Harder to start with for sure as you are trying to grow a kingdom, but it did make me change my tactics a little.

[Vincent_Krys]

Originally posted by turkey_pilot:

I usually go with paranoid. At least you get some intrigue benefits.

But if the other 2 traits are not good/great and/or a 4 star education, I'll get a mistress and start working on a different heir.

Paranoid is too much stress, you'll die with it. Anybody joins your court - stress. Any feast - stress. Any friendly event - stress. The list goes on. I'd probably rather pick Craven than Paranoid even if I was playing an Intrigue character.

A different heir is probably the best option honestly if I get this event, or save scum. That's how much I hate it.

[Vincent_Krys]

Originally posted by taomastercu:

Shy is arguably one of the worst traits in the game. Paranoid is not great. Craven is honestly not a real issue at all. Unless you specifically want to play a general.

Absolute do not choose Shy ever. And you almost always want to take Craven out of these 3.

I think you've convinced me with Craven. Shy is so god awful but I figured the traits on it to be the best even though they're still crap. The stress with Shy is insufferable much like Paranoid though and I usually don't play Martial.

[Jeza]

yeah rough choices but craven is the least of the evils so to speak.

Shy is fine in a kid you keep as courtier and educate in learning, they give a bonus to antiquarian, other than that it's a death sentence by stress.
Paranoid might give a bonus to intrigue but it's a huge amount of stress too and too many irrational events.
Craven is bad only in 2 situations :
you are educating a commander/martial ruler or
your culture has a tradition that dislikes craven and you have a liege and/or vassals who'll have a lowered opinion of you.
But it can be quite good if you're educating in intrigue as it gives a nice bonus and not a lot of stress contrary to paranoid. It keeps you safe in a lot of events and even if your culture doesn't like craven it might not be too bad a malus if you have enough good traits/bonuses to make everyone like you despite it.

[Elriadon]

If you have Paranoid, you will get an event every few minutes or so about your wife probably being unfaithful/your child not being yours. So that's also an additional annoyance that comes with that trait.

That said, I always take Paranoid if I get this event, but that's only for roleplaying reasons. Shy and Paranoid are definitely the options you want to avoid if you want to get the "best" heir you can get.

[Artisan Alex]

I was travelling with a cynical paranoid king and talked to a hermit - jumped from 0 stress to 350 or so. So you know.. bad times xD

[Doc Dreamist]

Whenever I get terrible traits like this, I like to use that ruler as a realm management reset. Crank up the dread and revoke a ton of vassels that are not part of their de jure realm.

I just did this last night and turned my very mixed up realm, lots of vassels had the wrong de jure liege, into a much prettier realm; with almost everyone with the correct de jure liege.

[spasti696969]

Yea this one is the worst, they added it recently. If I get this one I usually lean into Paranoid by taking Thriving in Chaos and Golden Aplomb. Also try to pick up greedy if possible. It's tough but if you can float at Stress 2 a character with Thriving in Chaos and Golden Aplomb is very strong.

There's also a pretty rough one that gives you Craven, Lazy, Arbitrary. But Arbitrary is actually decent, so just slam pick Arbitrary on that one and be done with it. Impatient, Shy, Gluttonous, same deal, just pick Impatient. It's not the best trait but it's decent for a ruler.

[Vincent_Krys]

Originally posted by spasti696969:

Yea this one is the worst, they added it recently. If I get this one I usually lean into Paranoid by taking Thriving in Chaos and Golden Aplomb. Also try to pick up greedy if possible. It's tough but if you can float at Stress 2 a character with Thriving in Chaos and Golden Aplomb is very strong.

There's also a pretty rough one that gives you Craven, Lazy, Arbitrary. But Arbitrary is actually decent, so just slam pick Arbitrary on that one and be done with it. Impatient, Shy, Gluttonous, same deal, just pick Impatient. It's not the best trait but it's decent for a ruler.

Those other events are not bad, even Lazy is manageable since -50% stress is actually pretty good, but Arbitrary is easily the best of that event. Impatient from Shy and Gluttonous isn't even a question, that's an easy pick no matter what character you pick.

But Craven, Shy and Paranoid - none of those are justifiable at all. But as others have mentioned earlier Craven would be the best. I'm not sure how you can make Paranoid work because of the stress. Staying at Lv 2 stress sounds all Dandy but when you get events that literally all options constantly stress you, you'll die. Not to mention anybody joining your court will stress you. Shy is the same way.

Craven is indeed the best from that event, no matter what character you pick. I think others have convinced me on that.

[Kit Fulvas]

dont forget that when educating a child, there is an increase chance to inherit the traits of the guardian. So if youre playing as a character loaded with bad traits, might want to consider having someone else mentor your heir (and also culture effects that increase certain trait spawns too)

[spasti696969]

I just got this one for my grandson Player Heir (after my son has a little accident). And the other one that forced me to take Impatient. So I got Impatient and Paranoid so far. Hopefully I can at least get something good like Temperate for my third one. Or Greedy to pair with Paranoid and float at Stress 2 for buffs.