Question about Legitimizing Bastards

[Ichangedmyname]

I want to make a custom character with the idea of having him start as a count and basically control the world in the shadows, by having his children rise as royalty around the world. My question is in the past when I have someone have a ton of kids with their wife I have had succession problems so I want to limit my heirs is it possible to not get married at all and just have bastards or will that have adverse effects on my playthrough?

[garthurbrown]

Without a wife, you'll be at a disadvantage in terms of skills and having one less way to make an alliance.

With bastards, you can't always claim them. Sometimes they get disputed heritages and don't become part of your dynasty. So it will be extremely challenging to keep your line going in this fashion.

[PostalGibbon]

Get some single woman as your lover/soulmate and say child is yours when child is born.
This makes them bastard you as their father. Legitimize one as your heir (be mindful of when legitimizing because if your bastard son gets child before you have legitimized him he gets bastard house founder trait and is no longer your house meaning you cannot make him your heir).
If you have lover that is married those child's get disputed heritage trait and cannot be your house/heir (if you get caught there is event where your lover says that you are unborn child's father instead of his husband and that child is then added as your bastard and can be made as heir by legitimizing. Every time bastard is born you as father you lose level of piety lowering fast to sinner level.