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CK2 Dev Diary #34: Facts about Artifacts, Real talk about Relics

Hello all, it’s been a while, but it’s my turn to write a Dev Diary again! Today I’m going to tell you about the Treasury system we’re adding in 2.7. This system itself is part of the free patch. However, a lot of the content for it is part of Monks and Mystics.

The Treasury is where characters store their items, such as weapons, artifacts, or holy relics. In many ways items are much like Character Modifiers which you are likely already familiar with, but Character Modifiers are a fairly limited and not entirely clear system. With the new Treasury system we have greater control over how they work and when they are active as well as more UI space to display and explain them. Not only that, this system allows items to be inheritable and stealable.

We hope that seeing your character’s items as physical object rather than just a number on their character sheet will offer greater immersion, especially for player who like to focus on role-playing. Sure, in the past you could find a nice axe to increase your personal combat skill, but it was just another number - now you’ll see a gleaming axe, ready to hew the limbs from your foes!
artifacts_example_isolated.png

this is not quite final artwork, but it should be similar to what we end up with

As an example, say your Character has found the Holy Grail - you will now see the Grail in your Treasury with a picture and a description as well as the effects of owning it. Further, if some Norseman comes along and raids your castle, there’s a chance that he’ll make off with your precious Grail - however, since he’s not a Christian your most holy relic is nothing more than a fancy cup to him.

As mentioned, items are also inheritable, they all go to a character’s primary heir. In the event someone dies without an heir, the items will pass to their liege if they have one, but they have a chance of being lost in the process. If an independant character dies without heirs, their items are lost - although if time permits we have talked about them having a chance to be snapped up by powerful vassals.

For 2.7 we’re converting several character modifiers into items, such as the +1 axe you might find while raiding, the saint’s bones you might find on a pilgrimage, or the trophy you made from the skull of your rival. With Monks and Mystics we’re adding a lot more, such as:
  • Commissioning swords from skilled smiths.
  • Buying fabulous Crown Jewels.
  • Hunting for Holy Artifacts.
As well as the items you can find or make while playing, we have also added a system to place some Artifacts into character’s Treasuries when a new game is started. These are mostly placed at random to keep things interesting, but there are also a few historical artifacts given to famous characters.
Paradox_CK2_TreasureChamber_big_v02.jpg
 
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Would make sense for old swords wich aren't up to date anymore to make it someones sword and gove it prestige, piety or something instead of a battle bonus. So noone gets a hige bonus for a 400 year old axe.
depends actually, some of the old norse swords were made from meteorite iron, you know 'star metal'. that stuff is higher grade than any european steel until the mid to late renaissance. also metalworking declined after the fall of rome, and had to be built back up, so better steel than contemporary steel for a couple hundred of years isn't unrealistic, 400 years wouldn't be too much of a stretch given the rate of technology advancement and the haphazard way it spread.
 
depends actually, some of the old norse swords were made from meteorite iron, you know 'star metal'. that stuff is higher grade than any european steel until the mid to late renaissance. also metalworking declined after the fall of rome, and had to be built back up, so better steel than contemporary steel for a couple hundred of years isn't unrealistic, 400 years wouldn't be too much of a stretch given the rate of technology advancement and the haphazard way it spread.

Since all the iron on earth origins from space I'm not surprised.

But on a quick research I didn't find anything about special star metal swords. I would live to have a source in that.

But even if, there are other things to consider. The style of swords and and the swordplay changed over the centuries. You know why every jedy loses his hand in Star Wars? Because they don't have a guard. Over time it became longer and allowed a differen, better, style of swordplay. Also the balance changed.

I have already used both of them, viking sword and and a 10th century sword, I'm for sure no expert tough, but I would always go with the latter one.
 
But on a quick research I didn't find anything about special star metal swords. I would live to have a source in that..
Tutankhamun had a dagger made of meteorite, as did emperor Jahingir. And there were likely many more meteorite weapons between those time periods, but none well-documented.

It is extremely likely that Norse had such weapons, though. Meteorites aren't that rare, and metal from sky would've been considered a gift from the Gods. They would've forged something important out of it, and if there was one thing the Norse valued, it was swords. ...that'd make for a good event chain, I think.
 
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Will the unique Crown Jewels appear in the character portraits? It was always a little annoying that a king would wear the jeweled pointy crown but his son and heir would have the Fleur de lis crown. This new feature will definitely help with immersion for me.
 
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Are you kidding me!? This is exactly what I've been modding the last few days! I mean EXACTLY the same thing, including the whole raider mechanics etc. :eek: I guess I can throw my whole treasury/reliquary system out of the door then :oops:
Although I feel kind of flattered that apparently the paradox designers have the same ideas as me. :D
 
Are you kidding me!? This is exactly what I've been modding the last few days! I mean EXACTLY the same thing, including the whole raider mechanics etc. :eek: I guess I can throw my whole treasury/reliquary system out of the door then :oops:
Although I feel kind of flattered that apparently the paradox designers have the same ideas as me. :D

I trust you can keep your system and then simply replace the invocations to trait or modifiers with invocations to artifacts (or whatever they're called in the code). And maintain the rest of your mechanics.
 
Questions:
1) Do you automatically have a treasury or do you need to build one?

2) Is it possible to have "items" without owning a treasury?

3) Are unlanded characters able to have items?
The stream showed everybody with a treasure icon, including unlanded characters. I think it's safe to assume everybody can hold items.
 
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I miss CK2 the grand strategy game.

Yes.
Why don't Paradox include the Ark of the Covenant in HOI4 if including magical items to a strategy game is such a great idea?

When will we see magic potions that adds +3 strength, or give you an extra life, or a free level up?
 
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When you refer to being able to "hunt for relics" in the new DLC, will there be an option to hire someone to do this for you, a practice that seems to have been fairly common among nobles during this period?
 
Testimony?
 
OK. Now I know. And knowing is half the battle after all.
 
Questions:
1) Do you automatically have a treasury or do you need to build one?

2) Is it possible to have "items" without owning a treasury?

3) Are unlanded characters able to have items?

You automatically have one.

No (follows from answer #1).

Yes.
 
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I love the idea of adding this to the game, i honestly wish you could have this in eu4 as well, or more specifically a treasury and the ability to commission crowns etc, since it was that time period was the height of the Crown making period, and palace building period for European for emperors and kings in general.
I can imagine the Developers trolling around looking for things to add like the Iron Crown of Lombardy, the Imperial Regula of the HRE, Edward the Confessor's Crown and Saphire, the Crown of Saint Stephen, and the Crown of Zvonimir... anyway i am definately looking forward to seeing how this turns out.