Choosing a Lifestyle in CK3 is basically like deciding what your ruler’s personality is going to be like. I am surprised by how much these Lifestyles seem to have an effect on the game (and players’ enjoyment thereof).
“In Crusader Kings 3, it seems, there’s never a good reason not to do exactly what you feel like doing – and that’s what being a king is all about,” wrote Nate in a piece all about how important character is for the game. The developers would seem to agree, as a large part of this Lifestyles update is spent talking about how they influence your character’s story. “Much like in CK2, when you pick a Lifestyle Focus you will begin getting events related to that Focus. Unlike in CK2, however, these events are not mere stepping stones toward acquiring a Lifestyle Trait, as that progression is handled by the perk system,” they say. “Instead, Lifestyle Events in CK3 represent the various opportunities (or crises!) that have arisen as a result of the extra time and attention your ruler has been devoting to their Focus.” One of the Lifestyles the developers use as an example is Intrigue, which they go into detail about in their dev blog. Focuses for this Lifestyle involve schemes and subversion, seduction and desire, or threats and intimidation to get the better of your foes (or allies). Choosing any of these will have pros and cons for your current ruler, as well as any future rulers who add to all this by choosing their own Lifestyle Focuses. For more info on everything they talked about in the dev update, you can check out the written diaries on their website. Crusader Kings 3 is still in development, but should be out some time this year.
