Crusader Kings 3 has been out since 2020, and it’s built up a solid collection of DLC over the years. Some of it is essential, some of it is nice-to-have, and some of it you can safely skip. Here’s a rundown of every major CK3 DLC and what it actually adds.

The Major Expansions

These are the big ones — the expansions that add major new mechanics and content.

Royal Court (2022) is the first major expansion, and it’s a big one. It adds the Royal Court itself — a 3D throne room where you hold court, receive petitions, and interact with your vassals. It also adds artifacts, which are powerful items you can collect and pass down through your dynasty. The court system adds a lot of flavor and some genuinely useful mechanics, like the ability to gain prestige and renown from holding court.

Tours & Tournaments (2023) adds travel and events. You can now go on tours of your realm, attend tournaments, and participate in grand weddings. It’s a flavor-heavy expansion, but it also adds some useful mechanics — tours can boost your vassal opinion, and tournaments are a great way to build relationships with your knights and courtiers.

Legends of the Dead (2024) adds legends — a system where you can create and spread legends about your dynasty. Legends give you bonuses and can be used to claim titles and boost your prestige. It’s a unique system that adds a new layer to the game.

Roads to Power (2024) is the most recent major expansion. It adds the ability to play as a landless adventurer — you can start with no titles and build your way up through mercenary work, adventuring, and eventually carving out your own realm. It’s a completely new way to play the game and one of the most innovative additions to CK3.

The Flavor Packs

These are smaller than the expansions but add significant content for specific regions.

Northern Lords (2021) is the first flavor pack, and it’s all about the Norse. It adds new Norse events, decisions, and mechanics — including the ability to go on Viking raids and the Varangian adventure. If you play as a Norse character, this is essential.

Fate of Iberia (2022) focuses on the Iberian Peninsula. It adds the Struggle for Iberia mechanic, which is a unique regional system that tracks the conflict between Christian and Muslim powers in Spain. It’s a deep, engaging system that makes Iberia one of the most interesting regions in the game.

Friends & Foes (2022) is an event pack that adds new events and interactions between characters. It’s lighter on mechanics and heavier on flavor. If you enjoy the roleplay side of CK3, it’s worth picking up.

Wards & Wardens (2023) is another event pack, this time focused on children and guardianship. It adds new events for raising children, which is a nice addition if you enjoy the family management side of the game.

The Event Packs

These are the smallest DLCs — they add events and flavor but no major mechanics.

Legacy of Persia (2023) adds Persian content — new events, decisions, and flavor for the Persian region. It’s a solid flavor pack for anyone playing in the Middle East.

The Fate of Iberia and Northern Lords are the standout flavor packs, while the event packs are more of a “buy if you want more flavor” proposition.

What’s Worth Buying

Here’s my honest take on what’s worth your money:

Essential: Royal Court and Tours & Tournaments add the most content and mechanics. If you’re only buying two DLCs, get these.

Strong: Roads to Power is a genuinely innovative expansion that adds a whole new way to play. Northern Lords is essential if you play Norse. Fate of Iberia is essential if you play in Iberia.

Situational: Legends of the Dead is interesting but not essential. The event packs (Friends & Foes, Wards & Wardens) are nice-to-have but skippable if you’re on a budget.

The Bottom Line

CK3’s DLC has been consistently good, and the game has grown significantly since launch. If you’re new to the game, start with the base game and add Royal Court and Tours & Tournaments — those two add the most value. From there, pick up the flavor packs for the regions you play most.

And as always, wait for a sale. Paradox DLC goes on discount regularly, and you can pick up the essentials for a fraction of the full price.