Crusader Kings 3: Legacy of Persia release date and gameplay details
The next expansion for Crusader Kings 3, Legacy of Persia, will be released on November 9, 2023, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. As the name suggests, it will focus on the region of Persia – that’s the area where Iran is today. Paradox Interactive stated that this is the most popular starting location for players outside of the European start positions, which made them choose it as the subject of a Flavor Pack.
Legacy of Persia will come with a rework of clan governments, since those are basically found at every corner of the region the expansion focuses on. Concentrating on emphasizing the familial nature of clan governments, the interactions between members of the ruling house will become directly tied to the government of the country. Houses will have unity levels, which will change depending on how family members treat each other and how willing the house head is to intervene in affairs. Naturally, a harmonious clan won’t have as many succession troubles as a family feuding with itself.
Clan rulers will be able to employ Tax Collectors, who bring in gold and levies from subjects – how much income is achieved will depend on that lackey’s competence level. Rulers can assign specific Tax Collectors to certain Jurisdictions and Tax Decrees, giving them some interesting control options.
Cultures in the region are going to be fleshed out as well. Persian culture will receive additional traditions based on their affinity for scholarly pursuits and their ingenious irrigation systems. The Kurds will be especially hard to convert and have specialized mountain cavalry. The Daylamites will come with their famed mercenaries wielding two-pronged spears. As usual, expect lots of attention to detail in this area.
Naturally – this being a Flavor Pack – there will be cosmetic upgrades for the region with specific clothes, headgear, hairstyles, beards, and unit models to represent these cultures. As a bonus, Turkic cultures receive some assets as well, since they, too, played a large role in the region.
Islam and Zoroastrianism, as the two religions of the area, will be changed up as well with some tenets and doctrines being tweaked.
In terms of gameplay, the big centerpiece of Legacy of Persia is the Iranian Intermezzo, a new Struggle-type conflict in the region. Representing the decline of the Caliph’s authority in the area, this Struggle reflects a much shorter and more intense power struggle than its counterpart from the Fate of Iberia expansion. There will be two clear factions and three phases to this conflict, which can end in four different ways with some culture- and religion-specific variations.
Finally, Legacy of Persia introduces a new bookmark to start the game in 867 with a bunch of very interesting characters. My favorite is certainly Rostam Bavandid, the last Sassanid and a secret believer in Zoroastrianism.
Legacy of Persia is the final DLC on the current Crusader Kings 3 roadmap.