Crusader Kings 2 Cheats: Why This Chaos Still Matters

You’ve spent four hours trying to stabilize a shaky regency in 11th-century France. Suddenly, your genius heir catches the Great Plague and dies. Your new ruler is an infant with the "Slow" trait. Honestly, this is exactly when most people reach for the tilde key. Using Crusader Kings 2 cheats isn't just about winning; it’s about preventing a mental breakdown when the RNG (random number generation) decides to ruin your week.

Paradox Interactive games are famous for being brutal. CK2 is the king of that hill. While its successor, CK3, is flashier, many veterans stay with the classic because of its depth. And its cheats. Basically, the console is a sandbox tool that lets you tell the story you actually want to tell instead of the one the AI forces on you.

How to Get the Console Working

First thing's first. You can’t cheat in Ironman mode. If you see that little green fist icon when you start your save, you’ve locked yourself out of the "easy" way to fix things. For everyone else, you just need to hit the ~ (tilde) key. On some European keyboards, it might be the § or ` key.

If you’re on a Mac, try Option + 6. On Linux? It’s usually the same as Windows. Once that gray box pops up, you’re the god of your own medieval universe.

One trick you absolutely need to know: charinfo.
Type charinfo into the console and hit enter. Now, when you hover your mouse over any character portrait, you’ll see their internal ID number. You need these IDs for almost every targeted cheat. Want to kill your rival? You need their ID. Want to impregnate your wife with a secret heir? You need her ID. It also shows you "hidden" traits, like if someone is secretly a member of a different religion or if that "legitimate" son is actually a bastard.

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The Big Three: Cash, Piety, and Prestige

Let's talk about the basics. These are the "I just want to build a hospital" commands.

• cash [amount] – If you don't type a number, it gives you 5,000 gold. If you type cash 500, it gives you 500. Simple.
• piety [amount] – Essential for when the Pope is being a jerk and you need to ask for a divorce or a claim.
• prestige [amount] – This is your social currency. Use it to upgrade tribal holdings or just to look cool in front of the other Dukes.

Fix Your Stats and Traits

Is your ruler a total moron? It happens. You can manually buff them without waiting for an event to fire.
To add a specific skill, use: add_diplomacy, add_martial, add_intrigue, add_stewardship, or add_learning.

Just follow the command with the amount. For example: add_martial 10.
If you want to target someone else, like a commander who's just okay but needs to be great, type add_martial [ID] 10.

Traits are a bit more complex. You use add_trait [trait_name] [ID].
Be careful here. The game doesn't always use the name you see on the screen. "Strong" is actually strong, but "Quick" is quick. "Genius" is genius. If you want to get rid of a bad one, just swap the command: remove_trait stressed.

Manipulating the Map and Titles

This is where things get really fun. Or really messy.
If you’re tired of fabricating claims for twenty years, just use claim [title_id] [char_id].
Title IDs usually look like k_france (Kingdom of France) or e_hre (Holy Roman Empire).
give_title [title_id] [char_id] is even more powerful—it just hands the land over instantly.

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A few more "God Mode" toggles:

1. allow_laws: Change any law whenever you want. No voting. No waiting.
2. fow: Turns off the Fog of War. See what the Mongols are doing before they hit your border.
3. marry_anyone: Exactly what it sounds like. Great for keeping those bloodlines "pure" or just chaotic.
4. neg_diplo: Lets you send diplomatic requests that would normally be rejected.

Event Cheating: The Advanced Move

Sometimes a simple stat boost isn't enough. You want a specific story beat.
The event command is the most powerful tool in the game.
Type event 64025 to fall in love with your spouse.
Type event 70002 to end a Grand Tournament that’s glitching out and won't finish.

If you have the The Reaper's Due DLC, event RIP.11705 is a godsend—it adds an extra building slot to your capital province. You can keep doing it until you have a massive city that makes Constantinople look like a village.

Actionable Next Steps

If you're ready to break the game in the most efficient way possible, here is your checklist:

• Open your save and immediately type charinfo to see the "truth" behind your court.
• Give yourself a buffer of about 2,000 gold using cash 2000 to handle any sudden mercenary needs.
• Find the ID of your primary heir and check if they have any "hidden" bad traits (like being a secret cultist) that might ruin your succession.
• Use allow_laws to switch to Primogeniture immediately if you're stuck in Gavelkind and don't want your realm to split.

Cheating in CK2 isn't about skipping the game; it's about editing the script. Sometimes, the most fun you'll have is when you stop playing by the rules and start playing as the director.