How to do a Murder Scheme

In Crusader Kings 3 there are many Hostile Schemes. The Murder Scheme is the only Hostile Scheme that is available to all rulers after they become of age (16). Note that child rulers are not able to enact a Murder Scheme because, well they are a child.

The Murder Scheme itself is pretty straightforward in that it is picking another character as the target and the goal is to have that target killed at the end of the scheme. It is a Secret Scheme based on Intrigue, that can recruit Agents to the cause to help improve the odds of success and that the scheme stays secret.

There are essentially three main outcomes (of course there are variants depending on other factors) when you complete a Murder Scheme. The first is that you are successful in killing the target without being exposed. The second is that you successfully kill the target, but you are exposed, which will give you the Murderer and possibly Kinslayer traits. The third option is that you are not successful in killing your target and are exposed. If you are not exposed the Murder Scheme will continue, unless you manually end it.

Murder Scheme Basics

There are a number of things that will factor into your potential success. The goal is of course to end the target’s life and not get exposed. There are no guarantees you will be successful or the scheme will stay secret. Note that the highest percentage of success and secrecy is 95%. Below are the main factors to keep in mind:

  • Your Character’s Intrigue
  • Your Target’s Intrigue
  • Your Target’s Rank (Count, Duke, King, Emperor, or Unlanded)
  • Your Spymaster’s Intrigue
  • Agents

These are the things you need to look at to find out if you will be successful. Usually you will need to buy some additional Agents, unless the target is unliked and others will join the cause without a Bribe or Hook. If you are low Intrigue or facing a High Intrigue target, you get past this with hooks of people in the target’s Court or Realm, or if you have money.