At a glance, Crusader Kings 3 seems like an immensely complex game that might be a tad too hard to get into. However, this notion couldn't be further away from the truth — Paradox Interactive has done a brilliant job of making this game as accessible as possible without dumbing down the mechanics that made this series so popular in the first place. It's a monumental achievement that has arguably turned Crusader Kings 3 into the greatest grand strategy game of all time.

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People who get into this title and become hopelessly addicted to its systems would obviously want a fresh challenge with a new ruler that doesn't hold their hand from the get-go. Thankfully, Crusader Kings 3 has several challenging entry points into their world, allowing players to step into the shoes of unlucky rulers who need every skill at their disposal to build a successful empire. The most notable tough starting rulers in the game are mentioned below.

10 King Aella Of Northumbria

King Aella Of Northumbria from Crusader Kings 3

Northumbria is a realm that is pretty much on the chopping block from the get-go. Players who start with this territory will find themselves stuck in two wars against opposition that outnumber them to a ridiculous extent.

It either takes a huge compromise or some amazing strategy to get by these wars unscathed. This leads to Northumbria becoming a shell of its past that can be downright impossible to salvage, even for the most adept Crusader Kings 3 players.

9 Countess Sophia Of Bar

Crusader Kings 3 Official artwork

Crusader Kings 3 is a game all about trying to make heirs and further dynasties. However, things can go south when players are incapable of doing the same.

In the case of Countess Sophia, she's an aged woman who is well past her child-bearing years and can't give birth to an heir. Without proper planning, this dynasty will disappear in the blink of an eye.

8 Countess Adelheid Of Zollern

crusader kings 3 royal court DLC

Another ruler in Crusader Kings 3 that is incapable of giving an heir is Countess Adelheid. It's downright impossible to try and further her legacy, mainly due to the lack of a proper heir.

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Only the most expert players will be able to weave a story that sees this Countess pass away with an heir to rule in her stead. This task is downright impossible, and players are better off trying to seek out other challenge runs instead.

7 Countess Gyda Of Devon

Countess Gyda Of Devon from Crusader Kings 3

The final Countess on this list incapable of birthing children is Countess Gyda of Devon. As is the case with the other two women mentioned above, playing her will almost guarantee a strict game-over.

Aside from changing the very rules of the game itself, there's really no simple way to keep this family going. Players will have to witness several failures before finally succeeding in their task of helping Countess Gyda succeed.

6 King Edmund Of East Anglia

Crusader Kings 3 Rulership Lineage

A character who was a legend in the hardcore Crusader Kings community has reared its head in the third game as well. East Anglia is one of the hardest areas to control in the game, mainly due to how susceptible it is to raids and invasions.

Players need to either form proper alliances or get other territories to even stand a chance of surviving. If this isn't done, then East Anglia will become a footnote in history sooner rather than later.

5 Countess Adele Of Vermandois

Beautiful Trait From Crusader Kings 3

One of the last members of the Karling Dynasty is Countess Adele of Vermandois. She's in a patrilineal marriage, meaning that her Dynasty will fade away after her demise.

Players need to either perform some rather heinous actions or play it smart and try forming a matrilineal marriage somehow so that their dynasty can continue. It can be a tall order, but players who go for the Karling challenge should definitely do so with this character for its insane difficulty.

4 King Harold Of England

Crusader Kings 3 Official artwork featuring a king

Most people would think that being the King of England is going to make for easy pickings in Crusader Kings 3. However, this couldn't be further from the truth, especially since the game itself admits that controlling King Harold makes for one of the most challenging playthroughs in the entire game.

Players have to repel invasions from both William the Conquerer (known as William the Bastard at that point) and King Harald from Norway. It's not an easy task, and chances are that players will lose their kingship unless they happen to perform something truly extraordinary.

3 Vali Vandad Maziarzade Of Gurgan

Vali Vandad Maziarzade Of Gurgan in Crusader Kings 3

Starting out in a war against a way superior country is not an ideal situation in the slightest. This is precisely what Vali Vandad Maziarzade of Gurgan finds himself in, making him one of the toughest rulers to start off with in Crusader Kings 3.

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The fact that this ruler is one of the true Zoroanostrian followers in the game means that its Muslim neighbors will waste no time in waging Holy Wars to try and annex these areas. It takes a smart Crusader Kings 3 player to even try and survive in such tumultuous conditions.

2 Duke Mutimir Vlastimiric Of Rashka

Artwork From Crusader Kings 3

Perhaps the hardest start anyone can subject themselves to in Crusader Kings 3 is starting out as the Duke of Rashka. People hate Mutimir Vlastimiric so much that they will constantly be barraged with an endless stream of revolts and wars.

Only the most sadistic Crusader Kings 3 player around would be happy with the idea of playing as this character. Most players will just spend hours trying to defend against invasions and the like.

1 Count Sviatopolk Rurikovich Of Zaozerye

Handle Vassals Carefully - Crusader Kings 3 More Pro Tips

The idea of playing as a teenager controlling one of the weakest territories in the world is something that most people wouldn't jump at. However, unlike most of the tough starts on this list, the realm of Zaozerye is relatively conflict-free.

It takes some diabolical plans to get more territory, which can be quite a major task indeed. However, with a fair bit of effort, this realm can become a pretty decent and enjoyable power to play around with.

Crusader Kings 3 was released on September 1, 2020, and is available on PC.

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