The lifestyle represents a character's choice of which Attribute the character will devote his time honing. There are 5 Lifestyles to choose from, each containing 3 focuses and 3 skill trees.
Mechanic summary
There are 5 lifestyle categories, with each category containing 3 perk trees. When a character comes of age it can chose a lifestyle and proceed to pick any focus within it to start gaining experience in the lifestyle. The gained experience allows picking perks from the perk trees within the lifestyle granting the character various benefits.
Education
While characters can pick a lifestyle only after becoming adults it is possible to affect it during their childhood. Depending on the education a character got, they will have an affinity for a certain lifestyle. The affinity will grant an increased experience gain in the corresponding lifestyle with the specific amount increase depending on the character's education rank -- for example, a rank one education will increase experience gain by +10% while a rand four will increase it by +40%.
Perk reset
When a character becomes landed they will select a focus and unlock perks based on their age - the older they are, the more perks they will have unlocked. They will select an appropriate lifestyle based on their education and perks based on their personality and traits.
If desired, a player can reset all of the character's perks (within a lifestyle) once per lifetime - though this will incur a massive amount of stress.
Lifestyles
There are 5 lifestyle categories, with each category corresponding to a character skill, and containing 3 perk trees.
- Diplomacy - AAA
- Intrigue - AAA
- Learning - AAA
- Martial - AAA
- Stewardship - AAA
Focuses
Each Lifestyle contains 3 Focuses, each one granting various bonuses to the character. Focuses convey immediate bonuses. As such, players can pick the focus that provides the modifier they most need at the moment. For example, a player may opt for the Theology focus if they need a piety boost while another at another time they may prefer picking the Authority focus to help reign-in large amounts of newly conquered land.
All Focuses will grant +30 monthly experience towards the character's Lifestyle.
| Lifestyle | Focus | Effects | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diplomacy | Family |
|
Even if we do not choose them, those closest to us are the most important. |
| Foreign Affairs | +3 Diplomacy | One can never have too many friends, near or far. | |
| Majesty |
|
Regality flows from ritual, tradition and glory. | |
| Intrigue | Intimidation |
|
Threats, both overt and subtle, guide the path to true power. |
| Skuldruggery |
|
Schemes, subversion and secrets. | |
| Temptation |
|
Seduction, desire and the gentle art of twisting people around your little finger. | |
| Learning | Medicine |
|
An understanding of life, beyond the vagaries of the world upon the body. |
| Scholarship | +3 Learning | The Knowledge of those who have come before, the knowledge of those still living, and the knowledge of perpetual truths. | |
| Theology |
|
Faith and knowledge. Understanding the divine means understanding the world. |
Perk trees
Each Lifestyle has 3 perk trees, each one containing 9 perks. Perks are unlocked by spending experience and the final perk in each tree always gives a powerful trait. Both perks and 6 unique traits can be obtained through Lifestyle events.
On average a new perk is unlocked every few years.
Diplomacy
Diplomat
| Thoughtful | ||
| Ducal Conquest | Adaptive Tradition | Defensive Negotiations |
| Forced Vassalage | Flexible Truces | Embassies |
| Accomplished Forger | ||
| Diplomat | ||
August
| Benevolent Intent | Firm Hand |
| Inspiring Rule | Praetorian Guard |
| True Ruler | |
| Writing History | |
| A Life of Glory | Dignitas |
| August | |
Family First
| Befriend | Groomed to Rule |
| Confidants | Familial Familiar |
| Flatterer | Thicker than Water |
| Friendly Counsel | |
| Sound Foundations | |
| Family Man | |