Let lords defect to the player's faction on their own

[Totalgarbage]

While the diplomacy in this game needs lots and lots of work, I think one of the most important things that is needed to be added is giving the AI lords the ability to defect to the player's faction on their own (and also making it so that fiefless kingdoms actually die off on their own after a bit of time). It could be like warband where you the lords who have chosen to defect to your faction waits in one of your settlements (though maybe the amount they will wait should have a limit). The player having to go & find every clan leader in order to recruit to their faction only makes the late game tedious, it should be automated through implementing this. AI lords being able to defect to factions not controlled by the player via "telepathy" also makes the gameplay experience asymmetrical, something that goes against this franchise's gameplay philosophy.

AI defections would also go hand in hand with fiefless kingdoms getting destroyed over time. There's much more things to change or add in order to cut down the late game grind and make it much more enjoyable, one of which would be messengers (that almost everyone and their mother has already requested, but we unfortunately still don't have confirmation for) for easier recruitment of clans or at the very least, minor factions to the kingdom.

While I do like the bulk of new additions to the game outlined in TW's future plans post (especially the addition of back alley management & expansion of criminal gameplay), I believe that fixing the late game by significantly cutting down the grind should be the first priority in making this game much more enjoyable.

 

[Ichon]

I am cool with kingdoms dying out if they can be reborn when a rebellion occurs in that kingdoms former territory. Majority of kingdoms in history had attempts to revive them via pretenders or old loyalists, sometimes centuries later like Scotland or sometimes just a single generation like Burgundy.

Not sure if the AI lords should seek out the player but a way to summon the lords using influence/money should be available just like player can recall companions but via the kingdom screen instead of party screen. Each Lord has a different price depending on relations and overall kingdom power.

If player succeeds in the mini-charm game that money/influence goes toward recruitment, if player fails they have the option to let the Lord leave, execute them (for cruelty trait and -relations with all Lords of that culture), or double the money/influence as the Lord leaves for a change that Lord will increase relations to the player's kingdom with other Lords of that culture every week.

 

[JunKeteer]

Not a bad idea, same as how they recently added in (from WB) for the kingdoms to invite you as a mercenary or vassal; give the players that agency too. Or another notification on bottom right that 'X' lord/clan wishes to join your new found kingdom, etc..Balance TBD.

 

[anoddhermit]

IMO you should be able to send out emissaries with an offer, effectively you could just set it up in the usual barter screen with the emissary and then it checks whether clan leaders will take it. 1 clan leader per day for 1 week or something like that are approached with the offer, if any of them would take it, you get a notification and can accept them or not.

They could make the requirements higher for emissary than in person, perhaps, so that it's more of a later game thing for saving time when you're rolling in money and fiefs and so on.

 

[Totalgarbage]

IMO you should be able to send out emissaries with an offer, effectively you could just set it up in the usual barter screen with the emissary and then it checks whether clan leaders will take it. 1 clan leader per day for 1 week or something like that are approached with the offer, if any of them would take it, you get a notification and can accept them or not.

They could make the requirements higher for emissary than in person, perhaps, so that it's more of a later game thing for saving time when you're rolling in money and fiefs and so on.

An emissary/messenger feature is definitely needed, I agree.