Crusader Kings III releases By God Alone expansion and Crozier update

Paradox Interactive has released the Crusader Kings III expansion, ‘By God Alone’, alongside a free base-game patch titled the ‘Crozier’ update. The expansion is available on Steam for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

The paid content introduces playable theocracies, allowing players to assume roles such as the Pope. It integrates the Christian Church as a dynamic political force through a seven-chapter religious situation. Players navigating the year 867 must manage the tensions leading to the Great Schism, choosing to either heal the divide between the Western Catholic and Orthodox churches or lean into the split. New features include the return of the College of Cardinals and the ‘Great Cathedral’ construction project, which progresses through Romanesque, Gothic, and Flamboyant architectural stages.

The free Crozier update introduces new mechanics including rites and heresies, where low religious devotion can trigger outbreaks. The update also overhauls the excommunication system, making it a tiered process involving piety and allowing religious leaders to seek absolution from higher authorities.