There comes a point in every Crusader Kings 3 campaign where conquering kingdoms stops feeling impressive. You have crushed empires, married your cousin for genetic efficiency, accidentally created a dynasty of giant albino cannibals, and somehow survived three peasant uprisings caused by a failed feast.
So naturally the next question becomes:
“What if I became the Pope?”
Unfortunately, Crusader Kings 3 does not let you directly play as the Pope in a normal campaign. The Papacy is technically a theocratic title, and CK3 treats the Pope like an untouchable medieval CEO with infinite gold and suspiciously endless mercenaries.
But that has never stopped CK3 players before.
The “Become the Pope Challenge” has become one of the most entertaining self-imposed campaigns in the game. It combines roleplay, manipulation, religion mechanics, diplomacy, murder, and enough corruption to make Renaissance Italy blush.
And honestly, it might be the most CK3 thing imaginable.
Can You Actually Become the Pope in CK3?
Sort of.
Vanilla CK3 does not allow standard feudal characters to inherit or hold the Papacy normally. The Pope is locked behind a theocratic government type, which players cannot use without mods or very specific exploits.
But players have found several ways to get close enough that the game basically shrugs and lets medieval nonsense happen.
The challenge usually falls into three categories:
- Replace the Pope with your dynasty
- Control the Papacy completely
- Use mods or exploits to literally become Pope
Each path creates a different flavour of chaos.
Some campaigns turn into holy political thrillers. Others become accidental mafia simulators with bishops.
The Dynasty Pope Strategy
This is probably the cleanest and most satisfying version of the challenge.
Instead of becoming Pope yourself, your goal is to place members of your dynasty onto the Papal throne repeatedly.
Basically, you become the power behind Saint Peter’s chair.
Very subtle. Very medieval.
How It Works
You need to:
- Build an extremely powerful Catholic dynasty
- Control bishoprics and church influence
- Educate heirs with high Learning
- Stack virtuous traits
- Manipulate succession and elections where possible
- Keep the Pope loving you long enough to gain influence
The trick is understanding that the Papacy values piety and church approval more than raw military strength.
Which feels unrealistic considering half of medieval Europe solved theological disagreements with swords.
Best Starting Characters for the Challenge
Matilda of Tuscany
Matilda is almost unfair for this challenge.
You start in Italy, close to Rome, rich, politically connected, and already deeply tied to the Church. Historically, Matilda was one of the Papacy’s greatest supporters, so the roleplay angle practically writes itself.
You can become the Pope’s sword arm while slowly turning the entire Church into your family business.
Which, to be fair, happened quite a lot historically.
Any Italian Duke
Italy is ideal because:
- You are close to Rome
- Catholic influence is everywhere
- The Pope constantly interferes in regional politics
- You can grow rich very quickly
Northern Italy especially becomes a giant medieval stock market once development starts snowballing.
Custom Learning Character
If you really want maximum optimisation, create a custom ruler with:
- High Learning
- Zealous
- Temperate
- Pilgrim
- Scholar lifestyle focus
You basically want a character who looks like they read illuminated manuscripts recreationally.
The Learning Lifestyle Is Your Religion Now
If you attempt this challenge without investing heavily into Learning, you are making life harder than necessary.
The Theology focus becomes absurdly useful because it gives:
- Massive piety generation
- Clergy opinion boosts
- Religious influence
- Easier virtuous trait development
You also unlock perks that make your character feel less like a ruler and more like a wandering medieval philosophy podcast.
Important Perks
- Prophet
- Religious Icon
- Clerical Justifications
- Theologian trait
- Scholar trait
The higher your piety climbs, the more the Church starts treating you like medieval LinkedIn royalty.
Controlling the Pope Without Becoming Him
This is where the challenge gets genuinely funny.
You do not technically need to become Pope if the Pope already does whatever you want.
Ways to Control the Papacy
Become the Pope’s Best Friend
High opinion gives you access to:
- Gold requests
- Claims
- Excommunications
- Political leverage
A friendly Pope is basically an infinite ATM with holy music playing in the background.
Install Dynasty Members as Bishops
This creates long-term influence inside the Church hierarchy.
It also means every family reunion probably smells faintly of incense and corruption.
Protect Rome Militarily
If the Pope survives because of you repeatedly, he becomes extremely loyal.
Historically, this strategy worked disturbingly well.
The Heresy Route
Now we get to the truly cursed approach.
Instead of joining the Papacy, create your own religion and become your version of the Pope.
This is arguably the easiest route mechanically.
It is also the fastest way to make Europe despise you.
Why This Route Works
When creating a custom faith, you can:
- Become Head of Faith
- Control doctrine
- Launch Great Holy Wars
- Collect devotion income
- Excommunicate rivals
You effectively become fantasy Pope Emperor.
And because CK3 players are incapable of restraint, this usually results in things like:
- Naked warrior monks
- Cannibal theologians
- Viking Catholic hybrids
- Witch covens with tax benefits
Medieval history professors would pass out after five minutes watching most custom religion campaigns.
Can You Literally Play as the Pope?
Technically yes, but mostly through mods or exploits.
Popular methods include:
- Switching characters in debug mode
- Government conversion exploits
- Total conversion mods
- Papacy playable mods
Some mods fully flesh out Papal gameplay with:
- Cardinal elections
- Church politics
- Crusade management
- Religious reforms
- Papal diplomacy systems
Honestly, CK3 modders deserve financial compensation and several naps.
The Biggest Threats to the Challenge
Crusades Gone Wrong
If you become too influential too quickly, Europe expects you to carry Crusades militarily.
Which sounds glorious until your army dies in Syria because France forgot how boats work again.
Excommunication
Nothing ruins your holy ambitions faster than suddenly becoming the Church’s least favourite person.
Especially if half your kingdom already hates you.
Succession
Like every CK3 campaign, succession remains the true final boss.
You can build a perfect religious empire only for your heir to become:
- Arbitrary
- Drunk
- Sadistic
- Obsessed with falconry
- In love with their aunt
At that point the Church usually starts asking difficult questions.
The Most Entertaining Way to Play the Challenge
Pure roleplay.
Seriously.
Min-maxing works, but the real fun comes from treating your dynasty like an ambitious medieval political machine clawing its way toward spiritual dominance.
Host grand pilgrimages.
Sponsor cathedrals.
Manipulate kings.
Pretend every bishop appointment is an episode of Succession with candles.
CK3 becomes infinitely more entertaining when you lean into the absurdity.
Takeaway
The “Become the Pope Challenge” captures everything that makes Crusader Kings 3 brilliant.
It is historically inspired nonsense wrapped in genuine strategy mechanics.
You start wanting to guide Christendom toward righteousness and somehow end up arranging assassinations inside monastery gardens while your cousin runs the treasury despite being clinically incapable of reading.
And honestly, that feels pretty authentic to medieval politics.
Whether you dominate Rome through dynasty influence, create your own rival Church, or fully mod yourself into becoming the Pope directly, this challenge produces some of the most memorable campaigns CK3 can offer.
Just try not to accidentally create a cannibal anti-pope cult along the way.
Although, realistically, you probably will.
