Nation designer

The nation designer is a tool that was introduced in the El Dorado DLC, in February 2015. It allows the player to create custom nations.

Territory[edit]

Creating a custom nation begins by selecting a capital province. Thereafter, additional provinces may be added. No province may be more than 200 distance from "home provinces", these being defined as provinces with a land connection to the capital. All provinces within 400 distance of starting provinces are explored.

Cost[edit]

Province cost is calculated as follows:

20 points for a capital in the HRE.
0.5 points per development, modified by terrain type, and multiplied by 1.2 if the capital is in the HRE.
3 points per base production for gold-producing provinces.
Some provinces cost more. These are provinces with special province modifiers, such as center of trade. The additional cost is given explicitly, not by a formula.
- Any provincial trade power modifier is added directly (+20 for Sjælland Sound Toll, +10 for Estuaries, Important Natural Harbors, and Bosphorous Sound Toll)
- 15 points for a Coastal Center of Trade
- 10 points for an Inland Center of Trade
- A varying amount for static goods produced modifiers (Dalaskogen, Potosi, Nile Delta, etc.)

Terrain multipliers:

Terrain type	Multiplier
Farmlands	1.1
Grasslands	1.0
Coastline	0.95
Drylands	0.95
Savannah	0.95
Steppe	0.95
Forest	0.9
Woods	0.9
Coastal Desert	0.9
Highlands	0.9
Hills	0.85
Marsh	0.85
Jungle	0.8
Desert	0.8
Mountain	0.75
Glacier	0.75

Government[edit]

Ruler[edit]

The ruler and heir may be customized. With Rights of Man, a consort may be customized as well.

One common strategy for minimizing point cost while maximizing ruler skills is to make the heir (and consort) very unskilled with bad personality traits, and disinherit the heir or hope both the heir and consort die naturally before the ruler dies. If done correctly, the player can have a 6/6/6 ruler costing 36 points be nearly totally offset by a -24 point heir and -3 point consort. This results in an effective cost of 9 for the ruler, which is the same cost as having a 3/3/3 ruler of the same age with no heir or consort.

Name
Dynasty
Gender
Age
- The ruler may be 20 to 40 years old
- The heir 0 to 30 years old
- The consort may be 20 to 40 years old (requires Rights of Man)
Skills
Personalities (see below)

Ruler Cost[edit]

$\left( \text{sum of skills} - 6 \right) \cdot \frac{60}{\text{age}}$

Based on skills and age, the ruler may cost anywhere from -18 (0/0/0, age 20) to 36 (6/6/6, age 20) points.

Heir Cost[edit]

$\left( \text{sum of skills} - 6 \right) \cdot \frac{60}{\text{age} + 15}$

Based on skills and age, the heir may cost anywhere from -24 (0/0/0, age 0) to 48 (6/6/6, age 0) points.

For rulers and heirs, a lower age will push point cost towards the extremes of the spectrum, where a higher age will tend towards 0.

Consort Cost[edit]

$\left({\text{sum of skills}}-6\right)\cdot 2$

For consorts, age does not matter. However, a consort's total point cost is multiplied by a factor of 0.25, including any personality traits.

Thus, based only on skills, the consort may cost anywhere from -3 (0/0/0) to 6 (6/6/6) points.

Government[edit]

Starting government type may be selected from a fixed list. The list has all the government types that aren't unlocked with technologies. Some of them cost points and others have requirements like a specific religion or technology group. Government rank also factors into the cost, with ranks 1, 2, and 3 costing 0, 10, and 40 points respectively.

Available governments[edit]

Name	Cost	Other requirements
Despotic Monarchy	0 points
Feudal Monarchy	0 points
Merchant Republic	40 points
Oligarchic Republic	0 points
Noble Republic	10 points
Theocracy	0 points
Steppe Horde	0 points	Nomad tech group
Tribal Despotism	0 points
Tribal Kingdom	0 points
Tribal Federation	0 points
Tribal Democracy	0 points
Native Council	0 points	Must be North American tech, capital must be in one of the following region: Northern America, Northeastern America, Thirteen colonies, Eastern America, Western America, Northwestern America, Great Plains, Mississippi region
Elective Monarchy	10 points	requires Res Publica DLC
Ambrosian Republic	10 points
Dutch Republic	40 points	requires Res Publica DLC
Iqta	10 points	Must be Sunni, Shia, or Ibadi
Daimyo	0 points	Must be Chinese tech, Japanese culture, and capital must be in the Japanese region
Shogunate	50 points	Must be Chinese tech, Japanese culture, and capital must be in the Japanese region
Ottoman Government	20 points	Must be Muslim religion group
Prussian Government	100 points

Technology group[edit]

Any technology group may be chosen, and will determine the nation's starting institutions and technology level (1-3). Every technology group costs 0 nation designer points if within the old world, however all non-native tech groups cost 75 nation designer points within the new world. Note: A nation's revealed map at game start will include the continent of their capital and the home continent of their technology group. For example, a custom nation with its capital in North America and Western Tech would start with North America and Europe explored. Keep in mind that province discovery is slowly shared across tech groups so be careful about taking Western/etc tech group as a New World country and giving Europe free exploration.

Continent	Baseline	Technology Cost Modifier
Europe	Western	+0%
Africa	Muslim	+0%
Asia	Muslim	+0%
North America	Mesoamerican	+0%
South America	South American	+0%
Oceania	South American	+0%

Other[edit]

Culture: Any culture may be chosen. The capital will be of the chosen culture, but any other provinces, that do not have the original culture of your chosen capital, will have their default culture (even those uncolonized by default). There is no cost.
Religion: Any religion may be chosen. All provinces will be of the national religion at game start. There is no cost.
Map Graphics: Affects unit models and building icons and may be selected independent of technology group. This is purely cosmetic.

Ideas[edit]

Ten bonuses must be chosen: two for Traditions, seven for progress, and one for Ambition.

If more than 50% of the total idea "levels" come from a single category (, , ), the point cost of all ideas is increased by 5% for each 1% share over 50%. These are not the actual idea levels, but rather 10 * level / maximum level.

Early ideas are more expensive:

Slot	Cost multiplier
Traditions	2.0
Idea 1	2.0
Idea 2	1.8
Idea 3	1.6
Idea 4	1.4
Idea 5	1.2
Idea 6	1.0
Idea 7	1.0
Ambitions	1.0

Administrative[edit]

Bonus	Per level	1	2	3	4
National Tax Modifier	+5.0%	0	3	9	18
Production Efficiency	+5.0%	0	3	9	18
National Unrest	−0.50	0	3	9	18
Stability Cost Modifier	−5.0%	0	3	9	18
Missionaries	+1	15	50
Yearly Inflation Reduction	−0.05	0	5	15	30
Reduce Inflation Cost	−5.0%	0	3	9	18
Interest per annum	−0.50	5	30
Construction Cost	−5.0%	0	5	15	30
Development Cost	−10.0%	5	30
Missionary Strength	+0.5%	0	5	15	30
Yearly Prestige	+0.50	0	5	15	30
Prestige Decay	−0.5%	0	5	15	30
Yearly Legitimacy	+0.50	0	15
Yearly Horde Unity	+0.50	0	15
Yearly Devotion	+0.50	0	15
Yearly Republican Tradition	0.15	20	60
Technology Cost	−5.0%	5	30
Idea Cost	−5.0%	3	18
Advisor Costs	−5.0%	0	3	9	18
Possible Advisors	+1	5	30
Tolerance of the True Faith	+1	3	18
Tolerance of Heretics	+1	3	18
Tolerance of Heathens	+1	3	18
Chance of new heir	+25.0%	0	3	9	18
Hostile Core-Creation Cost on us	+15.0%	0	5	15	30
Core-Creation Cost	−5.0%	0	5	15	30
Income from Vassals	+5.0%	0	3	9	18
Religious Unity	+5.0%	0	3	9	18
Autonomy Change Cooldown	−10.0%	0	3	9	18
Imperial authority growth modifier	+10.0%	5	30
Administrative free policies	+1	30
Administrative possible policies	+1	30
Years of Separatism	−5	5	30
Female Advisor Chance	+10%	0 (max level 10)
Yearly Harmony Increase	+0.25	0	5
Religious Harmonization Speed	+10.0%	0	10
Yearly Meritocracy	+0.50	0	15
Monarch Administrative Skill	+1	60
Maximum Absolutism	+5	0	5	15	30
Yearly Absolutism	+0.50	15	60
Administrative Efficiency	+5.0%	15	60
Institution spread	+10.0%	0	3	9	18
Institution spread in true faith provinces	+10.0%	0	3	9	18
Institution Embracement Cost	−10.0%	0	3	9	18
Governing Capacity Modifier	+10%	0	5	15	30
Church Power	+10.0%	0	3	9	18
Yearly Corruption	−0.05	0	3	9	18
Caravan Power	+10.0%	0	3	9	18
Monthly Fervor	+1	0	3	9	18
Goods Produced Modifier	+5.0%	0	5	15	30
Administrative Technology Cost	−5.0%	0	20
Construction Time	−10.0%	0	3	9	18
State Maintenance	−10.0%	0	3	9	18
Monthly Autonomy Change	−0.05	5	30
Monthly piety	−0.1%	9	18
Monthly piety	+0.1%	9	18
Reform progress growth	+7.5%	0	3	9	18
Heretic and Heathen provinces do not give any penalties.	Yes	60
Cost of advisors with ruler's culture	−5.0%	0	1	6	9
Maximum revolutionary zeal	+5	0	5	15	30
Average monarch lifespan	+10%	0	3	9	18
Yearly patriarch authority	+0.5%	0	3	9	18
Clergy loyalty equilibrium	+5%	0	3	9	18
Dhimmi loyalty equilibrium	+5%	0	3	9	18
Jains loyalty equilibrium	+5%	0	3	9	18

Diplomatic[edit]

Bonus	Per level	1	2	3	4
Max Promoted Cultures	+1	0	5	15	30
Culture Conversion Cost	−5.0%	0	3	9	18
Morale of Navies	+5.0%	0	5	15	30
Trade Efficiency	+5.0%	0	5	15	30
Global Trade Power	+5.0%	0	3	9	18
Provincial Trade Power Modifier	+5.0%	0	3	9	18
Trade Steering	+5.0%	0	3	9	18
Global Tariffs	+5.0%	0	5	15	30
Diplomatic Reputation	+1	5	30
Diplomatic Relations	+1	5	30
Merchants	+1	30	140
Colonists	+1	30	140
Diplomats	+1	30	140
Naval Maintenance Modifier	−5.0%	0	5	15	30
Naval Force Limit Modifier	+7.5%	0	5	15	30
Ship Durability	+5.0%	0	5	15	30
Monthly War Exhaustion	−0.05	5	30
Cost of Reducing War Exhaustion	−5.0%	0	3	9	18
Yearly Navy Tradition	+0.50	0	15
Yearly Navy Tradition Decay	−0.5%	0	15
Naval Leader Fire	+1	15	50
Naval Leader Shock	+1	15	50
Naval Leader Maneuver	+1	15	50
Spy Network Construction	+10.0%	0	3	9	18
Foreign Spy Detection	+10.0%	0	3	9	18
Shipbuilding Time	−5.0%	0	3	9	18
Blockade Efficiency	+10.0%	0	3	9	18
Embargo Efficiency	+10.0%	0	3	9	18
Prestige from Naval Battles	+25.0%	0	3	9	18
Colonial Range	+10.0%	0	3	9	18
Global Settler Increase	+5	0	5	15	30
Aggressive Expansion Impact	−5.0%	0	5	15	30
Privateer Efficiency	+7.5%	0	3	9	18
Diplomatic Annexation Cost	−5.0%	0	5	15	30
Heavy Ship Cost	−5.0%	0	5	15	30
Light Ship Cost	−5.0%	0	3	9	18
Galley Cost	−5.0%	0	3	9	18
Transport Cost	−5.0%	0	3	9	18
Heavy Ship Combat Ability	+5.0%	0	5	15	30
Light Ship Combat Ability	+5.0%	0	3	9	18
Galley Combat Ability	+5.0%	0	3	9	18
Diplomatic free policies	+1	30
Diplomatic possible policies	+1	30
National Sailors Modifier	+10.0%	0	5	15	30
Sailor Recovery Speed	+5%	0	5	15	30
May Raid Coasts	Yes	20
Warscore Cost vs Other Religions	−12.5%	5	15
War Taxes Cost	−50%	10	20
Monarch Diplomatic Skill	+1	60
Liberty desire from subject development	−10%	0	3	9	18
Liberty desire in same continent subjects	−10%	0	10
Naval Tradition From Battles	+50.0%	0	5
Chance to Capture Enemy Ships	+10.0%	0	3	9	18
Morale Hit When Losing a Ship	−10.0%	0	3	9	18
Global Naval Engagement	+5.0%	0	3	9	18
Ship Trade Power	+10.0%	0	3	9	18
Native Assimilation	+15.0%	0	3	9	18
Native Uprising Chance	−25.0%	0	3	9	18
Liberty Desire in Subjects	−5.0%	0	3	9	18
Migration Cooldown	−10.0%	0	3	9	18
Envoy Travel Time	−10.0%	0	3	9	18
Province Warscore Cost	−10.0%	0	20
Diplomatic Technology Cost	−5.0%	0	20
Yearly Papal Influence	+1	0	20
Trade Range	+20.0%	0	3	9	18
Automatically Discover Adjacent When a Colony is Built	Yes	0
Unjustified Demands	−10.0%	0	3	9	18
Rebel Support Efficiency	+20.0%	0	3	9	18
Merchant Trade Power	+5	0	10
Domestic Trade Power	+5.0%	0	3	9	18
Recover Navy Morale Speed	+5.0%	0	3	9	18
Trade Power Abroad	+5.0%	0	3	9	18
Improve Relations	+5.0%	0	3	9	18
Possible condottieri	+25.0%	0	3	9	18
Naval Attrition	−10.0%	0	3	9	18
Power projection from insults	+100%	25
Can fabricate claim overseas in colonial regions.	Yes	50
Cost to justify trade conflict	−17.5%	0	3	9	18
Cost to fabricate claims	−17.5%	0	9	18	30
Sailor maintenance	0.50	5	10	20	40
Naval combat bonus off owned coast	−10%	0	3	9	18
May Establish Siberian Frontiers	Yes	200
Burghers loyalty equilibrium	+5%	0	3	9	18
Vaishyas loyalty equilibrium	+5%	0	3	9	18
Marines Force Limit	+5%	0	5
Cost to promote mercantilism	−5%	0	5	15	30

Military[edit]

Bonus	Per level	1	2	3	4
Morale of Armies	+5.0%	0	5	15	30
Discipline	+2.5%	0	5	15	30
Land Maintenance Modifier	−5.0%	0	5	15	30
Mercenary Maintenance	−10.0%	0	3	9	18
Mercenary Manpower	+12.5%	0	3	9	18
Land Force Limit Modifier	+7.5%	0	5	15	30
National Manpower Modifier	+7.5%	0	5	15	30
Manpower Recovery Speed	+5.0%	0	5	15	30
Reinforce Speed	+7.5%	0	5	15	30
Attrition for Enemies	+0.50	0	5	15	30
Yearly Army Tradition	+0.50	0	15
Yearly Army Tradition Decay	−0.5%	0	15
Land Leader Fire	+1	30	140
Land Leader Shock	+1	30	140
Leader Land Maneuver	+1	15	50
Leader Siege	+1	30	140
Recruitment Time	−5.0%	0	3	9	18
Prestige from Land battles	+25.0%	0	3	9	18
Fort Defense	+5.0%	0	3	9	18
Siege Ability	+5.0%	0	5	15	30
Vassal Force Limit Contribution	+50.0%	0	5	15	30
Infantry Combat Ability	+5.0%	0	5	15	30
Cavalry Combat Ability	+5.0%	0	3	9	18
Artillery Combat Ability	+5.0%	0	5	15	30
Infantry Cost	−5.0%	0	3	9	18
Cavalry Cost	−5.0%	0	3	9	18
Artillery Cost	−5.0%	0	3	9	18
Fort Maintenance	−5.0%	0	3	9	18
Military free policies	+1	30
Military possible policies	+1	30
May Recruit Female Generals	Yes	5
Mercenary Discipline	+2.5%	0	5	15	30
Fort Maintenance on Border with Rival	−10.0%	0	3	9	18
Blockade Impact on Siege	+1	5
Cavalry to Infantry Ratio	+15.0%	0	3	9	18
Artillery Bonus vs Fort	+1	3	10
Monarch Military Skill	+1	60
Artillery Damage from Back Row	+5.0%	0	5	15	30
Harsh Treatment Cost	−10.0%	0	3	9	18
Fire Damage Received	−5.0%	0	5	15	30
Shock Damage Received	-5.0%	0	5	15	30
Cavalry Flanking Ability	+25.0%	0	10
Shock Damage	+5.0%	0	5	15	30
Land Fire Damage	+5.0%	0	5	15	30
Movement Speed	+5.0%	0	3	9	18
Army Tradition from Battles	+50.0%	0	5
Militarization of State	+0.05	0	5	15	30
Reinforce Cost	−5.0%	0	3	9	18
Looting Speed	+10.0%	0	3	9	18
Garrison Size	+10.0%	0	3	9	18
Land Attrition	-10.0%	0	3	9	18
Military Technology Cost	−5.0%	0	20
Leader(s) Without Upkeep	+1	0	10
Regiment Costs	−5.0%	0	3	9	18
Mercenary Cost	−2.5%	0	3	9	18
Recover Army Morale Speed	+5.0%	0	3	9	18
Artillery fire	+1	25
Possible manchu banners	+12.5%	0	3	9	18
National garrison growth	+17.5%	0	3	9	18
Available loot	+15%	0	3	9	18
Nobility loyalty equilibrium	+5%	0	3	9	18
Marathas loyalty equilibrium	+5%	0	3	9	18
Rajputs loyalty equilibrium	+5%	0	3	9	18
Cossacks loyalty equilibrium	+5%	0	3	9	18
Tribes loyalty equilibrium	+5%	0	3	9	18

Notes[edit]

Liberty desire from subject development −0.10%

Reduces the liberty desire from development value by 10% (up to 40%). Two examples for a level 3 (-0.30%) idea:

Example(1) Colony with 200 development: 200 * 0.10 * (1 - 0.30) = 14 liberty desire from development (20 without)

Example(2) Vassal with 200 development: 200 * 0.25 * (1 - 0.30) = 35 liberty desire from development (50 without)

Cavalry to Infantry Ratio +15.0%

This percentage is added to your current ability. Meaning at level 4 a western nation gets a 50% + 60% = 110% cavalry to infantry ratio and can field cavalry only armies without penalties.

Available Mercenaries +12.5%

Also increases possible Condottieri. Calculation: 20 * (1 + Possible Condottieri) * (1 + Available Mercenaries)

Example for level 3 Possible Condottieri and level 2 Available Mercenaries:

20 * (1 + 0.75) * (1 + 0.25) = 43.75 - which is rounded down to 43 Condottieri

Personalities[edit]

Main article: Personalities#Ruler_personalities

There are plenty of traits that can be chosen for a nation's ruler, heir, and consort. They are very important as they can influence events or how nations will see you.

The ruler may have up to 3 customized personality traits. Since the first trait is gained at age 15 and a custom nation's ruler must be at least 20, the first one is guaranteed. The ruler must be 25 (having ruled for 10 years) to gain the second trait. The ruler must be 40 (having ruled for 25 years) to gain the third trait.

The heir may only have 1 customized personality trait, as they have not ruled for 10 or 25 years. However, if the heir is younger than 15, they will have no traits.

Similarly, the consort will always have exactly 1 customized trait, as they are required to be over 15, but have not ruled yet. Additionally, a consort's total point cost is multiplied by a factor of 0.25, including personality traits.

Appearance[edit]

The name, adjective, color, and flag of the nation can be customized at no point cost.

Miscellaneous[edit]

When playing at a later start date, custom nations do not start with any idea groups.
Player-controlled custom nations may take decisions that form nations if they meet the conditions. However, their national ideas do not change even if the decision would normally cause this to happen.
There is a maximum of 75 custom nations.
In the options it's possible to set the custom nation's difficulty. Depending on the difficulty selected the number of points available changes between 50 (very hard) and 800 (very easy).

Achievements[edit]

Main article: Achievements

The following achievements require playing as a custom nation. Most other achievements can't be earned with custom nations enabled; those that can mostly require no more than 201 points spent.

Around the World in 80 Years

Starting as a Custom Nation of up to 400 points in the British Region, own New York, San Francisco, Suez, Bombay, Calcutta, Hong Kong and Yokohama by 1524.11.11.

First Come, First Serve

Starting as a Western technology custom nation in North America or South America with no more than 200 points, unite the two continents.

For Odin!

Starting as a Norse custom nation with no more than 200 points and a maximum of 5 provinces, own & core Scandinavia and the British Isles and convert it all to Norse.