Luck

Lucky nations is a setting changeable at game set-up. It grants the luck bonus to ten countries, depending on the setting, either a predetermined historical group or at random. If a lucky nation is annexed, from patch 1.2 no new country is assigned lucky nation status. Ironman mode is locked to the "historic lucky nations" setting. The player’s nation will never receive the lucky status.

Bonuses

Lucky nation rulers have a bonus of +1 to their administrative, diplomatic and military skills. Additionally the following bonuses:

Administrative

• +1 Yearly legitimacy
• +25% Increased chance of new heir
• −1 National unrest
• +1 Yearly republican tradition
• +1% Missionary strength
• +1 Monthly fervor (only with Wealth of Nations)
• -10% Stability cost modifier
• +1 Possible advisors
• −1 Interest per annum

Diplomatic

• +10% Global trade power
• +5% Settler chance
• +5% Spy offense
• +25% Improve relations
• −25% Aggressive expansion impact

Military

• +1 Land leader fire
• +1 Land leader shock
• +10% Fort defense
• +5% Siege ability
• −25% Mercenary cost
• +33% Manpower recovery speed

Historically lucky nations

In a default "historical" setting, the lucky nations that are't controlled by a player, exist at the chosen date, and meet any secondary triggers (for example, Castile will only be a lucky nation in games started before the year 1700 and not chosen by you as player), are as follows:

1. Castile (before year 1700 and Spain does not exist) / Spain (before year 1700 and Castile does not exist)
2. Ottomans (before year 1700)
3. Muscovy (if Russia does not exist) / Russia
4. England (if Great Britain does not exist) / Great Britain
5. France
6. Austria
7. Prussia (after year 1700)
8. Netherlands (after becoming a nation)
9. Portugal (before year 1700)
10. Poland (if Commonwealth does not exist)
11. Brandenburg (before year 1700)
12. Sweden (before year 1700)
13. Commonwealth (before year 1700)

At the beginning of 1444, the following lucky nations are (unless you pick one of them): Castile, Ottomans, Muscovy, England, France, Austria, Portugal, Poland, Brandenburg, and Sweden.

Identifying lucky nations

If playing on random settings, a lucky nation can most easily be determined by examining their trade power in any node, which will receive a bonus +10% for “luck”, or by viewing the defensiveness in a province of that nation, which receives a +10% bonus for “luck”. It is also possible to identify a lucky nation by scrolling over the spy icon, in the diplomacy tab as lucky nations will receive a +5% bonus spy offense.

References

Realm