Crusader Kings III's new DLC "Paths to Power" launches on September 30, alongside the free update 1.20.0 "Crozier." The DLC centers on the Christian Church and religious authority, allowing players to rule bishoprics or ascend to the throne of the Pope in Rome.
The Papacy gameplay involves church finances, dioceses, and new government mechanics. The Catholic world introduces the College of Cardinals and competition for papal candidates; secular monarchs can support antipopes to vie for influence over church resources and the indulgence trade.
The new puppet system allows rulers to control key figures through blackmail, bribery, and personal influence, then leverage manipulated clergy to push for excommunications, holy wars, or title claims.
The expansion also depicts the Christian Church's transition from fragile unity to internal crisis. At the 867 start date, the Chalcedonian Church has not yet split; thereafter, theological debates at councils, struggles for holy sites, and doctrinal disagreements will influence the course of the Great Schism. Denominations can branch into different rites, and characters gain new mechanics related to personal doctrines and mental states.
A free update released simultaneously reworks monastic orders and knightly orders, adding dynamic holy sites, relic veneration, and grand cathedrals, while adjusting loading performance, late-game campaign stability, and modding script tools. The expansion is listed on Steam at 1209 rubles in reports, and is also available via the Chapter V Season Pass.
At the time of writing, the DLC holds an approximately 70% positive rating on Steam. Some players praise the expansion of religious political gameplay and improved loading speeds, while others report bugs in puppet interactions, the College of Cardinals, and the advisor appointment interface.