Whether you’re a tricky person or a good official, climbing the high ladder of the Chinese government in Crusader Kings 3: All Under Heaven requires Merit. When you play in China (or other places like Korea that use this system), you’ll find that Merit is the most important thing for anyone who wants to move up in this society that follows Confucian teachings.
Getting Merit is very important because it moves you up from 9th rank all the way to 1st rank (or 5th rank if you’re not in China). Your Merit Rank is the biggest thing the Emperor looks at when he’s choosing people to be governors or ministers, even more important than having a high score for being a good candidate. If you want to get a good job as a governor of a large area (like ruling a whole kingdom outside of China) or if you want to work at the imperial court, you need a high Merit Rank.
Learn how to earn Merit and increase your Merit Rank in Crusader Kings 3: All Under Heaven below.
How to earn Merit in CK3
Like other resources in the game, you can get Merit in different ways. Game events often give you Merit as a reward for making certain choices. One steady way to get Merit is when other people who work for you ask for some Gold. If you give them the money, they will praise you.
You can also get Merit from buildings in your Estate, which gives you a steady, slow supply of this resource. Some buildings even give you bonuses to how much Merit you earn, which is helpful.
When you’re a governor, building things, solving problems in your area, and helping with big projects also gives you Merit. But the best way to get Merit is by sending taxes to your boss. So getting good governor jobs and doing them well is great for moving up in your career. Yes, doing your job actually helps you get ahead.
The best way to earn Merit when you’re just a regular person is to take part in the new Examination system. These are a big part of playing in China, because they not only give you Merit and Piety, but they also help you get better at the valuable Confucian Education trait.
How to increase Merit Rank in CK3
Also, taking part in and passing these Examinations increases the highest Merit Rank you can reach. In total, there are four Examinations you can take and pass:
- Childhood Examination
- Provincial Examination
- Metropolitan Examination
- Palace Examination
As the name suggests, the Childhood Examination is taken when characters are young. As a parent, you can send your children to take this test, setting them up for a good career – but it’s okay if they don’t pass it: You can skip lower-level Examinations by doing well in the higher-level ones without any trouble. But be warned: If your child fails these tests many times when they’re young, it might have some bad effects on them. Yes, the game basically has a feature about the disappointed Asian parents stereotype, which is pretty funny.
Here’s the trade-off: While you can help with Examinations to earn Merit anytime, taking the tests yourself means you have to give up any job you currently have. So if you’re not sure you can pass the high-level Palace Examination, it might be smart to wait for the next chance (they happen regularly) and keep governing a province in the meantime. This way you can earn Merit and build up your skills to increase your chances of passing.
Learning is usually the most important skill for passing these tests, but traits like Poet, Governor, and Confucian Education also give you helpful bonuses.
You can also try to help your family members (or even control things if you’re running the test) to increase their chances of passing. This will help them get better jobs, which will boost your family’s power in the country.
Taking an Examination to raise your Merit Rank is only really necessary if you’re close to reaching your current maximum Merit Rank. But passing these tests gives you a lot of Merit, so it can also be a good way to earn the resource.
A higher Merit Rank lets you get better jobs, increases your pay, and gives you more power in the current political movement in the Dynastic Cycle. This is useful if you want to actively shape the empire’s future.
