Spymaster Guide
The Spymaster is your agent of espionage and counter-espionage, operating in the shadows to uncover secrets, sow discord, and protect your realm from internal and external threats. While their actions are often unseen, their impact can be profound, preventing assassinations, uncovering plots, and even paving the way for your own schemes.
Primary Task: Scheme Against Target
- Assigning your Spymaster to "Scheme Against Target" in a fore realm allows them to initiate hostile schemes. The most common and useful is the "Murder Scheme," which aims to assassinate a rival ruler or a troublesome courtier. The success rate depends heavily on your Spymaster's Intrigue skill and the target's Intrigue and relevant defenses.
- Other hostile schemes include "Seduce," "Abduct," and "Befriend," which can be used to gain leverage, secure alliances, or even gain concubines or spouses.
Other Tasks:
- Discover Plots: This is your Spymaster's primary defensive role. By assigning them to "Discover Plots" within your own realm, they will actively work to uncover any hostile schemes targeting you, your family, or your vassals. This is crucial for preventing assassinations and rebellions.
- Support Schemes: If you have initiated a hostile scheme, assigning your Spymaster to "Support Schemes" will increase the chance of success and reduce the risk of discovery.
- Sabotage Technology: In certain situations, you might want to hinder a rival's technological advancement. Your Spymaster can be tasked with "Sabotage Technology" to slow down their progress in a specific innovation.
- Steal Technology: Conversely, your Spymaster can attempt to "Steal Technology" from a rival, accelerating your own research.
Choosing Your Spymaster: High Intrigue skill is essential. Perks from the Intrigue lifestyle, such as "Schemer" and "Intrigue Master," will significantly boost their effectiveness. Traits that increase secrecy or reduce stress are also beneficial.
Counter-Intrigue: Remember that your Spymaster's "Discover Plots" task is your primary defense against hostile schemes. If your Spymaster has low Intrigue, you are highly vulnerable. Conversely, if a rival has a high-Intrigue Spymaster, they will be a constant threat.