Rejected: Line of Succession

[Blint]

I have been doing some thinking lately and thought it would be cool if for certain government types - Mainly Monarchy and I suppose an argument could be made for Tyranny - if the ruler had the chance to name a successor in more than just RP? Would it be possible to add a feature that allows a ruler to name a successor in the event that they are either:

• A)Killed
• B)Removed from their position as ruler either due to wounding, imprisonment, or deportation?

My thought was the game essentially skips the election process and acts as though someone had been appointed to the position... If no successor has been selected/chosen AND/OR the successor themselves is unable to take office (Wounded/in prison) then the normal election process triggers. 

I imagine the coding could get rather tricky (or so I assume since I know next to nothing about coding) and I would think if this was introduced there could be a need for some "if/then" logic surrounding rebellions... Again I know next to nothing about coding, but my thought was the line of succession is nullified if the current ruler loses their position via a rebellion..

Just my thoughts..

[Anaris]

This isn't something we're likely to do within the current system. It creates too much opportunity for closed cliques to secure their monopoly on power in particular realms.

Imagine you have King Kepler of Keplerstan, and he names Delvin as his successor. Then Kepler gets himself killed one way or another, and Delvin automatically becomes King.

The next day, who shows up in Keplerstan but Kepler II, son of the former king, and shortly thereafter King Delvin names him as his successor.

This is a simplified example, of course, but it is far, far too easy to abuse such a feature to prevent real change in a realm even if a majority want it.

[Chenier]

This isn't something we're likely to do within the current system. It creates too much opportunity for closed cliques to secure their monopoly on power in particular realms.

Imagine you have King Kepler of Keplerstan, and he names Delvin as his successor. Then Kepler gets himself killed one way or another, and Delvin automatically becomes King.

The next day, who shows up in Keplerstan but Kepler II, son of the former king, and shortly thereafter King Delvin names him as his successor.

This is a simplified example, of course, but it is far, far too easy to abuse such a feature to prevent real change in a realm even if a majority want it.

Heh, sounds a lot like what we already have.

It's also fairly easy to set up with current mechanics, if one really wants to. Create two duchies, one for the ruler, one for the successor. Set rulership to dukes-only vote. Done.

Let's face it, though, nothing kills Kepler. When "for-life" rulers go, it's usually because their players have moved on, or otherwise went on a long vacation. Very rarely to wounds. Almost never to character death (which is opt-in).

I'm far less afraid of cliques holding power than back in the days. Lowered densities means people have a lot of realms they can go to for more opportunities, where promotions are quick, while simultaneously making it so that every clique can easily take over realms already without really having much use for extra mechanics to help them.