Game difficulty

This article is accurate for the latest versions of EU3, Napoleon’s Ambition, In Nomine, Heir to the Throne and Divine Wind.

Europa Universalis 3 has five difficulty levels. To change the game difficulty, one must enter the options page on the main country selection menu and then toggle the difficulty level with the arrow buttons until reaching the desired difficulty.

The variations on the standard settings for each difficulty level are shown below. Difficulty features introduced in Heir to the Throne or Divine Wind are marked.

Very easy

Player country gets:

• National manpower modifier: +50%
• Infantry, cavalry, artillery, big ship, light ship, galley cost: −50%
• Build cost: −50%
• Merchant cost: −50%
• Colonist cost: −50%
• Inflation: −0.5% yearly
• National revolt risk: −3%
• Infamy limit:+25
• War exhaustion: −0.2 monthly
• Magistrates: +2 yearly
• Fort Defence: +50%

AI controlled countries get:

• Morale of armies: −0.25
• Morale of navies: −0.25
• National manpower modifier: −10%
• Fort Defence: −25%

Easy

Player country gets:

• National manpower modifier: +25%
• Infantry, cavalry, artillery, big ship, light ship, galley cost: −25%
• Build cost: −25%
• Merchant cost: −25%
• Colonist cost: −25%
• Inflation: −0.25% yearly
• National revolt risk: −1%
• Infamy limit:+10
• War exhaustion: −0.1 monthly
• Magistrates: +1 yearly

AI controlled countries get:

• Morale of armies: −0.1
• Morale of navies: −0.1
• National manpower modifier: −5%

Normal

• No modifiers

Hard

Player country gets:

• Morale of armies: −0.1
• Morale of navies: −0.1
• Infamy limit: −5

AI controlled countries get:

• Morale of armies: +0.25
• Morale of navies: +0.25
• National tax modifier: +25%
• Maximum war exhaustion: −3
• Infamy: −0.5 yearly
• National manpower modifier: +25%
• Missionary chance: +10%
• Magistrates: +0.5 yearly
• Fort Defence: +50%

Very hard

Player country gets:

• Morale of armies: −0.25
• Morale of navies: −0.25
• Infamy limit: −10

AI controlled countries get:

• Morale of armies: +0.5
• Morale of navies: +0.5
• National tax modifier: +20%
• Maximum war exhaustion: −6
• Infamy: −1 yearly
• National manpower modifier: +50%
• Missionary chance: +20%
• Magistrates: +1 yearly
• Fort Defence: +100%