Well... I like to play Norse in general, specifically starting as the Jarldom of Uppland; it´s a bit tricky to pull of as a Cultist of Lilith, but doable. The key is to hold off converting to Cultist until you have founded the Kingdom of Sweden, so you have a 5 year grace period before your vassals can plot to overthrow you, and then hold off converting to Lesbos culture until you have 250 Renown (which you´ll get once you establish your Sapphic dynasty), so you can unlock the first Pillage legacy and keep access to that legacy tree once you´re no longer Norse.

Another favorite starting point is Ceylon - you have prosperous, developed counties, and no pre-existing vassals that´ll cause trouble for you once you convert.

This is both with 867 as a starting year.

Another favorite starting point is Ceylon - you have prosperous, developed counties, and no pre-existing vassals that´ll cause trouble for you once you convert.

This is both with 867 as a starting year.

Are you able to convert right off the bat with Ceylon? Where is it exactly?

引用自 TheLukeskywalker2：

Another favorite starting point is Ceylon - you have prosperous, developed counties, and no pre-existing vassals that´ll cause trouble for you once you convert.

This is both with 867 as a starting year.

Are you able to convert right off the bat with Ceylon? Where is it exactly?

it is a british term for Sri lanka. So you are looking for sri lanka, 867 sri has a mine, uni, and great buildings to give you a headstart. it is called Lanka ingame.

I prefer to start of the beginning so I take 867, and I like clan governments (to me it's most of the development opportunities of feudal and the freedom of tribal) so I usually go ahead and take one of the Islam kingdoms near Italy, gives options to either push up or down.

Er... does the island of Lesbos count for obvious reasons? I've also always enjoyed playing as a vassal. It gives me more interactions with the world than if I was starting or working my way towards the top of it. Things get interesting when the Byzantine Empire doesn't like you, your family, and the succubi you've got wandering around. It takes either an OP character, which ain't gonna be exciting for long, or a lot of survival management to keep yourself in the game.

Rather than having no challenge, it's more fun wanting.