Monks and Mystics serves the 'average' Crusader Kings player well, intersecting with all styles of play and interests in a way more similar to Way of Life than, say, Rajas of India. Adding depth to characters throughout the world is always welcome, and while the concrete plotlines themselves might be a little thin, the new dimensions and allegiances that can affect the unscripted procedural stories are always welcome. Great job as usual, Paradox.

Monks and Mystics brings exciting new ways of worship to Crusader Kings II. Through holy and unholy orders can we take part in the more intricate parts of medieval religion, but although the secret societies might bring excitement to old-timers and newcomers alike, there's just not enough here, making the expansion less worthwhile compared to its predecessors.

The occasional strange conflict and the missing alchemy feature aside, Monks & Mystics is undoubtedly one of Crusader Kings 2’s strongest pieces of DLC. It leans heavily towards the game’s roleplaying aspect, its best feature, and produces some of the game’s most bizarre stories. Essentially, you’re playing two characters. You have your public face and your secret one, so there are very few moments where you’re waiting around for something to happen. Indeed, you can almost ignore the traditional intrigue and realm management, if you want, in favour of playing a member of one of these secret sects or hunting them down to save your kingdom.