Tanistry is a rare succession method available only to non-Muslim characters who are also either Celtic-cultured or 
have either the Blood of Brian or Blood of Niall 'of the Nine Hostages' bloodlines.
In Tanistry, the heir is chosen from the ruler's dynasty by a realm-wide election. It is safer but harder to control than feudal elective.
Features
- One of the few non-gavelkind succession laws available to tribal rulers (the other being Open, exclusive to Muslims, and Eldership, exclusive to Baltic, Finnish and African pagans)
- When the election goes your way, succession is much smoother.
- You can nominate the heir with best attributes and traits.
- You are not limited to your own children, as you can endorse any dynasty member.
- In case of a tie, your vote is decisive.
Requirements
- Celtic culture / 'Blood of Brian' or 'Blood of Niall 'of the Nine Hostages' ' bloodline
- Not Muslim
Opinion
A ruler under Tanistry will face the following opinion modifiers:
| Character | Opinion modifier | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Oldest child | -20 | He would prefer primogeniture. |
| All other children (pretenders) | -10 | They would prefer gavelkind. |
| All other dynasty members | +5 | Any dynasty member could inherit. |
| All vassals | +5 | They have power to choose a ruler to their liking |
| Character you are voting for | +20 | Obviously he likes your choice |
Mechanic
Electors
There are usually more electors in Tanistry than in Feudal elective. All vassals at one and two ranks below the ruler are considered electors within Tanistry.
Example:
- For a Kingdom, dukes and counts get to vote, as opposed to just dukes and claimants under Feudal Elective.
- For an Empire, kings and dukes get to vote. (Similar to Feudal Elective)
Candidates
- All nominees will be a dynasty member.
- Electors cannot vote for themselves unless they are of the same dynasty.
- All dynasty members are eligible, even if they are children and even if they are completely outside the elective title's realm with no claims on any de Jure titles.
- Female children may be nominated under Agnatic-Cognatic law even if they have brothers.
- Bastards cannot be nominated, even if they are electors.
Vote
Voters evaluate candidates as detailed in the Succession voting article. The main differences from other succession laws are:
- Voters prefer older candidates
- Voters prefer candidates who are not close relatives of the current ruler
Strategies
Since Tanistry has a greater number of electors voting and those electors prefer older, collateral relatives to direct ones, it can be very difficult to pass inheritance to a child or your desired heir. There are several approaches to improving the chances of a decent heir being elected:
- Very small dynasty. Minimize the number of candidates through controlled breeding or assassinations. Voters will have no choice but to elect your preferred heir, but untimely deaths could mean game over.
- Entire dynasty in court. Breed a large dynasty, but don't give anyone land. By maintaining tight control over education and marriages, you can ensure there are more good candidates than bad ones.[1] Having everyone in your court also gives you additional options for disqualifying bad candidates if needed, such as investiture or ordering to take the vows.
- Many dynastic vassals. After a few generations, you are almost guaranteed to have enough good candidates that voters have no reason to elect a bad one. Landed characters will gain prestige, increasing the likelihood of combining titles (cf seniority). However, this approach can be dangerous if a branch of the family comes to have non-Celtic culture, especially with land outside the realm, so restraint in the marriage game is advised.[2] If such a scenario does occur, consider switching to feudal elective, as your dynastic vassals are likely to be electors under that succession law as well.