Beginning The Challenge

This challenge has a lot of information to it but otherwise it plays like a normal game.  With a few exceptions,  For one I like to have a mortality rate.  This is totally optional to you as the simmer. but I like realism and Medieval life was difficult and often short.  In my game Death can occur from Illness(thanks to Life Tragedies), Accidents, or Childhood Accidents/illnesses(check mortality section below)  I also like to use Wicked Whims to determine my sim's fertility rate.  You can set this per sim or just for your matriarch(mother)

When you start this challenge I like to start with a founding family.  They can be human, or occult whatever you would like and their aging system can be as short or as long as you like.  I recommend Normal or Epic especially if you use a pregnancy mod that extends the length of the pregnancy beyond 3 days.  At the beginning you start in the Serf class...the lowest class in the whole system.  You will gain rank the longer you play(several generations) and by reaching the prerequisite's for that rank listed below.  

You may start in a pre-made TS4 home or make your own(highly recommended)  If you start on a pre-made home remember to remove all electronics like radios and TV's, set your lot trait to "off the grid", and I also recommend removing books as peasants rarely could read.  This will change as you progress through the ranks.

Gaining Ranks/Class

You will only go up in class by meeting the pre-requisites for that class.  Of course if this takes too long feel free to alter that.  In general you must live out each rank for certain # of generations, have a certain # of assets and/or money and other things.  All of this is listed below.  I find this challenge, as the name describes, very challenging so if you are looking for something on the "hardmode" side of TS4 this is it ;)

Paying Fees, Kind & Taxes

We consider your Church Tithe & Paying the crown fees part of your TS4's "bills" so don't worry about those fees.  Thanks to SR's Bill's mod there is a property tax to be paid which is considered your sim's end of year taxes. 

For those who don't understand what a "kind" fee is is.  In general whatever work you did in the middle ages with exemption to the church, you had to give a percentage of your goods to your king.  Especially Farmers.  Farmers were required to give away up to 15% of their yearly crop to the crown.  To achieve this we gift away goods to a landlord or directly to the crown.  If you don't to do this you can use the cheat to remove the 15% of money earned through the cheat panel

The Classes

SERF CLASS

    The Serf class is the lowest class in the system and it is where you start the challenge at.

• Serf's have $0-$5,000(sim) in their account earned in 1 sims year

• Live either in an apartment(or 7x7 single room hut)

• House Worth is under $20,000 furnished

• They are uneducated; meaning they can not go to school(optional) OR university

• They can not gain skills through books but must gain them through other means(like gardening, Fishing, etc.)

• Serfs "live off the land" meaning they eat what they find/grow or can steal or barter(receive as gifts) from others.

• Serfs can NOT wed but they can have a live-in partner and produce children

JOB RESTRICTIONS​

• Artist

• Apothecary

• Bailiff(Law Enforcement Level Max: 2)

• Baker - Basic breads, pies and loaves

• Bee keeper - Sell honey

• Bottler - Mixologist

• Brewer - Basic wine

• Candler - Make Candles

• Clerk (Business Level Max: 2)

• Carpenter

• Cook

• Cooper(Chicken Farmer)

• Ditcher(manual Labor PT)

• Fish Monger(Fisherman)

• Herbalist - Grow herbs/make basic cures

• Inn Keeper - Ales and Beer

• Inn Maiden(Waitress)

• Messenger (Politics Level Max: 1)

• Miller

• Miner

• Minstrel (Songwriter)

• Plowman(Farmer) - Grow Vegetables

• Preserver

• Prison Guard(Law Enforcement Level 1)

• Scribe

• Scullion/Scullery Maid (Culinary Level 1)

• Servent

• Shepherd

• Spinster(knitter)

COMMONER CLASS

    The commoner class is almost the lowest class in the system.  This title can be "purchased"

• Commoner's title may be purchased for $5,000. and must maintain an annual income of $5,000-$10,000(sim) in sim's individual accounts

• Live either in an apartment(or 10 x 10 hut)

• House Worth is under $30,000 furnished

• They are uneducated; meaning they can not go to school(optional) OR university

• They can not gain skills through books but must gain them through other means(like gardening, Fishing, etc.)

• Commoners "live off the land" meaning they eat what they find/grow or can steal or barter(receive as gifts) from others.

• Commoners and up can wed other sims.

• limited to a 30 x 30 lot or smaller.

• Job restrictions include lower class and the following:

JOB RESTRICTIONS

• Apothecary

• Artist

• Bailiff (Law Enforcement Level Max: 2)

• Baker - Basic breads, pies and loaves

• Bee keeper - Sell honey

• Bottler - Mixologist

• Brewer - Basic wine

• Candler - Make Candles

• Clerk (Business Level Max: 2)

• Carpenter

• Cook (Culinary Level Max: 2)

• Cooper(Chicken Farmer)

• Ditcher(manual Labor PT)

• Fish Monger(Fisherman)

• Herbalist - Grow herbs/make basic cures

• Inn Keeper - Ales and Beer

• Inn Maiden(Waitress)

• Messenger (Politics Level Max: 1)

• Miner/Metalsmith

• Minstrel (Songwriter)

• Plowman(Farmer) - Grow Vegetables

• Preserver

• Scribe

• Servent(Culinary Level Max: 2)

• Shepherd (Sheep)

• Prison Guard(Law Enforcement Level 1)

• Scullion/Scullery Maid (Culinary Level 1)

• Spinster(knitter)

YEOMAN CLASS

    The Yeoman class is the next class in the system.

• Yeoman's title may be purchased for $10,000 and must maintain an annual income of $11,000-$15,000(sim) on hand money

• Live either in an apartment, Hut, or House(12 x 12)

• House Worth is  $50,000-$60,000 furnished

• They are uneducated; meaning they can not go to school(optional) OR university

• They can not gain skills through books but must gain them through other means(like gardening, Fishing, etc.)

• Yeomans have basic amenities

• limited to a 30 x 40 lot or smaller.

• Job restrictions include lower class and the following: 

JOB RESTRICTIONS

• Apothecary

• Artist

• Bailiff (Law Enforcement Level Max: 2)

• Baker - Basic breads, pies and loaves

• Bee keeper - Sell honey

• Bottler - Mixologist

• Brewer - Basic wine

• Candler - Make Candles

• Clerk (Business Level Max: 2)

• Carpenter

• Cook (Culinary Level Max: 2)

• Cooper(Chicken Farmer)

• Ditcher(manual Labor PT)

• Fish Monger(Fisherman)

• Herbalist - Grow herbs/make basic cures

• Inn Keeper - Ales and Beer

• Inn Maiden(Waitress)

• Messenger (Politics Level Max: 1)

• Miner/Metalsmith

• Minstrel (Songwriter)

• Plowman(Farmer) - Grow Vegetables

• Preserver

• Scribe

• Servent(Culinary Level Max: 2)

• Shepherd (Sheep)

• Prison Guard(Law Enforcement Level 1)

• Scullion/Scullery Maid (Culinary Level 1)

• Spinster(knitter)

CITIZEN WITHOUT FULL RIGHTS

    The Citizen is the next class in the system, and it's part 1 of 2..

• Citizen's title can be purchased for $16,000 and must maintain an annual income of $16,000-$20,000(sim) in individual accounts

• Live in a House

• House Worth is  $50,000-$60,000 furnished

• They are educated in one trade(either through books or university if applicable

• They may purchase goods from shops.

• they are limited to a 40 x 40 lot or smaller.

• Star Level: 1

• Job Restrictions include all below their class and the following:

JOB RESTRICTIONS

• Apothecary

• Artist

• Bailiff (Law Enforcement Level Max: 2)

• Baker - Basic breads, pies and loaves

• Bee keeper - Sell honey

• Bottler - Mixologist

• Brewer - Basic wine

• Candler - Make Candles

• Clerk (Business Level Max: 2)

• Carpenter

• Cook (Culinary Level Max: 2)

• Cooper(Chicken Farmer)

• Ditcher(manual Labor PT)

• Fish Monger(Fisherman)

• Herbalist - Grow herbs/make basic cures

• Inn Keeper - Ales and Beer

• Inn Maiden(Waitress)

• Messenger (Politics Level Max: 1)

• Miner/Metalsmith

• Minstrel (Songwriter)

• Plowman(Farmer) - Grow Vegetables

• Preserver

• Scribe

• Servent(Culinary Level Max: 2)

• Shepherd (Sheep)

• Prison Guard(Law Enforcement Level 1)

• Scullion/Scullery Maid (Culinary Level 1)

• Spinster(knitter)