You don't have to buy the title but a Duke can't just give it to you, not without overthrowing the previous count anyways. You generally have to work your way up the ladder. Buy land from the count, accumulate enough land to become the mayor of your settlement, gather enough support to overthrow the count.

As for buying land, you can build on any land you find, but if you haven't purchased the legal rights to it first, anybody else is in their rights to tear it down.

That is once the game launches. Before that if you have a bloodline+ package you can participate in what is called the reverse auction. That will start after Domain & Settlement Selection. You will be able to purchase any unclaimed titles stating with mayor and working your way up. Players can also gift you titles that they have extra of if they deem you to be worthy.The noble packages are no longer available to purchase in the store but there is multiple ways to get a title.

Posted By KlarEdinbrugh at

Hi. Two questions.

Firstly, do you have to pledge or pay to become a noble ie. a count, or can a Duke simply give you this title without you having to pay?

How does an average played claim their land? Do they have to pay for it? Or can you literally walk up to any land (not already claimed) and say it’s yours?

Thanks

There's several ways to earn your title in the game.

For simplicity I will refer to "count" but you can swap "count" for any title.

For example, adverse possession, which includes taking land from an inactive count or taking it from an active count by force.

You can take over an NPC after your character has died and you accumulated enough "story points" (points you get for playing and actively participating in the overarching story of the RPG), in that case you can take over an NPC.

Become an heir of someone and wait for them to die (or help them a little, if you want to be evil).

Become very rich and buy it with in game currency, I'm sure some people will be willing to trade their titles for in game wealth.

All of the titles not owned by players will be owned by NPCs, so there's no neutral land. (although there may be undiscovered land).

There may be other methods too, but point is, you don't need to buy land, there's several ways to obtain it.

The others mentioned the other methods already but I will add a couple things.

It will be the easiest for you to buy the title you are seeking. It will be a much longer road and not even guaranteed that a Duke would grant you a County for you to rule as you would first have to make a name for yourself, become known to a Duke, earn their favor and trust, and also compete with dozens or perhaps hundreds of others who have their eyes set on the same target that you do. Let's say you do, then you'd have also have to wait for the Duke to orchestrate the forceful overthrow of the NPC (or even PC) count with a CB or whatever other ways. Granted, that play route can actually be fun. If you have ever played the Mount and Blade series you will know intimately what I am talking about. :)

Anyway; TL:DR, buy a title if you want a guaranteed title. Also have to add that guaranteed does not mean permanent.