Bannerlord Guide
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord – Guide
Character Creation
Character Creation for Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord showcases the customization mechanic of creating your very own medieval warrior. From choosing the gender and the pitch of the voice, to fully customizing the various structures of both the character's face and body. This page covers information for the character creation mechanic of the game.
Note: Keep in mind that in Mount & Blade 2 Bannerlord, your physical appearance DOES affect the gameplay. The taller and larger your character, the easier they get hit by enemies.
Also, when you play a very tall character and wielding a short weapon (like a mace) on horseback, it's very hard to hit enemies on foot.
However, tall characters usually have larger weapon reach. And when they swing, their weapons have higher angular velocity, which causes a bit more damage.
Stats & Attributes
You get one attribute point for every three levels, so think carefully how you want to invest it. Each attribute has three skills attached to it, and each skill has its own perks.
Vigor
Vigor is for melee combat and affects weapon speed and damage.
• One-Handed: Fight with short weapons with or without a shield. How to learn: Use one-handed weapons in combat.
• Two-Handed: Use big swords and axes. How to learn: Use two-handed weapons in battle.
• Polearm: Spears, lances, and long weapons. How to learn: Fight with polearms (1H or 2H).
Control
Control improves your skill with ranged and thrown weapons.
• Bow: Master long-range archery. How to learn: Hit enemies with a bow.
• Crossbow: Operate crossbows efficiently. How to learn: Shoot enemies with crossbows.
• Throwing: Throw javelins, axes, knives. How to learn: Land hits with thrown weapons.
Endurance
Endurance controls stamina and sustained physical activity.
• Riding: Fight and travel on horseback. How to learn: Move fast and fight on horseback.
• Athletics: Footspeed and agility. How to learn: Fight and move on foot.
• Smithing: Forge weapons and refine materials. How to learn: Use the smithy to smelt or craft items.
Cunning
Cunning is about awareness, tactics, and underhanded actions.
• Scouting: Spot tracks and hidden enemies. How to learn: Explore and find hideouts.
• Tactics: Manage formations and ambushes. How to learn: Win simulated or outnumbered battles.
• Roguery: Steal, bribe, raid, and escape. How to learn: Raid caravans, escape captivity.
Social
Social governs your ability to influence and command others.
• Charm: Persuade and build relations. How to learn: Barter, socialize, improve relations.
• Leadership: Inspire your troops. How to learn: Lead armies, maintain morale.
• Trade: Master buying, selling, and profits. How to learn: Profit from trade and caravans.
Intelligence
Intelligence helps with healing, managing, and building.
• Steward: Manage food and prosperity. How to learn: Improve food variety, govern towns.
• Medicine: Heal and recover troops faster. How to learn: Heal wounded in settlements.
• Engineering: Build siege weapons and defenses. How to learn: Use siege engines in warfare.
Perks
Perks in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord enhance each skill's effect and offer specialization paths.
They unlock as your skill improves and often force you to choose between two playstyles — e.g., extra XP for troops vs. cheaper upgrades.
Smithing
You can craft weapons in towns using the Smithy. Your Smithing skill improves when:
- Refining materials
- Smelting old gear
- Crafting new weapons
Weapon parts used:
- Blade
- Guard
- Grip
- Pommel
Stats are randomized and scale with Smithing level.
Material Conversion
| Input | Output |
|---|---|
| 1 Charcoal + 1 Iron Ore | 2 Crude Iron |
| 1 Charcoal + 1 Crude Iron | 1 Wrought Iron |
| 1 Charcoal + 2 Wrought Iron | 1 Iron + 1 Crude Iron |
| 1 Charcoal + 2 Iron | 1 Steel + 1 Crude Iron |
| 2 Hardwood | 1 Charcoal |
Army Management
You can raise and train your own army from scratch — looters, villagers, or bandits can all become elite soldiers.
Key Mechanics:
- Recruit troops in villages and towns
- Bandits can be recruited with the Disciplinarian perk
- Troops gain XP by fighting and level up with gold
- Upgrading to cavalry also costs a horse
💡 Tip: Perks like Raise The Meek increase experience gain for low-tier troops.
Town Projects
When you take control of a settlement, you can:
- Improve prosperity
- Increase security and loyalty
- Train militia and reinforce walls
Projects cost gold and take time, but they have permanent effects.
| Structure | Effect |
|---|---|
| Forum | +1 influence |
| Training Fields | +2 XP to garrisoned troops |
| Fairgrounds | +1 morale |
| Marketplace | +10 taxes |
| Militia Barracks | +1 daily militia |
| Siege Workshop | +50 wall repair speed |
| Aquaducts | +1 prosperity/day |
Daily Defaults
When nothing is building, a Daily Default kicks in.
- Build House: +1 prosperity
- Train Militia: +1 daily militia
- Festival & Games: +1 morale
- Irrigation: +1 food production
Quests
Quests are small storylines or dynamic tasks from NPCs, villages, and towns.
Common Quests
Kingdom Policies
Once you've founded a kingdom or joined one as a vassal, you can influence the realm's rules by voting on or proposing kingdom policies. These policies affect everything from taxes and prosperity to influence generation and militia production.
Full List of Kingdom Policies
| Policy | Effect |
|---|---|
| Land Tax | 5% of the village income is paid to the ruler clan as tax. 5% less village income for clans. |
| State Monopolies | Ruler clan gains 5% of the settlement as tax per town. Workshop production is decreased by 10%. |
| Sacred Majesty | Ruler clan earns 3 influence per day. Non-ruler clans lose 0.5 influence per day. |
| Magistrates | Town security is increased by 1 per day. Town taxes are reduced by 5%. |
| Debasement of The Currency | Ruler clan gains 100 denars per day for each town in the kingdom. Settlement loyalty is decreased by 1 per day. |
| Precarial Land Tenure | The influence cost of proposing settlement annexation is reduced by 50% for the ruler clan. |
| Crown Duty | 5% tax on tariffs is paid to the ruler clan. Higher trade penalty in towns. Settlement prosperity is decreased by 1 per day. |
| Imperial Towns | Towns held by the ruler clan gain 1 loyalty and 1 prosperity per day. Towns held by non-ruler clans lose 0.3 loyalty per day. |
| Royal Commissions | The influence cost of creating an army is reduced by 30% for the ruler. Armies led by the ruler earn cohesion at 30% less cost. Armies led by non-ruler nobles cost 10% more influence to create. |
| Royal Guard | Ruler's party size is increased by 80. Ruler clan gains 1 influence per day. Non-ruling clans lose 0.2 influence per day. |
| War Tax | Ruler gains 5% tax from all settlements. Towns lose 1 prosperity per day. The influence cost of declaring war is doubled for the ruler clan. |
| Royal Privilege | For Kingdom decisions, the influence cost of the ruler overriding the popular decision outcome is reduced by 20%. |
| King's Mercenaries | The ruler gains double influence from mercenaries. Non-ruler clans gain 10% less influence from battles. |
| Senate | Tier 3+ clans gain 0.5 influence per day. Influence cost of inviting lower tier clans to army is increased by 10%. |
| Lords' Privy Council | Tier 5+ Clans gain 0.5 influence per day. Influence cost of inviting lower tier clans to army is increased by 20%. |
| Military Coronae | Military achievements grant 20% more influence. Troop wages are increased by 10%. |
| Feudal Inheritance | The cost of revoking a fief from a clan is doubled. Clans gain 0.1 influence for each fief they own. |
| Serfdom | Villages grant 0.2 influence per day to the owner clan. Towns gain 1 security but lose 1 militia and 1 prosperity per day. |
| Noble Retinues | Tier 4+ clans lose 1 influence per day. Party size of their leaders is increased by 40. |
| Castle Charters | Castle upgrade costs are reduced by 20%. |
| Bailiffs | Town security is increased by 1 per day. Towns with security greater than 60 yield 1 additional influence to the owner clan. Taxes from towns are reduced by 0.5. |
| Hunting Rights | Food production in towns and castles is increased by 2. Town loyalty is decreased by 0.2. |
| Road Tolls | Trade tax paid to the town owner is increased by 3%. Town prosperity is decreased by 0.2. |
| Peerage | For Kingdom decisions, tier 4+ clan choices have double effect. Influence cost of the ruler overriding the popular decision outcome is doubled. |
| Marshals | Armies led by Tier 5+ nobles require 10% less influence. Influence of the ruler clan is reduced by 1 per day. |
| Council of the Commons | Each notable yields 1 influence per day to the settlement's owner clan. Taxes from fortifications are decreased by 5%. |
| Charter of Liberties | Militia quantity is increased by 10% and 10% of militia troops will be higher tier. Revenue paid to both liege and local ruler is reduced by 5%. |
| Forgiveness of Debts | Settlement Loyalty is increased by 2 per day. Settlement production is reduced by 5%. |
| Citizenship | +0.5 Loyalty per day to settlements with same culture as their owner clan. +1 militia production. -0.5 Loyalty per day for different culture. |
| Tribunes of the People | Town taxes paid to the ruler are reduced by 5%. Town loyalty is increased by 1 per day. |
| Grazing Rights | Settlement loyalty is increased by 0.5 per day. Daily hearth production at villages decreases by 0.25. |
| Land Grants For Veterans | Militia quality is increased by 10%. Village tax income is reduced by 5%. |
| Lawspeakers | Clans with high Charm leaders gain 1 influence per day. Clans with low Charm lose 1 influence per day. |
| Trial by Jury | Settlement Loyalty is increased by 0.5 per day. Security is decreased by 0.2 per day. Clans lose 1 influence per day. |
| Cantons | Daily militia production is increased by 1. Recruits replenish 30% faster. Tax income in settlements is reduced by 10%. |
Tip: If you're the ruler, policies like Royal Guard and Sacred Majesty will empower your position. As a vassal, vote for laws that balance loyalty and Influence gain.
New Player Help
This section covers beginner tips, mechanics, and early-game advice for new players.
Blocking Attacks
Enemies can attack from four directions. Use your mouse to match the attack angle, or try circling your opponent while aiming for the head.
How to Dismount
Look at your mount and press F.
How to Make Money
- Fight looters and bandits — ransom their prisoners and loot their gear
- Do early quests — some give temporary companions with better gear
- Buy workshops in cities — their profitability depends on local goods
- Trade items across the map (check our Trade Goods Map)
Avoid Steppe Bandits early on — they’re mounted and dangerous unless you have cavalry.
How to Join a Faction
Build your renown by fighting and winning tournaments. Once you're notable enough, speak to a noble to join their kingdom.
Use the enlistment system to follow one of the lords around until you finish the questline and become a vassal.
How to Have Children
- Persuade and marry a noble (you’ll need renown)
- Bring them into your party
- Wait — pregnancy happens automatically after some time
How to Create a Kingdom
To form your own kingdom:
- Be independent (not a vassal)
- Own at least one fief
- Be Clan Rank 4
- Have a governor and speak to him
How to Capture Settlements (As an Independent)
- Raid a village or caravan of the enemy faction
- Lay siege to one of their castles or towns
Tip: You don’t need to defeat a whole kingdom. Look for isolated fiefs you can pick off and hold.