TaleWorlds released Warband in March 2010 as a standalone expansion to Mount & Blade, and sixteen years later it is still the reference point for directional melee on horseback. You start as a nobody with a sword and a horse in a Calradia carved up between six kingdoms, and you can finish as a bandit, a mercenary captain, a marshal, or a king with your own vassals. Multiplayer runs up to 64 players across Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Conquest, Battle and Siege.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| One handed weapons | S | Shield infantry and anyone farming prisoners for ransom | Swords, axes and maces paired with a shield, which is the only loadout that survives sustained arrow fire on foot. |
| Two handed weapons | A | Siege ladders and breaking a shield wall open | Great swords, long axes and mauls trade the shield away for reach and damage. |
| Polearms and lances | A | Cavalry charges and holding a siege breach on foot | Pikes and long spears out-range everything on foot and brace hard against cavalry, while lances gain couched damage from horse speed. |
| Bows | B | Mobile damage, horse archer builds, defending walls | Fast to draw, tied to Power Draw for damage, and usable from horseback once you have Horse Archery. |
| Crossbows | B | Siege defense and low strength characters | Higher damage per bolt, no strength requirement at all, and slow to reload. |
S-Tier: One handed weapons
Swords, axes and maces paired with a shield, which is the only loadout that survives sustained arrow fire on foot. Maces and war hammers deal blunt damage, knocking enemies unconscious instead of killing them and filling your prisoner stack with ransomable lords.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Shield infantry and anyone farming prisoners for ransom |
| Key Mechanic | Directional melee blocking |
| Recommended Build | Swadian Knight heavy cavalry |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using One handed weapons: Pairs naturally with Swadian Knight heavy cavalry thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Two handed weapons
Great swords, long axes and mauls trade the shield away for reach and damage. Nord and Rhodok top tiers use them well because their armor absorbs the hits a shield would otherwise have caught.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Siege ladders and breaking a shield wall open |
| Key Mechanic | Mounted combat and couched lances |
| Recommended Build | Nord Huscarl heavy infantry |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Two handed weapons: Pairs naturally with Nord Huscarl heavy infantry thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Polearms and lances
Pikes and long spears out-range everything on foot and brace hard against cavalry, while lances gain couched damage from horse speed. Both use the polearm proficiency, so a cavalry character can dismount without switching skills.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Cavalry charges and holding a siege breach on foot |
| Key Mechanic | Troop tree upgrades |
| Recommended Build | Rhodok Sharpshooter crossbows |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Polearms and lances: Pairs naturally with Rhodok Sharpshooter crossbows thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Bows
Fast to draw, tied to Power Draw for damage, and usable from horseback once you have Horse Archery. Vaegir Marksmen fire noticeably faster than any crossbow troop, which is why stacks of them shred infantry columns before contact.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Mobile damage, horse archer builds, defending walls |
| Key Mechanic | Faction relations and fiefs |
| Recommended Build | Vaegir Marksman archers |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Bows: Pairs naturally with Vaegir Marksman archers thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Crossbows
Higher damage per bolt, no strength requirement at all, and slow to reload. Rhodok Sharpshooters carry one alongside a heater shield, which is why they survive exchanges that kill archers outright.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Siege defense and low strength characters |
| Key Mechanic | Trade and enterprises |
| Recommended Build | Khergit Horse Archer |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Crossbows: Pairs naturally with Khergit Horse Archer thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Kingdom of Swadia
- Two handed weapons → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Polearms and lances → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- One handed weapons → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- Fight the tournament in every town you pass through during your first ten in-game days. Betting on yourself pays better than any early quest, and the renown lets lords take you seriously months before you can afford a real army.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Mount & Blade: Warband Guides
- Mount & Blade: Warband Mount & Blade: Warband Overview
- Mount & Blade: Warband Best Builds
- Mount & Blade: Warband Tier List
- Mount & Blade: Warband Walkthrough
- Mount & Blade: Warband Beginner's Guide
- Mount & Blade: Warband Tips & Tricks
- Mount & Blade: Warband Combat Guide
- Mount & Blade: Warband Boss Guide
- Mount & Blade: Warband Maps & Locations
- Mount & Blade: Warband Crafting Guide
- Mount & Blade: Warband Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Mount & Blade: Warband, check out these related guides:
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- Baldur's Gate 3 Weapons Guide: rpg game with similar mechanics
- Cyberpunk 2077 Weapons Guide: rpg game with similar mechanics
