Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is TaleWorlds Entertainment's medieval sandbox RPG where you build an army, fight in massive real-time battles, manage kingdoms, and carve your own path in the fictional continent of Calradia. The game combines deep army management with hands-on third-person combat where you personally fight alongside your troops. With a dynamic economy, political system, and emergent warfare between six major factions, every playthrough creates a unique story.
This guide covers everything you need: core mechanics, the best builds, equipment worth investing in, location progression, and the tips that actually make a difference.
Core Mechanics
army command
During battles, you command troops using the F-key system: F1 for movement, F2 for facing, F3 for formations, F4 for orders. Cavalry flanks, infantry holds the line, archers rain death. Proper formation and terrain usage (hills for archers, chokepoints for infantry) determines battle outcomes more than numbers.
kingdom management
Once you own a fief, you can create or join a kingdom. Kingdom management includes passing laws, managing vassal loyalty, making war/peace declarations, and distributing conquered fiefs. Policies affect your kingdom's economy, military, and vassal happiness. Poor management causes rebellions.
smithing
The smithing system lets you forge custom weapons by combining blade, guard, grip, and pommel parts. High-tier two-handed swords sell for 100,000+ denars, making smithing the best money source. Smithing levels unlock better parts. Smelting weapons yields materials.
tournaments
Tournaments occur in cities and provide gold, renown, and a prize weapon. Early game, tournaments are the fastest way to earn gold (400-1500 denars per win) and renown. Betting on yourself multiplies winnings. Tournament skill translates directly to combat ability.
companion system
Companions are unique NPCs with skills and backstories recruited from taverns. They serve as party leaders (forming separate armies), governors (managing fiefs), caravan leaders (generating income), or personal combat companions. Each companion has skill specializations.
Builds Overview
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Key Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cavalry Lancer | S | Charge at full speed, couch lance, one-shot enemies, wheel around, repeat. | Riding > Polearm > Athletics > Vigor |
| Horse Archer | S | Circle enemies at range, fire arrows while riding, never let them close. | Bow > Riding > Control > Athletics |
| Infantry Commander | A | Position infantry in Shield Wall, fight alongside them, break enemy formations with personal combat. | Two-Handed > Athletics > Throwing > Vigor |
| Siege Specialist | A | Build siege engines before assaulting, use crossbow to pick off defenders, lead ladder assaults. | Crossbow > Engineering > Tactics > Leadership |
| Trader | B | Buy cheap trade goods, sell at profit, establish caravans, fund your army through commerce. | Trade > Steward > Charm > Leadership |
Cavalry Lancer (S-Tier): The most powerful personal combat style — couch a lance at full gallop for devastating one-hit kills. Vlandian heavy cavalry with couched lances can rout entire armies. Your character on a war horse with a lance is the single deadliest unit on the battlefield.
Horse Archer (S-Tier): The Khuzait-inspired playstyle using mounted archery to kite enemy armies. Circle enemy formations while firing arrows, never engaging in melee. AI enemies can't effectively counter this. Requires high Bow and Riding skills.
Infantry Commander (A-Tier): Fight on foot with two-handed weapons alongside your infantry line. Two-handed swords and polearms have massive reach and damage. Shield Wall formation holds the line while you personally cut through the enemy.
Siege Specialist (A-Tier): Focuses on siege warfare with crossbows, siege engines, and wall assault tactics. Bringing siege engines (rams, towers, trebuchets) dramatically reduces casualties. Crossbows are devastating in siege defense. Engineering skill speeds construction.
Trader (B-Tier): Focuses on commerce — buying low in surplus regions and selling high in deficit regions. Trade skill improves profits. Caravans generate passive income. Less combat-focused but provides the gold for mercenary armies and kingdom building.
For full build breakdowns with gear and stat priorities, see our Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord builds guide.
Equipment Guide
| Equipment | Why It Matters | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Glaive | The best polearm for both mounted and foot combat. | Cavalry Lancer, Infantry Commander |
| Heavy Lance | Purpose-built for couched lance charges. | Cavalry Lancer — pure mounted combat |
| Noble Bow | The highest-tier bow with fast draw speed and high damage. | Horse Archer |
| Two-Handed Sword | Massive reach and damage for infantry combat. | Infantry Commander |
| Javelins | Throwable weapons with high damage and accuracy. | All builds — ranged option |
Glaive: The best polearm for both mounted and foot combat. Long reach, high damage, and can be couched on horseback. Swing damage cuts through groups. The most versatile weapon type in the game.
Heavy Lance: Purpose-built for couched lance charges. Higher damage than glaives on the initial charge but useless in melee. Keep a secondary weapon for dismounted combat.
Noble Bow: The highest-tier bow with fast draw speed and high damage. Usable on horseback for the horse archer playstyle. Requires high Bow skill to use effectively. Arrows are the limiting factor — carry multiple quivers.
Two-Handed Sword: Massive reach and damage for infantry combat. Overhead swings can one-shot lightly armored enemies. No shield means you take more hits — heavy armor compensates. The most satisfying weapon for personal combat.
Javelins: Throwable weapons with high damage and accuracy. Carry a stack for softening enemies before melee engagement. Especially effective against cavalry and shielded enemies. Can be used mounted or on foot.
Location Progression
| Location | Level Range | Key Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Vlandia | Starting faction | Best cavalry, tournaments, coastal trade |
| Battania | Starting faction | Best archers (Fian Champions), forest terrain advantages |
| Sturgia | Starting faction | Strong infantry, northern resources, Norse aesthetic |
| Aserai | Starting faction | Mounted archers, wealthy trade cities, desert resources |
| Khuzait Khanate | Starting faction | Best horse archers, fast armies, steppe warfare |
Vlandia: The western faction with the best heavy cavalry (Vlandian Banner Knights). French/English medieval aesthetic. Strong starting position with access to sea trade. Vlandian troops excel in field battles with their devastating cavalry charges.
Battania: Celtic-inspired forest faction with the best archers (Fian Champions). Heavily forested territory provides defensive advantages. Battanian Fian Champions are arguably the strongest ranged unit. Weaker in cavalry.
Sturgia: Norse-inspired northern faction with strong infantry. Heavy snow terrain and coastal access for Nordic raids. Sturgian troops are tough but slow. The faction often struggles in AI wars due to geography.
Aserai: Arabian-inspired desert faction with strong mounted archers (Mameluke cavalry). Desert terrain and oasis cities. Trade-focused with wealthy cities. Aserai troops are versatile but not the best in any single category.
Khuzait Khanate: Mongol-inspired steppe faction with the best horse archers (Khan's Guard). Dominate open-field battles with mounted archery. Weak in sieges due to reliance on cavalry. The AI Khuzait often steamrolls other factions early.
Tips That Actually Matter
- Level smithing early for massive gold income — high-tier two-handed swords sell for 50,000-150,000 denars each. Smelt cheap weapons for materials.
- Recruit from villages matching the faction's strength — Vlandian villages for cavalry, Battanian for archers, Imperial for all-rounders.
- Tournaments are the fastest early gold. Bet on yourself in every round for 400-1500 denars per tournament with minimal risk.
- Companion parties extend your map control. Send companions with Leadership and Steward skills to lead their own parties that follow your army.
- Build workshops in cities with matching resources — Pottery in cities near clay, Brewery in cities near grain. Workshops generate 100-300 denars daily.
- Couching a lance (lower it at full gallop speed) does 500+ damage — enough to one-shot any enemy. Practice the timing and approach angle.
- Tactics skill determines your starting battle advantage (spawn positioning). High Tactics lets you spawn your troops closer to the enemy or on favorable terrain.
- Keep your army well-fed with diverse food types. Multiple food types provide a morale bonus. Buy food from towns before long campaigns.
- Prisoner management: recruit high-tier prisoners or sell them for gold. Lords can be ransomed for significant sums through the ransom broker.
- Form a kingdom early by taking a fief while unsworn. The more fiefs you personally hold, the less vassal drama you deal with.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Joining a kingdom too early — you get assigned fiefs you can't defend and lose companions to lord duties. Build a strong warband first, then either go independent or join strategically.
- Ignoring smithing — it's the most profitable skill by far. A single high-tier crafted weapon pays for your entire army's wages for weeks.
- Fighting sieges without siege engines — assaulting walls without rams or towers causes massive casualties. Build siege engines in camp (takes a few days) before attacking.
- Recruiting only low-tier troops — a warband of 100 recruits loses to 30 elite troops. Focus on upgrading troops to tier 4-5 rather than having huge numbers of peasants.
- Neglecting companion skills — assign companions to roles matching their skills. A companion with high Trade should lead caravans, not fight in your party.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make money early in Bannerlord?
Tournaments (bet on yourself), smithing two-handed swords (sell for thousands), and trading between cities. Once established, caravans and workshops provide passive income. Smithing eclipses all other methods once leveled.
What is the best faction in Bannerlord?
Vlandia for cavalry, Battania for archers (Fian Champions), Khuzait for horse archers, and Empire for balanced troops. Personal preference matters most. The Khuzait often dominate AI wars due to cavalry advantages on the overworld map.
How does the kingdom system work?
Capture a fief while unsworn to start your own kingdom, or join an existing one through dialogue with its ruler. As king, you propose laws, declare wars, and distribute fiefs. Vassal loyalty depends on fief distribution and personal relationships.
Is Bannerlord moddable?
Extensively. Steam Workshop and NexusMods host thousands of mods including total conversions (Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones), balance overhauls, and quality-of-life improvements. The modding community is very active.
What to Read Next
- Best Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Builds — Detailed breakdowns with gear, stats, and playstyle guides
- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Tier List — Current meta rankings
- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Walkthrough — Step-by-step progression from start to endgame
- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Beginner's Guide — First session essentials
- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Tips & Tricks — Advanced strategies and hidden mechanics
