Is it better to be a vassal or a mercenary in Bannerlord?

Being a mercenary is a good way to lead-up to becoming a vassal as it allows you to build relations with lords and get renown by participating in faction battles. It also allows you to burn villages and raid caravans, but have your negative relations removed in the peace deal as opposed to being viewed as a bandit.

What does becoming a vassal mean in Bannerlord 2?

A vassal is a servant of a ruler, and are usually lords of castles and villages. There are many vassals in the game, each one aligned to a certain faction. The player can become a vassal by swearing an oath to a king or by marrying into the family of one of his vassals .

Is it good to be a mercenary in Bannerlord?

Mercenaries can also take part in sieges, taking over castles and towns as part of the larger army . The wages offered seem modest, but these are a drop in the ocean compared to the money made from looting and selling equipment following a battle, where players can make several thousand denars from one fight.

Can you get a settlement as a mercenary Bannerlord?

The easiest way to get your own settlement is to join one of the established kingdoms as a mercenary . Later, you can talk to the leader of the faction after doing a few tasks for them or fighting their enemies, to become one of their vassals.

Can you leave a mercenary contract Bannerlord?

You can request to be released from the contract by talking to the faction leader . There is no penalty hit when you do so. The contract never expires or needs to be renewed. At the initial talk when you ask to be a mercenary you are told how much pay you will get.

What is the best faction to recruit in Bannerlord?

Any Imperial faction is a good choice. Aside from what others have already stated, you'll also find you can recruit Imperial units all over the place in the territory of other "Imperial" factions. If you want an army that is culturally cohesive with easy recruit availability, an Imperial faction is your best choice.

Is mercenary work illegal?

International law prohibits the use of mercenaries in armed conflict and certain peaceful situations .

How much do mercenaries get paid?

Entry level positions start at $50,000 per year while most experienced workers make up to $100,000 per year.

How long does a mercenary contract last in Bannerlord?

Mercenary contracts last for 30 days, and can be renewed for another 30 days. When becoming a mercenary, you will receive an initial payment dependent on your renown, honor, relation with the lord you speak with, relation with the faction and your persuasion skill.

Can you become a bandit in Bannerlord?

Along with the typical methods of earning money in Bannerlord such as completing quests and owning businesses, players can also explore a variety of criminal activities and live the life of a crew of bandits , preying on trade caravans and pinching the nobles' hard-earned cash in various ways.

How do you recruit a mercenary clan in Bannerlord?

Press N, go to Clans. Look for the minor factions. Some of then (Excluding for exemple, Rebels), are for hire. Find their lider and talk to him to hire them as mercenaries .

What troops should I use Bannerlord?

Infantry is either Sturgian Heavy Axeman or Imperial Legionary. Cavalry is Cataphracts, Vlandian Banner Knights and Druzhinik . Druzhinik also work really well as dragoons. Get them in position and then dismount and you suddenly have a very strong infantry detachment exactly where the enemy does not want it.

Are mercenaries good in Mount and Blade Warband?

Mercenaries are not more powerful than normal units, but be reliably found and hired already upgraded to higher tiers . They are effectively an exchange of money for time.

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord - Becoming a mercenary or a vassal, and increasing your Clan Rank (2024)

Previously, we mentioned that the early-game experience in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is all about turning looters and bandits into punching bags. Once you hit your stride, however, the game kicks into overdrive. That’s when you go from being an independent vagabond to a mercenary, pursuing contracts for your client kingdom. Much later, you can be a vassal, if you like. We’ll tackle these concepts in this mini-guide.

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord – Becoming a mercenary

Becoming a mercenary and, subsequently, a vassal for a kingdom is quite straightforward enough, though a little time-consuming. It involves increasing your Clan Rank. This is down through renown which is obtained after victorious battles, tournament wins, or from certain skill perks.

In the case of battles, the bigger the battle you fight in (and the more enemies you defeat), then the higher the renown boost. The going is a little slow early on in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord since you’re probably just chasing down brigands to make some money, but keep at it and you’ll eventually rank up.

Mercenary contracts

As a mercenary, you’re paid a measly sum of 15 gold per battle victory. These victories also have to be against a force that your chosen kingdom is at war with. For instance, if Vlandia is at war with Sturgia, then each party you defeat in battle nets you some gold and, of course, renown. Since you’re contracted as a mercenary, you can lead the vanguard alone, or you can participate in engagements alongside other lords.

Unlike in previous titles, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord‘s mercenary contracts system has an indefinite period; the contract won’t end even if several days have elapsed. I’m not sure if this is working as intended or if it’s a bug.

If you do wish to cancel a mercenary contract, you’ll either have to become a vassal or speak to the kingdom’s ruler and ask to be released. We’ll explain more in a short while.

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord – The perks of being a vassal

Becoming a mercenary in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is a fast-track to becoming a vassal as well. That’s because vassalage requires reaching Clan Rank 2 (around 150 renown). Again, the going may be tough, but you’ll eventually get there as you continue participating in battles.

Let’s say you’ve finally reached Clan Rank 2 and you’re ready to become a vassal. Remember that dialogue option earlier? Choosing that option when speaking to a noble won’t let you become a vassal yet because you need to speak to the kingdom’s ruler. Open your encyclopedia (N), pick the kingdom that you’re fighting for, click on the ruler’s name and mark their location.

Head over there and speak to the ruler. You’ll be allowed to join the kingdom as a full-fledged vassal by swearing an oath. This will also end your existing mercenary contract with that kingdom.

Controlling fiefs

Once you’re a vassal in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, you can partake in a bit of politicking such as controlling fiefs. Let’s say your army just captured a settlement, you don’t automatically own that despite claiming all the glory — that’s because the other vassals still need to vote.

You’ll need to use your influence — increased via the Charm skill — so you can swing the vote your way. Should you be successful, you’ll finally have lands to call your own. Don’t forget that the Steward skill also has a couple of perks that increase your party’s size based on the number of fiefs that you control.

Note: Influence is an important part of playing politics and acquiring fiefs as a vassal. Read our mini-guide to find out more about this mechanic and other quirks about being a kingdom’s vassal.

Canceling your mercenary contract or vassalage

Whether you’re a mercenary or a vassal, you can ask a ruler to grant your independence once more. This dialogue option will lead to you relinquish your controlled settlements and you’ll suffer a diplomatic relations penalty with the lords of your former kingdom.

Update: Previously, ending your mercenary contract incurred a diplomatic relations penalty with your chosen kingdom. That’s no longer the case after patch e1.0.9’s recent fixes.

There’s also the “leave kingdom” option in the Kingdom panel which presents two options:

Relinquish all holdings – Has the same results as above.
Keep all holdings – You get to keep your lands, but this will be an automatic declaration of war against your former comrades. This will also erase all your stored influence. You can earn influence again after rejoining a kingdom or making your own.

Additional tidbits

If the kingdom you join (either as a mercenary or vassal) is at war with another, you can get locked out of potential dialogue options when attempting to complete the “Neretzes’ Folly” main quest. You’ll end up having to look for other nobles to talk to.
Reaching Clan Rank 2 also has additional options such as creating a new party led by a companion.
Reaching Clan Rank 3 lets you form your own kingdom. We tackle this in our “Dragon Banner” quest guide.
After forming your own kingdom, you’ll also want to know how to manage your settlements, vassals, and influence gains.
If you’re part of a kingdom, or you rule one, you may recruit other lords to your cause.

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is available now via Steam’s early access program. For more information, check out our guides and features hub.

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