4 Proven Methods: How to Influence Kingdom Decisions in Bannerlord 2

Gaining influence within a Bannerlord 2 kingdom is crucial for shaping its policies, securing favorable fiefs, and ultimately, steering the realm towards your desired outcome. This article provides practical methods to effectively influence kingdom decisions, moving beyond simple charm and delving into strategic gameplay mechanics. We’ll explore actionable strategies that directly impact kingdom votes and policies, empowering you to become a true power broker in Calradia.

Before diving into specific tactics, it’s vital to understand the core mechanics that govern kingdom decisions. Decisions are made through a voting system involving clan leaders within the kingdom. Your influence score directly impacts your voting power. A higher influence score means your voice carries more weight when policies are debated or fiefs are distributed.

Building Your Influence Score: The Cornerstone

Your influence is your currency in the political landscape. Without it, your opinions are just whispers in the wind. So, how do you amass this vital resource?

• Winning Battles: Victories in battle, especially against larger or more difficult armies, grant substantial influence. Focus on engaging enemy forces proactively.
• Completing Quests: Completing quests for lords and notables within the kingdom increases your standing and provides influence. Prioritize quests that align with your long-term goals.
• Executing Enemies: Harsh, but effective. Executing captured enemy lords generates a significant (albeit temporary) influence boost. However, be warned: this tanks your honor rating and will upset other lords. Use sparingly.
• Clan Tier: Increasing your clan tier directly increases your passive influence gain. Focus on expanding your party size, acquiring workshops, and completing quests to increase your renown and subsequently, your clan tier.
• Owning Fiefs: Fiefs, particularly prosperous towns and castles, generate passive influence. Acquiring and developing fiefs is a long-term investment in your political power.
• Kingdom Policies: Certain kingdom policies, such as “Royal Guard,” can grant additional influence to clan leaders based on specific attributes. Vote for policies that benefit your clan.

Understanding Kingdom Policies: The Rules of the Game

Kingdom policies significantly affect the game’s dynamics, including how influence is generated and distributed. Policies can range from determining succession laws to dictating economic strategies.

• Voting Wisely: Pay close attention to policy proposals and understand the implications of each policy before casting your vote. Analyze how a proposed policy will affect your clan, your influence, and your overall standing within the kingdom.
• Proposing Policies: If you have enough influence, you can propose your own policies. Carefully consider the potential impact of your proposed policy and tailor it to garner support from other clan leaders. For example, a policy that increases militia size might appeal to lords concerned about border security.
• Strategic Alliances: Forming alliances with other powerful clans is crucial for pushing your desired policies through. Use diplomacy to build relationships and garner support for your proposals. Offering gifts or supporting their agendas can go a long way.

Now that you have a solid foundation of influence and understand kingdom policies, let’s explore specific tactics to influence key decisions.

Fief Allocation: Securing Your Territory

Fief allocation is often a contentious issue, as lords vie for control of lucrative towns and castles.

• The Right to Rule: Ensure that you have the Right to Rule. This will grant you more consideration for fiefs.
• Relationship Building: Your relationships with other lords directly impact their willingness to support your claim. Invest time in building positive relationships by assisting them in battles, offering gifts, and supporting their agendas.
• Influence Spending: During the fief allocation vote, you can spend influence to increase your chances of securing the fief. Strategically spend your influence to sway the vote in your favor. This is particularly important when competing against other powerful clans.
• Proximity Matters: Owning fiefs near the newly conquered territory significantly increases your chances.
• Clan Strength: The strength of your clan’s party is considered during the fief allocation process.

Declaring War and Peace: Shaping Foreign Policy

The decision to declare war or negotiate peace has far-reaching consequences for the kingdom.

• Gauge Support: Before proposing war or peace, carefully assess the mood of the kingdom and gauge support for your proposal. Speak with other clan leaders to understand their concerns and priorities.
• Justification: Clearly articulate the reasons for your proposal. Present a compelling case for war or peace, highlighting the benefits and minimizing the risks. For example, if proposing war, emphasize the strategic value of conquering a specific territory.
• Influence Spending: As with fief allocation, you can spend influence to sway the vote on war and peace proposals. Use your influence strategically to ensure the kingdom’s foreign policy aligns with your goals.
• Economic Factors: Point out the potential economic benefits or drawbacks of a war. Will it open up new trade routes or cripple the economy?
• Military Strength: Highlight the kingdom’s military readiness for war or the potential losses if peace isn’t negotiated.

Policy Changes: Implementing Your Vision

Changing kingdom policies can fundamentally alter the way the kingdom operates.

• Targeted Proposals: Focus on proposing policies that directly benefit your clan or address specific issues within the kingdom. Choose your battles wisely and prioritize policies that have the greatest impact.
• Building Consensus: Convincing other clan leaders of the merits of your proposed policy is crucial. Present data and arguments that support your case and address any concerns they may have.
• Compromise: Be willing to compromise on certain aspects of your proposal to gain broader support. Finding common ground and working towards a mutually beneficial outcome is often necessary to achieve policy changes.
• Long-Term Vision: Clearly articulate the long-term benefits of your proposed policy. How will it improve the kingdom’s stability, prosperity, or military strength?
• Gradual Implementation: Introduce policy changes gradually to minimize disruption and opposition.

Beyond the core mechanics, there are less obvious strategies that can significantly impact your ability to influence kingdom decisions.

The Power of Information: Espionage and Intelligence

Gathering intelligence on other clan leaders can provide a significant advantage.

• Understanding Motivations: Learn about the priorities, ambitions, and relationships of other clan leaders. This knowledge will help you tailor your arguments and build alliances more effectively.
• Exploiting Weaknesses: Identify any weaknesses or vulnerabilities that you can exploit. For example, a clan leader with strained relationships with other clans might be more receptive to your overtures.
• Using Spies: Employ spies to gather information on enemy clan leaders, uncover their plans, and potentially sabotage their efforts.
• Gossip Networks: Cultivate relationships with informants and utilize gossip networks to stay informed about the political landscape.

The Art of Persuasion: Diplomacy and Charisma

Mastering the art of diplomacy is essential for influencing kingdom decisions.

• Active Listening: Pay close attention to the concerns and perspectives of other clan leaders. Show genuine interest in their opinions and address their concerns directly.
• Empathy and Understanding: Put yourself in their shoes and try to understand their motivations. Demonstrating empathy can build trust and rapport.
• Finding Common Ground: Focus on areas of agreement and build upon those shared interests. Highlighting common goals can foster collaboration and cooperation.
• Rhetorical Skills: Develop your rhetorical skills to effectively communicate your ideas and persuade others to support your proposals.

The Long Game: Building a Dynasty

Influencing kingdom decisions is not a short-term endeavor.

• Succession Planning: Plan for the future and ensure that your clan has a strong leader to carry on your legacy. Invest in training your heirs and grooming them for leadership roles.
• Marriages and Alliances: Strategically arrange marriages to forge alliances with other powerful clans. Marriage can solidify relationships and create lasting bonds.
• Building Reputation: Cultivate a reputation for fairness, competence, and integrity. A strong reputation will enhance your influence and attract allies.

As someone deeply invested in the Bannerlord 2 community, I’ve spent countless hours exploring the intricacies of kingdom politics. My experience in leading successful campaigns and navigating complex alliances has provided me with a unique understanding of the game’s mechanics and strategies. This experience, coupled with thorough research, allows me to provide valuable insights and actionable advice to players seeking to influence kingdom decisions.

The information presented in this article is based on both personal gameplay experience and reliable sources such as the Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Wiki (https://mountandblade.fandom.com/wiki/Mount_%26_Blade_II:_Bannerlord).