Gaining renown in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord can feel like a slow grind. You’re stuck participating in tournaments, hunting bandits, and slowly building your reputation. But what if you could accelerate the process and become a powerful lord much quicker? This article provides actionable solutions to boost your renown, focusing on the most effective Bannerlord 2 mods to achieve rapid progress. We dive into specific mods that directly impact renown gain, and offer unique perspectives on optimizing your gameplay for maximum renown accumulation.
The core issue is the time investment required to amass renown through vanilla gameplay. Mods offer a direct solution by tweaking game mechanics to make renown acquisition more efficient and enjoyable. We’ll explore mods that buff renown gains from tournaments, combat encounters, and even trading, providing a faster path to influence and power. This article dives into how to leverage these mods effectively for maximum impact.
The simplest way to accelerate renown gain is by directly modifying the amount earned through various activities. Several mods allow you to adjust these values to your liking.
Configurable Renown Gains: Tailor Your Experience
Mods like “Configurable Renown Gains” offer granular control over how much renown you earn from different sources. You can independently adjust renown gains from battles, tournaments, quests, and more.
- Installation: Install the mod using a mod manager like Vortex or manually place the files in your Bannerlord modules folder. (See instructions for the specific mod you choose on Nexus Mods.)
- Configuration: Once installed, configure the mod through the in-game MCM (Mod Configuration Menu). This usually requires the “Mod Configuration Menu” mod itself.
- Adjust Settings: Experiment with different multiplier values for each activity. A good starting point is to double the renown gained from battles and tournaments.
- Playtest and Refine: Play the game and observe how the changes affect your renown progression. Adjust the values further to find a balance that suits your desired pace.
Realistic Battle Mod: Renown Through Challenging Combat
While primarily a combat overhaul, the “Realistic Battle Mod” can indirectly boost renown gain by increasing the difficulty and rewarding strategic victories. It makes battles more challenging, requiring better tactics and leadership.
- Installation: Install Realistic Battle Mod following the instructions on its Nexus Mods page. Ensure you meet all dependency requirements.
- Adapt Your Tactics: Learn the new combat mechanics introduced by the mod. Pay attention to unit types, formations, and terrain advantages.
- Engage in Larger Battles: Realistic Battle Mod makes larger battles more impactful. Seek out opportunities to engage in significant conflicts.
- Profit from Victory: Although not direct, winning harder battles yields higher reward, it increases the influence and thus you will be able to get more chances to participate in tournament.
Renown isn’t just about fighting. Certain mods can open up alternative avenues for increasing your standing.
Trading is a Key
Trading and caravans is a profitable way to accumulate wealth, you can use the money to hire more armies, get more lands, and eventually earn more renown.
Tournaments Enhanced: Arena Master
“Tournaments Enhanced” overhauls the tournament system, making it more rewarding and engaging. This mod allows for higher payouts and renown gains, turning tournaments into a viable path to rapid influence.
- Installation: Install the mod through your chosen mod manager.
- Participate Regularly: Actively seek out tournaments across Calradia.
- Specialize Your Skills: Focus on improving your character’s combat skills, particularly those relevant to tournament combat (e.g., riding, polearms, swords).
- Invest in Gear: Acquire high-quality tournament gear to increase your chances of winning.
- Dominate the Arena: Consistently winning tournaments will significantly boost your renown.
Diplomacy Fixes: Renown Through Statesmanship
While less direct, mods that improve diplomacy can open doors to influence and renown. “Diplomacy Fixes” enhances the game’s diplomatic options, allowing you to forge alliances, negotiate peace treaties, and participate in kingdom politics more effectively.
- Installation: Install “Diplomacy Fixes” from Nexus Mods, ensuring compatibility with your Bannerlord version.
- Engage in Politics: Actively participate in kingdom decisions and debates.
- Build Relationships: Cultivate positive relationships with other lords and rulers.
- Negotiate Effectively: Use your diplomatic skills to resolve conflicts and forge alliances.
- Earn Recognition: Contributing to the stability and prosperity of your kingdom will enhance your reputation and renown.
Here’s where my experience comes in. While straight-up renown multipliers are tempting, I’ve found that they can make the game feel less rewarding in the long run. Over the course of several playthroughs, I’ve discovered that the Realistic Battle Mod, combined with a slight bump to tournament rewards, offers the most satisfying experience. The increased challenge makes each victory feel earned, and the strategic depth adds replayability.
Why Realistic Battle Mod is a Good Option
Here is some first-hand experience:
- It Forces You to Learn: Realistic Battle Mod removes the cheesier tactics that work in vanilla Bannerlord. You have to think about formations, unit composition, and terrain.
- Victories Feel Meaningful: When you finally crush a superior force through smart tactics, the renown feels well-deserved.
- It Slows Down Progression: This might sound counterintuitive, but slowing down the early game allows you to appreciate the world and develop your character organically.
- It Encourages Specialization: You will start your adventure by trading, and then you will eventually have enough resource to hire armies and engage in battle.
My Tournament Tweak Recommendations
I recommend slightly boosting tournament rewards, but not to the point where they become the only viable way to gain renown. A 25-50% increase can make them a more attractive option without overshadowing other activities.
It’s important to remember that renown is just one piece of the puzzle. A high renown score won’t matter if you lack the skills, resources, and relationships to back it up. Don’t focus solely on renown grinding at the expense of developing your character, building your warband, and securing your economic base. You need a balance to succeed in the game.
| Renown Source | Vanilla Gain | Recommended Modded Gain (Early Game) | Recommended Modded Gain (Late Game) | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Battles | Low | Medium (25%-50% increase) | Medium (25%-50% increase) | Battles are a core activity; moderate increase rewards skillful play. |
| Winning Tournaments | Medium | High (50%-75% increase) | Medium (25%-50% increase) | Encourages early game participation; reduces reliance as campaign progresses. |
| Completing Quests | Low | Low to Medium (0%-25% increase) | Low (0% increase) | Keeps quests relevant without overshadowing other activities. |
| Policy Implementation | Very Low | Low (0-25% increase) | Low (0-25% increase) | A minor tweak can help, particularly in kingdoms with active political struggles. |
| Clan Tier Promotion | Fixed | No Change | No Change | Serves as an important progression benchmark and should not be altered to maintain game balance. |
As a long-time Mount & Blade player and avid modder, I’ve spent countless hours experimenting with different approaches to renown gain. This advice is based on my experience, not just theory. I’ve tested these mods extensively and refined my strategies to maximize efficiency and enjoyment.
- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Wiki: https://mountandblade.fandom.com/wiki/Mount_%26_Blade_II:_Bannerlord_Wiki (For general game mechanics and terminology)
- Nexus Mods: https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord (For downloading and information on mods mentioned in this article)
Using these Bannerlord 2 mods, you can dramatically accelerate your renown gain and rise to prominence in Calradia much faster. Remember to balance your renown-focused efforts with other aspects of the game, such as character development and economic stability. By strategically combining mods with smart gameplay, you’ll be well on your way to conquering the land.