Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is a sprawling sandbox RPG with immense potential, but its complexities and quirks can lead to player frustration. This article addresses the core reasons why players get frustrated with Bannerlord 2 and offers practical solutions to overcome these challenges and enhance your enjoyment of the game. We’ll delve into common pain points and provide actionable advice to keep you from rage-quitting.
One of the most frequent complaints about Bannerlord 2 is its steep difficulty curve, especially in the early game. Players often find themselves struggling to survive against bandits, manage their finances, and build a competent army. This initial struggle can feel overwhelming and lead to discouragement.
Overcoming Early Game Hardships: A Strategic Approach
Start with a Strong Foundation: Instead of immediately diving into combat, focus on trade and tournaments. Trade routes between towns with high demand and low supply can provide a steady income stream. Tournaments are also a great way to earn money and improve your character’s skills without risking heavy losses. Look for towns with tournaments and bet on yourself to win.
Choosing the Right Culture and Character Build: The character’s culture and skills have a noticeable impact on their gameplay. Selecting a culture that aligns with your preferred playstyle, such as Vlandian for heavy cavalry or Battanian for archery, can provide an initial advantage. Similarly, focusing on key skills like stewardship, trade, and riding can make the early game significantly easier.
Recruiting and Training Troops Efficiently: Don’t rush to recruit high-tier troops. Focus on recruiting cheaper, lower-tier units like recruits and militia. Train them regularly by fighting bandits and participating in training exercises. This is more cost-effective than constantly replacing expensive, high-tier units. Also, consider specializing your party composition, such as focusing on ranged units in the early game for easier bandit engagements.
Learning From My Mistakes
I remember starting my first Bannerlord 2 campaign and immediately getting ambushed by looters who completely wiped out my party. I hadn’t invested in scout or riding skills, and I quickly learned the hard way that neglecting those essential early-game skills could lead to quick defeat. Now, I prioritize getting those skills up to at least 50 before engaging in too much bandit slaying.
Managing a clan in Bannerlord 2 can be a complex and time-consuming task. Players often struggle with issues like keeping their companions happy, managing fiefs effectively, and navigating the political landscape of Calradia. Poor clan management can lead to rebellions, financial instability, and ultimately, the downfall of your kingdom.
Clan Management Strategies for Long-Term Success
Delegate Responsibilities Wisely: Assign companions to specific roles like quartermaster, surgeon, and scout based on their skills. A companion with high stewardship skill can significantly improve the prosperity of your fiefs. Choose companions with complementary skillsets to maximize efficiency.
Maintaining Party Cohesion and Morale: Keep your companions happy by granting them fiefs, listening to their advice, and avoiding actions that go against their values. Regularly check your party’s morale and address any negative modifiers, such as food shortages or recent defeats. Offer feasts, participate in festivals, and ensure your troops are well-paid to maintain high morale.
Fief Management Optimization: Prioritize infrastructure upgrades in your fiefs to increase prosperity, loyalty, and security. Focus on building improvements that address the specific needs of each settlement, such as mills for food production or garrisons for defense. Regularly patrol your fiefs to deter bandits and maintain order.
My Experience with Fief Management
Initially, I would just ignore my fiefs and focus on war. I quickly realized that my cities were becoming impoverished due to bandit raids, lack of food, and general discontent. I started experimenting with different upgrades, and it turns out that investing in mills and granaries has an almost immediate positive effect on prosperity. It’s also essential to visit your fiefs regularly and deal with issues personally before they escalate.
The progression system in Bannerlord 2 can feel slow and grindy, especially when trying to improve skills and gain renown. Players may find themselves spending hours performing repetitive tasks to level up their character, which can be tedious and discouraging.
Accelerating Progression: Efficient Training Methods
Targeted Skill Training: Identify the skills you want to improve and focus on activities that directly contribute to their progression. For example, participating in tournaments is an excellent way to improve combat skills, while trading goods between towns will boost your trade skill. Use the training fields in towns to quickly level up weapon skills.
Renown Farming Strategies: Participate in battles, complete quests, and win tournaments to gain renown. Joining a kingdom and participating in wars can provide a significant boost to your renown. Focus on capturing castles and towns to earn even more renown and increase your clan tier.
The Value of Practice:
| Skill | Training Method | Benefits |
|—————–|—————————————————|————————————————————————–|
| Riding | Riding around the map, leading troops | Increased map speed, better handling in combat |
| Scouting | Exploring new areas, tracking parties | Better visibility, early warnings of enemies |
| Trade | Buying low, selling high, completing caravans | Increased income, better deals, reduced risk in transactions |
| Leadership | Leading large armies, keeping morale high | Increased party size, improved troop effectiveness, fewer desertions |
Learning from the Community
I discovered that practicing different weapon types against low-level bandits is a very efficient way to level weapon skills. I used to only use one weapon type, but after reading about this strategy on the Bannerlord 2 subreddit, I started cycling through all the weapon types to maximize my training efficiency. It’s a slow start at first, but it pays off when you can confidently use any weapon in a pinch.
The diplomacy and political system in Bannerlord 2 can be frustrating due to its complexity and lack of clear information. Players may struggle to understand the motivations of other lords, manage relationships effectively, and influence political decisions.
Navigating the Political Landscape: Building Alliances and Influence
Building Relationships with Other Lords: Take the time to visit other lords, participate in feasts, and offer assistance. Completing quests for lords will improve your relationship with them and increase your influence within the kingdom. Avoid actions that negatively impact your relationship with important lords, such as voting against their proposals or attacking their caravans.
Understanding Kingdom Policies: Familiarize yourself with the various policies that affect your kingdom and understand their implications. Support policies that benefit your clan and align with your long-term goals. Use your influence to propose and vote for policies that strengthen your position within the kingdom.
Strategic Alliances and Marriage: Form alliances with powerful clans through marriage to strengthen your position and gain allies in political conflicts. Offer valuable dowries and consider the traits and skills of potential spouses when choosing a marriage partner. Alliances can provide crucial support during wars and political disputes.
The Importance of Reputation
In my first campaign, I focused solely on military might and ignored diplomacy. I ended up making enemies with almost every clan in the kingdom and was eventually outvoted on every issue. Now, I make a conscious effort to build relationships with other lords and use my influence to sway their opinions. It turns out that having a good reputation is just as important as having a strong army.
Like many large-scale games, Bannerlord 2 is not without its bugs and glitches. Players may encounter issues ranging from minor graphical glitches to game-breaking bugs that disrupt gameplay. These issues can be frustrating and detract from the overall experience.
Mitigating Bugs and Glitches: Staying Up-to-Date and Using Mods
Keeping Your Game Updated: Regularly check for updates and patches that address known bugs and glitches. The developers of Bannerlord 2 are constantly working to improve the game and fix issues reported by the community. Install the latest updates to ensure you have the most stable version of the game.
Using Bug Fix Mods: Consider using mods that specifically address common bugs and glitches. The Bannerlord 2 modding community is very active and has created numerous mods that improve the game’s stability and performance. Explore the Nexus Mods website (https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord) to find bug fix mods that suit your needs. Always check compatibility before installing any mods.
Troubleshooting Common Issues: If you encounter a bug, try restarting the game, verifying the game files, or adjusting your graphics settings. Consult the Bannerlord 2 forums and community discussions to see if other players have encountered the same issue and found a solution. Report any bugs you encounter to the developers to help them improve the game.
These fixes can dramatically increase your enjoyment of the game and give you a better perspective of Bannerlord 2’s rich elements.
My Personal Bug Encounters
I remember experiencing a game-breaking bug where all my troops disappeared after a battle. I tried everything, and eventually, I had to reload an earlier save. From then on, I always made sure to create multiple save files in case something went wrong. I also started using a mod that automatically saves the game every few minutes, which has saved me a lot of frustration.
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Why is Bannerlord 2 so hard?
Bannerlord 2’s difficulty stems from its complex systems and steep learning curve. Early game struggles, resource management, and challenging combat contribute to the initial difficulty. As players gain experience and learn effective strategies, the game becomes more manageable.
How do I get better at Bannerlord 2?
To improve at Bannerlord 2, focus on mastering essential skills like combat, trade, and stewardship. Practice regularly, learn effective strategies, and manage your resources wisely. Joining a faction and participating in wars can also accelerate your progress.
Is Bannerlord 2 pay to win?
No, Bannerlord 2 is not a pay-to-win game. It is a single-player sandbox RPG where progress is earned through skill, strategy, and perseverance. There are no microtransactions or pay-to-win elements in the game.
Is Bannerlord 2 a good game?
Bannerlord 2 is a highly regarded game, praised for its immersive world, detailed combat system, and strategic depth. However, it is also known for its complexity, steep learning curve, and occasional bugs. Whether it’s a “good” game depends on individual preferences and tolerance for these factors.
Why is Bannerlord 2 so laggy?
Lag in Bannerlord 2 can be caused by various factors, including high graphics settings, outdated drivers, and insufficient system resources. Try lowering your graphics settings, updating your drivers, and closing unnecessary programs to improve performance. Mods can sometimes also contribute to lag, so try disabling them to see if it makes a difference.