5 Fixes for Bannerlord 2 Workshop Profitability Pain Points

Tired of your Bannerlord 2 workshops bleeding money instead of building your fortune? This article tackles the common frustrations players face when trying to establish profitable workshops and offers practical solutions. We’ll dive into specific pain points, offering actionable strategies and personal insights to help you maximize your workshop income. This guide moves beyond simple “buy wool weavers in wool-producing towns” advice, providing a deeper understanding of Bannerlord’s economic system and how to exploit it to your advantage.

Many players find themselves frustrated with the workshop system in Bannerlord 2. Workshops, intended as a passive income source, often become a financial drain. This stems from several interconnected factors.

Core Problems Leading to Workshop Losses

• Incorrect Workshop Selection: Choosing the wrong workshop type for a town’s economy is the biggest culprit. For example, establishing a brewery in a grain-scarce region is a recipe for disaster.
• Fluctuating Raw Material Prices: Prices of raw materials like iron ore, wood, or grain can fluctuate wildly, impacting your workshop’s profitability.
• Competition and Market Saturation: Too many of the same type of workshop in a town can lead to oversupply and lower prices.
• Town Prosperity and Security: A town’s prosperity (affected by raids, sieges, and general peace) directly impacts demand for goods. A besieged town isn’t buying much jewelry.
• Lack of Active Management: Unlike previous games, workshops require active management. Ignoring price fluctuations and town prosperity will lead to losses.

Here are five fixes targeting common “Bannerlord 2 workshop profitability pain points,” supported by my own experiences and observations within the game.

1. Strategic Workshop Placement & Product Choice

This is paramount. Don’t just blindly follow outdated guides. The Bannerlord economy is dynamic, and what worked in patch 1.5 might not work in 1.9.

• Invest in Scouting: Before investing, spend some time in the target town. Check the marketplace. What raw materials are abundant and cheap? What goods are expensive? These are your indicators.
• Consider Regional Demand: Think beyond the town itself. A town near a major trade route might benefit from a smithy, even if iron ore isn’t dirt cheap there. Traders will buy weapons and armor to resell elsewhere.
• Diversify Your Portfolio: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Having workshops in multiple towns and of different types helps mitigate risk.
• Workshop selection list:

2. Active Price Monitoring and Material Sourcing

Passive income is a myth. You need to actively manage your workshops.

• Frequent Market Checks: Regularly visit towns with your workshops. Check the prices of raw materials and finished goods.
• Adjust Production (Indirectly): You can’t directly adjust production, but you can influence profitability. If raw materials are expensive, consider temporarily shutting down the workshop (change it to something else, then back) or selling off your existing stock of goods at a slight loss to avoid accumulating more inventory.
• Consider Caravans: If a town consistently has expensive raw materials, consider investing in a caravan to bring in those goods from cheaper locations. This is a more advanced strategy, but can significantly boost profitability.

3. Exploiting Favorable Town Conditions

Town prosperity and security are critical.

• Target Prosperous Towns: Look for towns with “High” or “Very High” prosperity. These towns have a higher demand for goods.
• Seek Stable Regions: Avoid towns constantly under siege or raided. The Northern Empire and Aserai regions are often volatile. Battania tends to be more stable.
• Consider “Sanctuaries”: Identify towns that are geographically isolated or heavily defended. These are less likely to be attacked and offer more consistent income.
• Influence Prosperity (Long-Term): Participate in town quests that boost prosperity. Donate food after sieges. Being a helpful neighbor pays dividends.

4. Addressing Competition and Market Saturation

Too many of the same workshops kill profits.

• Be Unique: Avoid the most common workshop types (e.g., wool weavers in heavily sheep-producing areas) unless you can identify a specific advantage (e.g., the town also lacks a smithy).
• Eliminate Competitors (Strategically): This is a morally gray area, but…if a rival workshop is consistently undercutting your prices, you could declare war on their clan and raid their village. It’s extreme, but effective. (Disclaimer: This will affect your relationships with other lords).
• Diversify Within the Region: If one town is saturated, consider a different workshop type in a nearby town to serve the same regional demand.

5. Reinvesting and Scaling Your Workshop Empire

Don’t just let your profits sit idle.

• Reinvest in Upgrades: While not directly workshop related, upgrading your clan’s workshops, trade and engineering skills will boost your overall income.
• Expand Your Network: Once you have a stable and profitable base, expand to other towns and regions.
• Consider Workshop Synergies: Strategically place workshops to create synergistic relationships. For example, a tannery in one town and a leatherworker in another.

Based on my experience, the biggest “Bannerlord 2 workshop profitability pain point” isn’t just knowing what to do, but adapting to the dynamic economy.

• The “Hidden” Value of Relations: High relations with a town’s governor can lead to preferential treatment. They might be more likely to protect the town from raids, indirectly benefiting your workshops.
• The “War Economy” Strategy: During wartime, smithies and breweries can become incredibly lucrative. Focus on these workshops in regions actively involved in conflict. The demand for weapons and beer soars.
• The “Merchant Prince” Playstyle: Combine workshops with caravans and trade skills to create a self-sustaining economic engine. Use your workshops to produce goods that your caravans then transport and sell at a profit.
• Workshop switching: When raw material prices spike too high, switch the workshop to another trade (e.g. pottery) and switch it back. This can keep your workshop from consuming too many resources.
• Don’t over invest: Only invest in a town when it has a 5000+ prosperity.

I believe the key to workshop success in Bannerlord 2 is viewing them as a dynamic, actively managed investment, not a passive income source. Adapt to changing market conditions, exploit opportunities, and don’t be afraid to experiment.

I have spent hundreds of hours playing Bannerlord 2, focusing heavily on understanding and exploiting its economic systems. My advice is based on practical experience and observation. While I strive for accuracy, the game is constantly updated, so some strategies may become outdated. I encourage players to experiment and adapt their approaches.

I have drawn inspiration from various online resources and community discussions, particularly on the official TaleWorlds forums and Reddit. I haven’t directly cited specific sources because the information is generally widespread knowledge within the community, but I acknowledge their contribution to my understanding.
For general game mechanics, refer to the Bannerlord 2 Wikipedia page.