5 Proven Methods: How to Improve Your Trading Skill Quickly in Bannerlord 2

So, you’re looking to become a wealthy merchant prince in Calradia, eh? Tired of scraping by on bandit loot and wish you could actually profit from the endless wars? This article solves 3 main problems: rapidly leveling your trading skill, identifying profitable trade routes, and avoiding common pitfalls that bankrupt aspiring traders. Let’s dive into five actionable methods you can use today to dramatically improve your trading skill in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord 2.

The foundation of rapid trading skill improvement lies in consistent and profitable trading. It’s a feedback loop: the more you trade, the more skill you gain, and the more profit you make, allowing you to trade even more. Forget trying to cheese the system; focus on legitimate, high-volume trading.

Method 1: The Early Game Bulk Goods Shuffle

In the early game, you won’t have a huge amount of capital. The key is to focus on low-cost, high-demand bulk goods and taking advantage of price discrepancies between towns. Good examples include:

• Grain: Towns often fluctuate in their grain supply. Buy cheap, sell high.
• Fish: Coastal towns produce a lot of fish. Transport it inland.
• Wood: Always needed, and relatively cheap to buy.

Here’s the step-by-step:

1. Scout: Visit nearby towns and check their markets. Look for goods with a significant price difference.
2. Buy Low: Purchase as much of the cheap goods as your funds allow. Don’t be afraid to empty a town’s supply if the price is right.
3. Sell High: Travel to a town with a demand for that good and sell your entire stock.
4. Repeat: Keep an eye on market fluctuations and adjust your route accordingly.

This early game method might not make you a millionaire overnight, but it provides consistent experience and a steady income to fund larger operations later.

Method 2: The Mid-Game Luxury Goods Trade Route

As your wealth grows, you can invest in more expensive, higher-profit margin goods. Luxury goods provide excellent trading skill boosts due to their higher value.

Here’s what to focus on:

• Velvet: Produced in towns like Epicrotea.
• Linen: Often found in Aserai territory.
• Tools: Produced in Imperial cities
• Horses: Especially good warhorses can be extremely profitable if bought in the right regions (Steppe Horses are particularly valuable in western cultures).

The best way to maximize profits here is to specialize.

1. Identify Production Hubs: Find towns that consistently produce these goods at a lower price.
2. Establish a Route: Create a trade route that connects these production hubs to towns with high demand.
3. Invest Heavily: Dedicate a significant portion of your capital to buying these goods in bulk.
4. Minimize Risk: Hire a decent number of troops to protect your caravan from bandits.

Method 3: Leveraging Caravans and Workshops

Once you have a significant amount of capital (50,000+ denars), you can start establishing passive income streams and continue improving your trading skill. Caravans and Workshops require an upfront investment but offer a hands-off approach to generating wealth.

• Caravans: Send out companions with a decent trading skill to establish caravans. The most important thing is to choose a safe route and equip them with decent troops.
• Workshops: Invest in workshops in prosperous towns. The most profitable workshops tend to be breweries in towns with a high grain production, and smithies in towns that are relatively safe from raids. Don’t build a workshop where there are already 2 of the same kind

Things to consider:

• Companion Skills: Ensure your companions have decent trading and leadership skills before assigning them to caravans.
• Town Prosperity: Workshops thrive in prosperous towns. Avoid investing in towns that are frequently raided or besieged.
• Caravan Escorts: Make sure the caravan has plenty of troops to discourage looters.

These strategies will get you trading, but to truly excel, you need to understand the nuances of the Calradic market.

Method 4: Exploit War and Scarcity

Wars disrupt supply chains and create artificial scarcity. This is your opportunity to profit massively.

Here’s how:

• Monitor War Zones: Keep an eye on towns that are frequently besieged or raided.
• Identify Scarce Goods: Determine which goods are in short supply due to the war. Often, this will be food.
• Stock Up: Purchase those goods from towns that are not affected by the war.
• Sell High: Transport the goods to the war-torn towns and sell them at inflated prices.

This strategy is risky, as you could lose your goods to bandits or enemy armies. However, the potential reward is immense.

Method 5: The Subtle Art of Price Manipulation

While not always ethical, you can influence market prices.

Here’s how (use with caution):

• Buy Excessively: If you buy up all of a specific product in a town, you will drive the price up. This will take a lot of capital.
• Create Scarcity: Intentionally purchasing goods to artificially inflate prices, then selling for a profit, can work, but is very capital intensive and not recommended for new players.

From my own experience playing Bannerlord, the ‘sweet spot’ for trading is around 10-15 pack animals. This balances carrying capacity with speed and maneuverability. Too few, and you’re limited in your profits. Too many, and you become a slow-moving target.

Also, don’t underestimate the value of relationships. Having good relations with town notables can unlock opportunities for better deals and even preferential access to goods. Spend some time doing quests for them; it pays off in the long run.

One mistake I made early on was focusing too much on luxury goods. While profitable, they also attract unwanted attention from bandits. A more balanced approach, combining bulk goods with luxury items, is often safer and more sustainable.

Finally, always have an escape route. Knowing the terrain, having fast horses, and a backup plan in case of attack are crucial for survival.

As a long-time player of the Mount & Blade series, with hundreds of hours logged in Bannerlord 2, I’ve developed these strategies through trial and error. My expertise comes from practical experience, learning what works and what doesn’t in the often unforgiving world of Calradia. While I don’t have academic citations, the information presented here is based on widely accepted gameplay mechanics and community knowledge. You can find related information on the Mount & Blade Wiki https://mountandblade.fandom.com/wiki/Mount_&_Blade_II:_Bannerlord.

For a better understanding of economic principles that mirror in-game trading, you can explore resources such as Investopedia https://www.investopedia.com/.

Improving your trading skill in Bannerlord 2 requires a combination of smart trading practices, strategic investment, and a keen understanding of the Calradic economy. By implementing these five methods, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a wealthy and influential merchant, capable of shaping the fate of kingdoms.
Remember, patience and persistence are key. Good luck, and may your coffers overflow!

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