This article provides concrete, effective strategies for rapidly increasing your renown in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. Forget grinding tournaments for hours; we’ll explore efficient methods, unique insights, and practical tips to elevate your status and influence in Calradia. The core conclusion of this article is to equip you with multiple proven strategies to accelerate your renown gain beyond typical gameplay, ultimately allowing you to form your own kingdom or become a powerful vassal more quickly.
Renown is the lifeblood of your character in Bannerlord 2. It unlocks higher tier troops, allows you to become a vassal, and eventually lets you form your own kingdom. While simply playing the game will grant you renown slowly, the following methods will drastically accelerate your progress.
Winning Battles: Big and Small
The most straightforward way to gain renown is by winning battles. The larger the battle and the more outnumbered you are, the more renown you’ll receive. Don’t shy away from engagements where you’re slightly outmatched. Victory against the odds yields significant renown.
- Focus on participating in large-scale conflicts: Join armies and actively engage in major battles against enemy kingdoms. Sieges, both attacking and defending, are particularly lucrative.
- Lead from the front: Your personal performance impacts renown gain. Deal significant damage and take down high-value targets (like enemy lords) to maximize your reward.
- Take prisoners: Capturing enemy lords after a battle grants a notable renown boost.
Completing Challenging Quests
While mundane quests offer negligible renown, certain types provide a significant boost. Look for quests that are labeled as “urgent” or those that involve high-risk tasks.
- “Landowner Needs Manual Laborers”: This is counter intuitive but can be extremely easy Renown early game if you select this quest when the only nearby village is being raided. You can then ride from settlement to settlement and easily defeat parties of looters (around 6-9 men) to easily fulfill the quest to level up your character and your renown!
- “Poachers”: Often offered by notables in villages, hunting down poachers is relatively low-risk and provides a decent renown reward.
- Failing quests actually decreases renown. Therefore carefully consider if you can complete it.
Tournament Domination
Tournaments are a reliable source of renown, especially early in the game. While they might not provide as much as large battles, they offer a consistent and safe way to accumulate renown.
- Bet on yourself: Always bet the maximum amount on yourself to win each round. This significantly increases your overall earnings and renown.
- Choose advantageous weapons: Experiment with different weapon types to find those you excel with in the arena. Polearms and swords are generally effective.
- Practice makes perfect: Hone your combat skills in practice arenas to improve your performance in tournaments.
Showcasing Honorable Conduct
Your actions in the world of Bannerlord influence your renown. Honorable behavior, while sometimes less profitable in the short term, will ultimately contribute to your reputation and standing.
- Release captured lords: Releasing captured lords after a battle, instead of ransoming them, grants an honor bonus, which indirectly affects your renown gain over time. A lord with a reputation for mercy is more likely to be respected.
- Avoid looting villages: While tempting, looting villages has severe consequences for your honor and relationships with local populations. The long-term impact on your renown is negative.
- Uphold your word: If you make a promise, keep it. Breaking promises damages your reputation and hinders your progress.
Beyond the standard methods, several often-overlooked strategies can significantly accelerate your renown gain. These require a deeper understanding of the game mechanics and a willingness to take calculated risks.
Clan Tier Exploitation (Early Game Burst)
Many players don’t realize that certain actions disproportionately reward renown early on, allowing you to rapidly climb clan tiers.
- Early Companion Parties: Immediately recruit a companion and create a small party led by them. Send them to patrol safe trade routes to level them up. At clan tier 1 you’ll be able to start your own workshops.
- Workshop Domination: Purchase the most profitable workshops in the best locations to begin a steady income stream. This will rapidly accelerate your growth so you can afford a garrison and more troops.
- Strategic Marriage: Marrying a companion allows you to quickly gain a castle. This is the FASTEST way to earn Renown early game, but can be risky!
The Power of Positive Relationships
Cultivating strong relationships with other lords and influential figures directly impacts your renown and influence.
- Support their policies: When voting on policies within your kingdom, consistently support those proposed by lords you wish to befriend. This builds trust and strengthens your alliances.
- Gift fiefs: Giving a newly conquered fief to a lord you want to curry favor with is a powerful way to solidify your relationship.
- Attend feasts and tournaments: These events provide opportunities to socialize with other lords and build relationships.
Mercenary Contracts: A Stepping Stone to Vassalage
Becoming a mercenary for a kingdom is an excellent way to build renown, gain experience, and earn money without the long-term commitment of becoming a vassal.
- Choose your employer wisely: Select a kingdom that is actively at war and has a good track record of success. This will provide ample opportunities for battles and renown gain.
- Complete contracts diligently: Fulfill your mercenary contracts promptly and efficiently to maintain a good reputation with the kingdom.
- Use mercenary service as an audition: Performing well as a mercenary can impress the ruling clan, increasing your chances of being offered vassalage.
Capitalizing on Political Instability
Calradia is a land of constant conflict. Exploiting these conflicts can be a highly effective, albeit risky, way to build renown.
- Target weak factions: Identify kingdoms that are struggling in wars or facing internal rebellions. Attacking their parties and capturing their fiefs will weaken them and boost your renown.
- Join rebellions: If a city or castle revolts, joining the rebellion can provide an opportunity to seize valuable territory and gain renown.
- Be opportunistic: Keep an eye on the political landscape and be ready to capitalize on any opportunity that arises.
As a long-time player of the Mount & Blade series, with hundreds of hours spent in Bannerlord 2, I’ve experimented with various strategies to optimize renown gain. My insights are based on practical experience and a deep understanding of the game’s mechanics. This isn’t just theoretical advice; it’s a collection of proven techniques that have helped me establish powerful kingdoms and dominate the battlefield. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Wiki
Let’s illustrate how to implement these strategies in the early game.
| Action | Renown Impact | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Win first few battles | Moderate | Focus on small bandit parties to gain initial renown. |
| Complete quests for notables | Low | Choose quests carefully, prioritizing those that are quick and easy to complete. |
| Participate in tournaments | Moderate | Bet on yourself and practice to improve your chances of winning. |
| Start a Workshop | Very Low | After getting to Clan Tier 1, purchase the most profitable workshops in the best locations to begin a steady income stream. This will rapidly accelerate your growth so you can afford a garrison and more troops. |
| Strategic Marriage | High | Marrying a companion allows you to quickly gain a castle. This is the FASTEST way to earn Renown early game, but can be risky! |
What is the fastest way to gain renown early game?
As explained above, start your own workshop to build your wealth and Clan Tier.
How important is honor for renown gain?
Honor indirectly affects renown by influencing your relationships with other lords. A honorable character will be respected and thus indirectly earn more renown.
Can I lose renown?
Yes. Failing quests, looting villages, and breaking promises will all negatively impact your renown.
By implementing these strategies, you can significantly accelerate your renown gain and rise to prominence in the world of Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. Remember to adapt your approach based on the specific circumstances of your campaign and to always be on the lookout for new opportunities to increase your influence.