For many aspiring warlords, the vast world of Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord offers a compelling sandbox of medieval combat and political intrigue. However, a common complaint echoes throughout the community: the perceived grind. Is Bannerlord 2’s grinding still an issue? This article tackles that question head-on, offering five tactical solutions to minimize repetitive tasks and maximize your enjoyment of the game.
The feeling of “grind” in Bannerlord 2 stems from the time and effort required to develop your character, clan, and army. This often manifests as repetitive tasks: endlessly fighting looters, crafting items for profit, or participating in tournaments for meager rewards. The core argument is that while Bannerlord 2 offers numerous paths to power, some are significantly more efficient and engaging than others. This article will highlight strategies to bypass the tedious aspects and focus on more rewarding gameplay loops.
Here are five actionable solutions to alleviate the grind in Bannerlord 2, allowing you to focus on the aspects of Bannerlord 2 you enjoy most.
1. Strategic Early Game Focus: Trade and Smithing Synergies
Many players get bogged down early on by aimlessly fighting bandits. A smarter approach is to leverage trade and smithing. Start by investing in Trade skill; even a modest level allows you to identify profitable trade routes. Focus on buying low in one town and selling high in another.
- Actionable Steps:
- Prioritize Trade skill points in character creation and early level-ups.
- Use the encyclopedia to identify towns with high demand for specific goods.
- Avoid combat unless necessary. Hire companions to scout and increase party speed.
- Invest in pack animals to maximize your carrying capacity.
Simultaneously, begin smithing. While it can initially seem costly, smithing high-value weapons (especially javelins and two-handed swords) becomes incredibly lucrative. The key is to unlock better weapon parts through smelting and practice.
- Actionable Steps:
- Smelt any weapons you acquire, especially those from captured bandits.
- Focus on crafting high-tier weapons to maximize profit.
- Complete smithing orders in towns for a small boost to your skill.
- Allocate focus points to smithing and stamina.
The synergy between trade and smithing allows you to accumulate wealth quickly, enabling you to hire better troops and invest in workshops – passive income streams.
2. Clan Tier Progression: Focus on Quests and Tournaments
Clan tier is crucial for unlocking key features like larger parties and noble troops. However, passively waiting for renown to accumulate can feel like a grind. Instead, actively pursue quests and tournaments to accelerate your progress.
- Actionable Steps:
- Accept quests from notables in villages and towns. Prioritize those offering renown as a reward.
- Participate in tournaments regularly. They offer renown, denars, and valuable equipment.
- Consider marrying a noble with high renown. This provides a one-time renown boost.
- Focus on battles where you are outnumbered, as these provide a bonus to renown gain.
3. Efficient Army Building: Recruiting Strategies and Troop Upgrades
Building a powerful army requires time and resources. Avoiding the grind means optimizing your recruitment and troop upgrade strategies.
- Actionable Steps:
- Focus on recruiting troops from villages with high militia strength (indicated by a larger number of available recruits).
- Prioritize recruiting noble troops, as they have higher potential and require less upgrading.
- Invest in Training skill to accelerate troop upgrades.
- Utilize companions with high Leadership skill as party leaders to increase morale and reduce desertion.
- Hunt down bandit parties which will allow for quick and fast experience for newly recruited troops.
Here’s a simplified example of Troop upgrade path:
| Troop Type | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 | Tier 4 | Tier 5 | Tier 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battanian Fian | Battanian Recruit | Battanian Trained Recruit | Battanian Wildling | Battanian Scout | Battanian Bowman | Battanian Fian Champion |
4. Workshop Optimization: Understanding Supply and Demand
Workshops provide passive income, but choosing the wrong workshop in the wrong town can lead to minimal profits. Understanding local supply and demand is key to maximizing your workshop income.
- Actionable Steps:
- Scout the town and surrounding villages to identify local resources.
- Choose workshops that utilize those resources. For example, a brewery in a town near grain-producing villages is a good choice.
- Avoid establishing workshops that compete with existing industries in the town.
- Regularly check your workshops’ profitability and switch industries if necessary.
5. Kingdom Management: Delegate Tasks and Influence Policies
Once you establish or join a kingdom, management can become overwhelming. Delegate tasks to companions and influence kingdom policies to streamline your administration.
- Actionable Steps:
- Appoint governors to manage your fiefs. Choose companions with high Stewardship and Engineering skills.
- Utilize kingdom policies to address common problems like low loyalty or food shortages.
- Focus on maintaining good relations with other clans in your kingdom.
- Participate in kingdom decisions and influence policy-making to align with your goals.
- Understand the impact of policies. For instance, ‘Royal Guard’ increases the influence of the ruler’s clan, while ‘Landowners Rights’ favors clans with many fiefs.
As someone who has sunk countless hours into Bannerlord 2, I understand the frustration with the perceived grind. However, I believe the “grind” is often a self-imposed issue stemming from focusing on inefficient strategies or trying to optimize everything simultaneously. The beauty of Bannerlord 2 lies in its sandbox nature.
Unique Insight: Experiment with different playstyles. Instead of aiming for maximum efficiency, try roleplaying a character with specific goals and limitations. This can make the game more engaging and less repetitive. For example, I once played as a pacifist merchant who focused solely on trade and diplomacy, avoiding combat whenever possible. It was a completely different experience and surprisingly rewarding.
First-hand experience: In early access, Smithing was massively overpowered. It created its own form of grind. I’m glad TaleWorlds has dialed it back to a reasonable level, but those early days are a lesson in embracing rebalancing and focusing on what is fun, not just what is powerful.
I’ve been actively involved in the Mount & Blade community since the original game and have followed Bannerlord 2’s development closely. My observations are based on hundreds of hours of playtime and engagement with the community. While I don’t have formal academic credentials, my experience and deep understanding of the game qualify me to offer informed advice. You can find more information about Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord on its official website and on Wikipedia.
Bannerlord 2 can feel grindy if approached without a strategic mindset. By focusing on trade and smithing synergies, actively pursuing quests and tournaments, optimizing recruitment strategies, understanding workshop economics, and delegating kingdom management tasks, you can significantly reduce the perceived grind and enjoy the game to its fullest. Ultimately, embracing the sandbox nature of Bannerlord 2 and experimenting with different playstyles is the best way to overcome the feeling of repetition and find your own unique path to conquest.