5 Ways To Refresh Bannerlord 2 With Mods

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord can feel stale after a few playthroughs. You’ve conquered Calradia, forged alliances, and mastered combat. This article provides five methods, using Bannerlord 2 mods, to inject new life into your game, focusing on meaningful changes that impact gameplay and long-term engagement. We’ll explore total conversions, gameplay overhauls, and quality-of-life improvements that can radically alter your Bannerlord experience.

Total conversion mods are the most drastic way to change your Bannerlord 2 experience. They replace the game’s setting, factions, and sometimes even core mechanics with something entirely new.

Exploring “A World of Ice and Fire”

One of the most popular total conversion mods is “A World of Ice and Fire,” based on George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series (the basis for Game of Thrones). This mod transports you to Westeros, complete with its iconic houses, characters, and locations. The political landscape is dramatically different, featuring a constant struggle for the Iron Throne. Expect to deal with White Walkers and dragons.

• Gameplay Changes: The mod incorporates features like detailed troop trees specific to each house, unique weapons and armor, and events drawn directly from the books.
• Installation: You can usually find instructions on the mod’s Nexus Mods page. Typically, this involves downloading the mod, extracting the files, and placing them in the Bannerlord Modules folder.
• Where to Find It: Nexus Mods (https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord). Search for “A World of Ice and Fire.”

Diving into the Old World with “Warhammer: Old World”

Another impressive total conversion transports Bannerlord to the grim darkness of the Warhammer Fantasy universe. Expect to encounter factions like the Empire, Bretonnia, and various greenskin tribes. The mod is typically in alpha or early beta, but it offers a unique and compelling experience for fans of the Warhammer setting.

• Gameplay: This mod typically introduces magic, monstrous units, and a darker, more brutal combat system.
• Installation: As with other mods, follow the instructions on the mod’s Nexus Mods page.
• Where to Find It: Nexus Mods. Search for “Warhammer: Old World Bannerlord.”

If you enjoy the core Bannerlord experience but want to significantly alter the gameplay mechanics, consider gameplay overhaul mods. These mods don’t change the setting but rework systems like combat, economy, and diplomacy.

Reworking Combat with “Realistic Battle Mod”

The “Realistic Battle Mod” (RBM) is a popular choice for players who find Bannerlord’s vanilla combat too simplistic. It aims to make battles more tactical and realistic by overhauling weapon stats, armor penetration, and AI behavior.

• Key Features: Improved weapon balancing, realistic armor effectiveness, enhanced AI tactics, and more impactful morale. This makes positioning and unit composition more important.
• Practical Application: In vanilla Bannerlord, you can often win battles by simply charging your cavalry. RBM forces you to think strategically, using terrain to your advantage and exploiting enemy weaknesses.
• Installation Notes: RBM often requires specific load orders to function correctly. Read the mod’s description carefully for instructions.

Managing Calradia with “Diplomacy”

Bannerlord’s diplomacy system is often criticized for being underdeveloped. The “Diplomacy” mod significantly expands these features. It adds options for forming alliances, creating coalitions, sending emissaries, and negotiating more complex peace treaties.

• Enhanced Diplomacy: This mod allows players to influence faction relations, manage kingdom policies, and engage in more meaningful political interactions.
• Personal Experience: In my experience, the “Diplomacy” mod makes kingdom management much more engaging. The added features prevent the mid-to-late game from becoming a repetitive cycle of sieges. I spent hours debating kingdom policies and forging strategic alliances, something I rarely did in the vanilla game.
• User Scenario: Imagine a scenario where you want to form a coalition against a powerful enemy kingdom. With “Diplomacy,” you can send emissaries to other factions, offer them incentives to join your coalition, and coordinate your war efforts.

Not all mods need to be drastic. Sometimes, the best way to refresh Bannerlord is with quality-of-life improvements that streamline gameplay and address frustrating aspects of the vanilla experience.

“Better Time” for Smoother Campaigning

“Better Time” is a simple but essential mod that allows you to adjust the speed of time in the game. This is particularly useful for reducing travel time across the map and speeding up slow-paced events.

• Benefits: Reduced downtime, faster recruitment, and more efficient campaign management.
• Unique Perspective: While seemingly minor, “Better Time” fundamentally changes the pace of the game. It allows you to accomplish more in a shorter amount of time, which is especially valuable for players who have limited time to play.
• Download Link: Find it on Nexus Mods.

“Fixed Launcher” or Alternative Launcher

Many players have experienced issues with Bannerlord’s launcher, especially when using multiple mods. “Fixed Launcher” or a mod manager like Vortex can help streamline the mod installation and management process.

• Why It’s Important: A stable launcher prevents crashes and ensures that your mods are loaded correctly.
• Alternative Solutions: Consider using a mod manager like Vortex (from Nexus Mods) for easier mod management and load order control.

After hundreds of hours playing Bannerlord and experimenting with various mods, I’ve developed some strong opinions about what works best for a “fresh experience.”

• Total Conversions: Proceed with Caution: While total conversions are tempting, they can be unstable and require significant updates after each Bannerlord patch. Only use them if you’re willing to troubleshoot potential issues.
• Gameplay Overhauls: A Must-Have: Mods like RBM and “Diplomacy” are essential for adding depth and complexity to the game. They address some of the core shortcomings of the vanilla experience.
• Quality-of-Life Mods: Don’t Underestimate Them: Mods like “Better Time” might seem minor, but they significantly improve the overall gameplay experience.

Modding Bannerlord can be a rewarding experience, but it’s crucial to ensure compatibility and stability.

• Check Mod Compatibility: Always read the mod descriptions and check for compatibility issues with the current version of Bannerlord.
• Use a Mod Manager: Vortex or similar mod managers can help you manage your mods and avoid conflicts.
• Start with a Clean Install: Before installing a large number of mods, it’s often a good idea to start with a clean install of Bannerlord to avoid potential conflicts.
• Load Order is Key: Certain mods require specific load orders. Most mod authors will provide the needed order in the description of the mod.

By carefully selecting and installing mods, you can transform Bannerlord 2 into a fresh and engaging experience. Whether you’re exploring the realms of Westeros, rewriting the rules of combat, or simply streamlining your campaign, the possibilities are endless. The key is to experiment and find the combination of mods that best suits your preferences and playstyle.

Table: Recommended Mods Based on Playstyle