This article provides practical methods to improve your relationships with notables in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. Improving these relationships unlocks significant benefits, influencing recruitment, trade, and political power. We’ll cover effective strategies you can implement immediately to become a respected figure in Calradia.
Notables are influential figures within settlements – merchants, artisans, landowners, and clan leaders. Building strong relationships with them is crucial for several reasons:
- Recruitment: Notables are the primary source of high-tier troops. A positive relationship unlocks access to their best units.
- Trade: Improved relationships can lead to better trade deals, allowing you to acquire valuable resources at lower prices.
- Political Influence: Gaining the support of notables strengthens your clan’s political standing, making it easier to influence decisions and acquire fiefs.
- Quest Availability: Notables offer quests that provide experience, resources, and relationship boosts.
Completing Quests for Notables
This is the most straightforward way to increase your relationship. Notables frequently offer quests, ranging from eliminating bandits to delivering goods.
- Focus on Easier Quests: Start with simple quests to build initial rapport. Early game, “Deliver the Herd” or “Family Feud” quests can be quick and easy.
- Prioritize Village Needs: Pay attention to village needs. Villagers are typically weaker but your positive actions can resonate with the relevant notables.
- Be Mindful of Quest Choices: Some quests may negatively impact relationships with other notables. Consider the consequences before accepting a quest. For example, siding with one family in a “Family Feud” will lower your relationship with the opposing family.
Helping Notables in Combat
If a notable is under attack by bandits or enemy lords, assisting them in battle will significantly improve your relationship.
- Scan the Map: Regularly check the map for battles involving notables. Prioritize those in settlements you want to influence.
- Join Fights Proactively: Don’t wait to be asked for help. Actively join battles near settlements where you want to improve relationships.
- Save the Day: Even a small contribution can make a difference. Ensuring the notable survives the encounter is key.
- Remember the Location: Notables tend to hang around certain areas, learning their common routes will make finding them to help much easier.
Releasing Imprisoned Notables
If you encounter an imprisoned notable, freeing them from captivity will grant a substantial relationship boost.
- Check Enemy Castles: Visit castles and dungeons controlled by factions at war with the notable’s faction.
- Bribe Guards: If possible, bribe the guards to release the notable discreetly.
- Fight Your Way Out: If bribery fails, prepare for a fight. A successful prison break will significantly increase the notable’s gratitude.
- Improves Reputation: Rescuing imprisoned notables is one of the fastest and most effective ways to improve your reputation across multiple factions.
Trading Fairly with Notables
While not as significant as other methods, engaging in fair trade practices with notables can gradually improve your relationship.
- Offer Fair Prices: Avoid trying to exploit notables for profit. Offer reasonable prices for their goods and services.
- Buy Their Goods: Purchase goods from notables, even if you don’t need them, to support their businesses.
- Sell Needed Resources: If a notable is struggling with a specific resource shortage, selling them those resources at a fair price can earn their favor.
- Don’t Haggle Excessively: Excessive haggling can be seen as disrespectful and may negatively impact your relationship.
Participating in Tournaments
Winning or even just participating in tournaments held in settlements can impress the local notables.
- Improve Your Skills: Focus on developing your combat skills to increase your chances of winning.
- Bet on Yourself: Betting on yourself to win the tournament will further impress the notables.
- Show Respect: Be gracious in victory or defeat. Displaying good sportsmanship will earn you respect.
- Location is Key: Prioritize tournaments in cities or villages where you wish to raise relations.
While the methods above are effective, here are some unique perspectives to consider:
The “Long Game” Strategy
Focus on building relationships early and consistently. Even small, incremental improvements accumulate over time. Treat notables as long-term investments.
The “Network Effect”
High relationships with a few key notables can open doors to introductions and opportunities with other influential figures. Focus on cultivating “anchor” relationships first.
Leveraging Clan Roles
Assign clan members specific roles focused on diplomacy and relationship building. A dedicated “Diplomat” can focus solely on improving relationships with notables.
Understanding Notable Types
Different notable types have different priorities. Merchants value trade, landowners value security, and artisans value resources. Tailor your actions to align with their specific interests.
The “Negative Space” Approach
Sometimes, avoiding negative actions is as important as taking positive ones. Don’t raid villages, attack caravans, or engage in activities that would offend local notables.
My Personal Experience with Notables
In my playthroughs, I’ve found that focusing on completing village needs quests early on provided the most consistent gains. These quests are generally low-risk and offer a steady stream of relationship boosts. I also made it a point to always assist notables in combat, even if it meant temporarily diverting from my main objectives. The long-term benefits of these actions far outweighed the short-term inconveniences. One time, I rescued a landowner from a bandit hideout, and he became such a staunch ally that he consistently supported my clan’s policies in the kingdom’s assembly. This one act completely changed the political landscape for my clan.
The mechanics described above are based on extensive gameplay experience and community discussions. While the game doesn’t explicitly detail the exact relationship point values for each action, the consistent patterns of behavior and outcomes are well-documented within the Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord community. For more general information on the game’s mechanics, you can refer to the Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_%26_Blade_II:_Bannerlord.
| Action | Relationship Impact | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Completing a Quest | Positive | Varies depending on the quest. Focus on simpler quests early on. |
| Helping in Combat | Positive | Significant boost, especially if the notable survives. |
| Releasing from Captivity | Very Positive | One of the most effective methods for a large relationship gain. |
| Trading Fairly | Slightly Positive | Consistent, but less impactful than other methods. |
| Winning Tournaments | Positive | Betting on yourself provides an additional boost. |
| Raiding Villages | Negative | Severely damages relationships with notables in the affected village and surrounding areas. |
| Attacking Caravans | Negative | Damages relationships with merchant notables. |
| Failing a Quest | Negative | Avoid accepting quests you are unlikely to complete. |
By consistently applying these methods – completing quests, assisting in combat, rescuing prisoners, trading fairly, and participating in tournaments – you can significantly improve your relationships with notables in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. Remember the importance of strategic planning, long-term investment, and understanding the unique priorities of each notable type. These strategies empower you to significantly improve your relations with notables in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord.