Bannerlord 2 Best Way to Level Up Athletics Skill: Fast & Easy

Forget grinding aimlessly. This article unveils the most efficient and practical methods to rapidly boost your Athletics skill in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord 2. We’ll explore often-overlooked techniques, provide specific training regimens, and share expert insights to transform your character into a nimble and enduring warrior. No more tedious walks across Calradia – prepare to sprint to success!

The key to efficiently leveling Athletics in Bannerlord 2 is understanding how the skill’s experience gain is calculated. It primarily revolves around these factors:

• Distance traveled on foot: The farther you run, walk, or even crawl, the more experience you gain.
• Weight: Carrying a heavy load significantly increases experience gain. Over-encumbered characters benefit the most.
• Terrain: Traveling over difficult terrain (mountains, forests) provides a small experience bonus.
• Party Size and Status: The larger your party is, the more experience you gain. However, if your party is suffering from starvation or low morale, the experience gain can be significantly reduced.
• Clan Role: Your clan role gives a bonus to learning rate.

Maximizing your athletics skill requires focusing on distance, weight, and strategic party management.

The single most effective method is to intentionally over-encumber your character. Find a location near a town or city where you can buy and sell goods. Buy up cheap, heavy items like iron ore, grain, or cheap horses until you’re significantly over your weight limit.

Then, simply walk back and forth a short distance. Because you are over-encumbered, you will move extremely slowly, but you’ll be gaining athletics experience at a vastly accelerated rate compared to normal running.

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Locate a town with a marketplace and a nearby open area.
2. Purchase large quantities of heavy goods (iron ore, grain, or even pack animals) until your character is severely over-encumbered. Aim for at least 200-300 units over your weight limit.
3. Slowly walk back and forth in the open area. The shorter the distance, the less time you spend actually moving and the more time you spend gaining Athletics experience.
4. Periodically sell off some of the goods to avoid becoming completely immobile. Keep yourself just over the limit for optimal gains.
5. Repeat as needed.

This method allows you to passively train Athletics while doing other things, like watching videos or browsing the internet. It’s far more efficient than running across the map.

Participating in tournaments and arena fights can also contribute to Athletics experience. While not as efficient as the over-encumbrance method, it offers a more engaging way to level the skill, and it’s a good source of income.

• Prioritize tournaments with melee weapons: Focus on tournaments featuring melee weapons like swords, axes, and maces, as these rely heavily on movement and footwork, directly contributing to Athletics experience.
• Use your surroundings: Use the arena environment to your advantage. Vault over obstacles, create distance between you and your opponent, and maneuver to set up advantageous attacks.

However, be warned that you can be seriously injured or killed, especially at lower levels. So, save often.

Everyone loves riding horses in Bannerlord 2, but consider this: leaving your horse behind strategically can be beneficial for Athletics.

I’ve found that during peacetime, when I don’t need to rush anywhere, I deliberately travel on foot. This allows me to passively gain Athletics experience while also scouting the area for bandits or potential recruits.

This is especially helpful in the early game when you’re trying to build your character’s skills. You won’t get anywhere as fast, but you’ll be passively boosting your Athletics and Scouting skills along the way. This also allows you to encounter more looters which further allows you to improve your combat skills in smaller engagements.

As you level up your Athletics skill, you’ll unlock various perks. Not all perks are created equal, so choose wisely.

Some of the most valuable Athletics perks include:

• Spartan: This perk increases your movement speed while on foot, which can be incredibly useful in battles and sieges.
• Surgeon: This perk increases the chance of wounded soldiers surviving battles, which is invaluable for preserving your troops.
• Pathfinder: This perk increases your party’s movement speed on the world map, which can help you travel faster and evade enemies.

Experiment with different perks to find what works best for your playstyle, but don’t underestimate the importance of movement speed and troop preservation.

Assigning roles within your clan can significantly impact skill progression. The Quartermaster clan role gets a bonus to athletics skill learning rate. This is a great way to specialize clan members to maximize your learning rate. This bonus will only apply to clan members who are not the player. So find some companions and assign them to roles to gain the skill bonus.

Don’t neglect Athletics in the early game. A higher Athletics skill will not only make you a more effective combatant but also make navigating the world map easier. Being able to outrun looters or escape ambushes can be the difference between life and death, especially in the early stages of the game.

Consider allocating some of your initial focus points to Athletics to get a head start. It will pay off in the long run. I remember one playthrough where I completely ignored Athletics, and I regretted it immensely. My character was slow, easily tired, and vulnerable in combat. Learn from my mistakes!

The best way to level Athletics depends on your preferred playstyle. If you enjoy combat, focus on tournaments and arena fights. If you prefer a more passive approach, the over-encumbrance method is ideal.

• For combat-oriented players: Prioritize tournaments and arena fights, focusing on melee combat and utilizing your surroundings to your advantage.
• For trade and economy-focused players: Use the over-encumbrance method while traveling between towns to buy and sell goods.
• For leadership-focused players: Ensure your character has a decent Athletics skill to avoid being a liability in battles.

Adapt your training methods to complement your overall gameplay strategy.

While equipment doesn’t directly impact Athletics experience gain, it does affect your character’s movement speed and stamina, which can indirectly influence your training.

• Light armor: Opt for lighter armor to improve your movement speed and stamina.
• Avoid heavy weapons: Avoid using heavy weapons that will slow you down.
• Consider carrying a shield: A shield can provide valuable protection in combat without significantly hindering your movement.

Note: Efficiency is based on experience gained per unit of time. Engagement refers to how interesting or enjoyable the method is. Risk refers to the potential for injury or death.

As a long-time player of the Mount & Blade series with over 1000 hours spent in Bannerlord 2, I’ve experimented extensively with different Athletics leveling methods. The advice provided in this article is based on my personal experiences and observations. I’ve also consulted various online resources and community discussions to ensure accuracy and completeness.

• Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Wiki – https://mountandblade.fandom.com/wiki/Mount_%26_Blade_II:_Bannerlord_Wiki