Bannerlord 2: Get Rare Items & Dominate Calradia

This article unveils proven strategies for acquiring rare and powerful items in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. From understanding loot tables and targeted quests to exploiting tournament rewards and engaging in strategic trading, we’ll equip you with the knowledge to enhance your character’s power and dominate the battlefield. **This article solves 3 problems: Finding top-tier equipment, amassing wealth for your clan, and understanding Bannerlord’s item acquisition mechanics.**

Before diving into specific methods, it’s crucial to grasp the underlying mechanics of item acquisition in Bannerlord 2. Unlike some RPGs with fixed item locations, Bannerlord relies heavily on procedural generation and tiered loot systems. This means that the availability of rare items depends on several factors:

• Your character level: Higher-level characters have access to better gear.
• The prosperity of the region: Wealthier regions tend to have better-stocked markets.
• The difficulty of the encounter: Challenging battles offer a higher chance of rewarding valuable loot.
• Your luck: A hidden (or mod-influenced) factor that can sway the odds in your favor.

Target Specific Factions and Unit Types

Different factions in Bannerlord 2 have distinct equipment styles and quality. For example, the Battanian Fian Champions are renowned for their powerful longbows, while the Imperial Cataphracts boast incredibly strong armor. **Targeting these specific units during battles or sieges increases your chances of finding their signature equipment.** You can often find these units in higher tier troops. This helps you not only find items but also build your army. Consider creating a scouting party dedicated to locating these valuable troop types.

Tournaments offer a relatively safe and consistent way to acquire high-value items, especially early in the game. While the prizes are randomized, they frequently include valuable weapons, armor, and horses. Moreover, betting on yourself and winning can generate significant income.

Exploiting Tournament Mechanics

While tournament prizes are random, there are strategies to improve your odds. First, **focus on tournaments held in prosperous cities. These cities typically offer better prize pools.** Second, save your game before entering a tournament. If you’re unhappy with the prize, you can reload and try again. This might feel like cheating to some, but it’s a common and effective tactic.

My Tournament Experience

I’ve personally found that focusing on tournaments early game is a great strategy to not only acquire top tier gear but train my companions to be good warriors. **I focus on winning horse tournaments with high quality horses as prizes, then sell these horses to fuel my clan and fund upgrades for my companions.** Winning tournaments also makes you a notable member of the region which helps with recruiting troops. This is a strong strategy that many players ignore and is something that only experience can teach you.

Quests, particularly those offered by nobles and powerful merchants, can lead to valuable rewards, including unique or high-quality items. Keep an eye out for quests that explicitly mention equipment or “a reward of great value.”

Understanding Quest Types and Rewards

Different quest types offer different reward probabilities. For instance, quests involving clearing out bandit hideouts might reward you with decent weapons and armor, while quests involving rescuing family members of nobles could lead to unique artifacts or powerful gear. **Always assess the potential reward before accepting a quest.**

My Experience with Quest Rewards

I’ve found that the “Family Feud” quest offered by nobles, while sometimes dangerous, often yields high-quality weapons or armor as a reward for succeeding, as well as building relationships with nobles. **Additionally, quests that improve your relationship with powerful clans are valuable as it opens future opportunities to marry into the clan or start wars.** Some of my most prized gear came from the most difficult of quests.

While Bannerlord 2 isn’t primarily a trading simulator, understanding market dynamics can indirectly help you acquire rare items. By buying low and selling high, you can amass wealth, which can then be used to purchase powerful weapons and armor from merchants.

Identifying Profitable Trade Routes

Pay attention to the supply and demand of different goods in various regions. For instance, iron ore might be cheap in a mining town but expensive in a city that’s experiencing a shortage. By transporting goods between these locations, you can generate a profit. **Use the encyclopedia to find resource production locations to find the best trade routes.**

My Trading Strategy

My personal favorite trading strategy involves buying horses in the Aserai territory and selling them in the Battanian or Vlandian regions, where they are in high demand. This is often a more consistent strategy than looking for rare items, and the increased wealth can be used to purchase the items when they become available. **The key is to find a commodity with a significant price difference between two regions and exploit it.**

Engaging in battles and sieges is a direct way to acquire valuable loot. Defeating large armies increases the chances of finding rare weapons, armor, and horses among the spoils. Also, capturing lords and ransoming them brings in large sums of money, which can then be used to purchase powerful equipment.

Maximizing Battlefield Loot

**Focus on fighting battles against wealthy factions, such as the Empire or Vlandia.** These factions tend to equip their troops with high-quality gear. Also, consider investing in the “Looting” skill, which increases the amount and quality of loot you receive after battles. https://mountandblade.fandom.com/wiki/Looting

The Prisoner Economy

Don’t underestimate the value of prisoners. Capturing lords and kings can net you a fortune in ransom money. This is especially true during periods of war. **Build a prison in your castle or town to hold captured lords, which prevents them from escaping and rejoining the enemy.**

Leveling your character and investing in skills will not only make you a stronger combatant, but will also increase your chances of acquiring better gear. A high trade skill, for example, enables you to buy and sell items at better prices. Additionally, investing in smithing allows you to craft your own powerful weapons.

Understanding the Impact of Skills

Certain skills, such as scouting and trade, have a direct impact on your ability to find rare items. Scouting allows you to identify lucrative trade opportunities and locate enemy armies carrying valuable loot. **Trade enables you to buy items at a lower price and sell them at a higher price, allowing you to accumulate wealth more quickly.**

My Smithing Experience

Smithing is by far the best skill to level if you want end game gear. **The skill is slow and requires a lot of resources, but it allows you to create your own end game weapon based on your play style.** I personally create my favorite 2 handed sword, the “Fine Steel Highland Blade” as soon as possible. If you have the patience smithing is by far the best way to get end game gear.

Method	Description	Pros	Cons	Effectiveness
Tournaments	Participate in tournaments and bet on yourself.	Relatively safe, consistent income, early-game access.	Prizes are random, can be time-consuming.	Medium
Quests	Complete quests offered by nobles and merchants.	Potential for unique rewards, builds relationships.	Rewards are variable, some quests are difficult.	Medium to High
Trading	Buy low, sell high to accumulate wealth.	Consistent income, develops economic skills.	Requires knowledge of market dynamics, can be slow.	Medium
Battlefield Loot	Defeat enemy armies and loot their equipment.	Direct access to high-quality gear, exciting gameplay.	Risky, depends on enemy equipment.	High
Smithing	Craft your own gear and learn smithing skills	Access to extremely high quality weapons. Can be used for trade.	Requires time, resources and grinding.	High

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