Smithing in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is crucial for crafting powerful weapons and earning significant income. This article provides practical, experience-based methods for efficiently acquiring the necessary smithing materials, moving beyond basic tutorials to offer nuanced strategies for maximizing your gains. We’ll cover reliable locations, effective tactics, and insightful tips to help you master the smithing process. Whether you’re struggling to find enough iron ore, charcoal, or steel, this guide offers solutions to solve common resource acquisition problems.
Trading and Bartering for Smithing Resources
The most straightforward method is, of course, trading. Towns and villages regularly stock smithing materials. However, relying solely on purchased goods can be costly. The key is understanding supply and demand. Look for towns that produce raw materials (like mining villages near iron ore deposits) and sell them goods that are in demand (food, tools, or even weapons crafted from previously gathered resources). **Pay close attention to the “Prosperity” and “Security” of a town, as these factors greatly influence the available goods and prices.**
Scavenging Battlefields: Looting as a Resource Stream
Don’t underestimate the value of looting after battles. While weapons and armor are the obvious prizes, disassembled weapons can be a significant source of smithing materials. After a large battle, take the time to examine the discarded weapons. **Swords and axes are particularly valuable as they often yield high-quality steel or iron.** This method is more reliable after large-scale engagements against well-equipped enemies.
Raiding and Pillaging Strategically
While not for the faint of heart (or those trying to maintain high honor), raiding caravans and villages can be a lucrative, if risky, way to acquire materials. Target caravans known to trade in ore or finished weapons. **Be aware that this drastically lowers your relationship with the associated faction and will affect your gameplay.** Choose carefully, and be prepared for the consequences. Also, raiding is highly related to your character attributes. For example, if you have high ‘Roguery’, you can raid more efficiently and reduce the negative impact on your reputation.
Targeting Specific Enemy Types
My experience has shown that certain enemy types consistently carry weapons that yield better materials when broken down. For example, Imperial Legionaries frequently carry high-quality swords. Battanian Fian Champions carry powerful bows which yield valuable wood when broken down. By focusing your battles on these unit types, you can significantly increase your material acquisition rate. **This isn’t explicitly stated in the game, but it’s a consistent observation from many hours of gameplay.**
The Hidden Value of Charcoal Production
Charcoal is often overlooked, but it’s vital for refining ore. Instead of buying charcoal all the time, you can create a new party and assign a companion who has a high ‘Steward’ level, and set the party’s behavior to ‘Forage‘ to collect food and other resources in the surrounding areas, including wood which can be crafted to charcoal. This lets you produce a steady supply of charcoal without directly investing your own time or resources. **Assigning a companion with high scouting skill can increase the efficiency of resource collection.**
Strategic Workshop Placement
Workshops can passively generate income, but their real value lies in their connection to local resources. Owning a wood workshop in a town with abundant forests will ensure a cheap and readily available supply of wood, which can be converted into charcoal. Similarly, owning a brewery in a grain-producing region will provide cheap grain. **Think beyond immediate profit and consider long-term resource availability when establishing workshops.** The initial investment pays off significantly over time.
Leveraging Prisoner Sales for Long-Term Gain
Selling prisoners to ransom brokers provides immediate cash, but consider keeping skilled smiths as prisoners. Once your prison is full, you can ‘recruit’ them into your party. While initially disloyal, they can be used exclusively for smithing. This approach allows you to dedicate a character solely to breaking down weapons and refining materials, freeing up your main character to focus on other tasks. **This strategy requires patience and careful prison management but can be incredibly efficient.** You should have a higher ‘Leadership’ to reduce the negative effect of prisoner’s loyalty.
Understanding Material Quality and Tier
The quality and tier of smithing materials directly impact the quality of the weapons you can forge. Higher-tier materials are obtained from disassembling better weapons or refining lower-tier materials. Iron ore can be refined into iron, then into steel, fine steel, and finally, thamaskene steel. Each refinement increases the material’s value and the potential of the crafted weapon. Understanding this hierarchy is crucial for efficient resource management. You can learn more about material tiers and their uses on the Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Wiki. https://mountandblade.fandom.com/wiki/Mount_%26_Blade_II:_Bannerlord_Wiki
The Importance of Smithing Skill Progression
Your smithing skill determines the complexity and quality of the weapons you can create. As your skill increases, you unlock new weapon parts and designs. Breaking down weapons provides a small amount of experience, but forging new weapons yields significantly more. Focus on crafting a variety of weapons to maximize your skill progression. **Don’t be afraid to experiment with different designs, even if they are not immediately profitable, as this will accelerate your learning.**
Crafting and Economic Impact
Smithing allows players to craft weapons and sell to merchants and can significantly affect the economy if done to an excessive extent. However, in early game, crafting and selling weapons is an effective way to earn money and get yourself equipped. Selling crafted weapons will also train your smithing and trading skill.
| Material | Source | Refining Recipe |
|---|---|---|
| Iron Ore | Mines, Trading | Smelt into Iron |
| Iron | Smelting Iron Ore, Looting | Refine into Steel (Iron + Charcoal) |
| Steel | Refining Iron, Looting | Refine into Fine Steel (Steel + Charcoal) |
| Fine Steel | Refining Steel, Looting | Refine into Thamaskene Steel (Fine Steel + Charcoal) |
| Charcoal | Hardwood, Trading | Craft from Hardwood |
| Wood | Battanian Fian Champions bows, Trading | / |
Where can I find Iron Ore in Bannerlord 2?
Iron ore is most commonly found in towns and villages with mines nearby. Look for settlements in mountainous regions. Also, check the trade goods of caravans traveling in those areas.
How do I get Charcoal in Bannerlord 2?
Charcoal is crafted from hardwood. You can purchase hardwood from towns with forests nearby or chop wood yourself if you have the required skills and tools. Then, use a smithy to convert the hardwood into charcoal.
What’s the best way to get Steel in Bannerlord 2?
The most reliable way to get steel is to refine iron with charcoal at a smithy. You can also find steel by looting weapons from defeated enemies, particularly those of higher tier units.
Is smithing profitable in Bannerlord 2?
Yes, smithing can be very profitable, especially once you unlock higher-tier weapon designs. Crafting and selling swords is a common way to earn significant income. The profitability depends on the cost of materials and the selling price of the crafted weapons.