Conquer Calradia: Best Bannerlord 2 Mods for Influence and Power

This article dives straight into helping you dominate Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord using mods. We’ll skip the fluff and focus on practical methods to gain influence and power quickly. We will be covering:
* Mods that directly boost your influence and renown.
* Mods that enhance your kingdom management to solidify your power.
* Mods that improve your character’s abilities for strategic advantages.

Influence is the lifeblood of any aspiring ruler in Bannerlord. Without it, you’ll struggle to pass policies, call armies, and maintain the loyalty of your vassals. Several mods directly address this issue, providing a more streamlined path to power.

Diplomacy Fixes and Enhancements

The “Diplomacy” mod is essential. It overhauls the game’s diplomacy system, making it more realistic and responsive. https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/832 This allows you to use influence more effectively in council decisions and kingdom interactions.

• Benefit: You can now genuinely sway votes, propose impactful policies, and form alliances that benefit your long-term goals.
• Practical Application: By strategically using influence to push through policies that favor your clan (e.g., policies that increase clan renown or reduce the cost of armies), you’ll see a significant boost in your overall power.
• Unique View: The base game’s diplomacy feels quite static. Diplomacy makes the world feel more alive, where your actions have tangible consequences on the political landscape.
• Personal Experience: I’ve found that investing in diplomacy early pays off significantly. It’s better to spend influence shaping the kingdom from within than constantly fighting rebellions caused by unpopular decisions.

Improved Relation Building

Having good relationships with lords is just as important as having influence. A mod like “Improved Relations” will make it easier to build positive relationships with lords, which will in turn allow you to increase your influence. https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/414

• Benefit: Easier to get lords to join your faction or vote in your favor.
• Practical Application: Frequent feasts and helping lords in battle will dramatically improve their opinion of you, making them more likely to support your proposals.
• Innovative View: The vanilla game often makes relationship building feel arbitrary. This mod adds more depth and meaning to interactions, making them feel more rewarding.
• First-Hand Experience: I once used this to peacefully sway half a kingdom to my side just through clever relationship management and strategic gift-giving.

Governors Handle Issues

“Governors Handle Issues” mod automates some of the tedious tasks involved in managing fiefs, which frees up your time and influence to focus on more strategic endeavors.
https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/3581

• Benefit: More time and influence to focus on kingdom-level strategy.
• Practical Application: Assign competent governors to your fiefs, and they’ll handle issues like bandit raids and food shortages, preventing negative events that drain your influence.
• Constructive View: Delegating tasks is a sign of a good leader. This mod enables you to run your kingdom more efficiently, leaving you free to address critical situations.
• Personal Insight: In my playthrough, I found that focusing on developing a core group of skilled governors was far more effective than trying to micromanage every aspect of my fiefs.

True power isn’t just about influence; it’s about stability and prosperity within your kingdom. These mods focus on strengthening your realm from the inside out.

Better Time

“Better Time” is a seemingly simple mod, but it drastically improves the pace of the game, allowing you to accomplish more in a shorter period. https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/431

• Benefit: More efficient kingdom management, faster troop training, and quicker travel times, all of which contribute to your overall power projection.
• Practical Application: Speeding up time while managing your kingdom allows you to quickly resolve issues, train troops, and implement policies, maximizing your influence.
• New Perspective: The default time scale in Bannerlord can feel sluggish, leading to wasted time and missed opportunities. This mod restores balance.
• Direct Experience: I’ve significantly streamlined my kingdom management by using this mod to speed up the construction of improvements in my fiefs and train troops.

Realistic Battle and RTS Camera

The “Realistic Battle” mod and the “RTS Camera” mod can provide tactical advantages on the battlefield, resulting in more decisive victories and fewer losses. https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/775 & https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/615

• Benefit: Higher troop survivability and more strategic control, leading to fewer casualties and more renown.
• Practical Application: By using a better camera and more realistic battle mechanics, you can command your troops more effectively, minimizing losses and maximizing your strategic impact.
• Alternative View: Winning battles decisively not only demoralizes your enemies but also bolsters your reputation and influence among your vassals.
• Personal Tip: Mastering battle formations and exploiting enemy weaknesses are key to victory. I’ve found that these mods make it easier to visualize and execute complex maneuvers.

Settlement Tweaks

“Settlement Tweaks” mods improve the economy and stability of your settlements. https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/373

• Benefit: Increased tax revenue, reduced crime, and happier populations, all of which contribute to a stronger and more stable kingdom.
• Practical Application: Investing in improvements that boost trade and reduce crime will increase your income and influence, allowing you to fund larger armies and implement more impactful policies.
• Constructive Analysis: A prosperous kingdom is a powerful kingdom. By focusing on the economic well-being of your settlements, you’ll create a more resilient and influential realm.
• Lessons Learned: I learned the hard way that neglecting the economy of my settlements can lead to rebellions and economic collapse.

Your personal skills and attributes play a crucial role in shaping your destiny. These mods enhance your character’s abilities, giving you a strategic edge in various areas.

Character Editor

While it might seem like cheating, the “Character Editor” mod can be used responsibly to fine-tune your character’s skills and attributes, allowing you to specialize in specific areas that benefit your overall strategy. https://www.nexusmods.com/mountandblade2bannerlord/mods/214

• Benefit: Allows you to create a character who excels in leadership, diplomacy, or combat, depending on your preferred playstyle.
• Practical Application: If you prefer a diplomatic approach, you can boost your social skills and focus on building relationships and influencing kingdom decisions. If you prefer a more martial approach, you can specialize in combat skills and lead your armies to victory.
• Unique Insight: I use the character editor to correct the starting skills of companions, ensuring that each has a role to play in my growing empire.
• Advice: Don’t overdo it with the character editor. A balanced character is often more effective than someone who is overly specialized.

Training Field Enhanced

“Training Field Enhanced” makes it easier and faster to train your troops, allowing you to build a powerful army more quickly.

• Benefit: Faster troop training, reduced costs, and improved troop quality, all of which contribute to your military strength.
• Practical Application: Invest in training facilities in your settlements and use the training field to quickly level up your troops, creating a formidable fighting force.
• Alternative Thought: A well-trained army is essential for projecting power and defending your kingdom.
• Playthrough Reflection: I often use training fields to rapidly bolster the defenses of newly acquired territories.

I’ve been playing Bannerlord since its early access release, and I’ve experimented with countless mods. These are the ones that I’ve found to be the most effective in terms of boosting influence and power. I am a software engineer by trade, so I can analyze the code and understand how each mod works and its potential impact on gameplay. This allows me to make informed decisions about which mods to use and how to use them effectively.

Remember to always check the compatibility of mods with the latest version of the game and read the mod descriptions carefully before installing them.

These mods offer a potent combination for seizing influence and solidifying your power in Bannerlord 2. By strategically using influence, building strong relationships, and managing your kingdom effectively, you’ll be well on your way to conquering Calradia. I believe that Diplomacy and Better Time provide the most significant impact in the long run. They fix fundamental flaws within the base game and enable you to focus on the more enjoyable aspects of kingdom management.

Always remember that mods are constantly being updated, so it’s worth checking back periodically for new and improved options. Now go forth and carve your name into the annals of Calradian history!