One of the most recent features added to Mount and Blade: Bannerlord’s lengthy early access period is the ability to promote your favorite companions. This will allow your companions to serve you as a vassal instead of directly being apart of your clan. This can be a great way for you to grow your kingdom, especially if you have founded your own kingdom instead of joining one of the many factions available in the game.
How to Find Companions in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord?
Companions in Bannerlord are better and stronger than regular soldiers; plus, you have more control over their abilities and how you level them up. You can also marry them off if you choose to inflict that on them, and give them specific roles.
They’re surprisingly easy to find if you’re just looking for any old companion. Here’s how to recruit a companion in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord:
- Go to a major settlement – a town/city, not a small village
- Choose “Go to the tavern district”
- Choose “Visit the tavern” to walk into the tavern
- More likely than not, a companion will be there, sometimes leaning against the wall They’ll have a unique name, such as “Nathun the Golden”
- Speak to them, asking them about their deeds etc. till they talk about working for you
- Offer to recruit them. They’ll typically ask for money to settle a debt. WARNING: This won’t be cheap. For Nathun the Golden on our run, it was 1,758 gold pieces
- If you can afford it, agree, and they’ll join your party
If you want to recruit a specific companion, you need to track them down via the encyclopedia. Here’s what to do:
- Press ‘N’ on the keyboard to open the encyclopedia (there isn’t any menu option to do this)
- Click on “Heroes”
- Go to Wanderer Category
- Then, make a note of where they were last seen. You can also click the location and then the circle that says “track” to make finding them easier.
The catch is, they might have been captured by the time you get there. And, since companions don’t have unique quests as they do in full-fledged story-driven RPGs such as Dragon Age, it’s not really worth traipsing halfway across the world for a specific NPC.
Still, companions are more memorable than soldiers and, if you’re getting sick of having to do everything yourself in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, they can even be deputised to escort people providing you’ve got enough soldiers.
1. The Golden
The “Golden” is an incredibly well-trained companion. With the stats they have they seem arguably better suited to be in charge than the player character for a good chunk of the game. These companions are ideally suited to lead their own parties rather than fight by your side.
What’s great about the “Golden” companion?
They start with 100 points in tactics
- They also have 190 points in polearm, and 180 in one-handed, and 150 in throwing
- They also have 170 points in riding
- No companion is better trained in any of the above-listed skills than the “Golden” companion
2.The Scholar (Aserai)
There seems to be a little diversity with this one. “Scholars” from different nations seem to have slightly different stats, but for the purposes of this list we are looking at the Aserai “scholar”. The “scholar” from the Aserai nation is an exceptional healer that will prove invaluable to your team regardless of how leveled your soldiers are, or how good your strategies are.
What’s great about the “Scholar” companion?
- Begins with 120 points in medicine
- Also gets 100 points in one-handed, and 90 in both throwing and athletics making them indisputably a combat medic
3. The Spicevendor
If you want an ideal governor of a city, head of a trade caravan, or just a solid wingman/woman in the market; it’s the “spicevendor” companion.
What’s great about the “Spicevendor” companion?
- They start out with 100 points in trade, as well as 100 points in steward
- They also have 120 points in one-handed and 140 in crossbow
4. The Prince
This type of companion is the master of the underworld. They have a very high roguery skill, helping you when selling prisoners, paying out bribes, and raiding caravans and settlements.
What’s great about the “Prince” companions?
- They start out with 140 points in roguery
- They also have 130 in one-handed, and 110 in throwing
- With 110 athletics, they are a very fast unit on the battlefield
5. The Bitterdraught
The “Bitterdraught” companion is a very useful companion to keep in your party. They have a particularly high charm skill as well as a reasonable medicine skill helping you to both avoid fights, and to make it through them with minimal losses.
What’s great about the “Bitterdraught” companions?
- They start out with 80 points in charm, 60 in medicine, 40 in trade, and 40 in steward
- They also have 70 points in one-handed, 70 points in thrown, and 70 in athletics making them a reasonably balanced warrior
6. The Swift
These are very well rounded and useful companions, being very good at a lot of different skills. They are well suited for leadership roles.
What’s great about the “Swift” companions?
- They start with 100 points in Roguery, 80 in Trade, and 80 in Steward
- They also have 90 in two-handed and 135 in bow
- They also have 70 in athletics, allowing them to be fairly fast on their feet on top of it all
7.The Engineer
This fine addition to any group of soldiers, the engineer will make your later game much easier when you start besieging cities and castles, as well as building upgrades to those towns faster.
What’s great about the “Engineer” companions?
- They start with 80 points in engineering
- They also get 90 points in one-handed, and 120 in crossbow making them equally useful in the battle part of a siege as the building part
8. Of the Wastes
These companions are not only exceptional scouts, allowing your party to see further and track other parties more effectively, but they are also superb archers.
What’s great about the “Of the Wastes” companions?
- Starts with 140 in scouting
- They also have 150 two-handed, 185 in bow, and 110 athletics
9. The Smith
Companions with the “Smith” suffix in their name will boost your ability to craft weapons at the blacksmiths in each city. This is good for the sake of creativity with your weapons, but also in allowing you a good way of avoiding putting out huge amounts of money on your weapons.
What’s great about the “Smith” companions?
- Starts with 70 points in smithing
- They also start with 140 in two-handed, 110 in polearm, and 90 in one-handed, so they aren’t useless on the battlefield either
10. Bloodaxe
Character’s with this suffix added to their name are exceptional warriors, making them a good addition to your party as early on as possible to balance out your low-level soldiers.
What’s great about “Bloodaxe” companions?
- Strong combat skills, with 200 points in two-handed, 170 in polearm, and 150 in one-handed.
- Comes with a 30 points in tactics
- Has 110 points in Athletics, allowing them to cover ground on foot at high speed.
Best Companions in Bannerlord (Video)
You may want to look at the best mods in bannerlord as well.
