In Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, building a strong party is essential for both survival and success. While your troops provide strength in numbers, it’s the companions that bring unique skills and leadership qualities to your campaign. Adding companions is more than just hiring adventurers—it’s about building a roster of skilled individuals who can lead, govern, or simply aid your army in battle.
TL;DR
To add companions in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, visit taverns in cities and recruit individuals with unique names. Companions bring specialized skills that boost your party’s effectiveness in combat, management, and strategy. Use the “Encyclopedia” to search for specific ones and match their traits with your goals. Equipping and leveling up your companions will increase their performance significantly over time.
Understanding Companions
Companions in Bannerlord are unique characters who differ from regular troops in several ways:
- They have distinct names, stories, and backstories.
- Each companion has their skill set distributed across attributes like medicine, engineering, scouting, and tactics.
- They do not die in battle, which makes them reliable long-term assets.
- You can promote them to command their own parties or govern fiefs.
How to Find Companions
The most common way to find companions is by visiting taverns in major cities. Each city can house one or more potential allies. Here are the steps to do it:
Visit Taverns
Enter cities and click the “Tavern District” option. Then select “Go to the tavern”. Inside, you’ll find characters sitting or walking around. Talk to the ones with unique names (not generic titles like “Tavern Maid”). These are potential companions. Read their introductions and negotiate a signing fee to recruit them.
Use the Encyclopedia
A more efficient method involves using the in-game Encyclopedia (press N to open). Use the search function to filter for “Wanderer,” which is the general class used for most recruitable companions in the game. You can click on a name and check their current location. The Encyclopedia updates dynamically, letting you track them across the map.
Consider Their Skills
Choose companions based on what your party lacks. Here are some examples of their utility:
- Healing: Choose companions with high Medicine skill to reduce casualties.
- Scouting: For better map visibility and quicker travel, get a good Scout.
- Tactics and Engineering: Essential for strong siege outcomes and battlefield decisions.
Companions begin with a fixed set of stats, and some of them are superior choices depending on your needs. For example, a companion with high Roguery can increase loot income, while those with Stewardship skills make excellent governors.
Adding Companions to Your Party
After recruiting a companion, they become part of your main party. You can then manage their equipment, assign roles, and level up their skills.
Assigning Roles
Go to your “Party” screen and assign companions to roles depending on their stats:
- Scout: Increases map speed and sight range.
- Engineer: Improves siege weapon speed and strength.
- Quartermaster: Needed to manage food and morale efficiently.
- Surgeon: Reduces the chance of troops dying when injured.
Each of these roles critically affects your campaign. Assign them thoughtfully based on the corresponding character skills.
Equipping Companions
Much like your main character, companions benefit greatly from proper equipment. You can allocate gear in their inventory by visiting their character screen. Make sure to provide them with armor, weapons, and even mounts if they’re cavalry-focused.
Training and Leveling Up
Companions gain experience through battles, quests, and roles they hold. Regular engagement in combat and frequent role participation will eventually lead to skill increases and perks. Don’t forget to manually assign perk points as they level.
Promoting Companions to Lead Parties
Once your clan reaches Tier 2 or above, you can create new parties and assign a companion to lead them. This is useful for expanding your influence, increasing income, or applying military pressure through multiple fronts. Here’s how:
- Go to the Clan screen (press L).
- Select the “Parties” tab.
- Click “Create New Party” and choose a companion from the list.
- Allocate troops and optionally provide denars for sustaining the party.
These parties roam independently, fighting enemies or supporting your efforts. They also accrue experience and loot while adventuring.
Assigning Companions as Governors
Companions can be appointed as governors in towns and castles under your control. For best results, choose those with high Charm, Leadership, Stewardship, and Trade skills. As governors, they stabilize morale, boost food production, and improve construction speed of buildings.
To assign a governor:
- Select the fief you own (castle or town).
- Click the “Governor” slot and assign the desired companion.
Keep in mind: once assigned, governors are removed from your active party and remain in the settlement until reassigned.
Managing Companion Limits
The number of companions you can recruit is determined by your clan tier. Here’s a breakdown:
- Clan Tier 0: 0 Companions
- Clan Tier 1: 1 Companion
- Clan Tier 2: 2 Companions
- Clan Tier 3: 4 Companions
- Clan Tier 4: 6 Companions
- Clan Tier 5: 8 Companions
Raising your clan tier requires renown, which you earn from winning battles, completing quests, and other activities. Plan strategically—only recruit companions when you’re able to benefit from their contributions.
Best Practices for Companion Management
- Check traits and skills before hiring: Not all companions are equally valuable. Some have negative traits like cruelty or dishonesty.
- Focus on synergy: Choose companions that complement both your party’s needs and your playstyle.
- Rotate roles: Let different companions train by switching them between active duties (e.g., switch Surgeons occasionally).
- Use mods for expanded features: Mods like “Tavern Games Expanded” or “More Companions” allow for deeper interaction and recruitment options.
Conclusion
Companions in Bannerlord are not just side characters—they’re critical assets that can make or break your campaign. From battlefield support to fief management and independent command, the right companion in the right role can dramatically enhance your efficiency and success. Mastering companion recruitment and management ensures a well-rounded, powerful force that stands strong against any threat in Calradia.