Best Cultures In Mount And Blade 2, Ranked

Key Takeaways

Aserai offers trade advantages and strong defenses, but struggle in late-game income and attacking other kingdoms.
Sturgians boast elite infantry units and lower cohesion loss, but face difficulties in kingdom decisions and strategic positioning.
Vlandians excel as mercenaries with renown boosts, cavalry units, and income bonuses, yet struggle with influence costs and territorial expansion.

As a seasoned adventurer who’s spent countless nights under the stars of Calradia, I must say that my personal favorite culture to play as is undoubtedly Battania. Having traversed its dense forests and battled alongside its fearless warriors, I can attest to the unique advantages it offers.

In the game titled “Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord“, both seasoned gamers and newcomers are diving into the realm of Calradia, eager to experience everything it offers and delve into its newest features. Yet, amidst gathering supplies like butter and seizing castles, players encounter a myriad of critical choices: deciding on which troops to prioritize and whom to wed.

In the game of “Mount & Blade 2,” the crucial decision lies in picking the culture you’ll represent. There are six distinct Bannerlord cultures, each boasting its own set of strengths and weaknesses. Players would be wise to understand which culture packs the greatest punch.

6 Aserai

Taking Over The World One Trade At A Time

Best Cultures In Mount And Blade 2, Ranked

Caravans are 30% cheaper
10% reduction in trade penalty
No movement penalty when traveling in the desert
5% increase in troop wages

The Aserai are nomads who roam the deserts, renowned for their exceptional camel-riding abilities. Their caravans are economical to construct and incur less trade penalties, resulting in a steady income flow, particularly during the early stages of the game. Additionally, they encounter no movement hindrances when traversing desert landscapes. These traits make Aserai characters ideal for merchant roles. For players seeking both commerce and combat, Aserai armies offer a balanced mix of infantry, archers, and cavalry units, ensuring adaptability without any significant weaknesses, although they may not excel in specific areas like other factions might.

The benefits of trading they possess early in the game diminish over time due to the significant advantage of controlling settlements. Caravans as a means of accumulating wealth can be unpredictable, and constantly traveling back and forth to sell goods swiftly becomes monotonous and less engaging. Moreover, since there are no deserts beyond the Aserai Sultanate’s borders, their speed bonus is ineffective when attacking other kingdoms. To make matters worse, Aserai characters have higher daily wages for their troops, leading to a substantial increase in army maintenance costs.

In terms of safeguarding their dominion, the Aserai kingdom stands as one of the most robust in the game. Their territories may be expansive but are accessible through merely two routes. With just two rival kingdoms to deal with and a speed advantage that allows them to outsmart other armies, the Aserai can rest assured knowing their territory is scarcely threatened. For players desiring a combat-focused campaign, alternative cultures might be more appealing. On the flip side, for those aiming to establish the most prosperous merchant empire Calradia has ever known, an Aserai character is a superb option.

5 Sturgians

Impenetrable Shield Walls

Recruiting and upgrading infantry troops is 25% cheaper
Armies lose 25% less cohesion per day
20% more relationship penalty from kingdom decisions

For enthusiasts of the Kievan Rus and Viking culture, this game offers a style that emphasizes powerful infantry units conducting raids and plundering across the continent. Players will find it cost-effective to enlist and enhance their infantry, with armies demonstrating greater unity as well. These benefits remain significant throughout the game, as they help players save resources and exert influence, ultimately enabling them to build formidable armies. Additionally, Sturgian units prove highly effective. Their Line Breakers and Spearmen are among the top infantry in the game, capable of withstanding intense attacks by creating a defensive shield wall.

The surprise strength of their mounted force is equally potent against any foe’s cavalry. For those seeking a bold playing style and thriving in the heart of action, this might be just the right fit. Gamers pondering a blacksmithing roleplay could also explore Sturgia, as they’d begin close to Battania’s border, providing an advantageous starting position.

The disadvantage is that Kingdom decisions cost Sturgians more influence, which can set players back in the late game if they are trying to keep territory or ensure peace. Sturgians players may also struggle to set up their Kingdom because their land is stretched thinly across the top of the map, covered in dense forestry. This makes it difficult to travel across and means it is difficult to defend it all because of this, Grand Prince Raganvad also seems to lose more battles and territory than the other faction leaders. Sturgian troops are also extremely infantry heavy meaning they can easily be picked apart by cavalry such as the Vlandians or the horse archer hordes of the Khuzaits. To counter this, players will want to learn how to use proper infantry formations and prioritize siege warfare where cavalry has a disadvantage and their Sturgian shield walls will easily carry them to victory.

4 Vlandians

The Simple Life Of A Mercenary

5% more renown from battles
15% more income as mercenaries
10% production bonus for villages that are bound to castles
20% increase in influence cost when recruiting lords

As a follower of this captivating game, I’ve come to appreciate the strategic prowess of the Vlandians. They excel in the realms of mercenary work and sell-sword duties, gaining prestige through battles that propel their clan forward. Once they hit tier 1, these warriors can offer their services under a noble’s banner, providing a lucrative source of income and influence. This arrangement serves as an ideal introduction to the game for novice players, who simply tag along and engage in the battles led by other characters. The added perks, such as their village production bonus, aid Vlandians in their initial phases of clan development, income generation, and castle enhancement. Moreover, the Vlandian troops boast impressive units like crossbowmen and cavalry, which rank among the best in the game. A Vlandian army can be predominantly cavalry-based, providing a swift response to enemy cavalry and neutralizing enemy archers with ease.

As the game progresses, the benefits associated with being a Vlandian mercenary diminish. By later stages, players are unlikely to continue playing as mercenaries, and additional production from villages isn’t as potent as the advantages other cultures acquire. Renown may lose its significance, while influence becomes crucial. This could be problematic for Vlandians because they have to spend extra influence when recruiting lords. Consequently, Vlandians might not excel as leaders if the objective is to dominate the entire game map. However, they provide a robust starting point for new players and there’s an endearing quality to being a simple mercenary with no ambition for royalty. Additionally, it’s worth noting that Vlandia’s initial position in the game is one of the strongest. They aren’t overextended and mainly need to focus on their neighbors, the Battanians, who are directly on their border. Even without player intervention, the Vlandians typically capture a significant amount of territory, causing their towns to flourish as they rarely fall into enemy hands.

3 Khuzaits

Speed And Range Are A Deadly Combination

Mounted units are 10% cheaper to recruit and upgrade
25% production bonus for horses, mules, cows, and sheep in their villages
20% less tax from their towns

In the game “Mount & Blade 2”, the cavalry is particularly powerful, and for those who want to maximize this advantage, creating a Khuzait character is recommended. This allows earlier access to lancers and horse archers compared to any other culture. Moreover, mounted units in Khuzait are cheaper to recruit and upgrade. Additionally, Khuzaits enjoy a boost in the production of horses, mules, cows, and sheep within their controlled villages, providing an extra income source.

While it’s true that Khuzaits collect less tax from towns, which can be a significant disadvantage over time due to towns serving as valuable income sources later in the game, their cheaper mounted units could potentially offset this cost. Moreover, the Khuzait territory is somewhat spread out, leading to frequent wars. Yet, the power of Khuzait troops exceeds these drawbacks significantly.

2 Empire

Overall Just Good At Everything

Pay 25% less wages to troops in garrisons
25% more influence when in an army
20% penalty to village growth

Players opting for the Empire as their cultural choice experience lower wage costs and increased influence when part of an army. These traits prove particularly powerful later in the game, enabling players to maintain robust garrisons in castles and exert control over the course of the game via kingdom decisions. Maintaining garrisons can be one of the priciest aspects of feudal ownership, so being able to effectively field 25% more troops at the same cost is invaluable for territorial preservation. Additionally, all Northern, Southern, and Western Empire Kingdoms share the same cultural identity.

Opting for the Empire culture provides a significant advantage: it multiplies the number of loyal vassal domains on the map by three, thus eliminating the -3 loyalty penalty. This feature is beneficial as fiefs require minimal management and are rarely likely to revolt against the player. Moreover, the troops in this culture are exceptionally well-prepared, boasting units like the Imperial Elite Cataphract and the Imperial Legionary. If your goal is territorial conquest and maintenance, choosing the Empire is highly recommended.

As an enthusiast, I must confess that the Empire characters in this game have a disadvantage when it comes to village growth. This hindrance can pose challenges in maintaining food supply for their garrisons and armies. Being situated right at the heart of the map, the Empire factions find themselves almost perpetually engaged in conflicts, occasionally battling more than one faction at a time. Additionally, an Empire campaign kicks off in the bottom-right corner of the map, leaving the player relatively secluded and vulnerable to Steppe bandit invasions. These aspects can indeed make gameplay challenging, particularly during the early stages, but with strategic management, the Empire’s cultural prowess is truly formidable.

1 Battanians

Turn Any Forest Into A Home

Move 50% faster and see 15% better when in forestry
Towns gain +1 to militia production
10% slower build time

A Battanian character thrives in woodland environments, boasting superior vision and navigation skills compared to other cultures when within forested areas. This advantage enables them to surprise opponents during combat within forests. Moreover, their movement speed is less impeded by the forest terrain, a factor that, combined with their extended range, makes it difficult for any army to outmatch them as long as there are woods nearby. They can thus employ strategic positioning, picking off enemy troops from afar using their powerful archers before engaging in close combat.

In the realm of Calradia, forests abound virtually everywhere, making it an exceptionally advantageous trait. What makes this aspect even more appealing is that the Battanian Fian Champions excel as archers within the game, providing superior defense. Additionally, towns under Battanian rule enjoy a modest boost to their militia production. Although not as powerful as extended range and mobility, this perk proves useful during defensive engagements. Commencing your journey as a Battanian offers players added flexibility, as they can pursue a smithing or trading focus effectively, while the abundant forests serve as natural protection against marauding bandits.

Opting for the Battanian culture may initially appear challenging due to their limited starting territories and vulnerability to surrounding enemy factions. However, this choice can be advantageous since the Battanians excel at defending sieges and defeating armies in open combat. This makes managing territory losses easier when you control an army of Battanian Fians. Furthermore, choosing Battania offers impressive bonuses for your army’s strength and mobility on the map, making it a reliable decision for players seeking strong strategic advantages.

2024-11-11 03:24