Top 15 Mods for Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord - New Companions, Troops, Samurai Nation, Path of the Rogue and More
In October, the "sandbox in the suffering Middle Ages" Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord left early access. Now that many major mods have been updated to the current version, we have compiled for you a selection of interesting and popular mods for the game. They expand the already huge world of Bannerlord, add new content and rework some of the mechanics.
For several years in early access, the game has acquired an extensive database of user modifications. You can check them out on the Steam Workshop and on the NexusMods game page. Among the mods, you can find both those that add new content, completely redrawing the game, and small fixes and patches that correct the flaws of the original.
At the same time, you should be careful in your searches and pay attention to the date the page was last updated - Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord left early access on October 25, and all modifications last updated before this date may cause errors and crashes. We have specially selected mods that should already be updated to the current version of the game.
How to install mods on Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord
In total, there are three ways to install mods: using the Vortex program, the Steam workshop, and manually. Each of them is convenient in its own way, and the manual installation method is sometimes the only possible one, so we will consider each of them.
Installing mods with Vortex
Vortex is a mod launcher that allows you to install modifications, check for updates, and disable and remove unnecessary mods in one click. Also, the mod manager allows you to avoid errors by editing launch options and placing mods in the correct order. To download it, you need to register on the site. The process of installing mods looks like this:
- Go to the Vortex page and click the Download the latest version now button. If necessary, download additional libraries, links to which will appear in a pop-up window.
- On the next page, click the Slow download button.
- Download and install the manager.
- We start the game at least once so that the necessary files are created.
- In the window that opens, go to the "Games" tab.
- We enter into the search box Mount & blade, select the game and click "Manage". If the game is not found automatically, you will need to manually set the location of its folder.
- Next, you need to go to the NexusMods website, select the mod you like and click on the Vortex button, then confirm the download by clicking on Slow download. After a few seconds, the automatic download and installation of the modification will begin. The program will warn you if there are file conflicts and offer to resolve them.
- If the mods do not appear, go to the Mods tab in the game launcher and manually activate them.
Installing Mods from the Steam Workshop
Alternative way to install mods. In the workshop, the number of modifications is much less, but you do not need to install additional programs and configure them. Through the workshop, modifications are installed as simply as possible.
After downloading the game, just go to the page of the desired mod in the workshop and click the "Subscribe" button. The download and installation of the modification will begin soon, you can follow the process on the tab "Downloads".
Installing mods manually
Finally, there are mods that can only be installed manually. In this case, instructions are attached to them with a detailed procedure, but usually, you just need to open the archive with the mod and drop its contents into the Modules folder, which is located in the root folder of the game. After that, activate the modifications in the Mods tab in the game launcher.
Another important point: when downloading mods from NexusMods, the site will warn you if any libraries are required to install a particular mod. We carefully read all the messages and install the necessary.
Usually, these are libraries like ButterLib, Harmony, Mod Configuration Menu, and UIExtenderEx. Without them, the game will either not start, or it will constantly crash.
We are done with all the technical details. Now it's time to talk about the most popular mods for Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord.
Xorberax's Legacy - many useful mechanics
Xorberax's Legacy adds many different mechanics and game "details". A banking system has been introduced into the game: you can make deposits at interest and take loans.
Teachers have appeared in cities that will raise your skills and characteristics of satellites for a fee. Added "peaceful" work in the fields for additional earnings in the early stages, the possibility of training for money.
In addition, you can now fine-tune the camera position, friendly damage, bleeding system, the ability to cut through multiple opponents per hit, critical attacks, and horseback. All of these options can be enabled or disabled. In general, a lot of useful little things, are combined into one large and stable mod.
Xorberax's is a legendary personality for connoisseurs of the Mount & Blade series. This person has been developing modifications for Mount & Blade: Warband. Therefore, the quality of his work is always at the highest level.
Improved Garrisons - improved management of castles and settlements
Improved Garrisons is overhauling the management of its castles and settlements, significantly improving the interface and expanding the possibilities of these mechanics.
Now you can fully control your territories and expand your army: automatically recruit volunteers from nearby settlements, train the castle garrison, create guard units that will patrol your territories, and monitor the development of settlements using various menus.
Moreover, the matter was not limited to the “Hire 100 soldiers” button: you can set the number and type of volunteers needed, as well as create a training program for their further training. After completing the training, the units do not mindlessly roam the lands but have their own AI that decides whether it is worth engaging in battle with a possible enemy or better to retreat in order to heal old wounds. Also in the mod is available detailed statistics of settlements and subordinate units.
Dismemberment (Plus) - a new level of cruelty
Unlike previous modifications, Dismemberment (Plus) has almost no effect on the gameplay of the game. The mod was created in order to give the battles entertainment and cruelty.
To do this, a "dismemberment" system has been added to the game - now NPCs can lose limbs and heads. The chance of such an outcome can be configured, and some of the events can be completely disabled. Also, players have the right to add slow-mo if the player cuts off the enemy's body part.
Fourberie (Cunning) - well-developed criminal world
Fourberie (Cunning) expands the possibilities of wagering for crime. The player can now interact with gang leaders, rogue bandits, lords, and various hideouts. The functionality of cities has also been greatly expanded.
The criminal world becomes alive and affects both the life of the kingdom and the player, up to attempts on your life. The modification makes it possible to create a full-fledged criminal network and conduct an underground business, organize uprisings, and sabotage.
Fourberie (Cunning) is full of different mechanics, and they are all cleverly intertwined. For a new experience, it is necessary to support bandits - most of the innovations are tied specifically to criminal elements.
Scatter Around Expanded - squad management in battle
Scatter Around Expanded was created specifically for tactical action lovers and for those who are tired of the "zerg rush" of the allied units and head-to-head tactics. You can now place markers on the battlefield and use keyboard shortcuts to command NPCs to take up positions.
Controlling units is a little strange, but over time, you will have the opportunity to set up ambushes, "own" the battlefield and easily defeat superior enemy forces using the right tactics.
Tetsojin (Aka. Ronin) - a nation of samurai
Of course, no historical game could do without a samurai mod. Tetsojin adds a new faction, the Tetsujin, who are stylistically very similar to Japanese warriors. They use two-handed swords and mounted bows.
Cities and castles of this nation, armor, and weapons appeared in the game, as well as interactions between the "vanilla" factions of the game were worked out. The author is actively working on the modification and in the future promises to add new equipment and work on existing armor and weapons.
Diplomacy - a new level of diplomacy
Diplomacy fixes and significantly expands the mechanics of domestic and foreign policy of kingdoms. The player can now form alliances, and non-aggression pacts, take vassals, bribe other lords, and use various political tools to defeat the enemy.
War fatigue mechanics have been introduced, the diplomacy interface has been greatly improved, and civil wars can now break out in various factions. The player can even renounce the current kingdom and found their own.
Realistic Battle Mod - total processing of battles
The Realistic Battle Mod developer has done a great job rebalancing the game's combat system, greatly expanding its capabilities and making the battles really difficult.
Units now attack faster, and parry and block attacks more often. The damage of arrows and other projectiles depends on their kinetic energy, and the ranged weapon itself is subject to gravity and the influence of the weight of the projectile. AI of fighters is also significantly improved.
In general, the author tried to do "everything according to science." The weapon works “by physics”: its damage depends on the attack speed, weapon type, weight, and movement speed of the player. All armors have been rebalanced based on their material and how well they cover the body. In the work, the author used the scientific literature and the results of various tests. All parameters can be configured independently.
Party Screen Enhancements - three extremely useful buttons
A small mod Party Screen Enhancements makes the gameplay more convenient. It adds buttons such as "Upgrade All", "Sort All", "Recruit All Prisoners" to the squad panel, and also allows you to customize the sorting of squad members.
Also, the mod allows you to turn off unnecessary logs and show the ratio of types of troops in the squad. We recommend that you look into the description of the mod - there the author spoke in detail about the sorting settings and the "Improve all" button. In general, this is a small, but very necessary modification in the later stages of the game.
Distinguished Service - we get satellites from ordinary fighters
Companions (or companions) are quite an important mechanic in Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord. They lead your troops and give bonuses to settlements and castles. Distinguished Service gives the player the opportunity to make full-fledged companions out of especially distinguished warriors in his squad. At the same time, the received companion will have the equipment and skills that he had at the time of the "increase".
Arena Overhaul - new arena features
Arena Overhaul greatly expands the possibilities of the arena in the game. A new training mode has appeared - longer and more difficult, but also rewarding the player for their efforts. Now you can customize the arena itself, choose equipment for a training battle, and upgrade your skills.
The author paid considerable attention to tournaments. Now from the arena menu, you can see a list of current tournaments that take place in other cities. The competitions themselves have become more balanced in the later stages of the game - for this, the author has set up rewards for winning. By the way, now non-player characters also receive these rewards, unlike the vanilla game, where they simply disappeared. A new team battle mode has also been introduced.
Useful companions - companions are pumped
Useful companions makes the player's companions more useful and powerful. Now NPCs can earn experience points by completing tasks and improve their skills (this is not possible in the original game). Also in some situations, you can use the skills of the group.
Another mod changes the method of generating satellites: their skills and attributes are distributed not so much randomly, but with an emphasis on the usefulness and correctness of pumping.
Bannerlord Overhaul - complete overhaul of troops
The author of Bannerlord Overhaul has completely rebalanced the game to make it more suitable for a long and thoughtful playthrough. All troop trees have been rebalanced, as well as most of the weapons and armor.
The troop tree has been expanded with new craftable weapons and armor, and balanced for each faction. Crossbows are balanced relative to bows, the ranged weapons branch has been expanded in general, and the survivability of low-level fighters has been increased. This, according to the author, is only a small part of the edits that he made.
Sorted Income - concise income message
Sorted Income is a small modification that changes the income window. Now, instead of a long list of controlled villages, the player is waiting for one line: "Income from villages (13 settlements): 2300." And so with all types of income and expenses. In the late stages of the game, when the list does not fit into the screen, this is especially true.
Cultured Start - alternative start
Cultured Start adds the possibility of an alternative start of the game. You can customize the character's backstory, his initial skills, capital, and property, and choose the city for the appearance and belonging to a certain faction. You can also skip tutorial.
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Over time, Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord could become a worthy successor to Mount & Blade: Warband. The game already has a lot of features and a variety of mechanics, and fans will surely bring the project to a level close to ideal.
Have you tried the release version of the game? Share your impressions in the comments.
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