Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord – How to Become a Mercenary

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In a game about endless war, it would be surprising if mercenaries were not some of the most important troops out there.

Who else can fight day and night without any problems, only to gain money and respect from the lords and ladies of Calradia?

Recommended Read: How to Increase Prosperity in Bannerlord

Becoming a mercenary in Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord can be one of the best experiences players will have in the game, and some might even come back to it after becoming a vassal or even king.

So, to have some fun in the game, here is how you can become a mercenary in Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord.


Table of contents


Reaching Clan Tier 1

The first thing new players will have to do before trying to become a mercenary in Bannerlord is to reach Clan Tier 1.

To get there, you will need to earn 50 Renown, which can be pretty hard at the start of the game. However, there are a few ways you can increase your Clan Tier fast.

Since you have no army and nothing better to do, competing in and winning tournaments is a great way to reach Clan Tier 1. Otherwise, you can just fight a lot of Looters.


Becoming a Mercenary in Bannerlord

Now that you’ve reached the minimum requirement to become a mercenary in Bannerlord, all you need to do is find a lord.

You don’t have to talk to the leader of a faction if you want to help that kingdom as a mercenary. Just find any lord, say that you have something to discuss with them, and select “I would like to enter the service of” the faction leader.

Then, choose the “My sword is yours. For the right sum” option, and you will now see the amount of money you will make by working for them.

The way you earn money as a mercenary in Bannerlord is by gaining influence. You will usually get most of your influence in battles by killing enemy soldiers.


What to do as a Mercenary in Bannerlord

Now that you are a mercenary, you can do everything a vassal does. You can join the large armies of your faction to go to war, you can raid and pillage enemy kingdoms, and you can also conquer their castles.

You will get money based on the influence you are getting, which means that you will have to fight all the time to get paid.

If you do get bored at some point with your kingdom, you can always abandon them and join a different faction without any repercussions.

Being a mercenary is actually one of the best ways to make a lot of friends. You will capture many enemy lords during your battles, and releasing them will get you a lot of relationship boosts with them.

Since you are just a mercenary, there is nothing to gain from killing enemy lords, and ransoming them can take some time. Doing this, you can also get some Charisma experience on the side and prepare for the day you will have to recruit these guys as your vassals.

At some point, you will get enough Renown to actually join any faction as a vassal. However, once you are a vassal, you will have more responsibilities.


That’s everything you need to know about how to become a mercenary in Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord!

Have any input or suggestions for this guide? Let us know in the comment section below.

Adrian Oprea

Based in London, United Kingdom, Adrian Oprea is a Guides Writer. As a professional single-player RPG player, Adrian has often been stigmatized. He has decided to pour his frustration into writing guides!

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