Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord character creation: How to choose and upgrade skills
Learn how to unlock and upgrade skills, select perks, develop your character's culture and background
Updated on
1 comment
What is the best character build in Bannerlord? I've seen complicated skill systems in the past, but I've never seen anything quite like the one found in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. Every skill has a bunch of perks that you can choose from, and upgrading your attributes requires you to take multiple factors into account.
On this page we'll help you get started with building your very own leader in Bannerlord. You'll learn how to increase your skill level, what focus points are and how to use them, and how to create a character. We'll also be listing the whole lot, and with good planning, you'll make your character a force to be reckoned with in battle.
How to increase your skill level in Bannerlord
Upgrading your character in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is incredibly complicated. It took me a fair while to wrap my head around it as it's not very well explained in-game. There are three specific areas to explain here: Attributes, Skills, and Focus Points.
- Attributes: These are the six stats that have three skills each bound to them. For every third level up, you will also gain an attribute point which you can assign to an attribute by clicking the attribute in the character sheet (press "C" on world map to bring it up). Then click the plus sign in the window that appears and confirm by clicking "Done".
- Skills: Your character's skills are initially defined by their culture and background (see below for more details on those), but are further upgraded by performing certain actions to gain skill points. Each one is bound to an attribute and you need to perform an action linked to that skill to increase its skill points. You can find the actions in the table below.
- Focus Points: When you level up your character by gaining enough skill points, you will gain "focus points". Spending these focus points will allow you to increase your proficiency in that skill up to a maximum threshold. This is indicated by the green area. Any skill increases beyond the green area requires more focus points to be spent on that trait. It does not increase after spending the point automatically based on your performance prior to the threshold increase.
With all that explained, here is a list of all actions required to increase every single skill in the game:
| Skill | Associated attribute | How to increase skill level |
|---|---|---|
| One handed | Vigor | Attack with one-handed weapons (excluding polearms). Can have shield equipped. |
| Two handed | Vigor | Attack with two-handed weapons (excluding polearms). |
| Polearms | Vigor | Attack with polearms (both one-handed and two-handed). |
| Bow | Control | Shooting enemies with bow and arrows and firing long-distance shots. |
| Crossbow | Control | Firing bolts with crossbows. |
| Throwing | Control | Hit enemies with thrown weapons. |
| Riding | Endurance | Ride around on horseback in the world map and in battle. |
| Athletics | Endurance | Run around on foot in the world map and in battle. |
| Smithing | Endurance | Crafting gear, refine materials, and smelt old equipment in a smithy. |
| Scouting | Cunning | Finding tracks and hideouts in the world map, as well as travelling on difficult terrain such as forests and mountains. |
| Tactics | Cunning | Ordering your troops in battle, winning while outnumbered/outclassed, or escaping encounters. |
| Roguery | Cunning | Bribery, raiding enemy towns and caravans, leading bandit troops, or escaping from captivity. |
| Charm | Social | Improving relationship with your companions, performing social actions with nobles such as playing Talbut, and bartering with traders. |
| Leadership | Social | Maintain a high morale score and amass larger number of troops in your army. |
| Trade | Social | Generate a profit when trading, and operating caravans. |
| Steward | Intelligence | Gain party morale from increased food variety, improving settlement prosperity with constructing new buildings, and spending time in your settlements. |
| Medicine | Intelligence | Have soldiers heal in settlements. |
| Engineering | Intelligence | Build and operate siege weapons. |
Unlocking skill perks in Bannerlord
As well as increasing your skill points, increasing the skill up to certain levels will unlock perks. These are additional bonuses that are applied to actions you perform or while you have equipped a certain type of weapon or armour.
These will grant you various perks that can help in battle. To unlock a perk, you will need to do the following:
- Press "C" on your keyboard in the world map to bring up the character sheet.
- Click the skill you wish to upgrade.
- Click a highlighted logo in the timeline view of the skill in that trait. To see in advance what they do, just go into the skill and hover your mouse over it.
- Click the perk you wish to unlock and confirm the selection by pressing "Done".
Bannerlord perks list
Here is a list of every single perk currently in Bannerlord:
Note: If there is more than one perk listed with the same skill level requirement, you can only choose one of the two perks to unlock.
| Perk name | Associated skill | Skill level requirement | Perk effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edge Placement I | One-handed | 25 | +4% one-handed weapon damage |
| Extra HP I | One-handed | 25 | +3 HP |
| Raider I | One-handed | 50 | +4% weapon speed bonus if one-handed weapon is equipped |
| Shield Bash I | One-handed | 50 | Shield Bash causes +50% damage. |
| Bruiser I | One-handed | 75 | +10% damage if one-handed mace is equipped |
| Long Strides | One-handed | 75 | Half weight effect of shields on movement speed in combat. |
| Bulwark I | One-handed | 100 | -25% to damage received to shields |
| Sword Master I | One-handed | 100 | +8% damage if one-handed sword weapon equipped. |
| Arrow Catcher | One-handed | 125 | Larger shield protection area against ranged weapons on shields. |
| Edge Placement II | One-handed | 125 | +5% one-handed damage. |
| Bulwark II | One-handed | 150 | -25% to damage received to shields |
| Bury the Hatchet | One-handed | 150 | +10% damage if one-handed axe is equipped. |
| Sword Master II | One-handed | 175 | +10% damage if one-handed sword is equipped. |
| Shield Bash II | One-handed | 175 | Shield Bash causes an additional +50% damage |
| Raider II | One-handed | 200 | +4% weapon speed bonus if one-handed weapon is equipped |
| Duelist | One-handed | 225 | +10% damage when wielding a one-handed weapon without a shield. |
| Basher | One-handed | 225 | +20% damage and extended stun duration with Shield Bashes. |
| Steel Core Shields | One-handed | 250 | -15% damage to shields. |
| Secondary Experts | One-handed | 250 | +10% damage with axes and maces. |
| Shield Bearer | One-handed | 275 | Shields don't affect character's combat weight. |
| Extra HP | Two-handed | 25 | +3 HP |
| Extra Damage | Two-handed | 25 | +1.5 extra two-handed damage |
| Garrison Capacity | Two-handed | 50 | +10 garrison limit |
| Reduced Wage | Two-handed | 50 | -5% garrison wages |
| Power Basher | Two-handed | 75 | +2% speed and +5% damage to two handed weapons with less than 85 speed |
| Speed Basher | Two-handed | 75 | +1% speed and +2% damage to two handed weapons with more than 100 speed |
| Notorious | Two-handed | 100 | +10% renown gain after battles |
| Quick Plunder | Two-handed | 100 | +5% raiding speed |
| Multi-hit | Two-handed | 125 | +40% hit damage for secondary successful hits |
| Edge Placement | Two-handed | 125 | +3% cut damage |
| Shield Breaker | Two-handed | 150 | +10% damage against shields |
| Eviscerator | Two-handed | 150 | +30% morale loss to enemies when using two handed weapons |
| Mounted Two Handed | Two-handed | 175 | Lower attack penalty while mounted |
| Berserker | Two-handed | 175 | Speed bonus modifier increased while player is on foot |
| Legendary Two Handed | Two-handed | 200 | Enemy begins with -1 morale |
| Inspiring Leader | Two-handed | 200 | +40% XP gain for up to 5 troops within a 10m radius whenever you defeat an enemy |
| Horse Slaughter | Two-handed | 225 | +20% damage to horses |
| Vandal | Two-handed | 225 | +40% damage to objects |
| Dominator | Two-handed | 250 | +10% chance to crush through with two handed weapons |
| Knock Down | Two-handed | 250 | Increased chance to knock down an enemy with a successful attack |
| Two Handed Mastery | Two-handed | 275 | +0.2% speed and +0.5% damage for every skill point beyond 200. |
| Deflect Arrows | Two-handed | 275 | A chance to block arrows with two handed weapons |
| Extra HP | Polearm | 25 | +3 HP |
| Standard Bearer | Polearm | 50 | +15% morale to troops in formation at the start of battle |
| Horse Killer | Polearm | 75 | +70% damage to horses |
| Footwork | Polearm | 75 | +2% combat movement speed while wielding a polearm |
| Lancer | Polearm | 100 | +30 couched lance damage |
| Push Back | Polearm | 125 | Enemies are pushed back when blocking polearm thrust attacks with shields |
| Powerful Thrust | Polearm | 150 | +2% thrust damage with polearms |
| Howling Swing | Polearm | 150 | +2% swing damage with polearms |
| Expert Infantry | Polearm | 175 | +2% damage with polearms while on foot |
| Expert Cavalry | Polearm | 175 | +2% damage with polearms while on horseback |
| Rapid Lancer | Polearm | 200 | Reduced cooldown for couching lances |
| Keep at Bay | Polearm | 225 | Push opponents with successful attacks |
| Slaughter | Polearm | 250 | Faster swings with polearms |
| Tight Grip | Polearm | 275 | +30% couched lance damage |
| Marksman | Bow | 25 | +10% accuracy with bows |
| Strong Pull | Bow | 50 | +15% to hold aim duration |
| Faster Aim | Bow | 50 | +10% arrow readying speed |
| Marsh Hunter | Bow | 75 | +0.5% food in marshes |
| Forest Hunter | Bow | 75 | +0.5% food in forests |
| Mounted Archer | Bow | 100 | Can use any bow on horseback |
| Large Quiver | Bow | 100 | +3 extra arrows per quiver |
| Intimidate Archers | Bow | 125 | -2 morale for enemy archers at the start of battle |
| Intimidate Infantry | Bow | 125 | -2 morale for enemy infantry at the start of battle |
| Merry Men | Bow | 150 | +3 party size |
| Instructor | Bow | 175 | An archer in your party with a lower bow skill gets bow XP while waiting |
| Instinctive Shot | Bow | 200 | +10% faster to max aiming accuracy |
| Battle Equipped | Bow | 200 | +6 extra arrows per quiver |
| Howling Bolt | Bow | 225 | +3% flight speed and +7% damage for arrows |
| Pick Targets | Bow | 225 | +10% accuracy for nearby troops |
| Ranger | Bow | 250 | The player is better at firing arrows while moving |
| Archery Renown | Bow | 275 | -30% ranged unit recruitment cost |
| Fast Reload | Crossbow | 25 | +10% reload speed |
| Hasty Reload | Crossbow | 50 | +15% reload speed |
| Crossbow Cavalry | Crossbow | 75 | Reload any crossbow on horseback |
| Plain Hunter | Crossbow | 100 | +0.5 food on grasslands |
| Improved Aim | Crossbow | 125 | +10% faster to max aiming accuracy |
| Maintenance | Crossbow | 150 | +7% damage |
| Recruiter | Crossbow | 175 | -20% crossbow unit recruitment cost |
| Renowned Marksman | Crossbow | 200 | +5% post-battle XP for all ranged troops |
| Volley Commander | Crossbow | 225 | +10% reload speed for all ranged troops |
| Without Honor | Crossbow | 250 | +20% damage to enemies hit from behind |
| Bone Bolts | Crossbow | 275 | -1 enemy morale for each unit you kill with a crossbow |
| Steady Hand | Throwing | 25 | +15% accuracy |
| Skull Crusher | Throwing | 50 | +20% headshot damage |
| Fully Armed | Throwing | 75 | +1 extra thrown weapon per pack |
| Skirmishers | Throwing | 100 | +5 party size |
| Concealed Carry | Throwing | 125 | Use throwing weapons while entering settlements as civilians |
| Battle Ready | Throwing | 150 | +2 thrown weapons per pack |
| Master Thrower | Throwing | 175 | +10% weapon flight speed and +20% damage |
| Perfect Accuracy | Throwing | 200 | Increased accuracy |
| Well Prepared | Throwing | 225 | +1 throwing weapon ammo for troops |
| Mounted Thrower | Throwing | 250 | Reduced horseback penalty to thrown weapons |
| Running Throw | Throwing | 275 | No penalty when throwing weapons while moving |
| Vigorous | Riding | 25 | +6% horse HP |
| Spare Arrows | Riding | 50 | +3 arrows in quivers when starting battles on horseback |
| Spare Throwing Weapon | Riding | 50 | +1 throwing weapon when starting battles on horseback |
| Squires | Riding | 75 | +2 party size |
| Sharpshooter | Riding | 75 | +15% accuracy on horseback |
| Mounted Archer | Riding | 100 | -10% ranged attack penalty on horseback |
| Cavalry | Riding | 100 | -10% melee attack penalty on horseback |
| Bow Expert | Riding | 125 | Use any bow on horseback |
| Crossbow Expert | Riding | 125 | Use any crossbow on horseback |
| Horse Grooming | Riding | 150 | +50% production in horse farms |
| Conroi | Riding | 175 | +4 party size |
| Trampler | Riding | 200 | +50% charge damage |
| Iron Steed | Riding | 225 | -50% chance a horse is lamed when wounded |
| Filled to Brim | Riding | 250 | +20 carrying capacity for pack animals |
| Nomadic Traditions | Riding | 275 | +30% mounted unit speed |
| Extra Arrows | Athletics | 25 | +2 arrows in quivers when starting a battle on foot |
| Extra Throwing Weapon | Athletics | 25 | +1 throwing weapon quantity when starting a battle on foot |
| Close Quarters Training | Athletics | 50 | +2 melee damage while on foot |
| Ranged Training | Athletics | 50 | +2 ranged damage while on foot |
| Endurance | Athletics | 75 | +4% HP |
| Dexterous | Athletics | 75 | +3% movement speed |
| Powerkick | Athletics | 100 | Increased kick damage |
| In Good Shape | Athletics | 125 | +2% foot soldier HP |
| Furious Charge | Athletics | 150 | +10% foot soldiers speed |
| Salt the Wound | Athletics | 175 | Extra damage while lower than half max HP |
| Unburdened | Athletics | 200 | Lower penalty for being over-encumbered |
| Peak Form | Athletics | 225 | +10% HP |
| Spartan | Athletics | 250 | -5% party food consumption and wages |
| Mighty Blow | Athletics | 275 | Bashes and kicks knock enemies down |
| Efficient Iron Maker | Smithing | 25 | 3x Crude Iron for 1x Iron Ore |
| Efficient Charcoal Maker | Smithing | 25 | 2x Charcoal for 1x Hardwood |
| Steel Maker | Smithing | 50 | 2x Iron into 1x Steel. 1x Crude Iron by-product |
| Curious Smelter | Smithing | 50 | +100% chance to learn new designs while smelting |
| Steel Maker II | Smithing | 75 | 2x Steel into 1x Fine Steel. 1x Crue Iron by-product |
| Curious Smith | Smithing | 75 | +100% chance to learn new designs while smithing |
| Steel Maker III | Smithing | 100 | 2x Fine Steel into Thamaskene Steel. 1x Crude Iron by-product |
| Experienced Smith | Smithing | 100 | +10% chance to craft "fine" weapon if difficulty requirements are met |
| Practical Refiner | Smithing | 125 | -50% stamina cost to refining |
| Practical Smelter | Smithing | 125 | -50% stamina cost to smelting |
| Vigorous Smith | Smithing | 150 | +1 Vigor |
| Strong Smith | Smithing | 150 | +1 Strength |
| Practical Smith | Smithing | 175 | -50% stamina cost to smithing |
| Artisan Smith | Smithing | 175 | -50% penalty when trading smithed weapons |
| Master Smith | Smithing | 200 | +10% masterwork weapon crafting chance if difficulty requirements are met |
| Enduring Smith | Smithing | 225 | +1 Endurance |
| Fencer Smith | Smithing | 225 | +1 focus points for One-handed and Two-handed skills |
| Sharpened Edge | Smithing | 250 | +2% cut damage for crafted weapons |
| Sharpened Tip | Smithing | 250 | +2% thrust damage for crafted weapons |
| Legendary Smith | Smithing | 275 | +5% legendary weapon crafting chance if difficulty requirements are met, that is increased +1% for every smithing skill point above 300. |
| Pathfinder | Scouting | 25 | +2% party movement speed during daytime |
| Night Vision | Scouting | 25 | +2% party movement speed during nighttime |
| Navigator | Scouting | 50 | +1% party movement speed |
| Investigator | Scouting | 75 | Tracks give more information |
| Farsighted | Scouting | 100 | Increased chance to spot other roaming parties |
| Eye for Ambush | Scouting | 125Q | Spot hideouts from further away |
| Forest Lore | Scouting | 150 | +5% movement speed and -50% food consumption while on forests |
| Desert Lore | Scouting | 150 | +5% movement speed and -50% food consumption while on deserts |
| Hills Lore | Scouting | 175 | +5% movement speed and -50% food consumption while on hills |
| Marshes Lore | Scouting | 175 | +5% movement speed and -50% food consumption while on marshes |
| Forced March | Scouting | 200 | Bonus speed with high party morale |
| Grassland Navigator | Scouting | 225 | +5% movement speed while in grasslands |
| Healthy Scout | Scouting | 250 | +8% HP |
| Lay of the Land | Scouting | 275 | +3% movement speed on map |
| Companion Cavalry | Tactics | 25 | +10% enemy morale loss with cavalry attacks |
| Tactical Superiority | Tactics | 50 | +5% troop damage in simulations |
| One Step Ahead | Tactics | 75 | Place all troops before battles begin |
| Logistics | Tactics | 100 | +20% ammo for ranged units |
| Ambush Specialists | Tactics | 125 | +60% archer damage in simulations while in forests |
| Phalanx | Tactics | 150 | +50% infantry damage vs cavalry in simulations |
| Hammer & Anvil | Tactics | 150 | +50% cavalry damage vs archers in simulations |
| Elusive | Tactics | 175 | -50% troops left behind when retreating |
| Swift Regroup | Tactics | 200 | -50% disorganised duration |
| Bait | Tactics | 225 | +30% reinforcement distance for allies |
| Trusted Commander | Tactics | 250 | Reduced army cohesion decay |
| Rational Leader | Tactics | 275 | Decreased army supply consumption and disorganised duration |
| Raiding Party | Roguery | 25 | +10% faster village raids |
| Eye for Loot | Roguery | 25 | +5% loot from village raids |
| Commanding Presence | Roguery | 50 | Lower relationship penalty when using intimidation |
| For the Thrill | Roguery | 75 | +10% morale from raiding villages |
| Scavenger | Roguery | 100 | More loot from enemies |
| Concealed Blade | Roguery | 125 | Can use one handed weapons as a civilian |
| Slip Into Shadows | Roguery | 125 | -20% chance of being caught while sneaking in towns |
| Negotiator | Roguery | 150 | +50% easier bribes |
| Briber | Roguery | 150 | Higher chance a bribe option appears in dialogue |
| Camoflague | Roguery | 175 | -10% chance to alarm enemy settlements when passing nearby |
| Escape Artists | Roguery | 200 | +30% faster when escaping captivity |
| Bribe Master | Roguery | 225 | -50% bribe amount |
| Slave Trader | Roguery | 250 | +20% better deals with ransom broker |
| Merry Men | Roguery | 275 | Recruit bandits to party |
| Ice Breaker | Charm | 25 | +10% chance to gain +2 relations when introducing yourself to lords |
| Diplomacy | Charm | 25 | -15% barter penalty |
| Adventure Stories | Charm | 50 | +1 renown for each issue resolved |
| Show Your Scars | Charm | 50 | +20% more renown from battles |
| Forgivable Grievances | Charm | 75 | -20% persuasion critical failure chance |
| Meaningful Favors | Charm | 75 | +10% chance to have doubled persuasion success |
| In Bloom | Charm | 100 | +20% relationship gain with those of the opposite gender |
| Young and Respectful | Charm | 100 | +20% relationship gain with those of the same gender |
| Champion | Charm | 125 | +10 influence from winning tournaments |
| Respectful Opposition | Charm | 125 | +30% chance to negate relationship penalty from kingdom decisions |
| Effort For The People | Charm | 150 | +10% chance for governor to gain +1 relation with random notable person (lord or noble) per day |
| Promoter | Charm | 150 | +1 notable relations with settlement owner for every project completed |
| Our Great Leader | Charm | 175 | +20% influence from personal actions |
| Pro Familia | Charm | 175 | Clan member parties gain +10% influence from actions |
| Moral Leader | Charm | 200 | +10 security bonus for towns |
| Natural Leader | Charm | 200 | +10 loyalty bonus for towns |
| Courtship | Charm | 225 | +1 influence per day for each allied lord's party not currently in an army, and while waiting in the same town |
| Parade | Charm | 225 | +5 loyalty per day when you visit your settlements |
| Charm | Charm | 250 | This perk is not currently enabled |
| Immortal Charm | Charm | 275 | +1 influence per day for every 5 charm skill points after 250 |
| Combat Tips | Leadership | 25 | Small XP boost each day to your party |
| Raise the Meek | Leadership | 25 | Medium XP boost each day for troops of tier 1-3 |
| Inspiring Attacker | Leadership | 50 | +20 morale in battles when you're attacking |
| Star Defender | Leadership | 50 | +20 morale in battles when you're defending |
| Stiff Upper Lip | Leadership | 75 | +20% security effectiveness of town garrisons |
| Gratitude | Leadership | 75 | +20% town loyalty gain |
| Levy Sergeant | Leadership | 100 | -15% wages for troops of tier 1-4 |
| Veterans Respect | Leadership | 100 | -15% wages for troops of tier 4-6 |
| Dispenser of Justice | Leadership | 125 | +5 town security while waiting |
| Disciplinarian | Leadership | 125 | Convert bandits into regular troops |
| Drill Master | Leadership | 150 | +20% XP for garrison |
| Citizen Militia | Leadership | 150 | +20% chance that militia spawns with more experienced troops |
| Inspiring Leader | Leadership | 175 | -20% influence needed to call parties to army |
| Assuring Presence | Leadership | 175 | -20% army cohesion decay |
| Public Talker | Leadership | 200 | +10% more effective boosts from forum, festival, arena, temple, and market place |
| Inspiring Warrior | Leadership | 200 | +20% faster notable recruit replenishment |
| Swords As Tribute | Leadership | 225 | +20% XP for heroes under your command |
| Companions | Leadership | 225 | +20% XP for troops under your command |
| Leader | Leadership | 250 | This perk is not currently enabled |
| Ultimate Leader | Leadership | 275 | +1 party capacity for every leadership skill point above 250 |
| Appraiser | Trade | 25 | +5% selling price for your equipment and profits are marked |
| Whole Seller | Trade | 25 | +5% selling price for your trade goods and profits are marked |
| Caravan Master | Trade | 50 | -20% wages for caravans and +30% party carry weight |
| Town Merchant | Trade | 50 | -20% wages for workshops and +30% party carry weight |
| Traveling Rumors | Trade | 75 | Caravans gather trade rumours and mark item prices relative to the average price |
| Local Connection | Trade | 75 | Workshops gather trade rumours and mark item prices relative to the average price |
| Distributed Goods | Trade | 100 | +10 income for every villager party that enters town |
| Toll Gates | Trade | 100 | +25 income for every caravan that enters town |
| Artisan Community | Trade | 125 | +1 renown for every profitable shop you own |
| Great Investor | Trade | 125 | +1 renown for every profitable caravan you own |
| Village Connections | Trade | 150 | +25% workshop production |
| Content Trades | Trade | 150 | +10% tariff income |
| Insurance Plans | Trade | 175 | Caravans have more elite troops and return 5000 gold when destroyed |
| Rapid Development | Trade | 175 | +70% town taxes while waiting and shops give 5000 gold when captured by an enemy |
| Granary Accountant | Trade | 200 | +20% production for grain, olive, fish, and dates in "bound villages" |
| Tradeyard Foreman | Trade | 200 | +20% production for clay, iron, raw silk, and silver in "bound villages" |
| Everything Has a Price | Trade | 225 | Trade settlements while bartering |
| Influential Trader | Trade | 250 | Caravans and workshops generate influence |
| Mercenary Trader | Trade | 275 | +15 party size |
| Tax Collector | Steward | 25 | +10% tax from villages |
| Supreme Authority | Steward | 25 | +1 influence if you're a ruler |
| Agriculture | Steward | 50 | +30% farm production |
| Prominence | Steward | 50 | +1 influence if you're a vassal |
| Nourish Settlement | Steward | 75 | Quadruple settlement prosperity growth while you wait there |
| Warmonger | Steward | 75 | Less influence needed to summon vassals for war |
| Bannerlord | Steward | 100 | +2 party size for each fief you own |
| Logistics Expert | Steward | 100 | Parties in armies you lead move faster |
| Prosperous Reign | Steward | 125 | Double village growth rate |
| War Rations | Steward | 125 | -20% food consumption |
| Enhanced Mines | Steward | 150 | +50% tax income from mines |
| Swords As Tribute | Steward | 150 | +10 party size for every vassal Does not work |
| Man-At-Arms | Steward | 175 | +5 party size for each fief you own. Does not work |
| Mount Expert | Steward | 175 | -10% trade penalty for horses |
| Reeve | Steward | 200 | +1 companion Does not work |
| Stand United | Steward | 200 | If you're leading a siege, any party that leaves or enters the area must engage your army first |
| Food Rationing | Steward | 225 | -40% food consumption in a settlement while you're under siege |
| Assessor | Steward | 225 | +10% taxes from villages |
| Ruler | Steward | 250 | +1 companion for each town you own |
| Agrarian | Steward | 250 | +30% farm production |
| Reconstruction | Steward | 275 | Faster recovery for villages after being raided |
| Self Medication | Medicine | 25 | +10% character healing rate |
| Preventative Medicine | Medicine | 25 | +10% HP |
| Triage Tent | Medicine | 50 | +20% healing rate for party while stationary on world map |
| Walk It Off | Medicine | 50 | +10% healing rate for party while moving on the world map |
| Mobile Aid | Medicine | 75 | -50% party speed penalty due to wounded members |
| Doctor's Oath | Medicine | 75 | Medicine recovery chance also applies to enemies |
| Best Medicine | Medicine | 100 | +10% healing rate when at high morale |
| Good Lodging | Medicine | 100 | +10% healing rate when resting in towns |
| Siege Medic | Medicine | 125 | +30% chance of siege bombardment casualties being wounded instead of being killed |
| Pristine Streets | Medicine | 150 | +1 settlement prosperity each day |
| Bush Doctor | Medicine | 150 | +20% village hearth growth rate and +20% party healing rate when waiting in villages |
| Perfect Health | Medicine | 175 | +20% clan member fertility |
| Health Advice | Medicine | 175 | +10% clan life expectancy |
| Physician of People | Medicine | 200 | +1 settlement loyalty each day |
| Clean Infrastructure | Medicine | 200 | +1 prosperity each day for every town project related to health and sanitation |
| Cheat Death | Medicine | 225 | One-time chance to avoid death when terminally ill |
| Fortitude Tonic | Medicine | 225 | -50% chance of heroes dying in battle |
| Horse Healer | Medicine | 250 | +30% chance per day for a lame horse to recover |
| Minister of Health | Medicine | 275 | Troops gain bonus HP before battles |
| Construction Expert | Engineering | 25 | +30% construction speed for castles and walls |
| Ballistics | Engineering | 50 | +30% catapult effectiveness |
| Imperial Fire | Engineering | 75 | Enables construction of fire-throwing siege engines |
| Improved Masonry | Engineering | 100 | Stronger fortifications |
| Armorcraft | Engineering | 125 | +10% armour effectiveness |
| Good Materials | Engineering | 150 | +20% HP for siege engines |
| Heavier Siege Engines | Engineering | 175 | +20% increased bombardment damage vs other siege engines |
| Wall Breaker | Engineering | 200 | Increased damage to walls during sieges |
| Resolute | Engineering | 225 | Lower morale loss during sieges |
| Builder | Engineering | 250 | 1.5x building development speed |
| Everyday Engineer | Engineering | 275 | +60% effectiveness for default town projects |
Choosing your culture
A lot of your initial skill points and perks will come from your character's creation at the beginning of the game. Your first task when creating a character is to choose your culture.
There are six cultures to choose from and they're all named after one of the kingdoms or regions. Your choice therefore, is the region your character grew up in.
They comes with their own bonuses. Some cultures affect how troops move in certain terrains, while others give bonuses to experience or reduction in costs.
- Vlandians: 20% more upgrade XP to troops from battles.
- Sturgians: 20% less speed penalty from snow.
- Empire: 20% construction speed bonus to town projects, wall repairs and siege.
- Aseri: Caravans are 30% cheaper build cost and 10% less trade penalty.
- Khuzaits: 10% speed bonus for horsemen on campaign map.
- Battanians: 10% less speed penalty from Forest.
Since you start out in areas that are not covered in snow, picking the Sturgians might give you a bit of a hard time when compared to the other cultures.
If you want my opinion on which ones are the best for beginners, go with either Empire or Vlandians, as their bonuses can help with fortifying your towns or troops. Try the Aseri if you're looking for a more trade-focused campaign, while Khuzaits help out with amassing a superior cavalry.
Deciding your background
It's not just your culture that you can choose. Later on in character creation, you'll be asked to define your background. Picking one of the options available will give you some skill level and focus points to spend on that skill.
You'll also get attribute points which affect all three skills in that attribute's scope (for example, Vigor has one handed, two handed, and polearm skills).
There are six questions you'll need to answer to create your character. It's worth noting that question five gives some additional renown and some points in unrelated stats to the ones used for levelling up.
To make it easier for you, click the following links to go to the question you need to answer.
Family
A Lord's Retainers
- Riding: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Polearm: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Vigor: +1 attribute point
Urban Merchants
- Trade: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Charm: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Social: +1 attribute point
Freeholders
- Athletics: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Polearm: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Endurance: +1 attribute point
Urban Artisans
- Smithing: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Crossbow: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Intelligence: +1 attribute point
Foresters
- Scouting: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Bow: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Control: +1 attribute point
Urban Vagabonds
- Roguery: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Throwing: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Cunning: +1 attribute point
Early Childhood
your leadership skills
- Leadership: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Tactics: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Cunning: +1 attribute point
your brawn
- Two handed: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Throwing: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Vigor: +1 attribute point
your attention to detail
- Athletics: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- One handed: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Control: +1 attribute point
your aptitude with numbers
- Engineering: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Trade: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Intelligence: +1 attribute point
your way with people
- Charm: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Leadership: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Social: +1 attribute point
your skill with horses
- Riding: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Medicine: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Endurance: +1 attribute point
Adolescence
herded the sheep
- Athletics: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Throwing: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Control: +1 attribute point
worked in the village smithy
- Two handed: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Smithing: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Vigor: +1 attribute point
repaired projects
- Smithing: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Engineering: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Intelligence: +1 attribute point
gathered herbs in the wild
- Medicine: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Scouting: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Endurance: +1 attribute point
hunted small game
- Bow: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Tactics: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Control: +1 attribute point
sold produce at the market
- Trade: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Charm: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Social: +1 attribute point
Youth
joined a commander's staff
- Steward: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Tactics: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Cunning: +1 attribute point
trained with the cavalry
- Riding: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Polearm: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Endurance: +1 attribute point
stood guard with the garrisons
- Crossbow: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Engineering: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Intelligence: +1 attribute point
rode with the scouts
- Riding: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Bow: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Endurance: +1 attribute point
trained with the infantry
- Polearm: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- One handed: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Vigor: +1 attribute point
joined the skirmishers
- Throwing: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Bow: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Control: +1 attribute point
Young Adulthood
You defeated an enemy in battle
- One handed: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Two handed: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Vigor: +1 attribute point
- +1 Valor
- +20 Renown
You led a successful manhunt
- Tactics: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Leadership: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Cunning: +1 attribute point
- +1 Calculating
- +10 Renown
You invested some money in land
- Trade: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Smithing: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Intelligence: +1 attribute point
- +1 Calculating
- +10 Renown
You hunted a dangerous animal
- Bow: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Crossbow: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Control: +1 attribute point
- +5 Renown
You had a famous escapade in town
- Athletics: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Roguery: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Endurance: +1 attribute point
- +1 Valor
- +5 Renown
You treated people well
- Charm: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Steward: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Social: +1 attribute point
- +1 Mercy, Generosity, and Honor
- +5 Renown
Story Background
you subdued a raider
- One handed: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Athletics: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Vigor: +1 attribute point
you drove them off with arrows
- Bow: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Tactics: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Control: +1 attribute point
you rode off on a fast horse
- Riding: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Scouting: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Endurance: +1 attribute point
you tricked the raiders
- Roguery: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Tactics: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Cunning: +1 attribute point
you organised the travellers to break out
- Leadership: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Charm: +10 Skill level and +1 Focus Point
- Social: +1 attribute point
We hope that this is helpful for deciding which skills to unlock, and how to upgrade your character in Bannerlord. You can check out our other guides for the game, such as tips to get started in the campaign, and other complicated parts such as sieges and workshops.