Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord - Building Your Empire with Companions

Companions in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord are vital to your journey from lone warrior to ruler of a mighty empire. Discover their roles, recruitment strategies, and more below!

Why Companions Are Essential in Bannerlord

You Can’t Rule Calradia Solo

In Bannerlord, your path from mercenary to monarch demands more than solo heroics. As your ambitions grow, so does the need for trusted allies. Companions are unique, named characters with distinct skills, stats, and backstories, far more than just enhanced party members. Unlike typical RPG followers, they can govern settlements, lead armies, or manage logistics, allowing you to focus on strategy and conquest.

At first, companions might seem like upgraded soldiers, but their true value lies in delegation. They handle critical tasks—managing supplies, healing troops, governing towns, or commanding independent warbands. Need to secure a castle’s loyalty while you raid enemy lines? Assign a governor. Want to expand your influence without leading every battle? Deploy a companion-led army. Their roles evolve with your campaign, turning a lone warlord’s dream into a thriving dynasty.

Companions also add narrative depth. Each bears a unique title like "The Scholar" or "Of the Wastes," hinting at their skills and origins. These details spark roleplay possibilities, letting you craft a warband of noble strategists, rugged outlaws, or eclectic mercenaries. They’re not just hired help—they’re the foundation of your legacy.

Companion Roles and Specializations

Key Party Roles

Bannerlord doesn’t explicitly label companion types, but players identify roles based on skills and campaign needs. These roles—Quartermaster, Surgeon, Scout, and Engineer—tie to specific skills, ensuring your army stays fed, healthy, mobile, and siege-ready.

Quartermaster

The Quartermaster oversees supplies, morale, and army cohesion. High Steward skills boost party size, improve morale through food variety, and maintain army unity during long campaigns.

Best for:

　⚫︎　Extended campaigns with large armies
　⚫︎　Maintaining morale during sieges or deep raids
　⚫︎　Supporting multiple warbands

Top Picks:

　⚫︎　The Spicevendor – High Steward and Trade, perfect for food bonuses
　⚫︎　Willowbark – Strong Steward and Medicine skills
　⚫︎　The Wainwright – Steward and Engineering, versatile for party or garrison

Surgeon

The Surgeon keeps your troops and companions alive. High Medicine skills reduce companion death risks, speed up healing, and preserve elite units after battles.

Best for:

　⚫︎　Preventing permanent companion losses
　⚫︎　Sustaining veteran troops through heavy fighting
　⚫︎　Minimizing recovery time between battles

Top Picks:

　⚫︎　The Surgeon – Dedicated healer with top Medicine skills
　⚫︎　Willowbark – Often the best Medicine-focused companion
　⚫︎　The Healer – Balanced Medicine, Steward, and Charm
　⚫︎　Bitterdraught – Solid Medicine and Trade combo

Scout

The Scout enhances your party’s mobility and awareness. High Scouting skills boost map speed, widen detection range, and improve terrain advantages in auto-resolved battles.

Best for:

　⚫︎　Raiding or evading stronger armies
　⚫︎　Tracking enemy movements
　⚫︎　Setting up battlefield ambushes

Top Picks:

　⚫︎　Of The Wastes – High Scouting expertise
　⚫︎　The Grey Falcon – Scouting and Tactics balance
　⚫︎　The Ragged / The Fish – Reliable budget scouts

Engineer

The Engineer accelerates siege operations and fortification building. High Engineering skills speed up siege engine construction and strengthen defenses.

Best for:

　⚫︎　Swiftly capturing enemy strongholds
　⚫︎　Building siege engines faster
　⚫︎　Fortifying your settlements

Top Picks:

　⚫︎　The Engineer – Top-tier siege specialist
　⚫︎　The Scholar – Medicine and Engineering hybrid
　⚫︎　The Wainwright – Engineering and Steward versatility
　⚫︎　The Knowing – High intellect for governor roles
　⚫︎　The Accursed – Often skilled in Engineering and Tactics

Common Companion Titles

Companions are often identified by their titles, which hint at their skill focus. Below is a guide to common titles and their typical strengths:

　⚫︎　The Accursed – Roguery, Two-Handed
　⚫︎　The Black – Roguery, Two-Handed, Bow
　⚫︎　The Boar – Tactics, Polearm
　⚫︎　The Bull – Tactics, Two-Handed, Polearm
　⚫︎　The Butcher – Roguery, One-Handed
　⚫︎　The Engineer – Engineering, Crossbow
　⚫︎　The Golden – Tactics
　⚫︎　The Healer – Medicine
　⚫︎　The Ragged – Bow, Scouting
　⚫︎　The Red – Two-Handed
　⚫︎　The Scholar – Medicine, Steward
　⚫︎　The Shieldmaiden – One-Handed, Athletics
　⚫︎　The Smith – Smithing, Two-Handed
　⚫︎　The Spicevendor – Trade, Crossbow
　⚫︎　The Swordsman – Two-Handed, Polearm
　⚫︎　The Swift – Roguery, Trade, Steward
　⚫︎　The Wanderer – Polearm, One-Handed
　⚫︎　Of the Hills – Scouting, Crossbow
　⚫︎　Of the Wastes – Scouting, Bow

Note: Companion skills and availability vary per playthrough. Always verify stats before recruiting.

Expanding Companion Roles

Governors and Clan Leaders

Beyond party roles, companions can manage settlements or lead independent warbands. Governors boost settlement prosperity, loyalty, and defenses with skills like Steward, Charm, Leadership, or Engineering. Assign non-combat companions to govern, freeing up warriors for the battlefield.

Specialized Roles

Companions also excel in niche roles like caravan leaders or raiders. High Trade skills ensure profitable caravans, while Roguery suits companions running illicit operations. Tactics-focused companions lead smaller warbands, ambushing enemies or supporting your main force.

Recruiting Companions

Finding Companions

Companions are found in city taverns across Calradia. Visit taverns to check for recruitable characters with titles like "The Swift" or "The Scholar." Alternatively, use the Encyclopedia (N key) under the "Heroes" tab to filter for Wanderers, view their stats, and track their last known location. Recruitment is straightforward—pay their fee in the tavern, and they’re yours.

Choosing Wisely

Match companions to your campaign phase: early-game needs Surgeons and Scouts, mid-game benefits from combat leaders and Stewards, and late-game demands Engineers and Tacticians. Clan Tier limits companion numbers, so prioritize skill gaps as your renown grows.

Assigning Companion Roles

Party Role Management

Assign roles via the Party screen (L key) under the Roles tab. Choose companions for Quartermaster, Surgeon, Scout, or Engineer based on their highest skills. Delegating these tasks lets you focus on leading battles and building your empire.

Clan Management

Assign governors through a settlement’s management menu or create new warbands in the Clan screen’s "Parties" tab. Governors apply their skills to improve settlements, while warband leaders operate independently, patrolling or raiding based on your orders.

Dismissing Companions

If a companion no longer fits your needs, dismiss them via the Party Menu by selecting "I no longer have need of your services." They leave permanently, keeping their gear, so reassign roles promptly. Be cautious—key companions may be hard to replace.

Companions in the Future

Companions are the heart of your Bannerlord campaign, shaping your story from early skirmishes to epic sieges. They’re not just tools but trusted allies who reflect your leadership style.

The upcoming War Sails expansion introduces naval warfare, promising new roles for companions as ship captains or fleet commanders. With skills tailored for maritime campaigns, they’ll navigate storms, lead boarding parties, and manage fleets, adding depth to your empire’s reach. Companions remain the soul of your journey, whether on land or sea.