While running your own rag-tag bunch of troops and prisoners works fine for a while in Mount & Blade 2, sooner or later you’ll want to join one of Calradia’s kingdoms. Doing so will offer you the opportunity to gain renown, influence, money, and weaponry at a much faster rate. But don’t worry, you can always stab them in the back to forge your own kingdom later on! Here’s how to join a kingdom in Mount & Blade 2 Bannerlord.
Becoming a Mercenary or Vassal
First, in case you weren’t aware, you’re able to join absolutely any kingdom you’d like in Bannerlord. But before you go knocking on the door of a local lord or lady, let’s break down what “joining a kingdom” actually means.
In Bannerlord, you can join a kingdom as either a mercenary or a vassal. The former is easier to do and doesn’t tie you into the faction as tightly as becoming a vassal.
As a mercenary, you’ll officially be part of the empire, and your affiliation will be recognized by other empires, too. You’ll get access to diplomacy menus and information on the empire’s structure and dynamic, but you won’t be able to “lead” the empire in any capacity. Your only job is is to fight on its behalf, and you’ll receive a stipend for your trouble.
A vassal, meanwhile, means that you’ll be joining the family properly. You’ll swear allegiance to that kingdom and be expected to follow orders exactly. You can also form armies and influence the structure of the empire’s families in various different ways.
Becoming a vassal brings with it the opportunity to own settlements like cities and castles, too, but attempting to leave the empire carries stronger consequences.
How to Join a Kingdom in Mount & Blade 2 Bannerlord
Now that you understand the difference between a mercenary and vassal, let’s talk about what’s required for both. Importantly, you’ll need to raise your Clan Tier before you can even think about joining an empire. Clan Tier 1/2 will grant you the option to become a mercenary, while you can only become a vassal at Clan Tier 3.
To raise your Clan Tier, you will need to earn renown, which is only accumulated after winning battles. 50 renown earns you Clan Tier 1, 100 renown is Clan Tier 2, and 150 renown is your target for Clan Tier 3. Read our guide on how to earn renown fast and tips on speeding up this process.
Now, to actually join a kingdom once you are at least Clan Tier 1, head to any castle owned by the faction you want to work for. When you arrive, make sure it has a lord who is home, which will be displayed by an avatar (pictured above).
Go and visit the “Lord’s Hall,” and speak with that leader, explaining that you want to pledge your sword to the kingdom as a mercenary. That leader will let you know the going rate for a mercenary clan and then offer you a contract. Once you accept, you’re officially a mercenary.
As you’ll notice when you’re doing this, the option to become a vassal is listed there too but is only available if you are Clan Tier 3.
That is everything you should need to know about how to join a kingdom in Mount & Blade 2. For more useful tips and guides on the game, Twinfinte has you covered. Either check below for handy relevant content or use the search function from the homepage to look up keywords.
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