You’re a free agent able to go wherever and align with whichever clans you please. Keep in mind that choosing a culture does not mean you have to play as that particular faction. The Aserai’s money-saving perks are another viable option. Construction, repair, and siege battles are all vital to your success during Bannerlord’s mid to late game. If we were to choose a faction simply based on the gameplay bonuses they offer, then we’d go for the Empire. Caught between Sturgia, Vlandia, and the Empire, they occupy an ancient woodland realm, their warriors cleaving through enemy ranks with claymore swords and greataxes.īattania bonus: Forests give 10% less speed penalty to parties.įairly self explanatory and similar to Sturgia’s movement buff, choosing Battania as your origin will help when navigating armies through the many patches of dense woodland around Calradia, but not much more. Battaniaįinally we have the Battanians, Mount & Blade’s version of the Celts. It’s not a huge buff, but having an extra bit of speed while traversing world map can certainly help when chasing down enemy warbands or rushing back to defend allies settlements. Khuzait bonus: 10% extra speed bonus for horsemen on campaign map. KhuzaitsĬomprised of Mongol-like steppe clans, the Khuzaits are a nomadic people tucked away in the northeast corner of Calradia though their expert horsemanship and blitz tactics make them a terrifying force to come up against, running circles around their foes with light cavalry and mounted archers. The two buffs they offer will help boost your trade profits faster, allowing you to claw back some Denars which can be especially useful when stating out. If you have your eyes set on becoming a mogul then the Aserai are a great choice. Specialising in medicine and trade, you’ll find many Aserai merchants leading caravans and peddling their wares throughout Calradia.Īserai bonus: Caravans are 30% cheaper to build. Spread across the vast Nahasa desert, the Aserai faction is based loosely on medieval cultures from the Middle East. Boosting your construction speed will help reduce the time it takes to siege castles and maintain settlements making it an ideal perk for those who wish to conquer and expand their kingdom.
You won’t feel the full effect of the Empire’s cultural bonus until much later in the game. Somewhat akin to the Holy Roman Empire, they are more technologically advanced than their neighbours and excel in siege warfare.Įmpire bonus: 20% construction speed bonus to town projects, wall repairs, and siege engines. It’s split into three warring sub-factions, each with its own ruler and accompanying clans vying for power. The Empire is by far the biggest and most influential faction to rule in Calradia. Having an extra bit of movement speed while travelling through the snow is only really useful for when you’re campaigning in the far north.
Sturgia bonus: 20% less speed penalty from snow.Īs cool as the Sturgians are as a faction, their cultural bonus is fairly uninspired. The Sturgians specialise in hard-hitting melee infantry, fighting with an unmatched ferocity. Famed as warriors and hunters, many will travel south in search of plunder or for work as formidable mercenaries. Hailing from the frozen northern reaches of Calradia, the Sturgians are Bannerlord’s stand-in for the vikings. Having that increase in troop XP will prove useful from starting out as a lone vagabond right through to your later days as a warlord or ruler, shortening the time it takes to level up your soldiers.
The Vlandians offer one of the best cultural buffs of the six available.