How To Recruit Companions In Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord

Companions are one of the most important parts of Bannerlord, especially early in a campaign when you start rebuilding your clan.

A lot of players first encounter companions during the “Rebuild Your Clan” quest, where the game asks you to recruit one, but if you’re new to Bannerlord, it may not be immediately obvious where to find them or how the companion system actually works.

Thankfully, recruiting companions is very simple once you know where to look.

What Companions Actually Do

Companions are basically customizable heroes that join your clan.

You can:
• Equip them with weapons and armor
• Assign them clan roles
• Use them as governors
• Create parties with them
• Send them on caravans
• Fight alongside them in battles

Over time, they can become extremely strong depending on how you build them.

Some companions are better at combat, while others specialize in things like:
• Scouting
• Stewardship
• Medicine
• Roguery
• Trade

Choosing the right companion for the right role matters a lot later in the game.

Step 1: Go To A Town Tavern

The easiest way to recruit companions is by visiting taverns inside towns.

Once you enter a town, go to:
• Tavern District

If a companion is currently there, you’ll see their name listed inside the tavern menu.

Companion names usually include titles like:
• The Fish
• Longknife
• The Swift
• Willowbark
• Coalbiter

These titles usually hint at what they’re good at.

For example:
• The Fish often has scouting skills
• The Swift usually specializes in scouting or riding
• Longknife often has roguery and combat skills

The exact companions are randomized every campaign, so your playthrough will not have the same characters as someone else’s.

Step 2: Talk To The Companion

Once you find a companion, click on them and start a conversation.

You can either:
• Enter the tavern manually and speak to them
• Or click their portrait directly from the tavern menu

The second option is much faster.

After speaking to them, you’ll get the option to recruit them into your company.

Most companions require denars before joining you.

Usually, the recruitment price is somewhere around:
• 500 to 1,000+ denars early game

Stronger companions can sometimes cost more.

Once you pay them, they officially join your clan.

Step 3: Equip Your Companion

After recruiting them, you can manage their equipment exactly like your own character.

Go to:
• Inventory

Then switch over to your companion.

From there, you can give them:
• Weapons
• Armor
• Shields
• Horses

A well-equipped companion can become surprisingly strong later in the campaign.

Step 4: Assign Them A Clan Role

This is the part many new players forget.

If a companion has strong skills in a specific area, you should assign them the proper clan role immediately.

Go to:
• Clan
• Roles

Then assign them depending on their skills.

Examples:
• High scouting = Scout
• High medicine = Surgeon
• High stewardship = Quartermaster
• High engineering = Engineer

For example, if your companion has high scouting skill, assigning them as a scout increases your tracking ability and map vision considerably.

How To Find Specific Companions

The best way to search for companions is through the encyclopedia.

Press:
• N

Then go to:
• Heroes
• Wanderers

This shows every recruitable companion currently available in your campaign.

From there, you can check:
• Skills
• Traits
• Current location
• Last seen location

If you find someone interesting, click their town and track it.

The game will place a marker on the map so you can easily find them.

Choosing The Right Companions

Not every companion is useful for the same role.

Some are much better for caravans and clan roles, while others are stronger for combat or leading parties.

Generally:
• Scouting companions are great for map speed and tracking
• Steward companions are amazing quartermasters
• Trade companions work best for caravans
• Roguery companions are useful for bandit-style gameplay
• Combat companions are better for leading parties and battles

Having specialized companions makes your clan much stronger overall.

Final Thoughts

Recruiting companions in Bannerlord is actually pretty simple once you understand how taverns and the encyclopedia work.

They become incredibly valuable later in a campaign, especially once you start assigning clan roles, creating caravans, and building multiple parties.

And honestly, finding the perfect companion setup is one of the most fun parts of growing your clan.

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