Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government, but having a good weapon more than helps a would-be ruler. Such is the case in Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord. Often, players will have to dirty their hands with blood if they want to gain followers or respect, and weapons make that endeavor a bit cleaner on the hands.
With the plethora of options in the game though, it can be overwhelming to determine favorites based on practicality. In hindsight, nearly everything is overwhelming in Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord. Thankfully, these weapons are tried and tested steel for those looking for the stabbiest sticks and the sharpest shivs.
1 Two-Handed Sword - Thamaskene Steel Two Hander
Swing | 132 Cut |
Pierce | 57 |
Speed | 91/93 |
Length | 119 |
Handling | 84 |
Two-handed swords aren't exactly the best weapons for beginners looking to prolong their life in this medieval sandbox, but if players are pushing with that stubbornness, then here's the best at the very least. The Thamaskene Steel Two Hander is a wild weapon that's usually reserved for the toughest of bruisers.
It doesn't have the best handling among the two-handed swords or weapons in the game, but it will lop off heads the easiest. It's great for dealing damage to multiple enemies and thinning the frontlines, and the speed is impressive too. players just need to be careful about getting swarmed.
2 One-Handed Sword - Engraved Backsword
Swing | 103 Cut |
Pierce | 42 |
Speed | 82/88 |
Length | 110 |
Handling | 78 |
The Engraved Backsword is an expensive weapon but it's worth every coin of gold spent on it. It's not as fast as the two-hander above but players can at least equip shields on their off-hand to protect themselves. Like a lot of top-tier weapons in the game, this one doesn't have the best handling.
A lot of control is sacrificed for damage, though players who are rocking this tier of weapon ought to be skilled at controlling their attacks anyway. In any case, it's a more ideal weapon for those new to the game since players can use it in tandem with a shield.
3 Axe - Heavy Executioner Axe
Swing | 113 Cut |
Speed | 76 |
Length | 138 |
Handling | 69 |
For those who prefer to get in touch with their inner barbarian, the Heavy Executioner Axe is the best axe in Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord in terms of power. It's not as powerful as the best two-handed sword in the game, but it has the advantage of being a longer weapon.
This gives players more room between their target and themselves, which is a big factor in survivability. It's probably not the best in duels due to the low speed and poor handling, but it's great for flanking enemy squads and wreaking havoc on their backlines.
4 Polearm - Warrazor
Swing | 155 Cut |
Pierce | 41 |
Speed | 62/90 |
Length | 205 |
Handling | 52 |
Players ought to get themselves a polearm that can do both. The Warrazor not just stabs, but it also swings, and in terms of cut damage, it's significantly better when compared to a two-handed sword. In fact, it probably has the highest swing damage out of all of the weapons in the game.
The pierce or thrust damage is standard and the length isn't the best, but players usually only need to swing once to thin the herd and then drop the enemy's morale due to the sheer terror dished out by this weapon. If not, then players can just poke them repeatedly and fast. The Long Glaive is a good alternative though the damage is nowhere near this absurd.
5 Bow - Noble Bow
Pierce | 80 |
Speed | 94 |
Accuracy | 100 |
Missile Speed | 90 |
Then again, some players might prefer to play it safe and poke at enemies using arrows while perched on their high horse. If so, the Noble Bow is the best option. There is a Noble Longbow in the game too, but the Noble Bow shoots arrows faster and is generally lighter.
It's perfect for some horseback archery which is the ideal combat style for joining in battles while staying alive. The damage isn't that high, but well-placed headshots ought to alleviate that. Of course, for ground archery, then the Noble Longbow is better, or perhaps a crossbow.
6 Crossbow - Bound Crossbow
Pierce | 100 |
Speed | 63 |
Accuracy | 100 |
Missile Speed | 97 |
Speaking of crossbows, the Bound Crossbow is even better in terms of damage compared to the Noble Longbow, at least when it comes to ground archery. It's slow and it can only hold one arrow at a time so reloading is impossible on horseback but that's not the point of this weapon anyway.
Players can simply snipe enemy officers from afar using this bow and do more damage that way. It has by far the highest damage out of all the bows in the game and since it comes with high piercing damage, no one is safe from those furious bolts
7 Shield - Tall Heater Shield
Weight | 2.1 |
Speed | 85 |
Hit Points | 540 |
Shields technically aren't weapons but one can treat them as a DPS increase especially if players have trouble staying alive during clashes. Less worrying about survival means a better focus on dishing out damage, and the Tall Heater Shield is the most protective of them all.
It has the highest hit points out of all the boards and is also relatively light. The blocking speed isn't the highest but it's more than decent. Players can certainly turtle behind this portable wall and just poke their duel enemies to submission or death— usually both, one after the other.
8 Throwing - Triangular Throwing Spear
Pierce | 142 |
Speed | 89 |
Length | 155 |
Handling | 78 |
The beauty of the Triangular Throwing Spear is that players don't have to throw it if they don't want to. It can double as a one-handed polearm for those who prefer to joust, although the damage will be notably lower this way.
It's also shorter than most bonafide polearms in the game since it's merely a javelin. The damage is staggeringly high though and players can also use these to take out commanders and officers fast while weaving in and out of combat range. As a result, it's one of the most versatile weapons in the game.
Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord is available for PC as an early access title.