The road to kingship in Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord is filled with suffering, violence, and stubborn AI. Players will find that as their territory and armies grow, more challenges will keep rearing their ugly heads. In moments like these, players will do well to have a right-hand man or woman who will not only take some of the burden off their hands but also even save them from time to time. This is where companions come into play.
Granted, they're not as unique or as promising as the wives. Some of the best among them are often encountered as wanderers or random (but still unique) NPCs that have their own suffixes. Looking into each of these suffixes or templates determines how well they can perform as a companion in Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord. When hiring or scouting out potential companions, players will do well to look for these name suffixes.
To find these companions, players only need to go to taverns in towns and cities. Potential companions' icons are typically shown on the UI.
Updated on March 30th, 2023, by Sid Natividad: Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord remains one of the most complex medieval life simulators and RPGs out there. Bannerlordcompanions help a lot in taking loads of tasks off the players' hands so they can attend to other matters in their kingdom.
There are more companions to be had and to collect in Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord, so players can automate some of the more mundane and tedious tasks in their quest to become whatever they want in this strikingly deep medieval playground.
13 "The Smith"
Strengths:
- Two-Handed (usually at 140)
- Smithing (60)
One would think that smithing is the only thing "The Smith" is good at, but any companion with this kind of prefix can often be sent to the frontlines or the vanguard of the army in order to inflict some heavy losses against the enemy since they're also proficient at two-handed weapons.
It seems they practice all the time with their creations. Apart from that, simply having a companion with the Smithing skill in the party or in an administrative position is handy since players can make their own powerful weapons and save money.
12 "The Tracker"
Strengths:
- One-Handed (150)
- Two-Handed (150)
- Polearm (150)
- Well-rounded at most physical skills (100)
If players are looking for a jack-of-all-trades companion who's also a good combatant with multiple weapon proficiencies, then a companion with "The Tracker" suffix is quite hard to beat. This warrior can hold against a cavalry charge and infantry combined.
They're also good at shooting bows, crossbows, javelins, horseriding, and athleticism. They're the all-around military men and shouldn't be left behind in combat. Players ought to stick with these guys in the heat of combat; they can double as personal bodyguards.
11 "Deadeye"
Strengths:
- One-Handed (180)
- Crossbow (180)
Bows or ranged combat is still the meta in Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord. It's just hard to beat projectile weapons in this game despite the shields. For that matter, having a combat companion with a "Deadeye" suffice might just make players win combat more easily.
Just give them a bowman company, and they'll be sure to wipe out a huge chunk of the enemy infantry. The good news is that if melee troops ever close the gap and try to ambush a "Deadeye" companion, they can trade blows since they're good at the sword.
10 "Horsethief"
Strengths:
- One-Handed (120)
- Polearm (130)
- Throwing (110)
- Riding (130)
- Scouting (100)
A "Horsethief" companion, true enough to their name, is great at being a cavalryman and combat jouster. Players can also treat them as a jack-of-all-trades companion during combat, although their proficiency in scouting also makes them excellent ambushers.
They're thus the ideal companions if players want to approach the game with guerilla warfare as their main mode of picking fights. The throwing proficiency means a "Horsethief" companion is always ready for some lopsided fights and ranged surprises.
9 "The Scholar"
Strengths:
- One-Handed (100)
- Medicine (100)
Medicine is quite an underrated skill in Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord, but having a companion that's proficient in medicine can help the player's army recover a lot quicker after combat. If not, then a companion with a "The Scholar" as a suffix can be left to towns, and they'll still easily recover after surviving a siege.
Overall, a companion with a "The Scholar" in their name gives players a degree of resiliency they never knew they needed. Being able to go combat hopping or escaping after a disastrous encounter is a valuable maneuver in the game.
8 "Bloodaxe"
Strengths:
- Two-Handed (usually at 200)
Anyone with a "Bloodaxe" in their name means business when it comes to performing on the battlefield. Because most NPCs that spawn with this suffix are more than proficient in fighting with Two-Handed weapons. Thus, players will do well to place them in the army, particularly on the frontlines, where they can do their job uninterrupted.
It's also worth noting that a companion also has specific personality traits apart from their combat skills. Some of them are honorable, while others are cynical and won't mind banditry. Players will want to double-check this as well; a surname like Bloodaxe doesn't exactly ring a valorous tune.
7 "Coalbiter"
Strengths:
- Two-Handed (usually at 200)
Coalbiter is similar to Bloodaxe as both of them typically start with a robust serving of the Two-Handed skill. In Coalbiter's case, it's also usually 200 or sometimes even higher. Regardless, Coalbiter is another good candidate for players who want another frontline soldier or scrapper.
There's a wide range of two-handed melee weapons in the game, and each of them has its strengths and weaknesses. That's why having multiple elite warriors capable of wrecking enemy formations is always beneficial to any army in Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord.
6 "The She-Wolf"
Strengths:
- Two-Handed (usually at 200)
A warrior woman with "the She-Wolf" as a surname is certainly no slouch. Wanderers or potential companions like her often match with the other Two-Handed warriors in terms of skill and proficiency. She's yet another elite warrior to be placed at the head of the army.
The difference is that the She-Wolf can also be a marriage candidate for the players assuming their character is male. Players have full authority to pick who their sovereign will marry when the time comes, and companions are also on part of that orbit.
5 "The Swordsman"
Strengths:
- Two-Handed (usually at 200)
Last but not least among the Two-Handed warriors is "the Swordsman" and compared to other Two-Handed-proficient companions, he can be more neutral. The previous ones don't exactly sound welcoming to honorable or chivalric playstyles, depending on the RNG for their personalities.
However, players can safely bet that someone with "the Swordsman" as a nickname can have a more valorous disposition. This isn't always the case— each companion can differ even if they share the same suffix or surname, but at least the Swordsman doesn't look or sound as barbaric as others.
4 "Of The Wastes"
Strengths:
- Bow (185)
- Scouting (140)
Moving on to other proficiencies, a companion with the surname "of the Wastes" is the best option if players are looking for a makeshift Legolas in their army. They tend to have the best bow skills in the game (though not necessarily with the Crossbow). They can certainly do damage from afar while staying safe compared to the Two-Handed warrior companions.
Apart from their archery skills, a companion "of the Wastes" can also be sent ahead of the army in order to scout out some promising opportunities or dangers. They make for pretty good intelligence officers in the party due to their nimbleness and subtlety. Players ought to reserve a spot for these potential companions.
3 "The Falcon"
Strengths:
- Tactics (100)
Anyone with a surname "the Falcon" is a logistical lifesaver, as players can designate smaller armies or squads to these NPCs. They don't exactly have the best Tactics skills compared to some of the best wives in the game or even to the players themselves, but they make management less of a pain.
Players can assign some small battles to anyone with a "the Falcon" suffix and be more confident with the automated results. One has to be careful with how they assign skirmishes to companions like these, as a lot of things still rely on RNG. But if they do win frequently, then they get to become even better tacticians.
2 "The Prince"
Strengths:
- Roguery (140)
There are times when players might prefer a more savage and uncivilized playstyle in Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord. So, ironically enough, companions with a "the Prince" surname will fit in well for such an endeavor. These companions tend to have the best Roguery skill, which allows them to raid caravans more successfully, among many other scoundrel activities.
It can also be a good defensive skill as someone with good Roguery lets them escape captivity or even bride enemy towns or other NPCs. Of course, such a playstyle will reflect badly on the player's honor, so they'll have to choose their people wisely.
1 "The Golden"
Strengths:
- Riding (170)
- One-Handed (180)
- Polearm (190)
- Throwing (150)
- Tactics (100)
Now for players looking for the absolute best "jack-of-all-trades" and pound-for-pound best companion in the game, then someone with "the Golden" as a surname is the gold standard. Companions with this name tend to have the highest collection of multiple skills, making them highly-valuable.
They can fight, stay at the backline, join the cavalry, and even win battles for the players. The ideal combat role for them is to place them on a mount and equip them with a polearm for maximum safety. But they'll handle themselves well even in other combat situations. Players will want to look out for these companions; it gives a new meaning to the term "gold-digging."
Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Microsoft Windows.