Clan Management & Growth: From Wanderer to Warlord

In Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, your Clan is your legacy. Unlike your character, who can die of old age or in battle, your clan persists. Managing its growth is the core loop that transitions you from a solitary mercenary to the ruler of Calradia. This guide covers the essential mechanics of renown, roles, parties, and economic sustainability.

Introduction

At the start of the game, your clan is Tier 0, and you are a nobody. To grow, you need Renown. Renown is more than just "XP" for your clan; it dictates your hard caps: how many troops you can lead, how many companions you can hire, and whether kings will even bother speaking to you.

Clan Tiers Explained

Progression is gated by Clan Tiers. Each tier unlocks critical capabilities:

• Tier 0-1: The early grind. Focus on hiring your first Companions and hunting looters. At Tier 1, you can become a mercenary.

• Tier 2: The turning point. You can pledge vassalage to a kingdom, gaining the right to own fiefs.

• Tier 3: You can create a kingdom (though it is difficult this early).

• Tier 4-6: The late game. Massive party sizes and influence gains.

For a detailed breakdown of requirements, see our guide on Clan Tier Progression.

Clan Roles

You cannot be good at everything. To maximize your party's efficiency, assign roles to yourself or your companions via the Clan screen.

• Quartermaster (Steward): Increases party size limits. This is arguably the most important role for growth.

• Scout (Scouting): Increases movement speed and spotting distance. Crucial for catching enemies or escaping bad fights.

• Surgeon (Medicine): Increases healing rates and prevents troops from dying (making them wounded instead).

• Engineer (Engineering): Speeds up siege construction.

Expanding Your Reach: Managing Parties

Once you have enough influence and gold, you shouldn't be the only one fighting. You can commission additional parties led by your companions or family members.

• Cost: You pay their initial setup cost and daily wages.

• Benefit: They patrol your lands, fight bandits, and earn renown for the clan.

• Strategy: Call them into your Army for 0 influence cost. This allows you to lead a 500+ man army essentially for free.

See Party Management & Morale for deep dives on keeping these armies fed and happy.

Balancing the Books

A growing clan is expensive. High-tier troops and multiple parties will drain thousands of denars daily. You cannot rely on battle loot alone.

• Workshops: Buy productive enterprises in safe towns. See Workshops Explained.

• Caravans: High risk, high reward. Good for peace-time income.

• Fiefs: Owning towns is the ultimate goal, but they require management.

Growth Strategies

How do you skyrocket your renown?

1. Tournaments: Excellent early game renown.

2. Winning Against Odds: Defeating an enemy army larger than yours yields massive renown bonuses.

3. Marriage: Marrying into a powerful family can secure alliances. Check Marriage & Heirs.

Eventually, your clan will be strong enough to break away and start its own legacy. When that day comes, check out Creating Your Own Kingdom.