Combat Mechanics Guide: Understanding Damage, Armor, and Physics

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is a physics-driven game. Understanding how damage is calculated will help you deal more of it and survive longer.

The Physics of Damage (Speed Bonus)

In Bannerlord, Speed = Damage. The game calculates the relative speed between the weapon and the target.

• Moving Forward: Increases your damage.

• Moving Backward: Decreases your damage.

• Spinning/Turning: Accelerating the weapon swing by turning your character into the swing adds significant damage.

This is most visible in cavalry charges. A couched lance strike at full gallop deals massive damage because the horse's speed is added to the weapon's impact.

A Vlandian knight at full gallop uses speed to devastating effect.

Damage Types

Weapons in Calradia inflict three types of damage, and armor reacts differently to each.

Cut (Slashing)

• Examples: Swords, Axes, Glaives.

• Pros: High raw damage. Can hit multiple enemies (cleave) with some two-handed axes.

• Cons: Poor armor penetration. Heavy armor significantly reduces cutting damage.

Pierce (Thrusting)

• Examples: Spears, Arrows, Bolts, Sword Thrusts.

• Pros: Good armor penetration.

• Cons: Harder to land (requires precise aim).

Blunt (Crushing)

• Examples: Maces, Hammers.

• Pros: Ignores a large portion of armor. Chance to knock enemies down.

• Cons: Lower raw damage numbers than sharp weapons.

• Bonus: Blunt damage usually wounds enemies instead of killing them, allowing you to take them prisoner.

A mix of bows (Pierce) and swords (Cut) in action.

Armor Mechanics

Armor in Bannerlord acts as a flat reduction modifier modified by the damage type.

• Formula Concept: Damage = (Raw Damage - Armor Value * Absorption Factor).

• Result: High armor makes you nearly immune to low-tier cutting weapons (like looter knives), but a heavy mace or a couched lance will still hurt.

Check out our Armor vs. Damage Types guide for the math.

Hitboxes and Criticals

• Head: Critical damage. Always aim for the head.

• Torso: Standard damage.

• Legs/Arms: Reduced damage. Leg hits can sometimes stagger.

Weapon Handling

Every weapon has stats that affect its performance:

• Length: Reach advantage. Long polearms beat short swords in open fields.

• Weight: Heavier weapons swing slower but often hit harder.

• Swing Speed: How fast the animation plays. Vital for winning duels.

Siege Combat

Sieges introduce destructible environments.

• Siege Engines: Ballistae and catapults can destroy battlements and other engines.

• Gates: Can be destroyed by rams or hacking (very slow).

• Ladders: Risky choke points.

Storming the walls is chaotic. Shields are mandatory to survive the arrow storm.

For a full guide on conducting sieges, see Siege Warfare Fundamentals.

Mastering these mechanics allows you to choose the Best Weapons & Gear for your playstyle. Whether you prefer the raw speed of a Horse or the armor-crushing power of a mace, physics is always on your side if you know how to use it.