Companion Guide and Roles: Building Your Inner Circle

In Bannerlord, you cannot conquer Calradia alone. Companions (Wanderers) are unique characters who join your clan, bringing specialized skills that you might lack.

Why Companions Matter

Companions serve three main purposes:

1. Party Roles: They handle specialized tasks like healing or scouting.

2. Party Leaders: They can lead their own caravans or war parties to expand your influence.

3. Governors: They manage your towns and castles, boosting loyalty and prosperity.

The Four Key Roles

You can assign roles in the Clan screen (L) or Party screen (P).

1. Scout (Scouting Skill)

The Scout determines how fast your party moves and how far you can see.

• Why you need it: To catch bandit parties or escape from larger armies.

• Look for: "the Swift", "the Frostbeard".

A good scout reveals enemies long before they can ambush you on the campaign map.

2. Surgeon (Medicine Skill)

The Surgeon keeps your troops alive. High medicine skill increases the chance that a "killed" soldier is only "wounded".

• Why you need it: To maintain a veteran army.

• Look for: "the Healer", "the Willowbark".

3. Quartermaster (Steward Skill)

The Quartermaster manages supplies and morale. Most importantly, Steward skill determines party size.

• Why you need it: To field a larger army than your rank typically allows.

• Look for: "the Spicevendor". Note: Players often take this role themselves to level Steward.

4. Engineer (Engineering Skill)

The Engineer constructs siege engines and camp fortifications.

• Why you need it: To capture towns before an enemy relief army arrives.

• Look for: "the Engineer", "the Knowing".

Sieges are won by speed. An Engineer builds trebuchets faster, crumbling walls in days instead of weeks.

Finding the Right Companion

Companions spawn randomly in Taverns across Calradia.

• Use the Encyclopedia (N): Go to the "Heroes" tab, filter by "Wanderer", and check their stats.

• Travel: Go to the town where they were last seen.

Captain Roles

When a battle starts, you can assign companions to lead specific formations (e.g., Infantry, Archers).

• If a companion has perks like "Captain: +5% damage to infantry", these apply to the troops under their command.

• This allows you to stack bonuses. Put a companion with high One-Handed skill in charge of your shield wall.

A skilled captain can turn a mob of recruits into a disciplined fighting force.

For deep dives on leveling these skills, check out our guides on Medicine and Engineering.