How to Make Money Early Game After Getting Captured (Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord)

You've just escaped capture. You're broke, starving, half-naked, and holding a bent stick worth maybe 300 denars. Welcome to early-game Bannerlord misery — the part everyone forgets until it happens to them.

The good news: you can recover. Fast. Here's how.

1. Forget Combat. Think Survival.

You're not ready to fight. Don't chase bandits or join tournaments yet — you'll lose. Focus on avoiding battles and earning a quick safety cushion instead.

Tip: Travel with 0–2 recruits at most. Every soldier eats. You don't need upkeep costs right now.

2. Beg, Borrow, or Barter for Food

Go to the nearest village and buy 1–2 sacks of grain (20–40 denars total). If you can't afford even that, sell your weapon and pick up a cheap spear or hatchet for 100–150 later.

Food is everything — without it, your morale tanks, your party disbands, and you get captured again.

3. Trade Between Villages

You don't need a big caravan to profit from trade. Just buy cheap village goods and sell them a few towns over.

Best early routes:

• Grain from villages → sell in nearby towns (profit ~30–50 denars per sack).

• Butter, cheese, or wool → sell in another faction's town.

• Fish from coastal villages → great resale inland.

Keep your party small so you move fast and dodge bandits. See our Early Game Money-Making guide for more trade loops.

4. Hunt Bandits — Only Looters

Once you've got ~800–1,000 denars and a few recruits, start fighting Looters. They're slow, weak, and easy to chase.

Why Looters:

• Free weapons and armor (sell or keep).

• Prisoners to ransom.

• XP for both you and your troops.

Sell everything at the nearest town except one melee and one ranged weapon.

5. Sell Prisoners & Join a Tournament

When you reach ~2,000 denars, you're stable enough to risk small bets.

Steps:

1. Sell prisoners at the tavern.

2. Join tournaments (even with light gear).

3. Bet only 50–100 per round at first.

Winning one tournament can give 2,000–4,000 denars and decent gear. Check our Tournaments & Arena Guide for tips on winning with bad gear.

6. Snowball With Quests

Now that you're not broke, start taking village or town quests:

• "Train troops" (if you have armor again).

• "Deliver herd" (buy cheap animals and walk them to town).

• "Borrow grain" (profit from the quest bonus).

You'll earn gold and reputation — both crucial for recruiting better troops later.

7. When You Hit 10k: Rebuild

With 10,000+ denars, you can:

• Hire 15–20 mid-tier troops.

• Buy real armor and a horse.

• Start smithing for profit.

• Consider your first companion.

That's your reset button. From here, you're back in control.

Quick Recap

1. Buy food → stay alive.

2. Trade small → avoid fights.

3. Hunt Looters → upgrade gear.

4. Win a tournament → bankroll your comeback.

5. Do quests → rebuild reputation.

6. Reach 10k → restart your army.

"Every lord starts as a looter who didn't give up."

Try This

Play one in-game day using this rule: no combat until you have food and 500 denars. That single rule can turn a doomed restart into a comeback run.

References

• TaleWorlds Entertainment. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord (Official Manual & Wiki)

• Community-tested strategies from Bannerlord Reddit & Nexus discussions (2024–2025).