Equipment, Crafting, and Smithing

November 21, 2025

Gear progression, crafting mechanics, and optimizing loadouts.

Equipment, Crafting, and Smithing

Smithing is one of the most powerful systems in Bannerlord. It allows you to create weapons that are statistically superior to anything you can buy in a store, tailored exactly to your needs.

The Smithy

Every town has a Smithy. Here you can perform three actions:

  1. Smelt: Destroy weapons to gain materials (Iron, Wood, Steel) and unlock new parts.

  2. Refine: Turn low-quality materials (e.g., Iron) into high-quality ones (e.g., Steel) using Charcoal.

  3. Forge: Create new weapons using unlocked parts.

Smithing Interface The Smithy is where you turn battle loot into raw materials.

Customization and Stats

When forging, you can choose the Blade, Guard, Handle, and Pommel.

  • Size Slider: Increasing size increases Damage and Reach but decreases Swing Speed and Handling.

  • Materials: Better materials (Thamaskene Steel) yield higher damage.

Crafting Weapons Tweaking the size slider allows you to make a "fast" two-hander or a "long" reach polearm.

Unlocking Blueprints

To craft the best gear, you need blueprints. You unlock these by:

  • Smelting high-tier weapons.

  • Crafting high-tier weapons (even if they are bad).

  • Completing Smithing Orders for notables.

Refining Materials Keep an eye on your Smithing Stamina (bottom left). You need to rest in the town to recover it.

Why Craft?

While you can buy decent gear, Crafted weapons can have:

  • Higher Attack Speed.

  • Perfect length for your playstyle (e.g., a short sword for sieges, a long sword for horseback).

  • Legendary Modifier: Extra stats if you crit the craft.

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