Kingdom Policies: The Laws of Power

Policies are the legislative backbone of any kingdom in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. While often overlooked by new players, the right combination of policies can turn a struggling faction into an unstoppable empire by boosting party sizes, loyalty, and influence generation.

Understanding Policies

Policies affect the entire kingdom. They are proposed by clans and voted on using Influence.

• The King's Power: As the ruler, you can override the popular vote, but it costs significant influence.

• Cultural Differences: Some policies are naturally favored by certain cultures (e.g., Empire clans like "Senate").

Top Tier Policies

These are the policies you should aim to pass in almost every playthrough.

1. Council of the Commons

• Effect: +1 Influence per day for every notable in your settlements.

• Why it's S-Tier: This is the single best influence generator in the game. If you own a few towns, you will generate dozens of influence daily, allowing you to dominate all future votes.

2. Royal Guard

• Effect: Ruler's party size +60. Ruler clan influence +1/day. Non-ruler clans -0.2 influence/day.

• Why it's S-Tier: More troops means more power. The influence penalty for vassals is negligible compared to the massive army boost you get.

3. Forgiveness of Debts

• Effect: Settlement loyalty +2. Production -5%.

• Why it's S-Tier: Loyalty is the hardest stat to manage, especially when conquering towns of a different culture. This policy alone can prevent rebellions.

Economic Policies

• Land Tax: Increases tax income but hurts loyalty. Good for stable kingdoms.

• Debasement of the Currency: Short term cash for long term prosperity loss. Avoid.

Voting Strategy

Passing a policy requires support.

1. Check Support: Before proposing, check the percentage of support in the Kingdom > Policies tab.

2. Drain Opponents: If a powerful clan hates your policy, try to make them spend their influence on other votes (like war declarations) before you propose your policy.

3. The Nuclear Option: If you are the King, you can overrule everyone. Ensure you have 1000+ influence stored up to deal with the fallout.

Choosing the right laws is the difference between a kingdom that crumbles from within and one that stands for a thousand years.