Making Money Fast in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord

Denars make the world go round in Calradia. Whether you need to pay your army's wages, bribe a noble, or buy that shiny Tier 6 armor, you need a steady stream of gold. This guide breaks down the best methods for each stage of the game.

Early Game: The First 15,000 Denars

When you are just starting out, you are poor and weak. Avoid high risks.

1. Tournaments & Betting

This is the absolute best way to start.

• Go to any Arena. If a Tournament is active, join it.

• Betting: Bet the maximum amount on yourself every round.

• Winnings: If you win, you get ~1,500 Denars from bets + a prize item (often worth 500-2,000 Denars).

• Repeat this 4-5 times and you have your seed money.

2. Hunting Looters

• Attack small bands of Looters.

• Auto-resolving gives decent loot in the latest patches, but fighting manually levels your skills.

• Sell the "rags" and "worn boots" in town. It adds up.

3. Delivery Quests

• Look for notables in villages asking for "Delivery of the Herd" or "Needs help with Brigands". These pay 500-1000 Denars for simple tasks.

Mid Game: Passive Income & Trade

Once you have ~15k Denars, invest it to make money while you sleep.

1. Workshops

• Go to a prosperous town (Prosperity > 4000).

• Buy a workshop (cost ~15k-25k).

• Strategy: Check the bound villages. If they produce Grain, build a Brewery. If Grapes, build a Wine Press.

• Expected Income: 100-400 Denars/day.

2. Caravans

• Cost: 15k (Standard) or 22k (High Security).

• Requires a Companion (preferably with Scouting/Trade skills).

• Risk: High. If caught by bandits or enemies, you lose the investment.

• Reward: 300-1000 Denars/day.

Late Game: The Millions

1. War Profiteering

• Defeating an enemy lord yields massive amounts of loot.

• A single battle against a 100+ man army can drop gear worth 20k-50k Denars.

• Perk: "Roguery" perks help increase loot amount.

2. Smithing (The Money Printer)

• Smithing is historically the most broken money-making method in Bannerlord.

• The Method:

  1. Buy Hardwood (refine to Charcoal).

  2. Smelt Tribesman Throwing Daggers or Pugios (for materials).

  3. Unlock Javelin or Two-Handed Sword parts.

  4. Craft high-damage weapons.

• Result: A single Javelin can sell for 15k, and a high-tier 2H Sword can sell for 30k-80k. You can drain a town's entire treasury with 3 swords.

Summary Checklist

• Win 5 Tournaments.

• Buy 1 Workshop in a safe town (Sanala/Ortysia/Marunath).

• Hire a companion for a Caravan.

• Start leveling Smithing in your downtime.