Prisoner Management
November 21, 2025
Ransom, recruitment, and escape prevention.
In Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, every enemy you defeat is a potential asset. Prisoners can be sold for gold, recruited into your army, or used as political bargaining chips.
The Art of Capture
You can only take prisoners if the enemy is knocked unconscious rather than killed.
Blunt Weapons: Use maces, hammers, or clubs. These deal blunt damage which always knocks out.
Doctor's Oath: A high-tier Medicine perk that ensures some of your enemies survive your lethal attacks.
Managing & Recruiting
Recruiting
Over time, prisoners in your party will become willing to join you.
Pros: Fast way to get high-tier troops.
Cons: Recruiting them lowers your party morale immediately.
The "Veteran's Respect" Perk: Located in the Leadership tree (Level 150), this perk allows you to convert Bandit prisoners into Noble troops. This is the only way to turn Forest Bandits into Battanian Fians without a fief.
Selling
Visit a Tavern in any town and look for the Ransom Broker.
You can sell all prisoners with one click.
Tip: Manual Laborers usually pay more than generic Ransom Brokers.
Dealing with Lord Prisoners
When you capture an enemy noble, you have three choices:
Release them: Grants +Relation and Charm XP. Good for leveling Charm.
Take them prisoner: Removes their party from the map.
Escape Chance: Lords escape frequently. To keep them forever, you need the Mounted Patrols (Riding 225) and Keen Sight (Scouting 225) perks. Combined, they reduce escape chance by 100%.
Donate to Dungeon: Go to a castle owned by another clan in your kingdom and donate the prisoner to the dungeon. You gain massive Influence.
Execute them: The nuclear option.
The Execution Question
Selecting a prisoner lord in your party screen gives you the option to Execute.
Result: The lord dies permanently.
Consequence: You lose massive relation with their clan, their friends, and anyone with the "Honorable" trait. You also gain the "Devious" trait.
Why do it?: If you execute every lord in a faction, that faction ceases to exist. It is a brutal but effective way to end a war.
For more on the economy of war, check our Economy & Trade Guide.