Tournaments & Arena Fighting: Combat Guide

Winning a tournament in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord requires more than just button mashing. You need to master the art of 1v1 dueling, understand weapon matchups, and know how to manipulate the AI.

Intense 1v1 combat in an Empire arena.

Combat Mechanics

• Directional Blocking: Essential for survival. Watch your opponent's weapon arm.

• Shield Bash: Press 'E' while blocking to stun your opponent. This is a guaranteed free hit.

• Kicks: Press 'E' without blocking to break a turtle's guard.

Weapon Matchups

Sword & Shield

The most common loadout. Keep your shield up, circle to the right (away from their shield), and look for openings after they attack. Use shield bash often.

Two-Handed Weapons

High risk, high reward. Maintain distance. Swing just as they enter range. If you get too close, they can interrupt you with a quick jab.

Spears

The hardest weapon to use in 1v1 arena fights. The AI will hug you, making your spear useless.

• Tip: Drop the spear (G) if you have a backup weapon, or shield bash + kick repeatedly to create distance.

Betting Strategy

Always bet on yourself.

• Max Bet: You can bet up to 150 denars per round.

• Return: A full tournament win with max bets yields around 1500-2000 denars depending on odds.

Maximizing profits by betting on yourself in every round.

Team Fights

In 2v2 or 4v4 rounds, let your teammates take aggro. Flank the enemies and hit them in the back. Never get surrounded.

The rewards screen showing renown and the prize item.

For more on where to find the best tournaments, visit our Tournaments & Arena Guide or Tournaments by Region.