Training Troops Efficiently

November 21, 2025

Methods to level troops quickly and safely.

Training Troops Efficiently in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord

Turning a peasant recruit into a hardened Legionary or a deadly Fian Champion takes time and resources. However, experienced players know shortcuts to speed up this process dramatically.

Bannerlord Optimal Leveling

XP Mechanics Explained

Troops gain XP in two ways:

  1. Active XP: Dealing damage in battle. The more they fight (and survive), the faster they level up.

  2. Passive XP: From perks and training fields.

The "Looter" Method (Active)

For low-tier troops (Recruits -> Tier 2), the safest way to train them is against Looters.

  • Auto-Resolve: In Bannerlord, auto-resolving battles against Looters often yields more XP than fighting them manually, and your troops are less likely to die (though they may get wounded).

  • Strategy: Separate your elite troops into a garrison or separate party. Take a stack of 50+ recruits and hunt looters. Hit "Send Troops". Watch them level up instantly.

Passive Training: The Power of Perks

The real secret to efficient training lies in the Leadership and Steward skill trees.

Bannerlord Perks Guide

Leadership Perks

  • Combat Tips (Level 75): Moderate XP gain for all troops daily.

  • Raise the Meek (Level 75): Higher XP gain for Tier 1-3 troops daily. Pick this for early game mass recruitment.

Steward Perks (The Discard Meta)

This is the game-changer.

  • Paid in Promise (Level 100): Discarding Armor gives XP to troops.

  • Giving Hands (Level 125): Discarding Weapons gives XP to troops.

Once you have these perks, you don't need to fight to train. After a battle, simply loot everything. Then, go to your inventory and discard all the rusty pitchforks and tattered rags. Your troops will gain massive amounts of XP instantly.

Discard Items for XP

Garrison Training

Don't let your troops sit idle in castles.

  1. Build the Castellan's Office: This provides daily XP to the garrison.

  2. Assign a Governor with training perks.

  3. Drop off fresh recruits, leave for a week, and come back to find upgraded soldiers ready for war. See our Castle Management guide for more.

Summary

To train efficiently:

  1. Auto-resolve vs Looters for low tiers.

  2. Get Steward 125 ASAP for the discard perks.

  3. Feed your army trash loot to turn them into elites.