Should you execute prisoners in Bannerlord?

Should You Execute Prisoners in Bannerlord?

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is a sandbox action role-playing game that lets you explore, fight, and conquer your way to victory. As a skilled warrior, you may find yourself facing the tough decision of what to do with captured prisoners. One of the most crucial questions players ask is whether or not to execute prisoners in the game. In this article, we’ll dive into the pros and cons of executing prisoners and provide some valuable insights to help you make the best decision.

The Consequences of Execution

Executing lords or nobles can lead to severe repercussions:

• Reputation damage: Executing prisoners will significantly lower your reputation, making it harder for you to form alliances, join factions, and negotiate with other leaders.
• Clan hatred: If the executed prisoner is part of a clan or faction, their comrades will turn against you, becoming your sworn enemies.
• Loss of bargaining chip: Executing prisoners removes any potential leverage you had for negotiating with other leaders, making it more difficult to achieve your goals.
• Deteriorated diplomacy: Executing prisoners will make it challenging to build trust with other factions and leaders, making it harder to achieve peace through diplomacy.

Pros of Executing Prisoners

• Eliminating the enemy: Executing prisoners is the only way to completely eliminate a faction’s leadership, ensuring they can’t raise new armies or threaten your kingdom.
• Preventing rebellion: Executing prisoners prevents potential rebellion and uprisings from their followers.

When to Execute Prisoners

• As a last resort: Consider executing prisoners only when there’s no other way to deal with them, such as ransoming them or allowing them to rot in a dungeon.
• During war: Executing prisoners can be a good strategic move during wartime to break the enemy’s spirit and morale.

The Downsides of Execution

• Loss of bartering opportunities: Executing prisoners means you’ll no longer have the opportunity to trade them for other resources or prisoners.
• Potential for retaliation: Executing prisoners can lead to retaliatory attacks from other factions, making your position even more precarious.

Can You Marry Prisoners?

No, you cannot marry prisoners in Bannerlord. Leadership and nobility only: You can marry clan leaders or nobles who have the same bloodline, but prisoners are excluded from this option.

The Impact of Gender on Execution

• No difference in execution consequences: Execution consequences are the same for both male and female prisoners.
• Impact on renown: However, your gender can affect your chances of obtaining renown through executions, with male characters requiring less renown to obtain the same rewards.

Additional Considerations

• Leadership and loyalty: Loyal followers can resist execution: Even if you execute a prisoner’s leader, their loyal followers might still resist and rebel against you.
• Alternative solutions: Negotiation and diplomacy are often better alternatives than executing prisoners, allowing you to achieve your goals without suffering the consequences of reputational damage.

In Conclusion

Executing prisoners in Bannerlord should be done sparingly and only when necessary. Consider the long-term consequences of your actions, as they can significantly impact your gameplay experience and relationships with other factions and leaders. While there may be situations where execution is the best course of action, it’s crucial to weigh the pros and cons carefully before making your decision.