The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Wife for a Governor in Bannerlord
Choosing the right wife in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord isn’t just about romance; it’s a strategic decision that can significantly impact your clan’s success. When selecting a wife to serve as a governor, you need to consider her skills, especially stewardship, which directly influences the prosperity and stability of your fief. While personal preferences and aesthetic choices play a role, Arwa consistently stands out as the best choice for a governor, thanks to her exceptionally high stewardship skill and beneficial secondary skills like riding. Her existing skill set allows her to slot into a governing role immediately, maximizing your fief’s income, militia size, and overall loyalty.
Why Stewardship Matters for Governors
A governor’s stewardship skill directly impacts several key aspects of a fief:
- Tax Revenue: Higher stewardship leads to increased tax collection from towns and villages.
- Food Production: A skilled steward can improve food production and reduce the risk of famine.
- Garrison Size: Stewardship influences the maximum size of the garrison, improving the settlement’s defense.
- Loyalty: High stewardship helps maintain public order and keeps the populace happy.
- Construction Speed: Stewards influence the speed at which new projects get built.
- Prosperity: Stewards directly influence the prosperity of your fiefs.
Top Wife Candidates for Governors
While Arwa is a top contender, other wives also excel in stewardship and can be valuable assets. Here’s a deeper dive into some of the best options:
- Arwa: As mentioned, Arwa boasts an incredible starting stewardship skill, making her ready to go from day one. Her secondary skills, like Riding, are also helpful if you need her to lead a party or flee from an attack.
- Liena: Liena can also be a solid choice, possessing a high leadership skill coupled with a decent stewardship. She might be more suited for leading parties than governing initially, but her stewardship can be developed over time.
- Siga: Steward is really high, she is easy to find in the North, if you are near there.
Training Your Wife into a Super Governor
Even if your chosen wife doesn’t start with exceptional stewardship, you can still train her to become a highly effective governor. Here’s how:
- Assign her as a governor: Start by assigning her to govern a prosperous town with good base stats and a training field to boost her exp.
- Focus on stewardship perks: When leveling up, prioritize perks that boost tax revenue, improve loyalty, reduce construction costs, and increase food production.
- Provide her with good equipment: Equip her with gear that boosts stewardship. Look for items with “Management” bonuses.
- Keep her safe: A dead or captured governor is no good to anyone. Ensure she has adequate protection or is placed in a well-defended fief.
- Complete Quests related to town improvements: Complete quest which boost your town and village production.
Beyond Stewardship: Other Important Traits
While stewardship is crucial, don’t overlook other beneficial traits:
- Riding: A wife with good riding skills can travel faster, escape danger, and lead parties more effectively.
- Tactics: High tactics allow her to better defend the settlement from sieges and raids if you are not around.
- Leadership: Good leadership can improve garrison morale and reduce the likelihood of rebellions.
The Importance of Clan Culture
The culture of your clan, and subsequently your wife, can impact gameplay. The best wifes, as for Aserai, are Arwa and Liena.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the “best” wife for a governor in Bannerlord depends on your specific needs and play style. However, by prioritizing stewardship skill, considering secondary traits, and actively training your wife, you can create a powerful and prosperous fiefdom.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you marry a clan leader in Bannerlord?
No, you cannot marry clan leaders in Bannerlord. This applies to both NPC clan leaders and player-controlled clan leaders. This prevents players from easily absorbing entire clans through marriage.
2. Can wives get pregnant in Bannerlord while in a party?
Yes, wives can get pregnant while in your party, but the chance is lower than if you wait with them in a town or castle. To maximize the chances of pregnancy, keep her in your party and wait in a settlement until you get the pregnancy message.
3. At what age do wives stop having children in Bannerlord?
Wives can have children until around age 41. The chance of pregnancy decreases with age and the number of children she has already borne.
4. Can you marry female companions in Bannerlord?
No, you cannot marry female companions directly. They can, however, marry into another clan if they become vassals. A female player character could theoretically marry a male companion if he is made a vassal.
5. What is the best way to increase stewardship in Bannerlord?
The best way to increase stewardship is to assign your wife as a governor of a fief and allow her to manage the settlement. Actively level up her steward skills by completing quests and challenges and choosing perks that boost stewardship.
6. Can you divorce your wife in Bannerlord 2?
There is no official divorce mechanic in Bannerlord. The only way to effectively “divorce” your wife is to use console commands to imprison and execute her, which has severe relationship consequences with other clans.
7. How do you marry off your children in Bannerlord?
To marry off your children, you need to find a suitable spouse from another clan and negotiate the marriage with their father or clan leader. This often involves a barter exchange for a dowry.
8. Can you marry a commoner (townsperson) in Bannerlord?
No, you cannot directly marry commoners such as townsfolk or villagers. Marriage is restricted to members of noble clans.
9. What is the maximum relationship level in Bannerlord?
Relationship levels in Bannerlord range from -100 to +100. Maintaining high relationships is crucial for diplomacy, recruitment, and preventing defections.
10. Can you have children in Sandbox mode in Bannerlord?
Yes, you can have children in Sandbox mode, as long as the “Death and Birth” option is enabled in the game settings.
11. What is the maximum number of companions you can have in Bannerlord?
The maximum number of companions you can have in Bannerlord is 8. This limit increases as you upgrade your clan tier.
12. What skills should I prioritize when choosing a wife for leading a party?
When choosing a wife for leading a party, prioritize leadership, tactics, and riding skills. These skills will improve her party’s speed, combat effectiveness, and overall survivability.
13. Is marriage worthwhile in Bannerlord?
Yes, marriage is definitely worthwhile in Bannerlord. It provides you with a skilled companion, potential heirs, and strengthens your clan’s political position through alliances.
14. Can you have multiple children in Bannerlord?
Yes, you can have multiple children in Bannerlord. After your first child is born, wait a while before bringing your wife back into your party to try for more.
15. Does clan culture affect marriage in Bannerlord?
Yes, clan culture can affect marriage in Bannerlord. Certain cultures may have different traditions or preferences regarding marriage partners, but the underlying mechanics of skill levels and political benefits remain consistent across cultures. The Games Learning Society might have some interesting perspectives on this aspect of simulated cultural behaviors. Check out GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more.