Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord is a fantastic representation of medieval life. Players can travel down a path causing destruction, warring with others, or building things in a more peaceful approach to the game. Throughout their playthrough, they can upgrade their armor and weapons to become a formidable force. At the same time, they will have to establish laws and policies that best match their nation's needs, keeping the people happy and the government running smoothly.
Another aspect of Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord that makes the game so realistic is healing. Players may start out wondering how this is achieved as their health runs dangerously low. To have the most success on the battlefield, knowing how to heal and what mistakes to avoid are essential.
There Are No Magic Potions
Unlike many strategy/action RPG games, there are no magic potions that will restore a player's health in the middle of the game. They can't go around searching barrels and crates looking for hidden vials of elixirs that will magically restore their HP because they simply do not exist.
This is perhaps the most confusing part of figuring out how to heal, as players expect to use consumable items in this type of game. Even as the game evolves and players build workshops, there will be no access to any consumable item that allows for healing.
Time Heals All Wounds
The only way to heal in the game is by waiting it out. It makes the game more realistic, albeit a little frustrating. When the player and their companions suffer from depleted health, they must pass the time as carefully as possible, avoiding enemies as they wander the fields of Calradia.
Depending on how low their health has gotten, this could take a significant amount of time. Players will have to be wary of enemy encounters to prevent further damage or even defeat.
Speeding Up The Process
Resting inside a settlement will make the healing process progress faster. Healing inside a settlement is three times faster than healing outside of one. The healing rate is not affected by who owns the settlement, you or your faction. Stats like Loyalty, Security, and Prosperity also have no impact on the healing rate. Players can also enter the settlement and select the option to "Wait Here For Some Time." This will make things faster but will eventually cost money.
Players can also assign someone in their party to be the Surgeon. They will then need to boost this character's Medicine skill as much as possible. This will also speed up the healing process. When waiting in a settlement, they can heal their party from 1% health to 100% health in just two days with a fully trained Surgeon. The Surgeon will also boost healing on the fields of Calradia; however, the impact will not be as great as it is in a settlement. Players can check their healing rate by hovering over the heart in the bottom right-hand corner, which will also tell what percentage of their health is currently.
How To Select A Surgeon
To assign a Surgeon, players will need to view their Clan roles. In these roles, there will be an option for a Surgeon. There are two options for viewing this. First, open the Clan menu and select the Parties tab. Second, open the Clan menu and select a companion in the Members tab. Players can select themselves or a companion for the job.
Once the Surgeon is selected, it is essential to boost their Medicine skill. Players will also need to choose some of the perks that will best match their party's needs. The Surgeon can gain experience toward leveling this skill just by being in battle with casualties or waiting while the party regains HP.
Pitfalls To Avoid During Gameplay
Because of the natural progression of healing, there are pitfalls the player needs to avoid while playing. First, when health is drastically low, especially as low as 1%, walking around Calradia to heal is not the best idea. Anything can happen, leading to an immediate defeat. This is true even if a Surgeon is employed and healing is progressing faster than usual. Players should head to a settlement to be safer and protect themselves from enemy parties they may encounter on the field.
Additionally, as health heals over time when the player finishes one battle with depleted health, they will enter the next battle with the same amount of health. There is no automatic healing to enter the next battle. So, if a party loses 50% health, it will start its next battle with a 50% reduction in health if no time has been taken to heal properly. This could result in severe defeats across the board if players are not careful. Being mindful of where their health is sitting and going to a settlement are essential to maintaining success on the field.
Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord is available on Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Series S, and Microsoft Windows.