What Are The Best Mount and Blade: Warband Mods?

Mount and Blade: Warband (M&B:W) is still an amazing game almost a decade after it’s original release in 2010.

One of the many reason it’s such a great game to return to, or discover for the first time, is that the modding community is relentless.  The following list are 25 of the mods you have to play in 2019! It’s a new year so let’s build an entire new Warband.

If you don’t know how to install mods on M&B:W you can check out this video:

Categories:

Items, Graphics, and Sound: Mods that just change the aesthetics of the game but no actual gameplay

Gameplay Mechanics: Like the name suggests, mods that change the mechanics but not story.

Modules: These mods add to the basic game such as new lads or factions but stay in the original format.

Complete Overhauls: These are the mods that change everything about the game, some of these are completely new games with their own storyline and maps. The only similarity is that you are still assembling your warband and setting out to conquer.  

Multiplayer Mods: These mods add to the online multiplayer experiences, either as battles or sometimes stories. Go out and conquer with your friends.

Up-and-Coming Mods: These mods are no out just yet but get excited because they look cool and sound promising.

Note: This list is oldest to newest. If you have played M&B:W in the past and just want to see what’s new coming into 2019, start at the end of each section. If you just bought the game in a steam sale and what to see all it has to offer, start at the top.

Items, Graphics, and Sound

25. Expanded Horizons

Just makes you want to say, “Hidalgo, bring me that horizon”

Sometimes when playing Mount and Blade, you feel like you’re in a box. The maps a pretty clear boundaries and you often run into the invisible wall. This mod doesn’t remove that wall but makes the scenery past it more realistic. It takes out the obvious barriers and expands your horizons to see the beautiful landscape you are fighting to defend.

Why you should use this mod:

• This mod brings that horizon to you
• Added beauty to the game
• Increased realism

How this mod makes things fun:

• Improves the escapism
• Makes the world feel more open
• Enhances the illusion of large fields of battle

Get the mod HERE

It looks both massive, and beautiful!

24. Sweetfxmod

This is the sort of glade I’d much rather nap in than fight a bloody battle.

Sweetfxmod is a graphics overhaul. More than just a retexture, it changes most aspects of the visual quality of the game. Gone are the days of matte fields and trees, you can actually see individual plants and leaves on the trees, and the clouds actually look like clouds. Also since this one replaces the old textures instead of adding to them, it doesn’t slow your gameplay or frames per second at all.

Why you should use this mod:

• No reduction in FPS
• You can see plants
• Every part of the game looks better

How this mod makes things fun

• Clouds actually look like clouds instead of grey blobs
• Adds to the realism of glorious battles
• The backdrop is more enticing

Get the mod HERE

I love the way this high definition mod enhances the light.

23. New Textures Mount and Blade Warband

This video doesn't need dialogue, just sit back and enjoy the scenery

Like the name suggests, New Textures, makes the original game look warm and crisp. The texture differences are most noticeable in town and within the buildings like the tavern or great halls. The wooden walls no longer look like dirty plastic, but rather like actual warm wood. The stone buildings actually look like they are made from slate.

Why you should use this mod

• Makes it look like the game is not almost 10 years old
• Updates the aesthetic appeal

Get the mod HERE

This mod makes the tavern actually look warm and inviting.

Gameplay Mechanics

22. Decapitate and Dismember

Also, this video is accompanied by one of the best songs ever, just check it out

Heads will roll with this mod.  If you love the combat of the original game but thought that there could be a little more head slicing action, or you wanted to harness your inner wookie and rip some arms off then this is the mod for you.  Now you can lop off heads and cut off arms and legs with just a stroke of your sword. It also comes with all the blood entailed in decapitation.

Why you should use this mod:

• Cut off arms
• Cut off legs
• Cut off heads

How this mod makes things fun:

• All the blood and gore that comes with decapitation
• Dismemberment is always fun in video games, less so in real life
• Don’t try this at home unless it involves installing this mod and playing this wonderful game.

Get the mod HERE

Out of frame  there’s an angry queen screaming, “Off with his head!”

Modules

21. Warband Enhanced

If you're ready to watch the entire Let's Play, better start at episode one.

Warband Enchanced adds three wonderful mods together to make the basic warband experience better all around. It adds Diplomacy, Freelancer, and PBOD as well as some new features.  That means when playing the base game you will have specific stats on faction relations in a spreadsheet from Diplomacy, the ability to join another lord’s army and work up in the ranks and experience from Freelancer, and Pre-Battle Orders & Deployment, allows you to set up your warbands precisely before the battle even begins.  Once you play with this mod the game just is not the same without it.

Why you should use this mod

• Improved recruitment system
• You can choose a culture as a king
• Purple bandits are easier to identify

How this mod makes things fun

• Better loot to find
• 1000xp from winning tournaments
• All the prisoners (ten per rank)

Get the mod here - HERE

Now you can actually see where you stand, numerically with each faction and where they stand with each other.

20. Rigale Increased RPG features and world interactions Mod

"I have a unicorn, a magical bow, and a quiver of plently" What else do you need for a fantasy game?

As if Mount and Blade: Warband wasn’t already an open world RPG game, Rigale increases the non warband-related RPG features. Rigale adds an in depth crafting system, guilds, harvesting, mining, and more. Not to mention the ability to create custom settlements. Be careful though, in order to balance all these new bonuses to the game, it also introduces a epidemic system. So now you get to run from the plague just like in the real dark ages.

Why you should use this mod:

• Crafting, exploration, guilds, etc.
• Custom settlements
• New skills like Leatherworking etc.

How this mod makes things fun:

• Outrun the black death
• Pay attention to weariness
• Bard and shaman skills

Get the mod HERE

Besides the awesome script, it gives you a lot more RPG options to do in town.

19. Calradian Crusaders

Soon, you too, will be on a boat.

Calradian Crusaders is really a conglomerate of other awesome mods to M&B:W like Diplomacy, Seafaring, and much, much more. This compilation of mods is used to give the player the feeling of joining the Crusades. Load your galley and set sail for the middle east, Jerusalem awaits! Although it might not actually include Jerusalem, it does include piracy, and a whole bunch of new castles to check out and conquer, (not necessarily in that order).

Why you should use this mod:

• Includes a whole bunch of great mods
• Freelancer 1.51
• Custom Commander

How this mod makes things fun:

• Piracy
• Holy warfare
• Build your own forts and settlements

Get the mod here - HERE

Just aim for the target, it's easy. The pointy end goes into the other guy.

18. The Last Age of Calradia

You get to play as a race with a face not even a mother could love.

The Last Age of Calradia restylizes Claradia to look like Middle Earth. It’s a module and not an overhaul because it just adds to the base game and map to make it look and feel a little more like the world from Lord of the Rings.  They also added the Uruk-Hai based race, Molor, to the south with the Rhodoks so you can play as the bad guys or join the Calradians against the Molor race.

Why you should use this mod:

• A healthy mix of Warband and LOTR
• New Race
• New stakes to fight against a physically superior race

How this mod makes things fun:

• Play as an Uruk
• Cool new Uruk weapons
• They have a cave Troll

Get the mod HERE

They have a cave troll too

17. Diversity

They wouldn’t be new nobles without their new noble steeds!

Diversity adds so much to the game it almost feels like more than just just a module.  If you loved the original game but want more and different units, troop trees, and factions then this mod is right up your alley.  This mod just adds a whole bunch of, well, diversity, to the options of your troops to the base game. Also it changes your starting equipment so every new character actually feels new.

Why you should use this mod

• New noble, mercenary and commoner troops
• New troop trees
• Traveller encounters in taverns are now named!

How this mod makes things fun:

• Two hostile factions means you have someone to fight right away!
• New NPC’s to hire or sell into slavery
• Better reward for tournaments

Get the mod HERE

16. Native - Enhanced Edition

Nothing says enhanced like a crossbow bolt to the neck.

The Enhanced Edition adds a number of aspects to the game that improve upon the base game, such as assassinations of lords, making wagon trains, and crafting items within towns. When you play with Enhanced Edition if feels like the game should have had these additions in the first place and they all fit in seamlessly.  It also gives you menus to turn on, or off, most of the aspects that it adds to the game. Even though it adds a whole bunch of new material to the game you can just apply what you want to use by turning off these options in the menus.

Why you should use this mod:

• Customization
• Custom Troop Trees
• Added forager skill so your warbands might not starve as fast

How this mod makes things fun:

• Assassinations
• Civil War
• Improve equipment with armor and weapon smiths

Get the mod HERE

Complete Overhauls

15. Ilion - The battle for Troy

If that’s Achilles then everyone is aiming way too high.

Ilion takes you back three and half thousand years to the epic battle of Troy. Now instead of hiring a warband to take over Calradia you get to fight alongside the great Greek and Trojan heroes like Achilles and Hector. Honestly it has a couple of bugs but it’s so much fun to shoot Achilles in the ankle instead of the pansy Paris killing him that you can look past the river funky-ness.  Also the custom battles are great, Ajax vs 100 men etc.

Why you should use this mod:

• Historically punctual armor and weapons
• It includes a bunch of the heros
• Every faction has unique troops

How this mod makes things fun

• You can make your own custom battles
• Play as Galations, Spartans, or Myrmidons
• Play out the movie

Get the mod here - HERE

14. The Last Kingdom

How is he not down? He has three arrows in him?"

The Last Kingdom is based on the book series, The Saxon Stories, by Bernard Cornwell.  If you want to play as Uthir from the hit Netflix show, “The Last Kingdom,” now’s your chance. Or if you love the show but have trouble keeping up with the locations, then play the game and you’ll have a map.  Either way there are Angles, or Saxons to kill and glory to be won.

Why you should use this mod:

• Play through the story of the famous book series and hit show
• Massive new map as well as many features not found in the base game
• New Music

How this mod makes things fun:

• New Bandits and Mercenaries to kill
• “Tons of new items. Weapons, armours, (a few) horses and LOTS of Axes!”
• Lots and Lots of Gore to be had while uniting England

Get the mod HERE

Now we finally know where all those weird sounding towns are.

13. Bellum Imperii

https://www.moddb.com/mods/bellum-imperii/videos/bellum-imperii-scenery-...

Unfortunatley this video won't embed but it's still worth checking out

Bellum Imperii is a beautiful overhaul that uses Brytenwalda as a base but instead of Britain is focuses on the Roman Empire. The map is around the Mediterranean sea during Marcus Aurelius reign of the Roman Empire. It includes 24 factions, 42 Towns, 69 "Forts" and 212 Villages.  Do you have what it takes to save Rome, or destroy it?

Why you should use this mod:

• Play across Europe, Northern Africa, and Eastern Asia
• 1000’s of new items
• Hundreds of new troops

How this mod makes things fun:

• Command your own roman legion
• You get to Sack Rome at the height of its power
• If you’re good you could marry Queen Cleopatra

Get the mod HERE

No one said sacking rome would be easy.

12. A New Dawn

"A possible hostile force in the distance? Yeah.. no." - Pansy

A New Dawn starts from the Floris Mod Pack, which alone is full of great mods, but then it includes tons of new content.  A New Dawn also introduces minor factions which don’t have their own lands yet but you can join them or convince them to join you in order to start your own faction. Then they revamped all the troop trees and added a bunch of new ones, including some exotic animals to ride.  All in all, if you haven’t tried it yet, it will make Warband feel like a new game in this new year.

Why you should use this mod:

• 11 minor factions
• 3000 new items
• 500 new troops

How this mod makes things fun:

• Larger armies
• Revamped armor and health so you live longer to dish out more death
• Elephants to ride!

Get the mod HERE

This doesn’t add much content but it’s an awesome screenshot from the game.

11. Empire III Ver 1.90full

Trebuchets reinvented warfare in real life, they reinvent warfare in Warband as well.

Empire III takes you to a whole new land full of monsters, machines, ships and 17 factions all vying for power.  This mode uses some great mods that add war machines like trebuchets and catapults as well universities and stuff like banking.  Also you can start your own faction off the bat or start at the bottom and work your way up, the choice is yours. Be wary though, because once you’ve destroyed a faction, it might not stay dead if any survivors can flee.  

Why you should use this mod:

• Catapults
• 180 New Units
• Banking, Crafting, Guilds, etc.

How this mod makes things fun:

• Piracy/ sea battles are always fun
• Gambling
• Start as a king/queen or prince/princess

Get the mod HERE

10. Rise of the Undead

"It is going to turn your brains to mush... But, don't worry about it"

Rise of the Undead gives you the opportunity to play as the villain for a change instead of the hero. In this dark fantasy mod there’s a new legion of undead that you can either fight against or control as your own. Now in the land of Amalthea you can use your legions of the dark to bring the five squabbling kingdoms of men to their knees.  Do you have what it takes to rise past the rank of Dark Lord?

Why you should use this mod:

• Whole new type of story
• Dark Ambiance of Battles
• New Kingdoms and troops

How this mod makes things fun:

• Play as the bad guy and destroy mankind
• Control undead
• Seriously you’re the bad guy, it doesn’t get much more fun than that

Get the mod HERE

These are your minions, take care of them and they’ll take care of you. Who am I kidding? It’s a skeleton.

Wreak havoc!

9. Brytenwalda Reworked v27 May 29 2017

"Shields will break, and swords will stick into your oppenents"

Brytenwalda is a fantastic overhaul mod that takes you out of Calradia and into the lands of Great Britain circa 670 AD.  It was made by a team of historians that take their craft seriously, so all the towns have appropriate names and the rulers you fight for and amongst were all real people.  The original Brytenwalda started in 2011 and this is the latest version which adds some content and improves on many aspects of the game like quests and commands. So if you haven’t yet, or have but want an improved experience, grab your sword and prepare to fight Saxons, Picts, and Irish alike.

Why you should use this mod:

• Historically accurate british isles
• Fixed questing
• Two new training companions to help you level the troops

How this mod makes things fun:

• Play as anglo-saxon, pict, irish, gaul, each with specific traits and troops
• Experience history and british culture through a game much more accurate than Assassin’s Creed
• New Flails to bash heads in with!

Get the mod HERE

Even in old Britain, somethings never change.

8. Medieval Conquests

"We are back, playing Medieval Conquest.. And I've missed it! I really have."

What’s better than conquering all of medieval europe? Conquering it with your friends! That’s right Medieval Conquests has a co-op feature that will allow you to play alongside your friends instead of just fighting them in custom battles.  Besides that it’s also huge with 42 independant factions alone! This mod makes Mount and Blade: Warband play like what Medieval: Total War wishes it was.

Why you should use this mod:

• Play across Europe
• New units that match actual historic units
• Hundreds of cities to conquer

How this mod makes things fun:

• Play Co-op with your friends!
• New events to play through
• 42 Factions to choose from

Get the mod HERE

Bring me that horizon! As in off the other deck, as in sail away! Fast!

7. Perisno - The New Beginning (v. II)

"This is a tough free-for-all"

Perisno was one of the first major overhauls for Warband loosely based one a Lord of the Rings style fantasy world. If you are new to Warband start with the original Perisno HERE. The New Beginning is a spin-off of the original Perisno so instead of the massive land of Perisno you’re on a smaller resource rich island. All of the original countries of Perisno are fighting over this new island of great value and trying to control it. You can either help the individual factions like elves, humans, or dwarves, or decide to take it for yourself.  It is a new beginning after all.

Why you should use this mod:

• Smaller overhaul that doesn’t take as much time to beat
• Play as elves or dwarves
• You get to decide which factions are on the island

How this mod makes things fun:

• Giant companions!
• More open land battles and skirmishes
• Fast paced gameplay!

Get the mod HERE

The best strategy is to run from the white knights.

6. Skilled Magic Calradia v.0.9.6 (171)

Need I say more?

This is a massive mod to bring magic to Calradia. It includes more than just the spells and the effects, but the schools of magic with branches there-in, not to mention weapons and armor befitting a wizard of your talents.  The magic makes a whole new gameplay experience because you can now target several troops at once with one spell instead of just shooting one arrow at a time. Also it expands the existing world dramatically with hundreds of new named NPCs as well as almost five hundred villages in general.

Why you should use this mod:

• Cast spells
• Hundreds of new items
• 10 new schools of magic

How this mod makes things fun:

• Summon skeletons
• Teleport your enemies into the middle of your warband
• Have your enemies fight for you

Get the mod HERE

Use your warband of mages to let loose the tides of blood.

5. Sevenheart

No dialogue but a really cool showcase of the AI in this mod.

Sevenheart is so much more than just a story and content mod for Warband, it also revamps the already revolutionary combat system.  The dynamic storyline is full of intrigue and betrayal just like you’d expect from an RPG in 2019. Sevenheart also enriches the lore of the land with legends that can lead to real quests and adventures instead of the boring, old favors and missions of the original game. Be prepared for an actually competent AI where you are going to have to use tactics and ambushes to earn your victories.

Why you should use this mod:

• Revolutionized combat system
• Improved AI
• Real storyline

How this mod makes things fun

• Worldbuilding actually gets you invested
• Assassins
• Ambushes

Get the mod HERE

In true RPG fashion you get get camp with your band of brothers.

4. The Bones of Ragnvald

"Fred the farmer absolutely knew how to wield a pitchfork with great accuracy and ferocity"

The Bones of Ragnvald is more than just a complete overhaul of the game itself. You now get to play in new lands with new countries and cities and troops. Also it’s story driven so it feels more like a RPG with a story elements and dark magic to contend with.. This medieval fantasy mod takes you across the land in a sweeping story, but you still get to hire the warband you love in order to sack cities, loot villages, and stop the skeleton king, Ragnvald.

Why you should use this mod:

• New land to discover
• In-depth story
• New scenes

How this mod makes things fun:

• Voice acted intro
• Skeletons
• Dark Magic

Get the mod HERE

This mod also has amazing custom scenes!

Multiplayer Mods

3. cRPG

"Rule number one. You will die!"

cRPG is a massive overhaul of the online experience with Mount & Blade: Warband.  It gives hundreds of item possibilities and an engenius currency system. Like any great mercenary you have to kill to earn gold, then use that gold for better weapons and gear. Be warned though, if you die you will lose your gear. Also, as you play and get kills you will level up and have persistent stat increases just like the single player game, but these stats holdover across other multiplayer battles.

Why you should use this mod:

• Persistent Stats
• Online Currency system based solely on skill
• 3 separate servers, North America, Europe, and China

How this mod makes things fun:

• As you get kills you level up and get stronger
• Great online combat simulator
• Earn money for hundreds of unique items

Get the mod HERE

cRPG has immense epic battles all with real people.

2. NordInvasion

Nord Invasion is a hugely popular multiplayer mod that allows you to take up arms with your fellow players to fend off the Nord Invasion. It has persistent stats and money just like cRPG but instead of just fighting other players you get to team up against a strong AI to stop wave after wave of invaders. This mod is great for playing with a few friends and wreaking havoc on some poor invaders.

Why you should use this mod:

• Multiplayer Player Vs. Environment (PvE) mod
• Persistent stats and currency
• In depth class and skill system

How this mod makes things fun:

• Huge tournaments to test your skills against your friends
• Auction system allows you to trade your spoils
• Craft your own gear!

Get the mod HERE

Wave after wave of invaders shall perish under your sword.

Up-and-Coming mods

1. Rise of Islam 634 A.D.

You can try to take the ancient walls of great cities like Jerusalem and Aleppo

The Rise of Islam takes place 158 years after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. You can join the Caliphate of Rashidun, Eastern Roman Empire or one of the other factions of the holy land to push your faith and rule on the land. The middle east is in turmoil and you can start as a wandering adventurer or a faction ruler in an attempt to claim the lands for your God. It’s your turn to change history forever, time will tell if it’s for better. Coming February 28

Why you should use this mod:

• Historically accurate
• Story Driven
• Tons of new units, gear, and people

How this mod makes things fun:

• Rewrite history
• Start Islamic faith or stop it before it can begin
• One of the bloodiest era’s of human history, now you get to live it

Get the mod HERE

Bonus: Sparta (ex The Peloponnesian War)

You can almost hear them yelling, “This is Sparta!!.. And Argos, and Athens, and Thebes..”

This mod brings you to the heart of the Peloponnesian War, or the war between Sparta and Athens.  It incorporates 10 factions throughout ancient Greece all vying for dominance. It will include all historically accurate gear and ships because it wouldn’t be ancient Greece without those great ramming navies. This is a mod to keep an eye out for since it hasn’t been released yet, but the creator is hopeful for some time early this year.

Check the mod out HERE

The map is also going to be huge, so don’t think you can conquer it all in an afternoon.

If you like this article check out these others:

• 10 Best Moddable Games (With Mods That Make Them Even More Fun To Play)
• Mount & Blade 2 Bannerlord Release Date, Gameplay, Trailers, Story, News
• Where to Find the Best Game Mods In 2017