When you start a new campaign in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, the first decision you make is selecting your character's culture. This choice is permanent. It provides two positive passive traits and one negative trait. Crucially, your culture dictates governor loyalty: towns and castles that match your character's culture receive a massive boost in loyalty, making them much easier to stabilize and less likely to rebel.
Starting Faction Perks Database
Below are the exact starting culture statistics for Bannerlord v1.2:
| Starting Culture | Positive Passive Perks | Negative Passive Perk |
|---|---|---|
| Empire | -20% garrison wages; +25% influence from joining armies. |
Village hearth growth is 20% slower. |
| Vlandia | +5% renown from battles; +15% income as a mercenary; +10% production in castle-bound villages. |
Recruiting lords to armies costs 20% more influence. |
| Battania | -50% speed penalty and +15% sight in forests; +1 militia production in owned towns. |
-10% slower town project construction. |
| Sturgia | +10% grain production in villages; -50% influence cost to organize armies. |
+20% relationship penalty from kingdom decisions. |
| Khuzait | -10% cost to recruit/upgrade mounted units; +25% animal production (horses, mules, cows, sheep). |
-20% tax income from town fiefs. |
| Aserai | -30% caravan cost; -10% trade penalty; No speed penalty on desert sands. |
+5% troop wages in your party. |
Cultural Tiers and Recommendations
"Your culture does not restrict you from recruiting other factions' troops. A Battanian character can recruit Vlandian Knights and Imperial Legionaries without penalty."
— TaleWorlds Dev Blog
Tier S: Empire & Battania
Empire is the most user-friendly choice. Because Imperial towns make up the largest section of Calradia, having Imperial culture makes governing captured Imperial fiefs very easy, avoiding massive loyalty revolts. The garrison wage discount saves thousands of denars in the mid-game.
Battania is a strategic powerhouse. Moving 50% faster in forests allows your warband to easily escape larger armies, hunt down fast bandits, and catch fleeing enemy lords.
Tier A: Vlandia & Aserai
Vlandia is excellent for starting mercenary campaigns, letting you secure heavy pouches of gold early. Aserai is the merchant's choice, making caravan trades incredibly profitable and fast through the southern desert passes.
Tier B: Khuzait & Sturgia
Khuzait is highly specialized for cavalry commanders, although the -20% tax penalty is a heavy blow in the late-game. Sturgia is best suited for roleplayers who want to lead northern warbands with cheaper army coordination costs.