There’s a point in every Bannerlord campaign where you realise swinging a sword isn’t nearly as profitable as making one. Smithing, once dismissed as a grindy side gig, is actually one of the game’s most powerful money-makers. With the right recipes and a bit of stamina juggling, you can turn a pile of iron into a fortune faster than any caravan or tournament could dream of.
If you’ve ever wondered which smithing recipes actually make the best profit in Bannerlord, this guide breaks it down by weapon type, materials, and sale value.
Why Smithing Is So Profitable
Bannerlord’s economy is strange. A peasant’s pitchfork might sell for 50 denars, but forge a two-handed sword with a fancy pommel and suddenly it’s worth 50,000. The game calculates weapon value based on weapon length, swing speed, damage, and tier of components. That means your profit margin doesn’t depend on material cost so much as design choice.
Once your Smithing skill hits around 100, the profit curve spikes dramatically. Add perks like Experienced Smith and Practical Refiner and you’ll start turning charcoal into cash like a medieval money printer.
Most Profitable Weapon Types
| Weapon Type | Profit Potential | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Two-Handed Swords | ★★★★★ | Highest value per weapon. Prioritise long blades and ornate guards. |
| Two-Handed Polearms | ★★★★☆ | Great value when using long shafts and decorated heads. |
| One-Handed Swords | ★★★☆☆ | Still good profit, but lower ceiling than two-handers. |
| Throwing Weapons | ★★☆☆☆ | Decent for early game levelling, poor resale. |
| Daggers | ★☆☆☆☆ | Fast to make but not worth selling. Great for XP, not for profit. |
Two-handed swords are your golden ticket. They’re heavy, flashy, and the merchants pay through the nose for them.
Top Profit Recipes
1. Two-Handed Sword (Long Blade Recipe)
- Blade: T5 Long Two-Handed Sword Blade (e.g., “Executioner” or “Rhomphaia” style)
- Guard: T4 or T5 ornate guard (adds value without affecting swing speed too much)
- Grip: T4 Long Two-Handed Grip
- Pommel: T5 Heavy Pommel
Why it Works:
Weapon length and damage heavily influence price. A long, high-tier blade combined with an elegant guard maximises both. You can easily sell these for 30,000–80,000 denars in late-game cities like Epicrotea or Marunath.
2. Two-Handed Polearm (Heavy Spearhead Recipe)
- Head: T5 Heavy Spear Head
- Shaft: Long Shaft (T4–T5)
- Pommel: Counterweight Pommel
Why it Works:
Polearms sell for slightly less than swords, but they require fewer rare parts. The long shaft massively increases value, and the design perks from the Polearm tree make them excellent for levelling too.
3. One-Handed Sword (Short Noble Blade Recipe)
- Blade: T4 Short Sword Blade
- Guard: T4 Curved Guard
- Grip: T4 Balanced Grip
- Pommel: T4 Ornate Pommel
Why it Works:
This one is all about efficiency. Costs less material, faster to forge, and still sells for 8,000–15,000 denars with the right perks. Great for grinding skill without depleting your stamina too fast.
Materials to Prioritise
| Material | Use | Profit Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Iron Ore | Smelted into Steel | Always buy cheap and refine. |
| Charcoal | Essential for refining | Use Efficient Charcoal Maker perk early. |
| Fine Steel & Thamaskene Steel | High-end crafting | Expensive to refine but essential for T5 parts. |
Always smelt loot weapons. You’ll get higher-tier materials for free, saving you from the charcoal grind that ruins most smithing runs.
Where to Sell Your Creations
Not every city pays equally. Check trade rumours and scout around for merchants with deep pockets. Typically:
- Marunath and Epicrotea: Best for high-tier weapons.
- Saneopa: Great middle-ground for volume selling.
- Baltakhand: Decent for polearms.
Pro tip: If a city’s blacksmith has too many of your swords, prices drop. Rotate your sales between nearby towns to keep the market inflated.
Stamina and Levelling Tips
- Rest in a town to restore stamina faster.
- Smelt loot weapons to earn free XP and materials.
- Use Stamina Regeneration + Smithing Stamina perks to keep the forge rolling.
- Craft daggers or throwing weapons to quickly level up early on.
Yes, the smithing grind is real, but once you start selling two-handers for more than a castle costs, you’ll understand why the best Bannerlord barons aren’t knights, they’re blacksmiths.
Seven Swords Takeaway
Smithing in Bannerlord isn’t just a side hustle. It’s the backbone of a self-made empire. Forget trading silk or chasing bandits across the stepp, making a few “Executioner” blades will fund your armies, buy your workshops, and still leave enough denars for a new warhorse.
Once you get the hang of balancing stamina, refining, and part unlocking, you’ll go from broke mercenary to forge lord in no time.
