There is something oddly satisfying about watching green numbers fly up the side of your screen in Bannerlord. You blink, suddenly realise you have spent three hours riding in circles trying to tick up Riding by 0.2, and start questioning your life choices. Levelling in this game can feel like it was designed by someone who really wanted us to struggle, so finding the fastest methods is basically a survival tactic at this point.
Below is a clean and tested breakdown of the quickest ways to raise each major skill. I have tried to keep it grounded, but fair warning, some of these methods will make you feel slightly unhinged.
Levelling Combat Skills Fast
One Handed, Two Handed and Polearm
If you enjoy running face first into looters, congratulations, you are already on the right track. These skills level fastest when you deal damage yourself. Tournaments are also great because the XP ticks are consistent and you look dramatic in front of the crowd. Training troops is solid too since your companions can rack up hits alongside you.
Bow, Crossbow and Throwing
Ranged skills grow quicker when you deal repeated hits on clustered enemies. Forest bandits are basically walking XP bags. If you want maximum efficiency, pick a high rate of fire weapon and find a hideout. You will feel like a menace, but the skill numbers love it.
Levelling Riding and Athletics Fast
Riding
The fastest method is simple. Get on a horse and never get off it. Sprint around the map, weave through enemies, and use mounted weapons. It rises even faster when you fight while mounted. The game rewards confidence or recklessness, sometimes both.
Athletics
If you want this to climb quickly, you need to willingly walk. Everywhere. On purpose. Raiding hideouts on foot, fighting tournaments, and choosing ground combat all boost it. There is something very medieval about powerwalking your way to greatness.
Levelling Crafting Skills Fast
Smithing
Smithing XP is tied to stamina use and complexity. Smelt weapons first because it gives free materials and free XP. Then craft high difficulty blades. Javelins are the usual cheese method since they give disproportionate XP, but any long, heavy, cursed creation will do. Just remember to rest regularly. Your character gets tired faster than my phone at 2 percent battery.
Levelling Trade, Steward, Charm and Leadership Fast
Trade
Buy low, sell high sounds basic, but it works. Look for towns with huge price swings on raw goods. Smithing inputs and horses usually bounce around a lot. Caravans help too, though they make your wallet wobble before it grows.
Steward
This one levels fast if you keep your party well fed with varied food. Think of it like medieval meal prepping. Big armies, diverse supplies, and being the quartermaster all tick it up nicely.
Charm
The fastest trick is bartering influence in the kingdom screen or persuading nobles. Repeated social interactions push it up fast. I sometimes wonder if Bannerlord secretly rewards being slightly annoying.
Leadership
Keep troop morale high, win battles often, and lead armies. It rises frighteningly fast when you command large forces. The game basically assumes leadership is forged through doing mildly stressful things at scale.
Levelling Scouting, Roguery and Medicine Fast
Scouting
Put yourself as the scout, travel constantly, and spot every party and track you can. It levels passively, which feels great until you realise it is rising faster than half the active skills you are sweating over.
Roguery
Fight bandits, sell prisoners, and raid caravans if you are feeling spicy. Running a criminal empire is not essential, but it definitely speeds things up.
Medicine
Winning fights while taking a few hits improves Medicine XP. I am not telling you to let your troops get punched, but the game sort of is.
Fastest Overall Skill Levelling Strategy
If you want a general rule, you level fastest when you are actively doing the thing the skill represents. Bannerlord is honest about that, even if it feels painfully slow sometimes. Stack perks, focus points and attribute points into one skill at a time and it takes off quickly. Spread them around and everything feels tragic.
I learned this the hard way by trying to make a character who could do everything. It went badly. Pick a speciality, commit, and suddenly the numbers start behaving.
