Caravans are a great way for a bannerlord to make passive income. Sure, there’s a hefty upfront cost, but with the right companion in the lead you’ll make the money back in no time.

In Bannerlord, unlike previous Mount & Blade games, there are no set companions. Instead, they’re generated with a random name attached to a random title. The title tells us the stats, so those are what we’re looking at here.

These are the top ten titles to look for when you want a strong caravan leader. The names don’t mean much. Well, until they’ve made you hundreds of thousands of denars. Then you’ll want to remember them.

10. Deadeye (OK)

If you're not sure about your caravans, look at the party window for more detail. You can always disband if the leader is terrible!

The main attribute for caravan leaders is the Trade skill, as that will determine how quickly they can profit from trade. Unfortunately, all of the companions with trade bonuses fail at two other important skills—Tactics and Leadership.

These first four have no Trade bonus. But Leadership and Tactics will determine how big of an army they can lead and how well their followers will perform in combat. They don’t make the most money, but their groups are likely to survive hostile environments.

Deadeye might have no Trade score and not the highest Tactics or Leadership, but if you’re desperate, they’re a reasonable option. They might be the only one you find, given how random companions can be.

What Deadeye Excels In…

• Enough Leadership to handle a decent crew
• At least some Tactics so they don’t all die in their first battle
• Good One-Handed and Crossbow so they can participate in fights

Deadeye details:

• One-Handed: 180
• Crossbow: 180
• Tactics: 40
• Leadership: 60
• Level: 16.3
• Traits: Devious, Calculating

9. The Falcon (Good)

Those look like some juicy apples. Willing to trade?

This is first of three relatively equal options with maximum Tactics and Leadership skills. The Falcon is dead equal to The Wanderer (Aserai) in all of the important stats, but their Generous trait and absence of Calculating may lose them the edge.

No one has really figured out how the traits in Bannerlord directly affect gameplay, and it’s likely to change as updates continue. But think about it—would you rather your caravan leader be generous or calculating?

Oh, and they’re slightly lower level, too, which may affect their maximum party size, among other traits

What The Falcon Excels In…

• Maximum Leadership score means maximum party size
• Excellent combat leader with maximum Tactics score
• Good combat skills to help in battle

The Falcon details:

• One-Handed: 120
• Polearm: 130
• Throwing: 110
• Riding: 130
• Tactics: 100
• Leadership: 100
• Level: 16.7
• Traits: Daring, Generous

8. The Wanderer (Aserai) (Good)

Calradia sure has a lot of land for wandering.

As we already said, this companion is roughly equivalent to The Falcon. It’s a slightly better choice with a higher level and the addition of the Calculating trait.

Note that The Wanderer appears in various cultures. The one you want is specifically the Aserai version.

What The Wanderer (Aserai) Excels In…

• Maximum Leadership score means maximum party size
• Excellent combat leader with maximum Tactics score
• Good combat skills to help in battle

The Wanderer (Aserai) details:

• One-Handed: 120
• Polearm: 130
• Throwing: 110
• Riding: 130
• Tactics: 100
• Leadership: 100
• Level: 17
• Traits: Daring, Calculating

7. The Golden (Good)

You can't get far in Calradia without someone wanting you dead.

Gold medals are usually given for first place, and this title makes for a first-place companion. Their skills are overall excellent, with a high level and few weak points.

One of those weak points, though, is Trade. They’ve got absolutely zero. Nil. Nada.

So, while they’re a great companion to have for your conquest of Calradia, there are better caravan leader options. Besides, once you’ve got the Golden by your side, you won’t want to send them off on a sidequest.

What The Golden Excels In…

• Maximum Leadership score means maximum party size
• Excellent combat leader with maximum Tactics score
• Powerful enough to hold their own in combat even with a weak party

The Golden details:

• One-Handed: 180
• Polearm: 190
• Throwing: 150
• Riding: 170
• Tactics: 100
• Leadership:100 
• Level: 19.6
• Traits: Closefisted, Impulsive

6. Bitterdraught (Good)

All the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't save a caravan with a weak leader.

Although the Bitterdraught can’t do much to stand up in combat, they’ll give you a nice financial bonus with a Trade score of 40. And isn’t that the point of hiring a caravan?

Besides, they’re no good at anything else, so your best bet is to ship them off as soon as possible. They’ll do more on a sidequest than they will taking up a valuable party slot.

What Bitterdraught Excels In…

• Unlike the previous units, they have points in Trade for bonus income out of the gate
• They can still fight a bit with non-zero combat scores
• Closefisted sounds like a good trait for someone you trust with your money

Bitterdraught details:

• One-Handed: 70
• Throwing: 70
• Athletics: 70
• Trade: 40
• Level: 11.7
• Traits: Merciful, Closefisted

5. Barrelchest (Good)

They may look shady, but these guys can get your caravan started... for the right price.

With even better Trade than the Bitterdraught, the Barrelchest wil4l get you a nice return from leading a caravan. They’re also significantly more talented in combat and much higher level.

The Generous trait is a big question mark. Just hope they’re not Generous with your investment.

What Barrelchest Excels In…

• Decent combat skills so they can hold their own in a fight
• Good Trade score for good money
• Honesty might be a good trait for leadership or charming other party leaders

Barrelchest details:

• One-Handed: 90
• Two-Handed: 140
• Polearm: 110
• Athletics: 70
• Trade: 60
• Level: 14.6
• Traits: Honest, Generous

4. Cowthief (Good)

In the brutal medieval world of Calradia, sometimes a thief can be your best ally.

Now there’s a funny name for a caravan leader. But their Trade score is enough to overlook it. Daring and Cruel may seem like dangerous traits for a caravan leader, but the risk may be worth it.

And on top of that, the Cowthief has a solid Riding score. That means they can get a decent horse to speed the caravan along.

What Cowthief Excels In…

• High Riding score means they can lead the charge on horseback
• Good Trade score for better money back in caravans
• Daring may cause trouble, but on the other hand, some risks are worth it

Cowthief details:

• One-Handed: 90 
• Polearm: 100
• Throwing: 90
• Riding: 110
• Trade: 60
• Level: 13.9
• Traits: Daring, Generous, Cruel

3. The Exile (Great)

Well that caravan didn't get far. They needed a faster leader!

Here come the beefy trade scores! The Exile may be Cruel, but they certainly know how to make coin. Their stats are overall a step down from Cowthief and Barrelchest, but a hefty Trade score makes up for it.

Not to mention, if you send them off on a caravan, they’ll level up their Trade score. Before you know it, they’ll hit the max!

What The Exile Excels In…

• Second best Trade score available among companions
• Okay combat skills to get out of a bind
• Since they’re lower level, you can hire them for cheaper

The Exile details:

• One-Handed: 90
• Crossbow: 120
• Trade: 80
• Level: 13.1
• Traits: Honest, Cruel

2. The Swift (Great)

Traveling swiftly on horseback is a good way to make lots of denars.

The second-best caravan leader beats The Exile only in non-Trade skills. You’ll pay a bit more, but they offer a solid Athletics score on top of excellent Trade. At this point, though, you might as well go one step further for the number one caravan leader.

What The Swift Excels In…

• Second best Trade score available among companions
• Decent combat skills overall
• Daring might be a useful trait for finding the best trades

The Swift details:

• Two-Handed: 90
• Bow: 135
• Athletics: 70 
• Trade: 80
• Level: 14.8
• Traits: Daring, Generous, Merciful

1. The Spicevendor (Best)

Lots of wood in those forest, but spice? Not so much.

Here it is—the number one companion for leading a caravan!

Spice is a wonderful, valuable commodity that can turn a serious profit. That’s where this companion got their name. They have a maximum Trade score right out the gate, so they’ll get you the best bang for your buck.

Maybe they’ll trade spice, maybe they’ll trade something else. Either way, they’re the best money-maker you can find in Calradia—if you’re lucky enough to find them.

What The Spicevendor Excels In…

• Maximum Trade score, and that’s what this list is all about!
• Merciful trait could mean fewer potential enemies
• When all else fails, they’re good with a crossbow

The Spicevendor details:

• One-Handed: 120
• Crossbow: 140
• Trade: 100
• Level: 14.9
• Traits: Honest, Merciful

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