TaleWorlds Entertainment recently released the v1.5.0 Beta test patch for Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord on PC, while simultaneously updating the "Sails of War" naval expansion to version v1.3.0. This patch is massive in scale, with its core highlight being the introduction of the "Blood Feud" system—executing members of enemy clans is no longer a minor matter, but will incur long-term retaliation from the entire clan.
Please note that this Beta branch must be manually enabled by selecting the "Beta v1.5.0" option in the Steam game properties under the Betas tab. Save files may not be compatible, and console updates will follow later.
The new system's mechanics are quite brutal: once you execute a member of another clan, their relatives will begin hunting down your kin. AI factions can also actively initiate blood feuds—when relations with a clan drop to -50 or lower, that clan's lords will begin executing your relatives, with the actual decision depending on the captor's "Merciful" trait.
From this moment on, the situation will take a sharp turn for the worse:
· When your family members capture prisoners from hostile clans, they will randomly decide whether to execute them (50/50 probability);
· However, if an AI faction captures the player themselves, execution is guaranteed, with no room for negotiation;
· The probability of your relatives being executed increases daily, reaching 100% by the tenth day;
· If the prisoner has already been transported to a settlement, execution will only be delayed by eight days and cannot be avoided;
· During a Blood Feud, ransoms, defections, faction invitations, and safe passage agreements between hostile clans are completely prohibited.
Currently, there are two ways to resolve it:
· Mediate through a ransom broker:If the number of executions you've carried out is not greater than your opponent's, or if it's equal, you can reconcile by paying a small fee; if you have executed more people, you will need to pay additional compensation. After reconciliation, the relationship between both parties is locked at -50.
· Wait for relations to naturally recover: The Blood Feud status will be automatically lifted once the relationship value between both parties rises back to 0.
The second major update in the patch significantly expands campaign start settings, offering far greater freedom than previously imagined:
Six campaign scenarios:Including the classic "Calradia," the "Unified Empire" after the civil war ends, "Invasion" where one faction expands aggressively, "Last Stand" for factions on the brink of extinction, "War of Two Powers" featuring a duel between two major forces, and the "Nordic Invasion" exclusive to Sails of War players.
Nine starting identities:Standard start, King, Vassal, Mercenary, Merchant, Outlaw, Destitute Beggar, plus the expansion's new Fleet Commander and Adventurous Merchant. Some roles require meeting specific conditions first (such as being promoted to a certain title or establishing your first caravan) to unlock; existing saves that already meet these conditions will also count towards unlocking them.
Additionally, players can freely combine various world modifiers:Larger bandit groups, higher rebellion chances, significant recruitment shortages, faster movement speeds, and personal ships exclusive to Sails of War. All settings can be shared with friends via a "seed" code to generate identical worlds. Note: Settings are configured only at the start of Sandbox mode and cannot be changed afterward. Quick Start mode has also been integrated directly into the game from the launcher, benefiting console versions.
Character traits, which have long been largely ineffective, now finally have tangible impacts. Each trait typically comes with two positive effects and one negative effect:
Ruthless:Loot gains increase by 20%-40%, rebellion chances decrease, but the probability of capturing enemy troops is halved.
Merciful:Increases the chance of capturing prisoners and accelerates village prosperity growth, but significantly reduces ransom income from lords and soldiers.
Calculating:Workshop income and siege engine construction speed increase, but initial relations with dignitaries (notables) worsen.
Post-battle traces now remain on the map: After land and sea battles conclude, battle sites and shipwrecks will appear on the map in three scales (from small skirmishes to large battles), named after the nearest settlement. Players can search these locations to discover recruitable wounded soldiers, denars, supplies, and even maps marking hideouts. Search speed depends on the "Cunning" skill and party size, while the number of rescued wounded is affected by "Medicine." Raiders and pirates will also be attracted to these sites, competing with players for loot.
Naval Combat:Neutral and friendly towns now feature docking capabilities, allowing ships to be stored indefinitely; ferry services have been established between coastal villages, enabling parties of fewer than 50 people to travel without a ship by paying a toll; coastal castles now include ports, introducing naval blockade mechanics. This update also adds 39 random naval events, minor pirate factions in the early game, and an interaction feature to cut boarding ropes during combat. Both land and sea movement speeds have been increased by 15%.
The command system for family troops has been simplified to direct toggles:Whether to allow village raiding, send troops to garrisons, join other armies, and maintain fleets. The developers admitted that previous vague commands like Attack/Balance were unpredictable and nearly ineffective, so they decided to replace them entirely.
The development team also promised that the official release update will add formation target setting functionality to the multiplayer "Captain Mode" and improve the spectator mode experience.