Prisoners & Ransom

Capturing and ransoming prisoners is a vital source of income in Mount & Blade: Warband, especially in the early to mid-game. It also provides an opportunity to recruit new soldiers into your army. Mastering the art of prisoner management can significantly boost your financial stability and troop strength.

Capturing Prisoners

After a successful battle, you'll be presented with a post-battle screen detailing your spoils. Among the options for defeated enemies, you'll find the choice to take them as prisoners. Not all defeated enemies can be captured; some will simply flee or be killed. The success rate of capturing enemies is influenced by your party's Prisoner Management skill.

Regular Troops: Most common bandits (e.g., Forest Bandits, Sea Raiders, Mountain Bandits, Steppe Bandits, Desert Bandits) and enemy soldiers can be taken prisoner. Higher-tier troops are generally more valuable for ransom.
Lords: Capturing enemy lords is a significant event. They will remain in your party until they either escape, are ransomed by their faction, or you choose to release them. Holding a lord can severely impact their faction's strength and morale.

Prisoner Management Skill

The Prisoner Management skill, found under the Intelligence attribute, directly affects the number of prisoners you can hold and the likelihood of successfully capturing them. Each point in this skill increases your prisoner capacity by 5. Investing in this skill early can be very beneficial for a prisoner-focused playstyle.

Skill Allocation: Consider assigning a companion with high Intelligence to specialize in Prisoner Management if you don't want to invest your own skill points. Companions like Borcha or Jeremus can be good candidates for this role.
Benefits: A higher skill means more prisoners, leading to more potential ransom money and recruits. It also reduces the chance of prisoners escaping your party.

Ransoming Prisoners

Once you have prisoners, you have several options for what to do with them. The most common and profitable method is ransoming them.

Ransom Brokers

The primary way to ransom prisoners is through Ransom Brokers. These individuals can be found in taverns within towns. To find a Ransom Broker:

Enter any major town.
Select the option to "Go to the tavern."
Look for an NPC named "Ransom Broker." They usually have a distinctive appearance.
Initiate a conversation and select the option to "Sell your prisoners."

The Ransom Broker will offer a price for all your current prisoners. The price varies based on the type and tier of the prisoner. Lords, for instance, fetch a much higher price than common bandits.

Selling to Guild Masters

While less common for general prisoners, some quests from Guild Masters in towns might involve delivering specific types of prisoners. This is usually for a set reward rather than a fluctuating ransom price.

Recruiting Prisoners

Not all prisoners are destined for the ransom market. You can attempt to recruit some prisoners into your own army. This is particularly useful for building up your forces with experienced troops without the need for extensive training.

Conditions: You can only recruit prisoners who are not lords. The likelihood of a prisoner agreeing to join you depends on their morale, your renown, and your party's overall strength.
Time: Recruiting prisoners takes time. They will remain in your party as "Prisoners" for a few in-game days before they are willing to join your ranks. You'll receive a notification when they are ready.
Morale Impact: Successfully recruiting prisoners can slightly boost your party's morale, while failing to do so has no negative impact.

Managing Captured Lords

Capturing enemy lords presents a unique set of strategic choices:

Holding for Ransom: You can hold a lord indefinitely. Their faction may send an emissary to offer a ransom for their release. The longer you hold them, the more desperate their faction might become, potentially increasing the ransom offer. However, holding lords also carries the risk of them escaping.
Releasing: You can choose to release a captured lord. This act of chivalry will significantly increase your Honor and improve your relationship with that lord and their faction. This can be beneficial for future diplomacy or if you plan to recruit them later.
Imprisoning in a Castle/Town: If you own a castle or town, you can choose to imprison a lord there. This reduces the chance of them escaping compared to holding them in your party. However, it also means you won't receive a direct ransom offer from their faction, as they are now under the care of your garrison. They might still be ransomed by their faction through other means, but you won't directly profit.

Tips for Maximizing Profit

Target Sea Raiders: Sea Raiders are excellent targets for prisoner-taking. They are relatively easy to defeat in large numbers, and their troops (Sea Raider Chiefs, Sea Raider Veterans) fetch decent ransom prices. They also have a high chance of being captured.
Invest in Prisoner Management: As mentioned, this skill is crucial. A high skill allows you to carry more valuable prisoners and reduces escapes.
Regular Ransom Runs: Don't let prisoners accumulate too long. Make regular trips to towns to sell them to Ransom Brokers. This keeps your party capacity open for new captures and ensures a steady income stream.
Consider Recruiting: While ransoming provides immediate cash, recruiting high-tier enemy troops can save you time and money on training your own soldiers. Weigh the immediate profit against the long-term benefit of a stronger army.