The master mod, created by Saxondragon and his team, for the games Mount & Blade and Warband.
For those of you who already know about M&B, let me fill in the amazing content this mod gives you:
5 new factions, who resemble the factions from the vanilla but have been heavily balanced out.
Whereas the sixth, Sarranids, has been mixed with another faction.
There is a sixth, Pendor, which is the players own choice whether he/she chooses that faction when she/he takes the king/queenship route.
New troop trees, many of these troops are absolutly vicious, like Gladiators from Fierdsvain who wields a huge twohanded battleaxe. Or Scorpion Assassins from the D'shar Principalities who are deadly one-handed or twohanded swordsman. These are just a few of my high-tier favourites.
There are many neutral faction's troops I also adore, like; Heretic Magnus, Cobra Warriors and Maiden Nobles.
Background Story, how the mod dev. found the time to flesh out not only the history of the game, but also individual stories for all heroes, claimants, neutral factions and the knighthood orders is just astonishing!
Just pick any person in a tavern and ask him for rumours and you will be filled with blood-filled stories or dramatic tales of heroes and their armies.
New Heroes. Some are plain "meh", while others are "DAUYM!". Pick anyone with a "Sir" and you have a powerful knight in your disposal!
If you pick the kingship/queenship routes and promote one of your companions to lords/ladies, they may have a army of their own troops, regardless of which factions they belong to. Boadice, for instance, comes with an army of Veccavia troops. A female-dominant army. Alyssa comes with her loyal Snake Cult followers.... those Heroes are just a few I know of.
The Music. He added new and soothing music? When will this guy stop amazing us?
On top of that, he added some cool themes for some evil troops aswell, like Heretics, Snake Cults and the Noldor.
The Noldor, an elvish and neutral faction. They have an infuriating army of archers which wont stop until your troops look like pin cushions.
They hate the human race, but alas their numbers are small and their magic dwindling, they dont have the strenght to be counted as a kingdom. They hide somewhere in a invicible castle. But if you manage to befriend them you might get access to some cool gear. Maybe even their troops!
Events. This could be a army of Heretics with demonic troops spawning or Gods warning you or blessing you with some fantastic shit!
Death and miserable dishonour by fleeing can happen to you, depending little or a lot on your choice of action...
New troop AI, or VI (virtual intelligence) aka "Vicky". This adorable thing puts your troops in tactical positions and battle formations without your intervention in the beginning of a battle!
Battle formation will only occur if your facing a kingdom faction, though. Not bandits or riff-raff.
Secrets. The mod has many, if you talk to a slaver and ask for rumours, he might point out a treasure in a town. Or some secret hideout with loot.
There is a rare item called "Qualis Gems" which you can use for valuable options. A few being a potion elixir that will strenghten you. Or founding a unique knighthood order.
and finally the best:
Knighthood orders. Every faction has been heavily balanced, but to avoid the vanilla games "Khergits owning all 'cuz they has only mounted troops", the mod dev has reduce all factions to foot soldiers with only a few top tier mounted troops.
The knights can only be hired if you meet the standards.
1. you need honour, be a good boy/girl!
2. you need to be a lord of a castle or town.
3. the nobles will start gathering to your standar. Build churches and shrines in your fiefs and/or gather honour and be patient.
4. build a training ground in your castle/town
5. hire noble recruits for 500 denars each
6. train the troops and upgrade them twice
7. return to your training ground and upgrade those troops to Knights with your honour points
BUT! yes there is an annoying but...
You can't upgrade a knight from a faction that is not yours, unless you own that particular factions town.
For example: if you have a sarleon noble recruit but your a lord to Fierdsvain, capture and own the Sarleon town to be able to upgrade that troop to Sarleons top knight: Order of the Lion
Confused? don't worry, it is quite easy once you start playing the game...
Now you are all thinking: but Munaus, this shit is complicated! Y shud I go thru all of this to get sum shitty knights who might die after a few lucky arrow shots!11!
Well, lets dismiss those shitty lucky shots by those pesky archers and see the big picture:
The knights have the highest hit points
They have, not all but most of them, the best and most unique armour set
They have the best weapons, and a few of them might even be archers
Those who are mounted knights are mostly heavy cavalry shock troops, and have the fastest or heaviest armoured horses
Those who are infantry knights are heavy armoured and fast.
They have the best weapon proficiencies, which means they are quick with their weapons and aim well with crossbows or bows.
And you can upgrade the entire order (for a sum of denars) to increase their strenght and agility and weapon proficiency!
That shit makes it all worth it!
Heck, you can Join an order and receive their respect and unique armour set!
This depends if they like you and if you can beat them in the arena.
If you still think "meh, I cud probably fight those knights singlehandedly" then go ahead, make your day!
The first thing I met when I traveled the continent of old Pendor was a group of Knights of Dawn, they were 10 and my poorly-trained troop was 50. I thought I would squash them easily!
2 mins later I fled cowardly, my troops decimated and the Knights of Dawn laughing.
Now you are thinking "the game is too hardcore! I dont have enough cash to hire and train troops!"
Luckily the mod dev foresaw this and increased the arena fights winning price. If you beat the arena you will get the sum of 2000 denars!
Phew, I have spent hours on this, so forgive me if there are specks of sweat, tears and blood here an' there.
This mod is amazing, the fact that the mod dev doesn't even have a donate button on his thread in Taleworlds forum is shameful!
Go to that thread and give him your wholehearted thanks and appreciation!
Give him all your thanks and love and support, for the next Prophecy of Pendor mod is coming on a new continent and with more content...
http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,126952.0.html