How To Level Up Workshops In Bannerlord

Alright, settle in folks, grab your mead (or coffee, I'm not judging), because we're about to dive into the murky, sometimes hilarious, and occasionally profitable world of Bannerlord workshops. Forget swinging a sword for a minute, we're talking about building an empire, one suspiciously over-priced pottery at a time.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Workshops? Sounds boring!" And you're not entirely wrong. They can be about as exciting as watching paint dry. But hey, paint dries into a beautiful mural eventually, right? In our case, that mural is a steady stream of denars flowing into your coffers, allowing you to buy more swords, recruit more troops, and generally make life miserable for the other lords. Isn’t that what we all want?

So, how do we go from pottery that's worth less than a rusty helmet to a workshop empire that rivals the Khuzait horse trade? Buckle up, because it's a bumpy ride.

Choosing Your Workshop Location: Geography is Your Friend (and Your Accountant's Nightmare)

First things first: location, location, location! It's not just a real estate cliché; it's the lifeblood of your workshop. Imagine trying to sell fish in the middle of the desert. That's essentially what you're doing if you set up a brewery in a town that only produces wool.

Rule #1: Follow the Raw Materials, Not the Pretty Lights

Think of yourself as a medieval supply chain manager, but instead of spreadsheets, you're relying on questionable rumors and the town's slightly-too-enthusiastic barkeep. You need to find towns that produce the raw materials your workshop needs. Here's a handy (and by "handy," I mean "potentially inaccurate but good enough") list:

• Brewery: Look for towns that produce grain. Bonus points if they also have a bustling tavern scene. You know, for… research.
• Pottery: Clay, obviously. Seriously, if you mess this one up, maybe workshops aren't for you. Perhaps try becoming a jester?
• Wool Weavery: Wool, duh. Sheep are your friends. Pet them. They won't tell you the town's dark secrets, but they're fluffy.
• Linen Weavery: Flax. Imagine wearing scratchy, itchy clothes made of linen. Now imagine making other people wear them and profiting off it!
• Smithy: Iron ore. Important note: smithies can be very profitable if there are no other smithies already in the town, or in nearby towns. Competition is a killer.
• Wood Workshop: Hardwood. Usually located in or near forested areas. Great for making bows, shields, and suspiciously creaky siege engines.
• Tannery: Hides. You'll want to find towns that are close to areas with lots of animals, or that import hides regularly.
• Velvet Weavery: Silk. Only a few towns produce silk, so keep an eye out!

Pro Tip: Check the prosperity of the town. A town that's constantly being raided by looters isn't going to be a booming economic center. Unless you're selling bandages, I guess.

Even Pro-er Tip: Check what workshops are already running in the town. Having two smithies in the same town usually just leads to a price war where everyone loses, including you. Think of it like two eagles fighting over the same slightly-rotten rabbit. No one wins.

Workshop Optimization: From Mediocre to Magnificent (Maybe)

Okay, so you've picked your location, you've bought your workshop (for a suspiciously low price, probably because the previous owner skipped town with all the profits), and now it's time to optimize! This is where things get… interesting.

The "Changeover" Hustle: More Than Just a New Coat of Paint

One of the easiest and most effective ways to boost your workshop's profitability is to change its production. Yep, you heard right. That pottery workshop that's barely making you enough to buy a loaf of bread? Turn it into a brewery! (Assuming the town produces grain, of course. See above.)

Why does this work? Supply and demand, baby! If there's already a glut of pottery on the market, your workshop is going to struggle. But if the town is desperately craving ale, you could be rolling in dough (pun intended!).

Important Note: Changing production costs money. It's not a huge amount, but it's enough to make you think twice before turning your smithy into a wool weavery on a whim. Do some market research! Ask around! Bribe a merchant for information! (Okay, maybe don't bribe anyone. But seriously, get some info.)

Protecting Your Investment: Hire Some Thugs (and Maybe a Few Soldiers)

Looters. Bandits. War. These are all things that can seriously mess with your workshop's bottom line. Imagine a bunch of sweaty, axe-wielding raiders waltzing into your pottery workshop and smashing all your carefully crafted vases. Not good for business.

So, what can you do? Here are a few (potentially ineffective) strategies:

• Patrol the area: Hang around the town with a decent-sized warband and keep those pesky looters at bay. This is time-consuming, but it's also a good way to level up your troops and earn some renown. Think of it as "community service with a side of skull-crushing."
• Support the local garrison: A strong garrison in the town means less chance of it being raided. Contribute troops or denars to the garrison to help them defend the place.
• Pray to the gods of commerce: Hey, it couldn't hurt. Maybe throw in a sacrifice of a few denars to your local priest. Just kidding! (Unless…?)

Seriously Though: Keeping the peace around your workshop is crucial for its success. If the town is constantly under siege, your profits will plummet faster than a rock thrown from a castle wall.

The Dark Side of Workshops: Exploits, Bugs, and Economic Implosions

Alright, let's talk about the elephant in the room: Bannerlord's economy is… well, it's a work in progress. There have been (and probably still are) various exploits and bugs that can make workshops either ridiculously profitable or completely worthless. You may find your workshop is suddenly making 2000 denars a day, or that it only makes 10. Don't get attached to either one, as patches can quickly change things.

Here's a disclaimer: I'm not advocating for exploiting the game. But I'm also not going to pretend that these things don't exist. So, if you stumble upon a way to make your brewery produce infinite ale, well… use that knowledge responsibly. (Or don't. I'm not your mom.)

Moral of the Story: The economy in Bannerlord is dynamic and unpredictable. Be prepared to adapt, experiment, and occasionally rage-quit when your entire workshop empire collapses because of a rogue variable in the game's code. It’s all part of the fun (sort of).

Final Thoughts: Are Workshops Worth It?

So, are workshops worth the time and effort? The answer, as with most things in Bannerlord, is: it depends. They can be a great source of passive income, allowing you to focus on more exciting things like conquering castles and wooing noble ladies (or lords, I'm not judging). But they can also be a frustrating and unreliable source of income, especially if you're not careful.

Ultimately, the decision is up to you. But remember, even if your workshop empire crumbles into dust, at least you can say you tried. And maybe, just maybe, you'll have learned a thing or two about economics, supply chains, and the importance of keeping those pesky looters away from your pottery.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to buy a brewery. Wish me luck!