Master Ledger of Middle-earth

Weapon Balancing

This archive tracks how TAOM weapon quality is tuned across cultures, from Bannerlord's underlying damage simulation to the craftsmanship modifiers that separate Noldorin masterwork from crude orc-forged iron.

Total Cultures 17

Implemented Forges 14

Planned Forges 3

Above Baseline 2

▼ Overview

TAOM includes 329 custom melee weapons across 14 cultures (with 3 more planned). Each weapon has unique blade weight, damage factors and crafting pieces. Cultural weapon modifiers adjust damage_factor values to complete the balance triangle alongside troop skills and armor protection. This analysis computes estimated damage using the full TaleWorlds physics simulation.

Weapon quality reflects each culture's craftsmanship. Noldor elves forge the finest blades (+10 points above average), while crude orc-work from Dol Guldur sits at the bottom (-3 points). Isengard's industrial forges serve as the baseline (0 points). Hero/legendary weapons are exempt from cultural modifiers.

▶ How Bannerlord Calculates Damage (fair warning: this is very math and nerdy)

Bannerlord doesn't use simple stat tables — it runs a full physics simulation for every weapon. The damage numbers you see in-game are the result of a multi-step pipeline extracted from decompiled game code (v1.3.12). Our calculations match in-game values to within 1-2 points.

Weapon Assembly

Each crafted weapon is built from 4 pieces (blade, guard, handle, pommel). The engine computes the weapon's total weight, reach, center of mass, and moment of inertia using the parallel axis theorem — just like real physics.

I_total = Σ(I_piece + m_piece × d²) where d = distance from piece center to weapon center of mass

Swing & Thrust Speed

Speed is calculated via a 3-layer muscle torque simulation. Each layer models a muscle group (shoulder, arm, wrist) applying torque against the weapon's inertia with drag.

torque = min(power / speed, max_torque) - speed × drag Iterated at 0.01s timesteps until target angle/distance is reached

Two-handed weapons get +40% arm inertia and +50% stopping torque from the second hand. Polearms (wide grip) get additional multipliers on top of that. This is why the same blade deals different damage in one-handed vs two-handed mode.

Energy Transfer (Swing)

Swing damage uses rotational kinetic energy transfer at the impact point. The engine computes KE before and after the collision:

magnitude = 0.067 × (KE_before - KE_after) KE = ½mv² + ½Iω² (translational + rotational)

The game sweeps across 5 impact points near the blade tip (0.93 to sweet spot) and takes the maximum — simulating the optimal hit zone on the blade.

Energy Transfer (Thrust)

Thrust uses linear kinetic energy with the arm's weight added to the weapon mass:

magnitude = 0.125 × ½ × (weight + 2.5) × speed² The 2.5 kg represents arm mass behind the thrust

Damage Factor

The physics magnitude is multiplied by the blade's damage factor — a float value set per crafting piece that represents the blade's cutting/piercing efficiency.

displayed damage = round(magnitude × damage_factor) This is the number you see in the inventory screen

Armor Reduction (Combat)

During combat, raw damage is reduced by armor using damage-type-specific formulas:

reduction = 50 / (50 + armor)
damage = blunt_component + sharp_component Cut: 10% blunt pass-through, 50% armor threshold · Pierce: 25% / 33% · Blunt: 60% / 20%

Cut damage is most affected by armor (only 10% passes through as blunt). Blunt damage ignores armor the most (60% pass-through). Pierce is in between.

Weapon Description Modes

Some crafting templates produce multiple weapon modes. For example, the TwoHandedSword template creates 3 descriptions: OneHandedBastardSword, TwoHandedSword, and OneHandedBastardSwordAlternative. The game checks each description in order — the first one where all blade pieces are registered becomes the primary mode shown in the inventory. This is why Anduril (a bastard sword) shows one-handed stats despite being on a two-handed template.

▶ Quick Comparison

Culture	Melee	Ranged	Avg Melee	Avg Ranged	Melee %
Gondorians	34	8	91	—	99%
Rohirrim	14	2	87	—	94%
Longbeards	36	4	78	—	85%
Noldorin	20	5	85	—	92%
Silvan	2	4	68	—	74%
Sindar	4	—	89	—	96%
Uruk-Hai	11	4	85	—	92%
Mordor Orcs	48	4	90	—	97%
Gundabad Orcs	14	—	91	—	98%
Dol Guldur Orcs	19	—	84	—	91%
Haruze	6	2	84	—	91%
Easterlings	45	3	110	—	119%
Dunlending	38	—	107	—	116%
Dalemen	15	2	75	—	81%
Umbarean	—	—	—	—	—
Arnorians	—	—	—	—	—
Variags	—	—	—	—	—

▶ Balance Concerns

▶ Culture Details

Gondorians

Free Peoples Men 42 weapons 99% melee

Gondorian weaponry reflects Numenorean craftsmanship heritage — well-forged swords with balanced damage and excellent thrust capability. At +3 points above average, the armouries of Minas Tirith produce weapons suited to disciplined infantry. Polearms and one-handed swords lead the roster, backed by a deep two-handed sword line.

Primary Weapons: Polearms (11) · One-Handed Swords (10) · Two-Handed Swords (9) · One-Handed Axes (2) · Two-Handed Axes (2)

Strengths

2H Sword Roster 9 blades Deepest great-sword line
2H Axe Damage 126 avg swing Numenorean great-axes
2H Sword Damage 105 avg swing Strong great-swords

Weaknesses

Polearm Damage 36 avg thrust Thrust-only defensive spears
1H Axe Damage 65 avg swing Limited axe options

Gondor at +3 points (103% of average). Numenorean smithcraft produces weapons above average quality but below elven mastery. Polearms are thrust-only defensive spears with lower damage output.

Rohirrim

Free Peoples Men 16 weapons 94% melee

Rohirrim weaponry is built for mounted warfare — lances, spears and cavalry swords dominate their arsenal. At baseline quality (0 points), Rohirric smithcraft is functional. Polearms receive a +3 point bonus reflecting superior lance and spear construction for cavalry charges.

Primary Weapons: One-Handed Swords (6) · Polearms (5) · Two-Handed Axes (2) · One-Handed Axe (1)

Strengths

1H Sword Damage 95 avg swing Solid cavalry swords
2H Axe Damage 150 avg swing Powerful great-axes
Polearm Bonus +3 points Superior cavalry lances

Weaknesses

Weapon Variety 17 melee Smaller roster
1H Axe Damage 44 avg swing Weak hand-axe
Polearm Swing 17/47 swing/thrust Low swing on lance-type polearms

Rohan at 0 points (99% of average). Light armor (-2 prot, 0.90x weight) is compensated by superior cavalry skills (+20 Riding). Polearms receive +3 bonus points for cavalry lance superiority. Hero swords (Theoden, Eomer, Eowyn) keep original values.

Longbeards

Free Peoples Dwarf 40 weapons 85% melee

Dwarven weapons from the forges of Erebor are masterfully crafted — heavy axes and war-hammers of exceptional quality. At +5 points above average, dwarven smithcraft ranks among the finest in Middle-earth, surpassed only by elven weaponsmiths. Heavy two-handed weapons dominate their arsenal.

Primary Weapons: Two-Handed Axes (13) · Two-Handed Maces (12) · One-Handed Axes (7) · Polearms (2) · One-Handed Swords (2)

Strengths

2H Mace Damage 92 avg swing Masterwork war-hammers
2H Axe Damage 90 avg swing Legendary dwarven axe-craft
1H Axe Damage 54 avg swing Solid 1H axes
Troop Skills +20 2H, +10 all melee Best melee skill bonuses

Weaknesses

Polearm Damage 25/27 swing/thrust Few polearm options
Weapon Speed 78 avg Slowest weapons overall

Erebor at +5 points (109% of average). Dwarven forges produce the finest non-elven weapons in Middle-earth, combined with elite melee skills (+20 2H) and heavy armor (+4 prot). Weapon speed remains the main drawback of heavy dwarven arms.

Noldorin

Free Peoples Elf 25 weapons 92% melee

Noldorin blades are the finest weapons in Middle-earth — forged by master-smiths with millennia of craft. At +10 points above average, every Noldorin sword is a masterwork of balance and edge. Combined with elite skills (+35-40) and supreme armor (+6 prot), Rivendell is the most powerful faction in the game.

Primary Weapons: One-Handed Swords (13) · Polearms (5) · Two-Handed Swords (2)

Strengths

Weapon Quality +10 points Finest weapons in Middle-earth
Troop Skills +35-40 all Highest skill bonuses in game
Thrust Capability 71 avg thrust Excellent thrust across all weapons

Weaknesses

No Axes/Maces 0 types Elves disdain crude weapons
Small Arsenal 20 melee Elite but limited variety
Polearm Swing 46 avg swing Thrust-focused polearms

Rivendell at +10 points (115% of average). Noldorin master-smiths forge the finest blades in Middle-earth. Combined with the highest skill bonuses (+35-40 all) and best armor (+6 prot, 0.70x weight), Rivendell is intentionally the strongest faction — balanced by very high unit cost and few numbers.

Silvan

Free Peoples Elf 6 weapons 74% melee

Silvan elves carry finely crafted woodland blades at +4 points above average. Their melee arsenal is small but their combat superiority comes from unmatched ranged skills (+50 Bow) and excellent melee technique (+40-45 skills). Hero weapons (Legolas, Thranduil) keep their original values.

Primary Weapons: One-Handed Swords (2)

Strengths

Troop Skills +50 Bow, +40 melee Best ranged skills in game
Weapon Speed 92 avg Fastest weapons overall
Armor +5 prot, 0.65x weight Lightest armor in game

Weaknesses

Melee Variety 2 weapons Minimal melee options
No Heavy Weapons 0 types No axes, maces or 2H

Mirkwood at +4 points (97% of average). Hero weapons (Legolas, Thranduil) keep original values. New Mirkwood weapons will receive the +4 point craftsmanship bonus. Their dominance comes from unmatched ranged skills (+50) and light armor, not melee damage.

Sindar

Free Peoples Elf 4 weapons 96% melee

Sindar blades of Lothlorien are masterworks of elven craft — at +9 points, second only to Noldorin weaponsmiths. Every current weapon is a named hero blade of exceptional quality. When regular Lothlorien weapons are added, they will inherit the +9 point craftsmanship bonus.

Primary Weapons: One-Handed Swords (4)

Strengths

Weapon Quality +9 points Second finest weaponsmiths
1H Sword Swing 89 avg swing Highest 1H sword swing in game
1H Sword Thrust 52 avg thrust Strong thrust capability

Weaknesses

Total Weapons 4 only Smallest arsenal
No Ranged 0 bows Bows not yet implemented
No Variety 1 class Swords only

Lothlorien at +9 points (103% of average). All 4 current weapons are hero-exempt (Galadriel, Aranruth variants), so the craftsmanship bonus applies to no current pieces. When regular Lothlorien weapons are added, they will receive the Sindar quality bonus.

Uruk-Hai

Forces of Darkness Uruk-Hai 15 weapons 92% melee

Uruk-hai weaponry is forged in the pits of Orthanc — industrial quality, functional and mass-produced. At 0 points (baseline), Isengard weapons are the benchmark of average quality. Two-handed axes dominate for raw damage, with pikes providing tactical versatility.

Primary Weapons: One-Handed Swords (3) · Two-Handed Axes (3) · Pikes (2) · Polearms (2) · Two-Handed Sword (1)

Strengths

2H Axe Damage 150 avg swing Devastating Uruk great-axes
2H Sword Damage 80/26 swing/thrust Heavy cleaving sword
Pike Thrust 65 avg thrust Strong pike wall capability

Weaknesses

1H Sword Damage 79/24 swing/thrust Below-average swords
Polearm Swing 38 avg swing Low swing damage on polearms
Weapon Speed 68 avg Second slowest arsenal

Isengard at 0 points (100% of average) — the baseline culture. Solid troops (+10-15 skills) with good armor (+2 prot) and average-quality weapons. Their heavy weapon speed penalty reflects the brutal Uruk-hai fighting style.

Mordor Orcs

Forces of Darkness Orc 52 weapons 97% melee

Orc weaponry from Mordor is crude and mass-produced. At -2 points below average, orc blades lack the quality of human or elven craft. Mordor relies on numbers and weight of arms to overwhelm — individually weak troops with poor weapons, but devastating in mass.

Primary Weapons: Polearms (18) · One-Handed Swords (14) · Maces (6) · Two-Handed Swords (5) · Two-Handed Maces (3) · One-Handed Axes (2)

Strengths

Weapon Count 41 melee Largest roster overall
Polearm Damage 119 avg swing Heavy orc halberds
2H Mace Damage 86 avg swing Heavy war-clubs

Weaknesses

Weapon Quality -2 points Crude orc-forged arms
Troop Skills -5 most skills Weakest troops after Dol Guldur
1H Sword Damage 60/34 swing/thrust Poor quality orc swords

Mordor at -2 points (99% of average). Crude orc weapons reflect poor craftsmanship. Hero weapons (Sauron's Mace, Witch-King, Nazgul swords) keep original values. Mordor compensates through sheer numbers and weight of arms.

Gundabad Orcs

Forces of Darkness Orc 14 weapons 98% melee

Gundabad weapons are crude mountain-orc armaments. At -1 point below average, their smithcraft is slightly inferior to baseline. Their maces are powerful blunt weapons and their polearms have both swing and thrust capability. A small but varied arsenal including javelins.

Primary Weapons: One-Handed Swords (4) · One-Handed Axes (3) · Polearms (3) · Maces (2) · Javelins (2)

Strengths

Polearm Damage 134/59 swing/thrust Strong polearm swing
Mace Damage 101 avg swing Heavy blunt weapons
Weapon Speed 91 avg Fast, aggressive weapons

Weaknesses

1H Sword Damage 60/15 swing/thrust Weak swords with poor thrust
Small Roster 14 melee Limited variety
No 2H Weapons 0 types No two-handed options

Gundabad at -1 point (100% of average). Slightly crude mountain-orc weapons combined with the worst armor in the game (-2 protection, 1.15x weight penalty). Polearms (134 avg swing) remain strong, while weak swords (60/15) keep the average in check.

Dol Guldur Orcs

Forces of Darkness Orc 19 weapons 91% melee

Dol Guldur weapons are the crudest in Middle-earth — at -3 points, the lowest quality of any faction. Forged in dark pits with little skill, these weapons rely on weight rather than edge. Dol Guldur troops are weak in all three balance axes: skills, armor, and now weapons.

Primary Weapons: Polearms (5) · Two-Handed Axes (4) · Two-Handed Maces (4) · One-Handed Swords (3) · Maces (3)

Strengths

Polearm Damage 119 avg swing Heavy halberds still hit hard
2H Axe Damage 77 avg swing Crude but heavy great-axes
Weapon Count 19 melee Decent roster variety

Weaknesses

Weapon Quality -3 points Worst craftsmanship in game
1H Sword Damage 42/25 swing/thrust Terrible orc blades
Mace Damage 42 avg swing Crude 1H maces

Dol Guldur at -3 points (96% of average). The worst weapon quality in the game combined with the weakest troop skills (+5 only) and poor armor. Dol Guldur compensates through numbers and cheap units rather than individual combat quality.

Haruze

Forces of Darkness Men 8 weapons 91% melee

Haradrim weapons are designed for desert warfare — curved swords and light spears for mounted combat. At 0 points (baseline quality), Haradrim smithcraft is competent. Light, quick weapons suited to speed rather than heavy blows.

Primary Weapons: Polearms (4) · One-Handed Swords (2)

Strengths

1H Sword Damage 86/64 swing/thrust Fine curved swords
Polearm Thrust 47 avg thrust Decent cavalry spear thrust
Weapon Speed 79 avg Quick desert weapons

Weaknesses

Melee Variety 6 weapons Smallest arsenal of any implemented culture
Polearm Swing 83 avg swing Moderate polearm swing
No Two-Handers 0 great-swords Light weapons only

Harad at 0 points (100% of average). Baseline quality weapons with the worst armor protection in the game (-3) and cavalry-focused skills. Appropriate for a culture that relies on mounted archery and numbers.

Easterlings

Forces of Darkness Men 48 weapons 119% melee

Easterling weaponry is the most numerous in the game — from lacquered Loke-rim blades to heavy war-maces. At +2 points above average, Easterling smithcraft is decent. A large roster (45 melee weapons) and the heaviest two-handed weapons in the game anchor their arsenal.

Primary Weapons: Two-Handed Swords (9) · One-Handed Swords (6) · One-Handed Axes (6) · Maces (6) · Two-Handed Axes (6) · Two-Handed Maces (6) · Polearms (6)

Strengths

2H Mace Damage 154 avg swing Devastating war-maces
2H Sword Damage 144/67 swing/thrust New Easterling great-swords
2H Axe Damage 125 avg swing Heavy great-axes

Weaknesses

2H Axe Speed 52 avg Slow great-axes
2H Mace Speed 58 avg Slow war-maces

Rhun at +2 points (101% of average). Decent Easterling smithcraft with the largest weapon roster in the game. Their two-handed weapons (125–154 avg swing) are the strongest in the game, and the new Easterling great-sword line — nine blades across the Khamûl, Dragon and Lôke-rim styles at 144 avg swing — has pushed the overall average well above the field. A balanced cavalry culture.

Dunlending

Forces of Darkness Men 38 weapons 116% melee

Dunlending weapons are rough tribal armaments. At -2 points below average, hill-folk craft lacks the refinement of civilized peoples. Spears dominate the arsenal — functional but unsophisticated. Heavy axes and great-swords provide some punch for their skirmisher troops.

Primary Weapons: Polearms (29) · One-Handed Axes (4) · Two-Handed Axes (4) · Two-Handed Sword (1)

Strengths

2H Axe Damage 123 avg swing Solid great-axes
2H Sword Damage 98/59 swing/thrust Decent great-sword
Polearm Count 29 spears Large spear roster

Weaknesses

Weapon Quality -2 points Crude tribal craft
Polearm Swing 0 avg swing 29 thrust-only spears
No Ranged 0 bows No bows or crossbows

Dunland at -2 points (97% of average). Rough tribal weapons combined with poor armor (-2 protection, 0.95x weight) and skirmisher-only troop skills. Dunlendings rely on numbers, ambush tactics, and athletic skirmishing (+20 Athletics) rather than weapon quality.

Dalemen

Free Peoples Men 17 weapons 81% melee

Dale weapons are northern mannish work sharpened by Dwarven trade. Spears carry the line and are backed by a small mix of swords and axes; the arsenal is modest in size and sits below the game average in raw damage, leaning on reach and Dale's strong archery instead.

Primary Weapons: Polearms (8) · One-Handed Swords (3) · One-Handed Axes (3) · Two-Handed Axe (1)

Dale fields 15 melee weapons and 2 bows at 82% of the average swing damage. Point-budget strengths and weaknesses are applied by the mod at runtime and are not published in the item XML.

Umbarean

Neutral Kingdom Men

Corsair weaponry is planned but not yet implemented. Cutlasses, boarding axes, throwing knives and naval weapons will form the arsenal of Umbar when the faction is completed.

Umbar weapons are planned but not yet implemented.

Arnorians

Free Peoples Men

Arnorian weaponry is planned but not yet implemented. At +2 points above average, ancient Numenorean-forged swords and spears will form the arsenal of the Northern Dunedain when the faction is completed.

Arnor weapons are planned but not yet implemented.

Variags

Neutral Kingdom Men

Variag weaponry is planned but not yet implemented. Chariot lances, curved swords and war-maces will form the arsenal of Khand when the faction is completed.

Khand weapons are planned but not yet implemented.

Tier	Weapon Types	Expected Range	Current Avg	Status
Tier 1 — Light	1H Swords, 1H Axes	50-90	62-69	OK
Tier 2 — Medium	2H Swords, Polearms	70-110	52-102	Low (polearms)
Tier 3 — Heavy	2H Axes, Maces	90-140	71-120	OK
Tier 4 — Crushing	2H Maces	100-160	118	OK
Thrust-Focused	Pikes	40-70	40/55 swing/thrust	OK

Weapon Class	Avg Swing	Avg Thrust	Cultures	Notes
One-Handed Sword	75	49	14	Second most common melee type (73 weapons)
Two-Handed Sword	113	60	7	Balanced swing/thrust (40 weapons)
One-Handed Axe	62	—	9	Swing-only, no thrust (29 weapons)
Two-Handed Axe	115	—	9	Highest swing damage class (36 weapons)
Mace	73	—	4	Blunt damage, swing-only (17 weapons)
Two-Handed Mace	108	—	4	Heaviest blunt class (25 weapons)
Polearm	101	48	13	Most common melee type (105 weapons)
Pike	46	65	1	Thrust-focused (2 weapons)
Javelin	—	41	1	Thrown weapons (2 weapons)

Weapon Balancing

▼ Overview

▶ How Bannerlord Calculates Damage (fair warning: this is very math and nerdy)

Weapon Assembly

Swing & Thrust Speed

Energy Transfer (Swing)

Energy Transfer (Thrust)

Damage Factor

Armor Reduction (Combat)

Weapon Description Modes

▶ Quick Comparison

▶ Balance Concerns

▶ Culture Details

Gondorians

Strengths

Weaknesses

Rohirrim

Strengths

Weaknesses

Longbeards

Strengths

Weaknesses

Noldorin

Strengths

Weaknesses

Silvan

Strengths

Weaknesses

Sindar

Strengths

Weaknesses

Uruk-Hai

Strengths

Weaknesses

Mordor Orcs

Strengths

Weaknesses

Gundabad Orcs

Strengths

Weaknesses

Dol Guldur Orcs

Strengths

Weaknesses

Haruze

Strengths

Weaknesses

Easterlings

Strengths

Weaknesses

Dunlending

Strengths

Weaknesses

Dalemen

Umbarean

Arnorians

Variags

▶ Weapon Class Averages

▶ Damage Distribution