What is the BEST character build?

[Giga Gilgamesh]

I usually pick Noble as my background, and various choices depending on what i feel like.

Is there any "best" build? If so, do tell.

[Bones]

I suppose Noble is the best.

[Giga Gilgamesh]

Originally posted by Giantwarf:

I suppose Noble is the best.

No, but what about the other options? E.g should i be a Blacksmith's Apprentice? A Squire? A page at a court?

[fishhooks]

http://mountandblade.wikia.com/wiki/Character_creation

This gives details about the impact each choice has on your final character stats. Look it over and decide which stats are most important for the best character build YOU want. Then make appropriate choices.

NOTE...I actually got this link from another poster in this forum...sorry that I don't remember who, so I could give proper kudos for it.

For the record, according to the info in this wiki, selecting a nobe background does provide an initial relations boost with all nobles in the game (or rather, prevents a penalty). But it's sort of irrelevant, as you can more than make up the difference during the course of the game.

[Giga Gilgamesh]

Originally posted by fishhooks:

http://mountandblade.wikia.com/wiki/Character_creation

This gives details about the impact each choice has on your final character stats. Look it over and decide which stats are most important for the best character build YOU want. Then make appropriate choices.

NOTE...I actually got this link from another poster in this forum...sorry that I don't remember who, so I could give proper kudos for it.

For the record, according to the info in this wiki, selecting a nobe background does provide an initial relations boost with all nobles in the game (or rather, prevents a penalty). But it's sort of irrelevant, as you can more than make up the difference during the course of the game.

I'm aware, but 1: I don't trust Wikia after a few malware scares and 2: This thread was asking if there was a single optimal build, and what it was.

[fishhooks]

Dude, what you're asking for then is for someone to tell you what THEIR favorite charracter looks like. "Optimal" is such a subjective term for this game, since the best build for a merchant character is going be a lot different from the best build for a warrior class.

For example, my first build was based on a guide I found on STEAM for a female character that would help me become queen and garner most achievements (I went with it just 'cuz I needed to start somewhere...there are a lot of changes I would have made, knowing what I know now). Anyway, she had high intelligence and agility, but rather low strength and charisma.

My next build, based on following what I gleaned from wiki, looks like this:

Male
Father was a warrior
Early life was as a Steppe child
Adult life as a Squire
Reason for adventuring is Loss of a loved one

This build results in a character with:
STR 9
AGI 8
INT 4
CHR 9

This build focuses skill points in things like IF, PS, Leadership, Riding, and a decent original load-out. Other choices resulted in my original skill points being allocated onesy-twosy in things I don't care about initially, like Tracking or Engineering.

So this guy is going to be like a Barbarian warlord at the beginning, and with each level-up, I'll gain 2 skill-points by investing in INT, so lots of room to develop. To me, for THIS game, this is the "optimum build". Some people might say it's crazy to start out with such low intelligence...that it's far from "optimal" to do that. But I like it.

See what I mean? Everyone will give you advice on what stats are the most important, but I think it comes down to what YOU want to play as. But w/e.

For the record...female noble gets the best starting horse (spirited cursour), while smithy gets the best initial sword and armor, for whatever that's worth to you.

[Sohei]

For new players I think that going for strength, agility, and combat skills will help them the most since personal combat takes a while to get used to. Putting some points in intelligence and charsima can be legitimate builds but you need to spend points wisely and accept some trade off in power in personal combat. Ironflesh, Power Strike, Shield, Athletics, and Riding are the main combat skills to focus on. The other combat skills can also be useful depending on your gear and build strategy. A few points in Leadership and inventotry management can be helpful even if you don't increase the related stat. Two points in each Pathfinding and Surgery can also help.

[fishhooks]

Yea...but I think that what Jeb is looking for is what are the actual, specific choices you need to make during the creation phase in order to get the best initial stats. But without going to the wiki, I don't know if any players here will have those answers readily available. I had the set I posted handy 'cuz I just did them.

@ Jeb...you could try going to the guides section for the game and look for specific guides that detail some character builds, based on how you plan to play...I know there are few there...that's where I found the one for my initial run.

[Giga Gilgamesh]

Originally posted by fishhooks:

Yea...but I think that what Jeb is looking for is what are the actual, specific choices you need to make during the creation phase in order to get the best initial stats. But without going to the wiki, I don't know if any players here will have those answers readily available. I had the set I posted handy 'cuz I just did them.

@ Jeb...you could try going to the guides section for the game and look for specific guides that detail some character builds, based on how you plan to play...I know there are few there...that's where I found the one for my initial run.

My playstyle: Slowly gather a large army and eventually siege a castle. My goal is the "King of Calradia" idea, so i usually go for skills such as persuasion to earn fiefs while i'm in a faction, and to eventually get lords on my side.

[fishhooks]

In that case, I might suggest you follow the set I posted...maybe going with noble birth rather than warrior father, since it gives you an initial advantage in Riding and relations with other nobles early on. (However, as I mentioned earlier, the wiki DID say that this advantage is basically meaningless in the long run, since you'll make up the difference eventually).

While putting together this build, I specifically focused on trying to concentrate skill points in combat skills. My first build (and making other choices) tends to randomly assign some initial points in skills that I don't need initially (i.e. Tracking), or won't need at all, since a companion will take that role.

So with this build, I have high combat skills right off, so I can do most of the heavy lifting, and I have high leadership, so I can recruit more troops if I want right from the start. Since you don't really need persuassion right off, you can level up and add points later on.

Again, it's all about personal preferences, but I like where this build can go. Hope that provided some help...if not, sorry but I did my best.

[Giga Gilgamesh]

Originally posted by fishhooks:

In that case, I might suggest you follow the set I posted...maybe going with noble birth rather than warrior father, since it gives you an initial advantage in relations with other nobles early on. (However, as I mentioned earlier, the wiki DID say that this advantage is basically meaningless in the long run, since you'll make up the difference eventually).

While putting together this build, I specifically focused on trying to concentrate skill points in combat skills. My first build (and making other choices) tends to randomly assign some initial points in skills that I don't need initially (i.e. Tracking), or won't need at all, since a companion will take that role.

So with this build, I have high combat skills right off, so I can do most of the heavy lifting, and I have high leadership, so I can recruit more troops if I want right from the start. Since you don't really need persuassion right off, you can level up and add points later on.

Again, it's all about personal preferences, but I like where this build can go. Hope that provided some help...if not, sorry but I did my best.

Nope! Next time i play, i'll play my first Iron Man mode run with that build! (Subbing warrior for noble, ofc.)

[MysticalPieThe2nd]

Originally posted by fishhooks:
http://mountandblade.wikia.com/wiki/Character_creation

This gives details about the impact each choice has on your final character stats. Look it over and decide which stats are most important for the best character build YOU want. Then make appropriate choices.

NOTE...I actually got this link from another poster in this forum...sorry that I don't remember who, so I could give proper kudos for it.

For the record, according to the info in this wiki, selecting a nobe background does provide an initial relations boost with all nobles in the game (or rather, prevents a penalty). But it's sort of irrelevant, as you can more than make up the difference during the course of the game.

[Bezwingerin]

Originally posted by Jeb Kerman:

I usually pick Noble as my background, and various choices depending on what i feel like.

Is there any "best" build? If so, do tell.

Yeah there is a best build.
It's the one that gives you the most Attributes points in the beginning.
The best one would be:
1)Male
2)Warrior / Thief (I would go warrior)
3)Page / Steppe child (I would go Page, as the Steppe child gives you horse archery, which I'm not gonna use)
4)Squire / Troubadour / Poacher (I would go Squire as troubadour and poacher give skills I won't need.
5)Revenge / Lost / Wanderlust (Wanderlust gives you 1 to path finding, which isn't that important as you can give it to a companion. I would go Revenge)
If you choose this build you will get:
STR 10 AGI 7 INT 4 CHA 7 which is 28 points. The more you have in the beginning the better. And you might want to avoid getting INT in the beginning as upgrading it will give you 1 more Skill point.
You can see it here: http://strategywiki.org/wiki/Mount%26Blade/Character_creation

I know you posted it in 2014

[X-the Unknown]

Because people use things like wiki's and other sites is why they can't have NINE stable companions or more. They take these sites for granted and they are NOT 100% accurate and thus you miss out on a lot of things you can do in the game.

Learn to role play and quit trying to min/max everything. Don't worry about the best build etc. etc. It's how I found the best build and NINE stable companions by playing MYiii way and not some other idiots way. :))

[Neon]

generally the best options are at the top of the list. so pick all of that and you have a good chance

[ohener]

I usually pick whatever sounds good then once the game starts I use the export character button to edit my character's stats how I want them. It's great for giving yourself extra party skills if you don't want to play with tons of companions.