SP - Player, NPCs & Troops Suggestion: Companion handling after 'killed' in battle

[Mikal Manfriedson]

As far as I understand, companions can be killed with death enabled - and according to Steam forum this happens quite often somewhat killing the RPG aspect of the game. I can understand, that a team of immortal T7 troops can be quite challenging to balance but we are talking single player here, aren't we? So 'cheating' the AI is fair game - it cheats us every time when nobles teleport home, magically conjure troops and have enough money to not pay attention to their fiefs.

I would like to suggest the following:

When a companion or family member (hero class) is 'killed' in battle the game should look where the final blow has landed. Instead of outright killing the charakter he/she should get a temporary debuff with a chance of permanent reduction of stats.

Imagine getting a head wound: Character is unconcious for several days (even if healing up) and not usable. There could be a chance to get 'the Mad' name attribute (permanently looses half of his intelligence and 30 levels of leadership, stewardship, medicine and engineering - hello, Valdim Breakskull!!!). Or getting 'the scarred' reducing Charm and social related skills.
Imagine a leg wound. Character only limps at 10% speed hampering overland movement, if no horse present. Chance to get 'the lame' perk halving movement.
Same for arm reducing Bow and Two-handed skills - sky is the limit there.

Medicine can prevent getting those bad perks or at least reduce recuperation time or reduce chances getting the bad ones. Better and more RPG like than outright death.
There might come the point, where you need to place the character somewhere peaceful like a governor post or banish him from clan as he gets too mangled. But I think this is better than outright removing a groomed one just because of RNG failure.

 

[Schlarkenstein]

Or simply have the option to turn off companion deaths. (Right now the only alternative is to turn of all deaths in your playthrough). Injuries are something that many mods introduced to Warband but I don't see that happening for Bannerlord.

I do think that companion armour should be recoverable (if they are in your party when they die).

I actually think that companions dying improves the RPG aspect of the game. It makes them feel more meaningful - however, I do believe their death chance is probably too high at the moment for the casual play-through. This is fine for a harder play through though. I enjoy the extra challenge. Most of Bannerlord is too easy right now.