Stronghold: Warlords – Beginner’s guide to all the warlords

One of the most important aspects of Stronghold: Warlords is mastering the warlords system. These NPC characters can be conquered by you or your opponent and give access to important skills and perks. No two warlords are exactly the same, so you need to know what you’re up against. Here, we’ve put together a short guide for you to use at a glance while you play.

It’s important to keep all of this in mind as you target different keeps, especially in the early game. If you immediately go after the dragon warlord, for instance, you’re probably going to lose. So keep our guide handy if you need some help remembering who does what.

Crane Warlord

The crane warlord is a good one to target in the early game. They aren’t too tough to take down with force but will resist your diplomatic takeover attempts. So, if you can rush over with your starting squadron, you can conquer them quickly on lower difficulties. Doing so gives you access to gold and diplomacy boosts, which will come in handy when going after other warlords. Plus, the crane gives you a housing quality perk that will help out with popularity.

Pig Warlord

This warlord is one to target when you need food, which surprises no one. On top of that, their perk gives you a small diplomacy point boost, which is definitely nice to have. They’ll put up a medium resistance to both your military and diplomatic advances, making them a good mid-game target.

Mouse Warlord

The mouse is probably the easiest warlord to capture of them all. Their perk sees your workers dropping off extra rice. You can also have the mouse send you food and resources with diplomacy points. If you have one of these next to you at the start of a game, we’d suggest conquering them right away.

Dragon Warlord

We go from the easiest to the toughest. The dragon won’t go down without a fight of fists or words, but when you do, they’ll provide ample military support. In fact, you can use them to help conquer other warlords, making them a valuable resource. Their perk increases your fear factor.

Tiger Warlord

We’re sticking with the tough to conquer, but great to have warlords. Like the dragon, the tiger is willing to lend it’s sizeable military might. Plus, they increase your infantries damage when you have them in tow. They’re a bit easier to take down than the dragon, but not by much.

Ox Warlord

The ox warlord is one you’re going to want to take over through diplomatic means. They’ll put up a fight if you come in bows blazing, but should roll over with some sweet talk. Doing so gets you access to their resource generation. On top of that, their perk makes your worker drop off extra resources each time they go to your storeroom.

Turtle Warlord

The turtle is another important one to target in the early game. They can greatly improve your castle’s defense through their perk that makes walls and towers tougher to take down. You can also use diplomacy points to build walls even quicker. Get him quickly.

Horse Warlord

Finally, the horse warlord gives you easier access to mounted troops. These speedy warriors can help turn the tide of battle. And the warlord also ups your stable’s breeding rates, so you’ll be able to make your own horses even faster. These feel a bit more build dependent, but can come in handy depending on how you’re building your army.