Light & Darkness: Heroes of Calradia

Light & Darkness: Heroes of Calradia is a Warband Mod for Taleworlds' cRPG of 2010, Mount & Blade Warband.

Light & Darkness is not so much about building a Calradia-conquering army as it is about increasing the power of the protagonist and the adventuring party.

You will certainly create a small army (I had 50 Slaver Chiefs), but the focus is more on questing, finding powerful items and progressing the plot; there is no need to get involved with the factions beyond the plot.

Light & Darkness integrates companions, factions, Lords, Kings and outlaws into its plot. The world map is custom, the factions are recolored, and an evil faction eventually emerges: Empire Durhua, ruled by Garneev.

Custom, roaming overland mobs are bigger and respawn more often also, making power progression faster.

Your character will be much more powerful than a normal Warband one because the custom items increase your proficiencies, attributes and skills (and some skills now go up to 15, not just 10).

There are some nice cutscenes and visual effects that drive the narrative:

It's fun getting your own small army going because you can do it not only conventionally but also through plot progression. For example, as part of the plot you rescue female refugees whom you can keep in the party and progressively up-tier all the way to Sister Rangers.

Also, the plot mechanics make is easier to get a formidable Slaver Chief army going: twenty SCs can take out a roaming army of 150 mountain bandits.

There are some great battles in this mod, and the protagonist becomes very powerful, so it's more like a computer role-playing game than most Warband mods.

Stat check in dialogue:

L&D features some good music tracks; the combat sounds are also improved over Native.

The siege of Zendar is as epic as it gets -- Nord Templars and Rhodok Kingdom Guards are awesome (king-tier tanks and super-snipers).

Custom Hotkeys

Left Alt: Sprint (battle)
Y key: Whistle for your horse (battle)
F key: Sneak March (overland)
R key: Rapid March (overland)
T key: Draw Rein
N key: Mirror of Truth
Falcon Eyes (Borcha: locate outlaw party on overland map per 5 hours)
Middle Mouse Button: Energy Strike

Character Generation

See Warband Review for Warband build basics. Combat skills go up to 15 ranks, most utility skills 10 (Tracking and Spotting go up to 15).

Light & Darkness Build: Character background furnishes build foundation. As in Native, it is easy to predict the effect answers will have on your character: a Strength-based build chooses the "strong" answers.
If you make a focused martial build, you are going to rely on Marnid, Borcha and Ymira for healing and scouting skills (which means you increase Strength whereas they increase Intelligence).
Light & Darkness Companions: You only have four companions for most of the campaign. Order of warband companion acquisition: Marnid, Borcha, Ymira, Rolf, Xerina. So basically M, B and Y can cover your early-game skill requirements; Rolf and Xerina are your martials for late-game. Or if you are skilled, M, B and Y can be built for combat and some skills. Dranton and Kradus join post-siege. Note that Native companions have been modified. Marnid is your trader, Ymira your healer and Borcha your scout.
No matter what character you build, you will want to increase Inventory Management by a few ranks.
Don't take the Prison Management skill. As you progress the plot you will be able to capture over 200 prisoners at a time and then sell them off to slave traders for 50 GP each.
Party size is not easy to increase since advanced units consume extra unit-space in parties.

Notes

L&D:HoC is a Warband 1153 mod. If you run it with later versions of Warband, you may encounter scripting errors.
Tactics Points: Track, Feint, Lure (overland)
The tier of the troop isn't factored in when selling troops into slavery. It's a flat 50 gold regardless of unit quality.
There is a graphic that indicates horse health.
There are +8 steel bolts (x51) and +6 steel-head arrows (x45).
Quivers are larger: up to 56 arrows, 51 bolts.
Arms Trafficker in taverns sells firearms.
Auto loot, auto sell
Extended troop trees (like Floris mod)
There are no masterwork, lordly or champion items. Instead you find crystals as loot that can infuse arms and armor with skills (and armor for horses).
Accept surrender / Take no prisoners battle victory resolution
Evil: Fenrir, Hel of the Dark Inquisitors, Jormungand, Garneev
Bandit Leaders: Nabar the Pirate, Melva of the Forest, Oguma of the Tundra and Baheshtur of the Black Khergit Horsemen.
National Tournament: Defeat 40 foes, face off against the Lonely Swordsman, and defeat 40 more foes, then 40 more foes again, face off against LS again. Then talk to the King to enter the NT. Then you have to defeat multiple armored enemies and knights on horeseback with counched lances single-handedly and with stock-standard gear.

Custom Items

Bloody Sister Guard Sword (crafted quest item): Power Strike +2
Doctine of Knight (quest item): Charisma +5 (Guy)
Certificate of a Knight
Certificate of a Warrior (Count)
Hero Medal aka Medal of Hero (Nabar): Charisma +3, Leadership +1, Renown +20
Power Strike Crystal: Big (Nabar)
Power Draw Crystal: Big (Rolf / Dark Hunters)
Fire Spar (plot-critical item)
Star Horn (plot-critical item)
Guidance of Sky: Tactics +1, Tracking +1, highlights Dark Knight mobs on map via Falcon Eyes dialogue with Borcha; highlights enemy leader on battlefield
Ward of Earth: Surgery +1, Health Regen
Enlightenment of Fire aka Revelation of Fire: Trainer +1, Engineer +1 (given by faction King post-National Tournament)
Inspiration of Wind: Spotting +1, Pathfinfing +1
Helmet of a Champion: Leadership +1, bonus when worn with Damascus Steel Armor Suit (given as above)
Mirror of Truth (plot-critical item found in chest on island)

Units: Light & Darkness: Heroes of Calradia

L&D:HoC expands the troop trees beyond Native. See: Warband Unit List. Here is a sample:

Sister Ranger (>Sword Sister):

Slaver Chief (best unit for much of the game):

Pirate King (top-tier Sea Raider):

Nord Templar (>Huscarl):

Rhodok Kingdom Guard (>Sharpshooter):

Swadian Royal Knight (>Swadian Knight):

Chivalric Gladiator (custom god-tier infantry):

Freedom Knight (custom god-tier cavalry):

Weapons: Light & Darkness: Heroes of Calradia

These are special weapons that come with prefixes. You can only enfuse non-prefixed items with the power of crystals (e.g., you can't enfuse the Tang Sword). These weapons have already been enfused at the point of acquisition. You find most of them randomly as loot.

Tang Sword

One-handed
Weight: 1.5
Swing: 44c
Thrust: 33b
Speed Rating: 120
Weapon Reach: 105
Requires Strength 10
Bonus Against Shields
Power Strike +1, Agility +1, one-handed weapon skill +40

Persian King's Sword

Two-handed / One-handed
Weight: 4
Swing: 48c
Thrust: 32p
Speed Rating: 116
Weapon Reach: 117
Requires Strength: 18
Bonus Against Shields
Can Crush Through Blocks
Power Strike +1, Strength +1, Agility +1, one- / two-handed weapon skill +20

Narsil

Two-handed
Weight: 2.5
Swing: 50c
Thrust: 42p
Speed Rating: 110
Weapon Reach: 120
Requires Strength: 15
Power Strike +1, Strength +2, two-handed weapon skill +40

Gimli's Battle Axe

Two-handed / Polearm (no shield)
Weight: 5
Swing: 58c
Thrust: 22b
Speed Rating: 98
Weapon Reach: 120
Requires Strength: 20
Bonus Against Shields
Can Crush Through Blocks
Power Strike +2, Strength +2, two-handed weapon skill +50

Steel Spear

Polearm
Weight: 5
Swing: 30b
Thrust: 48p
Speed Rating: 103
Weapon Reach: 225
Requires Strength 18
Power Strike +1, Strength +1, Agility +1, polearm skill +40

Bloody Javelin aka Blood-thirsty Cast Spear

Thrown / Polearm
Weight: 6.5
Ranged damage: 68p
Swing: 28c
Thrust: 35p
Speed rating ranged / melee: 99 / 95
Requires Power Throw 2
Bonus Against Shields
Power Throw +2, Strength +2, throwing skill +50

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