Well met!
There is a possibility you have noticed the colourful banners decorating the halls of the upcoming Royal Court expansion and wondered just how they work. If so, you are in luck!
► Read our Dev Diary #86 - Under the Banner
💡 Enjoy the FAQ Royal Court and read all there is to learn about our upcoming Expansion
As I’m sure you’ve heard if you follow these diaries, equippable Artifacts are returning to the franchise in a big way, and banners are one of the types of Court Artifact which can adorn your hall.
Banners
There are currently three types of commissionable banner: Dynasty and House banners depict the respective arms of your family, while Realm banners display the arms of a specific title (generally the primary title of the commissioner). These banners are a cut above the standard colors carried by your armies and heralds; heirlooms in their own right.
You may wonder what happens if the design of a crest changes during gameplay, such as after the Norman conquest, or when using the new Coat of Arms designer to make ground-breaking contributions to the field of heraldry.
Never fear, you will not need to commission new banners every time you nudge a fleur-de-lis; the Artifact’s designs are tied to their corresponding dynasty, house, or title, and will automatically reflect the results of your questionable artistic skills.
All Courts begin the game with a House banner, and also with a Dynasty banner if the ruler is a Dynasty Head. Additional banners may be commissioned at any time if you employ an Antiquarian. You will also be presented with these banners upon gaining a Court for the first time if relevant, reflecting your new status as a King or Emperor.
You can also see above that you must be a member of the respective family or cadet branch to gain the full benefits of a Dynasty or House banner. While you may gloat by displaying the banners of other families — acquired through war or subterfuge — doing so will only improve your Court’s grandeur.
The three banner types grant different bonuses when equipped, with greater benefits from better quality Artifacts. While House and Realm banners use the same logic as other Artifacts to determine their quality (based on the skill of the weaver and other factors), Dynasty banners are their own breed.
Dynasty Banners
Each Dynasty will generally only have one banner in the world at any given time. Unlike House and Realm banners which can be commissioned at will, Dynasty banners can only be commissioned by Dynasty Heads, and only if one does not already exist within range of you.
However, House Heads of a Dynasty will always have claims on their Dynasty’s banner, allowing them to duel or wage war for them at will.
In addition, the quality of a Dynasty banner is directly tied to its Dynasty’s Renown, granting greater benefits as your family’s fame grows.
The highest tier is unlocked upon reaching Legendary Dynasty Renown level. You may be relieved to hear Dynasty banners will never lose tiers, only gain them.
To avoid unnecessary headaches, the AI knows that a Dynasty banner really belongs to the Dynasty Head, and is inclined to return it to its proper place if it ends up elsewhere, even if they are from another House (as long as they have good relations with them).
War Banners
In addition to these creatable banners, there is also a type gained only by event: the War Banner.
These captured banners can only be gained after battles, and will display the emblem of the defeated side’s primary title; perfect for commemorating your glorious victories.
Banner Relics
Lastly, there are also some historical banners knocking around, such as the Banner of Muhammad, and others of more dubious provenence may be found by adventurers.
I hope this has temporarily sated your hunger for banner information.
Until next time!
