The more important decisions | Lists The Banner Saga Guide

At this page, you will find a list of all the more important decisions to take throughout the game, i.e. ones that have considerable bearing on the course of the campaign and which, as a result of careless actions, may end in death of one of the playable characters.

Later on in the text, for obvious reasons, numerous spoilers can be found so, I recommend that you use the information only if you have already beaten the main storyline and you are going to play the game again, in order to find out about the outcomes of alternative decisions.

Note - each of the mentioned decisions has been described, in much more detail, in the chapter devoted to the walkthrough for the game. The purpose of the below list is only to draw your attention to all the important events, so that you do not have to look for them in the main part of this guide.

Chapter 2

Egil may die if you select the wrong dialogue options.

If, during the battles that you fight in Skogr you let Alette and Egil take part in the fights, alongside with the rest of the party, Egil's life will be threatened at some point. If you want to save the boy from death, you need to wait for a window, which informs of the appearance of a monster right next to Alette, to pop up. First, you need to select the "Shoot it with an arrow" dialogue option, and then "Stop thinking! Shoot the dredge!". More about this, at the page entitled "Skogr".

Selection of the last dialogue option on the list results in Hogun's and Mogun's joining the caravan

Along your way to Frostvellr the caravan will stop, for a moment, in a small Village. Right after you leave it, a cutscene of the meeting with Hogun and Mogun will start. If you want them to join your caravan permanently, you need to select the third dialogue option (Side with the brothers) and, additionally, fight a battle with a group of hostile villagers. To learn more, see the page entitled "The journey to Frostvellr".

Meeting with Ekkill is only one of the alternatives

You can complete the second chapter of the game in several different ways, by making your decision during the stay in Frostvellr. The important piece of information is that the decisions that you make will have a bearing on how chapter four of the campaign mode starts so, the effects are not immediate. In general terms, you can behave in three different ways, i.e. stay behind the city walls (using the Rest building or retreating from the city after the meeting with Onef or Ekkill), gain access into the city and start cooperation with Ekkill or to gain access to the city and reject working with Ekkill. Additionally, I recommend that you discourage Hogun and Mogun (if they are travelling on the caravan) from attacking the gates (this will happen if you decide to wait through the situation) because, they will die otherwise. To learn more, see the page entitled "Frostvellr".

Chapter 3

You need to decide the fate of prince Ludin

During your journey to Ridgehorn, the caravan will encounter a group of giants commanded by Fasolt. Towards the end of the meeting, you will have to decide whether to leave prince Ludin with the caravan (Walk away) or to send him away, against his will, to Grofheim (Lay the prince flat and send him off to Grofheim). The former is a definitely better choice because, even if Ludin continues along with your caravan, his life will never be put to any threat. By sending him away, you will lose the opportunity to take the service of, as many as, three characters, because also Yrsa and Bersi will leave with Ludin. To learn more, see the page entitled "Journey to Ridgehorn".

You need to react in the right way, if you want Gunnulf to survive

Along your journey to Ridgehorn the caravan will encounter a group of monsters capable of ranged attacks and, soon after you defeat them, an event concerning Gunnulf will start, and his life will be in danger. If you want to keep this character alive, you need to select the first dialogue option twice (Tell Gunnulf to let go and then Order him to let go with authority). To learn more, see the page entitled "Journey to Ridgehorn".

The last two options on the list may result in your losing the hero

Soon before you reach Ridgehorn the caravan will encounter a group of monsters in the forest. While reacting to the appearance of the enemy army, avoid the fourth (Draw them into the woods and set them on fire) and the fifth (Lure them into the woods without the fire) option because, in the heat of the events, you can lose Yrsa irreversibly (as long as she is still travelling on the caravan). To learn more, see the page entitled "Journey to Ridgehorn".

The last option on the list lets you avoid fighting, but at the cost of Mogr as the member of the party

In the final part of your stay in Ridgehorn you will have to decide how you want to leave the city. It is worthwhile to watch out here, because selecting the last option on the list (Send a diversion to draw their attention and escape) may result in Mogr's leaving the party. To learn more, see the page entitled "Ridgehorn".

Chapter 4

Ekkill may be a member of the caravan from the very beginning, or the option to join him will appear later on

The beginning of the fourth chapter of the game (the visit to Frostvellr) depends on the choices that you make towards the end of the second chapter. Depending on how you behaved earlier, you can be in the city or outside of it. What is even more, Ekkill can be a member of the caravan from the very beginning or, about what you want to decide on his proposal to join the caravan, you may be asked later (while attempting to leave the city or after you meet him on your way to Wyrmtoe). To learn more, see the pages entitled "Frostvellr" and "Journey to Wyrmtoe".

It is best to refuse Onef

Still before you leave Frostvellr it is very important how you are going to behave towards Onef and his request to travel on the caravan. It is best to refuse his offer, because he will betray its trust in chapter six and this may lead to the death of Oddleif and Egil. To learn more, see the pages entitled "Frostvellr" (Chapter 4) and "Journey to Boersgard" (Chapter 6).

Supporting Oddleif's action will let you strengthen the caravan

Along your path to Wyrmtoe or Grofheim an event, connected with Oddleif, and her desire to train new archers, will occur. It is a good idea to let her do so, (Encourage Oddleif to train the women), thanks to which a group of villagers will be turned into fighters, later in the journey. What is even more, in the sixth chapter of the game, soon after you leave Haukstorp, the current party should be joined by a new archer named Nid. To learn more, see the pages entitled "Journey to Wyrmtoe/Grofheim" (Chapter 4) and "Journey to Sigrholm" (Chapter 6).

Chapter 5

Leaving the city, without helping the giants, is not a good idea

The entire fifth chapter takes place in Einartoft and the most important decision concerns the onslaught of the army of monsters. You can deal with blowing up of the bridge, with the help from Eyvind, immediately, take part in the fights on the bridge, or leave the city without helping the giants. In the case of the last one, the caravan will be left by Krumr and he will not appear in the following two chapters of the campaign mode. To learn more, see the page entitled "Einartoft".

Chapter 6

It is best to ignore the monsters or fight, at most, one battle

Along your way to Sigrholm the caravan will encounter a group of monsters that guard access to Haukstorp. The best thing to do is go around the monsters (Go around, past Haukstorp), or fight, at most, one battle because otherwise, Hogun and Mogun will die (someone else may die, if the two do not journey on the caravan). To learn more, see the page entitled "Journey to Sigrholm".

Thanks to helping the villagers, you will gain a new ally

Soon before you reach Boersgard the caravan will reach Reynivik and it is a good idea to help the villagers (Rush to help), because Sigbjorn will join the party for the journey, to the last location in the game, as a result. What is even more, with Sigbjorn on the party, you will not have to fight an additional battle with monsters, right after you reach Boersgard. To learn more, see the page entitled "Journey to Boersgard".

Chapter 7

Accepting Krumr's help may lead to his death afterwards

The selection of the ways to behave, on the successive days of the siege of Boersgard, does not play any vital role. The only exception is the variant connected with Krumr (Put Krumr in charge of leading the warriors). It is not a good idea to choose him, in spite of the initial advantages, because the giant may die on the fourth day of the siege. To learn more, see the page entitled "Boersgard - the siege".

The final decision is connected with the game's ending

The final important decision that you take during the game, is the one connected with the ending. It is connected with giving the magic arrow to either Rook or Alette. To learn more about this choice, see "Boersgard - preparations for the final battle".