Manor Lords Early Game Checklist – Best Things to Do First

Do you want to have better starts and upgrade your town as quickly as possible? In that case, scroll down and start reading our early game checklist of the best things to do first in Manor Lords, and you’ll quickly become a top-tier lord.

Best Things to Do First in Manor Lords

1. Make Basic Production Buildings

As you dive into your Manor Lords run, you should first make the essential early game production buildings, which are the Logging Camp, the Forager Hut, the Hunting Camp, the Woodcutter’s Lodge, and the Tannery (lowest priority). Those will keep your people fed, clothed, and warm, preparing you for the next steps in development.

2. Make Burgage Plots

Once you stockpile enough timber, it’s time to start making your first Burgage Plots. I say aim for 10 at minimum so you can house both the starting five families and another five to boost your production. Of course, make a well and a market, too, so your people can buy the goods you produce and meet the requirements for upgrading burgage plots.

3. Get Trade Logistics and Better Deals

Next, getting the Better Deals and Trade Logistics developments is crucial for the early game in Manor Lords. If you do these first, you’ll make trading actually profitable. All imports will be ten gold cheaper, and route establishment will become cheaper, too.

4. Start Trading and Exporting Rooftiles

Now, it’s time you start trading and getting some cash in. Trading is one of the most essential mechanics in Manor Lords, and the sooner you master it, the better off you’ll be. My suggestion is to start exporting planks at first, but as soon as you get enough money, start importing clay and then make roof tiles with the Clay Furnace. Then, export those for massive profits.

5. Build Industry Buildings and Foresters’ Huts

You’re now done with the essentials, and it’s time you start making your town completely self-sufficient. To do that, you’ll first need Forester’s Huts. These will enable you to infinitely chop down wood as these guys will replant whatever your loggers have managed to take down. Also, make any other necessary industry buildings, like the Charcoal Kiln (requires a development point) and the Bloomery.

6. Build Storehouses and Granaries

The Storehouse and the Granary might seem like simple buildings, but they have a secret function. If it happens that even though you have enough resources, not all of them are being sold on the market, it’s because you didn’t assign anyone to these two buildings! Had you done so, those families would speed up the market, fulfilling the needs of all your burgage plots and allowing you to upgrade them.

7. Expand Your Retinue and Get Weapons

Lastly, you’ll want to upgrade your retinue. With gold, you can hire Men-at-Arms for 50 gold each, and these will be your strongest warriors. You can get more retinue space by constructing a Manor and Garrison Tower. I advise you to upgrade their armor, too, as it’s not expensive.

What Not to Do Durign Early Game of Manor Lords

Don’t build walls! In fact, don’t build any fortification in Manor Lords, neither early on or in the late game. They are bugged and will bug out your whole town, too. Plus, they cost soo much to construct that it’s hardly worth it the trouble. If you really want to do a fort, make it outside of all your other buildings, and make sure that the Manor is in the same place as the walls.

Well, that does it for this guide on what to do first during the early game in Manor Lords. If you need help with something else in-game, be sure to check out all the other stuff we host here on Twinfinite, including our handy guide on farming influence.