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In Manor Lords, players have access to the Development Tree (View) containing useful technologies. You can open it by clicking on the region’s nameplate at the top of the interface, as shown in the screenshot.
It’s important to increase the settlement level as actively as possible, as technologies from the Development tree provide a significant advantage.
How to get Development Points
To obtain Development Points, you must develop your settlement. In the current version of the game, there are 6 levels of settlement development, from Settler’s Camp to Large Town. You receive 1 Development Point for each level increase in settlement. Thus, you can have a maximum of 6 Development Points.
Resetting spent Development Points for further redistribution is not possible in the current version of the game.
How to Increase Settlement Level
To increase the settlement level and obtain Development Points, you need to fulfill a series of conditions related to construction and increasing the level of Burgage Plots. For example, to achieve the maximum level (Large Town), you must build 30 Burgage Plots level 1 or higher, 20 Burgage Plots level 2 or higher, and 15 Burgage Plots level 3 or higher.
To view the progress of the current task, hover over the city icon in the center of the Development View. Read about how to build and upgrade Burgage Plots in a separate detailed guide at the link above.
Best Technologies Available
It is best to develop technologies that will be used extensively throughout the game. Having spent several dozen hours in Manor Lords, I can recommend the following technologies:
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Trade Logistics and Better Deals: In the current version of the game, these are key technologies that allow you to purchase goods through Trading Posts and establish Trade Routes much cheaper. This means you can easily solve problems with food, weapons, and any other resource through well-organized trade. Recommended always.
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Charcoal Burning: This technology allows you to produce 2 Charcoal from 1 Firewood, making Refueling twice as efficient. Useful always.
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Deep Mining: This technology allows you to mine Iron Ore, Clay, and Stone from Rich Deposits infinitely. Recommended only if you start in a region containing corresponding Rich Deposits, such as Zweiau.
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Heavy Plow: This technology allows your farmers to use Oxes, speeding up the process of cultivating large fields and harvesting crops. The technology is useful always.
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Bakeries: This technology allows you to build Bakery Extensions in Burgage Plots level 2 or higher, which will produce 2 units of Bread from 1 Flour (twice as efficient as Communal Oven).
In my personal opinion, the remaining technologies are less useful. Especially, I would not recommend leveling up the “Armormaking” branch, as you can easily purchase any armor on the market. It only makes sense if you have an infinite source of Iron Ore (i.e., Rich Deposit with the Deep Mining technology).