Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 drops players into a brutally grounded medieval world, where survival hinges not on power fantasy, but on discipline, planning, and understanding the systems around you. The opening hours can be punishing if you rush in expecting traditional RPG handholding. Here’s what to keep in mind as you step into Bohemia.
Understand Your Place in the World
You are not a hero yet. You begin the game with limited skills, poor equipment, and little respect. Guards will brush you off. Nobles will barely acknowledge you. That’s not a design flaw, but a deliberate choice to reflect your status. Avoid fights early on unless you’re forced into them. Instead, observe. Learn how people move, speak, and react. Blend in until you’ve earned your place.
Get Comfortable with the Controls
Combat in Deliverance 2 builds on the first game’s directional system. It’s slower and more technical than most action RPGs. Spend time in the training arenas. Practise footwork and combos. Timing your blocks and managing stamina is crucial. Swinging wildly will only leave you exhausted and exposed.
Also, pay attention to the new mounted combat system. Riding and fighting at the same time requires spatial awareness and steady hands. If you’re struggling, travel on foot until you’re confident handling a horse.
Eat, Sleep, Bathe
This is not a world where you can sprint for days without consequence. Your character needs regular food and sleep. Avoid eating spoiled meat or overindulging, or you’ll suffer stat penalties. Inns, campfires, and even friendly households provide places to rest, and you’ll need them.
Hygiene now plays a greater role too. Filthy clothes or unwashed bodies will affect how NPCs treat you. Visit a bathhouse, change into clean garments, and take care of yourself. Reputation matters, and filth doesn’t go unnoticed.
Master Inventory and Weight Management
You can’t carry everything. Encumbrance limits are strict, and the consequences of being overburdened are serious. Learn what to keep and what to sell. Quality over quantity matters more here than in many other games. A single well-maintained sword is more valuable than five rusty ones.
Repair kits and herbal potions are worth the space. So are a few spare bandages. Wounds and bleeding are persistent, and you can’t always rely on finding help nearby.
Pick Your Fights Wisely
Combat isn’t always the best option. If you can talk your way out of a situation, do it. Speech checks are more nuanced in the sequel, relying on multiple traits, including charisma, strength, and reputation. Sometimes wearing noble clothes or speaking Latin will do more than drawing steel.
If a fight seems inevitable, try to control the setting. Avoid being surrounded. Use tight spaces to limit enemy movement. And remember, running is a valid option. A tactical retreat can save hours of progress.
Build Skills Slowly but Deliberately
Skills improve through use. Lockpicking, reading, alchemy, swordplay, and archery all level as you use them. Start small. Practise on easy locks. Brew simple potions. Read low-level texts. You can’t brute force progress. Skill advancement is slow by design, which makes mastery feel earned when it finally comes.
Explore but Don’t Wander Blindly
Bohemia is larger and denser than before, filled with villages, forests, and hidden paths. But not every road is safe. Bandits roam, wolves hunt, and treacherous terrain can wear you down. Gather maps. Speak to locals. Mark points of interest and move deliberately.
That said, side quests and minor discoveries often yield the best early rewards. The world rewards curiosity, but only if you’re prepared.
Pay Attention to Clothing and Armour
Your appearance has social and functional consequences. Wearing fine noble clothes to a peasant brawl makes you a target. Wearing heavy plate into town might intimidate some, but it may also draw unwanted scrutiny. Choose outfits to match the occasion. Chainmail in the field. Linen in the court.
Armour weight also affects mobility and stamina. You won’t be able to fight effectively if you’re panting after ten seconds. Balance protection with practicality.
Respect the Law
Stealing, assault, or even walking into the wrong place at the wrong time can bring guards crashing down on you. The justice system is stricter now, with deeper consequences. If you’re arrested, you could lose items, skills, or even reputation in a region. If you’re desperate, crime is an option, but weigh the risk. And always remember to save before you take the plunge.
Save Wisely
Save mechanics return with slight tweaks. You still need schnapps or inns for manual saves in some difficulties. Use them. Don’t rely solely on auto-saves. In a game this punishing, losing progress can be demoralising.
The Seven Swords takeaway
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is designed to challenge your assumptions. It respects your intelligence but expects you to adapt. The first hours will be difficult. You will fail. But if you treat the game as a living world rather than a checklist of tasks, it begins to reveal its richness. Stay patient, stay aware, and you’ll find yourself not just surviving, but thriving.
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