Your First Hours in Medieval Bohemia

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 throws you into 15th-century Bohemia without hand-holding. Henry of Skalitz returns, but even veterans of the first game will find fresh challenges awaiting them. After 50+ hours in the sequel, here’s everything new players need to know to survive — and thrive — in Warhorse Studios’ unforgiving medieval sandbox.

Quick Summary:

  • Train with Captain Bernard before attempting combat
  • Save often using Savior Schnapps (or beds)
  • Invest in Alchemy early for free healing and income
  • Complete the opening questline before exploring
  • Choose your playstyle: Knight, Rogue, or Diplomat

Table of Contents

Master the Combat System First

KCD2’s combat system remains one of gaming’s most realistic sword-fighting mechanics. If you rush into battles without training, you’ll die repeatedly.

What to do: Find Captain Bernard (or his equivalent combat trainer) as soon as possible. Complete every training session available. This teaches you:

  • Directional attacks and blocks
  • Perfect blocks (parries) and ripostes
  • Combos that chain into devastating finishers
  • Clinching and stamina management

Pro tip: Practice against Bernard until you can consistently perfect-block his attacks. This alone will carry you through 90% of combat encounters.

Understand the Saving Mechanics

Unlike most modern RPGs, you can’t quicksave whenever you want. KCD2 uses a deliberate saving system:

Ways to save:

  • Savior Schnapps — Consumable item that saves anywhere (costs money or requires Alchemy)
  • Beds — Sleep in an owned or rented bed to save
  • Autosaves — Triggered by quest progress, but unreliable for exploration
  • Exit Saves — Automatically saves when you quit (deleted when you reload)

Save strategy: Before any risky activity — combat, theft, dialogue choices — use Savior Schnapps. Keep at least 3-5 in your inventory at all times. Learn to brew them yourself through Alchemy to never run out.

Level Your Skills Intentionally

Henry improves by doing. Swing swords to improve sword skill. Run to improve Vitality. Read books to improve Reading (yes, Henry starts semi-literate).

Priority skills for beginners:

  • Strength + Agility — Core combat stats
  • Warfare — Unlocks combat perks
  • Maintenance — Repair your own gear (saves money)
  • Herbalism — Gather ingredients for Alchemy
  • Speech — Unlock dialogue options, avoid fights entirely

Avoid spreading too thin. Focus on 2-3 weapon types maximum. A jack-of-all-trades Henry is a master of none.

Alchemy is Your Best Friend

Many players skip Alchemy because the minigame seems complex. Don’t. It’s the most powerful system in the game.

Why Alchemy matters:

  • Savior Schnapps — Unlimited saves once you can brew them
  • Marigold Decoction — Free healing without needing bandages
  • Bane Poison — Coat your blade for massive damage bonus
  • Night Hawk Potion — See in the dark (essential for stealth)
  • Money — Sell potions for consistent income

Getting started: Buy the Alchemy recipe book from an apothecary. Start with simple potions. The minigame becomes second nature after 5-6 brews.

Choose Your Path: Three Playstyles

KCD2 supports multiple approaches. Pick one early and invest accordingly:

The Knight

  • Heavy armor, longsword, shield optional
  • High Strength, Warfare perks
  • Expensive but powerful — you’ll need money for plate armor
  • Best for players who want honorable combat

The Rogue

  • Light armor, daggers, bow
  • High Agility, Stealth, Lockpicking
  • Strike from shadows, pickpocket, steal
  • High risk, high reward — one hit can kill you

The Diplomat

  • Speech, Charisma, Reading perks
  • Talk your way out of fights, bribe guards, gather information
  • Requires patience but avoids combat entirely in many quests
  • Combine with Rogue for a non-lethal playthrough

Find Mutt Early

Mutt, Henry’s loyal dog companion from the first game, returns. Finding him early gives you a permanent ally who:

  • Tracks animals while hunting
  • Attacks enemies during combat
  • Detects threats before you see them
  • Provides company on long journeys (honestly important)

Mutt becomes available through the main questline. Complete the early story missions before wandering off, and you’ll recruit him naturally. Some players miss him by skipping dialogue or rushing.

Pick the Right Weapon Type

Each weapon category has strengths:

Longswords — Balanced, good reach, best for learning combat

Shortswords — Faster, works with shields, less damage

Maces — Destroys armored opponents, less effective vs. unarmored

Axes — High damage, can hook shields aside

Polearms — Devastating reach but awkward in tight spaces

Recommendation: Start with longsword. It’s versatile and has the best training available. Branch into maces later when facing heavily armored knights.

Reputation Matters More Than You Think

Every town tracks your reputation. Steal, get caught, and that town’s merchants charge you more. Kill a peasant, and guards attack on sight.

Building positive reputation:

  • Complete side quests for townsfolk
  • Pay for goods (don’t steal from merchants)
  • Dress well — clean, high-quality clothes improve first impressions
  • Donate to churches

Recovering negative reputation: Pay off bounties at bailiffs. Time also heals — stay away from a town for several in-game days.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2?

The main story runs 40-60 hours. Completionists can expect 100+ hours exploring everything.

Should I play the first game before KCD2?

Recommended but not required. KCD2 includes a recap. However, character relationships hit harder if you know the backstory.

Is the combat too hard?

It feels hard until you train. Spend time with combat trainers. Once fundamentals click, you’ll dominate most enemies.

Can I play non-lethally?

Yes. Speech, Stealth, and certain quest choices allow pacifist-ish runs. Some mandatory combat exists, but it’s minimized with the right build.

What difficulty should I start on?

Normal. The game is already challenging. Hardcore mode removes map markers and adds hunger/sleep penalties — save that for a second playthrough.

Summary

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 rewards patience. Train before fighting. Save before risks. Learn Alchemy early. Pick a playstyle and commit. The opening hours can feel brutal, but once you understand the systems, medieval Bohemia becomes one of gaming’s most immersive sandboxes.

Henry’s story continues — make sure he survives long enough to see it through.