Combat Guide in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

Learn all the essentials of combat in our Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 combat guide, including the base mechanics, weapon combos, best skills and perks, and more.

combat guide in kingdom come deliverance 2
Combat Guide in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 offers an exciting adventure with lots of twists and turns in the main storyline. Throughout the adventure, you can shape Henry’s (protagonist) playstyle as you desire. If you love to be sneaky, then stealth is the way to go, if you want to be charismatic, then gaining knowledge and investing in Speech is best, and if you want to be a soldier, then fighting will be your go-to choice. Despite the three different types of playstyles that you can experience in KCD2, you will always engage in combat, especially during the main quests which you cannot work around. It is crucial for all the players to learn combat in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 because it is unique to most action RPGs. In this guide, we will tell you all the essentials of combat that you must know in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2.

Combat Overview in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

Combat is one of the key aspects of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and it offers a unique experience. Anyone who has played the original game will be somewhat familiar with its play style. However, the new players jumping into KCD2 will find themselves having a hard time winning the fights. Combat in KCD2 is very challenging as it constantly puts you in a position to counter the opponent respective to their attacks. You cannot simply charge attacks as most of the time they will block and counterattack you. This can result in running out of stamina and making you vulnerable to enemies’ attacks.

Moreover, it is crucial to learn weapon combos of different weapons that you find interesting. There are four main different types of weapons and the unarmed option. Learning some weapon combos and their techniques will help you counter difficult enemies easily. You will be able to catch them off-guard in their attacks allowing you to eliminate them easily.

Combat Mechanics in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Explained

combat mechanics in kcd2
Combat Guide in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 (Basic Mechanics)

Before we dive deeper into how you can learn the weapon combos and their techniques, it is best that you get a hold of all of combat’s crucial mechanics. The basic maneuvers include attacking, changing attack position, blocking, parrying, countering, and dodging. All of these actions will cost a certain amount of Stamina so, you must keep an eye on the stamina bar and let it refill. Otherwise, you will not be able to dodge, block, parry, or attack until your stamina refills a certain amount.

Basic Combat Mechanics in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

Here are all the basic combat mechanics in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

  • Draw out weapon: Press the Right on the D-Pad and press X (PS5) to draw out the weapon. Holding down the Right button will also draw out the sword.
  • Attack: Press R2 to perform an attack. Use the Right Stick to change the positioning of the attack. The upper arrows on the rosette will let you attack the upper body of an opponent with strikes. The lower arrows will let you stab the opponent.
  • Chain Attack: Press R2 repeatedly to do a chain attack on an opponent. Chain Attacks are faster and more efficient. However, they deplete your stamina quickly.
  • Block: Hold the L2 button to go in a blocking stance. It will let you block an incoming attack and cost a certain amount of stamina on each hit blocked.
  • Parry/Perfect Block: Doing a perfect block is similar to blocking. You only need to press the L2 (block) button during an opponent’s attack when the green symbol appears in the middle of the rosette (arrows).
  • Counterattack/Riposte: Riposte or counterattack is the next step after parrying an opponent’s attack. First, do a perfect block by blocking an incoming attack (Green Shield) and then strike (R2) when the Blue Swords symbol appears in the middle of the rosette.
  • Change the Attack Zone: Changing the attack zone is crucial during combat in KDC2. It will allow you to catch your opponents off-guard with your strikes/stabs. See where your opponent is holding their weapon (up left or right side), then attack a zone where the opponent is not holding their weapon. It will reduce the chances of them blocking your attack. Change the Attack Zone using the Right Stick. Stabbing targets on the lower body has a higher chance of a successful hit.

Consume Stamina Carefully During Combat in KCD2

consume stamina carefully during combat in kcd2

Stamina is one of the crucial aspects of combat in KCD2. Every action consumes a certain amount of Stamina during combat. Whenever you get close to running out of stamina, Henry (main character) will get tired and the screen will turn blueish. The changing of the screen helps you understand that you are almost out of stamina. In such a scenario, the best thing to do is to just block and slowly move back. Even if the enemy attacks at this point, you will block the attack. Once your stamina has been replenished, you can get back to fighting normally.

However, if you attack when your stamina is almost at the end, Henry will get tired and become vulnerable to enemy attacks which can end as a death for Henry. So, you need to act carefully during combat and you cannot underestimate any enemy, even if they are regular bandits. Moreover, you can use various potions during or before combat to help regen stamina quickly.

NOTE: We have added and discussed the crucial potions to use in the separate section below.

Best Perks for Enhancing Stamina

Different Agility perks provide varying effects on stamina, so choosing the best one is crucial. Here are the best perks to use in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

  • Dominant Hand- If you use the one-handed weapon without a shield, attacks will cost 20% less stamina. Blocking will also cost less stamina and be more effective.
  • Nimble Stance- Dodges cost you 40% less stamina.
  • Ranger Run- After 10 of the last sprinting, you will briefly get a big bonus for stamina recovery.
  • Red Mist- When your health drops below 25 health points during combat, you gain a +3 bonus to strength and agility for time, and your stamina regenerates 4 times faster.

Healing During Combat in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

healing during combat in kcd2

Healing is another great factor that you will have to keep an eye on during combat. As you take any hit during the fight, you will lose health and also get inflicted with bleeding, especially if you are not wearing any armour. For healing during combat, there are a couple of ways but only one of them is efficient.

  • Use healing potions: Potions like Marigold will heal you over time. Painkiller and Aqua Vitalis will lower the effect of losing health and bleeding.
  • Eat food: Eating cooked food will replenish a small amount of health.

Using potions is your go-to method for healing during combat in KCD2. It is best to have a few healing potions on you and assign them to a quick slot to use them quickly in a fight.

NOTE: Assigning potions to a quick slot will require a pouch which you can purchase from tailors.

If you get the bleeding effect during combat, you will not be able to use the bandages to stop the bleeding until you get out of combat by fleeing or killing the enemies. The best way to tackle bleeding during combat is to use the Aqua Vitalis potion to lower the effect of bleeding.

Learn the Weapon Combos in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

learn the weapon combos in kcd2
Combat Guide in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 (Learn Weapon Combos)

After getting a good understanding of how combat works, your next step should be learning the weapon combos. During the early playthrough, your go-to weapons can be swords and heavy weapons. I highly recommend you learn one or two combos for these weapons. To learn weapon combos early in the game, go and see Tomcat at Nomad Camp. He will teach you a couple of sword combos. It is also a part of Combat Training Part 1. Moreover, you can also additionally learn the combos for Swordsmanship, Heavy Weapons, Polearms, and Unarmed. However, the additional lessons will require you to first pay Tomcat. Each weapon lesson will cost 100 Groschens and the unarmed lesson will cost 500 Groschens.

Learn the Master Strike Technique in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

learn the master strike technique in kcd2

The most important step that will help you in combat and help you secure victories against some of the most difficult enemies is the Master Strike technique. You can use this technique on almost any weapon and you can learn it from Tomcat after defeating him in a duel. Upon completing Combat Training I quest, Tomcat will challenge you to duel. Accept the challenge and defeat him to learn the Master Strike technique.

However, Tomcat himself is a challenging entity and you cannot defeat him if you do not have armour. He will literally defeat you in a strike or two if you do not have armour. First of all, you need to get yourself an armour. Once done, go back to Tomcat and challenge him to duel. Play safe and try to use the learned weapon combos on him to defeat him.

The Master Strike technique allows you to counter an enemy during their attack. The easiest way to understand it and use it is to attack from the opposite side where the enemy is holding his weapon. For instance, if an enemy is holding a weapon on the right side, you need to attack from the left when the Green Shield symbol appears. Normally, what you do here is a block to do a counterattack. You do not have to do that anymore. Simply attack from the opposite side and Henry will counter the enemy’s attack by himself.

This technique is very crucial to learn as it can help you defeat various enemies that you will face in the main storyline. I will not spoil which enemies but you must learn this technique before the first “Point of No Return” which comes as the For Victory quest begins.

Use your Weapon of Preference

weapon of preference kcd2

There are four main types of weapons that you can use in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. It includes Swords, Heavy Weapons, Polearms, and Ranged. Swords is a one-hand weapon and you can use a shield with it which gives you an additional defense for easy blocking or pushing away enemies on a perfect block. Heavy Weapons include Mace, Hand Axe, etc. They are hard-hitting weapons and great against shielded enemies. Polearms include glaives, bardiches, etc. These weapons have a longer range than swords and heavy weapons, allowing you to attack enemies from a decent distance. Moreover, these are essential for pushing down enemies off a horse. Lastly, the Ranged weapons include Longbows, Crossbows, and Pistols. You can use them to attack from a safe distance. However, they are not that effective against highly armoured enemies.

Follow A Playstyle Depending on the Weapon of Choice

playstyle for combat kcd2
Combat Guide in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 (Prefer a Playstyle)

Now, choosing a playstyle is essential in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and it heavily depends on the type of weapons you prefer. There are two main types of playstyles that you can pursue around the weapon choices, loud (soldier) and stealth (thief).

Soldier Playstyle

If you are someone who likes heavy weapons, then you should prefer playing as a soldier who engages in combat confidently. Equip your character with some hard-hitting weapons and armour for best defense. Utilize the weapon combos and techniques up front to take down enemies.

Stealth Playstyle

If you are someone who likes to be sneaky and avoid most of the upfront battle, then Marksmanship is perfect for you. Choose the bows or crossbows to attack enemies from the range. However, this playstyle is relatively harder as you have to be precise on your shots, otherwise, the enemies will get alerted. Moreover, you can also choose to perform stealth takedowns to get rid of enemies without any making a sound.

Despite the stealth preference, the players will still have to face enemies in combat while progressing the story. It is best to learn a thing or two melee weapons to face the challenges.

Best Perks for All Major Weapons in KCD2

best perks for all major weapons in kcd2

As you use the weapon of preference, you will earn experience points for that corresponding weapon which will unlock new perks for that weapon. After that, you invest the skill points into the perks for the weapon to enhance the overall potential of the weapon.  

Here are some of the best perks for each weapon type to unlock in the early hours of your journey for the weapons in KCD2.

Swords

  • Opening Strike: Opening Strike allows you to deal significantly more damage with the first attack in a combat encounter.
  • Tendon Slicer: Tendon Slicer allows you to mitigate your opponent’s agility along with the strength of each sword combo. 
  • Gladiator: You gain +bonus to your sword fighting skill when fighting the enemies with a one-handed sword and letting your other weapon free for a torch.
  • Precise Strike: Your sword fighting skill will count 3 higher when you use a fully charged sword attack on the enemy in combat.
  • Showtime: This perk allows you to gain some stamina and allows you to attack again the enemy after you perform a sword combo.

Heavy Weapons

  • Bonebreaker: The bonebreaker perk allows your enemy’s stamina to recover 15% slower when you wound an enemy with a mace, cudgel, and war hammer. 
  • Aim to Maim: This perk allows your enemies to bleed faster when you use your axe to attack them.
  • Brute Force: The Brute Force allows you to deal 5% additional damage with heavy weapons.
  • Blunt Force Trauma: Your attacks will be 10% stronger whenever you fully charge your attack with a heavy melee weapon.
  • Shieldbreaker: The enemies will find it difficult to block your heavy weapons attack, allowing them to take damage in combat.

Polearms

  • Iron Harvest: Your stamina regenerates after performing a combo in combat, allowing you to attack the enemies with heavy attacks.
  • Impaler: This perk allows you to gain 10% more piercing damage. Piercing damage refers to the damage dealt with by a stab attack.
  • Militia Training: The strength and agility required to use pole weapons will be decreased by 3.
  • Long Reach: Use this perk to reduce the cost of stamina by 10% when using polearms in combat.
  • Keeping a Distance: It allows you to block an enemy when attacking the enemy at the same time.

Marksmanship/Ranged Weapons

  • Sagittarius: The stamina mitigates for aiming with a ranged weapon will be halved if you’re in the saddle.
  • Salvo: Salvo allows you to reload and aim much faster after each shot in combat.
  • Hal Shot First: It allows you to deal 15% additional damage in combat, allowing you to kill your foes faster.
  • Steady Aim: Your stamina depletes 20% slower when you don’t move for 2 seconds. This will make your shots 15% more powerful and deal additional damage in combat.
  • Crippling Shot: Crippling Shot makes the stamina recovery rate much slower when you deal damage with ranged weapons like bows or crossbows.

Armour is Crucial for Combat in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

armour is crucial for combat in kcd2
Combat Guide in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 (Equip Armour on all slots)

In addition to your weapon preference, armour is something that you cannot neglect in any case. Armour gives you defense that negates most of the damage and prevents you from bleeding most of the time. Facing an enemy without any armour can result in quick death as enemy strikes can kill you in a couple of hits. For a high chance of survival in any fight, you must equip armour all over the body.

  • Head
  • Torso
  • Arms
  • Hands
  • Legs

For the Head armour, I will recommend you get a Helmet with a visor. This will minimize your chance of getting one shot with a head strike. You can get armour for all slots from the Blacksmiths around the world map. However, if you do not have money, then you can loot a chest where guards store their stuff. There is one in Troskowitz beside the tavern in a shack.

Best Potions to Use During Combat in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

bowman's brew potion kcd2
bowman’s brew potion kcd2

One of the final essential things for combat is potions. You must normalize the use of potions during combat to have an advantage in fights. Using potions that increase the stamina or lower the cost of stamina will always give you an advantage over the enemies. Here are some of the potions that you must use during combat in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

  • Strong Aqua Vitalis– You lose 50% less health and slow bleeding by 50%. Lasts 10 minutes.
  • Strong Artemisia– Increases strength by 4 and both attack and defense cost 25% less stamina, lasts 10 minutes.
  • Strong Marigold Decoction– Heals 40 health over one minute and instantly cures a hangover.
  • Strong Saviour Schnapps– Save the game, heals 20 health points, and increases strength, vitality, and agility by 2 for 5 minutes.
  • Bowman’s Brew– Enhances Marksmanship by 3 and slows down stamina less when aiming by 20% for 10 minutes.
  • Buck’s Blood– Increases stamina by 30% for 20 minutes. This is the biggest boost for your stamina, especially, if you use it before engaging enemies.
  • Painkiller Brew– Suppresses the effects of injury and your maximum stamina decreases with health 30% less, lasts 15 minutes.

Combat Tips and Tricks for Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

Here are some of the tips and tricks that you can use for combat in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

  • Always attack first where the opponent is not guarding to have a high chance of landing the first strike.
  • Let the opponent attack to do a counterattack and have a high chance of landing a strike.
  • Learn the combos early in your playthrough and master them for your easiness.
  • Defeat Tomcat to learn the Master Strike technique as soon as possible.
  • Do not over-attack in combat as you can easily become vulnerable to enemies’ attacks.
  • Use potions like Bowman’s Brew and Strong Artemisia before engaging in combat.
  • Make sure you have Painkiller Brew and Marigold Decoction for healing and suppressing injuries during combat.
  • Before engaging with enemies, always check the durability of your weapons and armour. If something is close to breaking, fix it using the Kits or at the Blacksmith.

FAQs about Combat in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Is stealth important?

Yes, stealth is crucial for getting useful items without any trouble in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. However, you must learn all the core mechanics of stealth before using them to have a high chance of succession.

Can combat skills be improved in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2?

Yes, you can enhance your combat skills by learning new combos, techniques, and investing points in the weapon perks.

What is the combat style in the game Kingdom Come Deliverance 2?

The combat style in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is very unique and it requires a lot of patience to master. You must learn and master the basic mechanics and then work on combos and techniques to counter the enemies.

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