Best Early Game Tips for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (KCD2) isn’t your typical RPG—it’s a brutal, immersive, and highly realistic medieval experience that rewards preparation, strategy, and adaptability. Whether you’re looting shops, mastering combat, or making the most of perks and mechanics, your early choices can make or break your journey. Instead of rushing through the story, take the time to steal smart, fight smarter, and explore every opportunity the game offers. These 10 tips will help you navigate the challenging world of Bohemia, ensuring that you start strong and stay ahead.
1. Theft is key to a good early start
Stealing is one of the fastest ways to gain a massive advantage in KCD2, especially in the early game when money and equipment are scarce. Vendors and unique NPCs often carry valuable goods, and many of them keep their shop inventories locked away in chests—chests that can be accessed with a little cunning. Instead of struggling to afford weapons, armor, or potions, players can pickpocket shopkeepers for their keys, bypassing difficult locks and gaining access to their entire stock. The best time to strike is at night when vendors are asleep, as this is when you can easily pickpocket them without being seen. Most merchant chests and shop doors require Hard or Very Hard lockpicking skills, which you likely won’t have early on, making stealing the key the smartest and easiest way in. Once inside, you can loot everything they have for free, ensuring you’re well-equipped without spending a single Groschen.
Don’t feel guilty about robbing the vendors—after a few in-game days, they’ll restock, and you can even repeat the process if needed. With perks like Hustler, you can take your stolen loot and sell it right back to them. Beyond merchants, raiding bandit camps and grave sites for hidden treasures can set you up with thousands of Groschen before most players have even completed their first major quest. Whether you want high-tier gear, free potions, or a quick payday, mastering theft is the ultimate shortcut to a strong start.
2. Use all your outfit load-outs
Your outfit isn’t just for looks—it directly affects your effectiveness in different aspects of the game. Since you can create three loadouts, it’s crucial to optimize them for specific tasks: combat, theft, and speech checks.
Before heading into battle, equip your combat loadout, which should focus on high-defense armor and a strong weapon. Once combat starts, you can’t swap gear, so preparing beforehand is essential. Heavy plate armor provides excellent protection but can slow you down, whereas lighter armor offers more mobility at the cost of defense. Finding the right balance based on your playstyle can mean the difference between life and death in a fight.
For sneaking and stealing, a theft loadout is a must. Dark, lightweight clothing with minimal noise ensures you stay undetected while sneaking, lockpicking, or pickpocketing. Wearing metal armor makes too much noise, making stealth missions unnecessarily difficult.
Meanwhile, a speech-optimized loadout will help in conversations, trade, and social interactions. Well-maintained, stylish clothes, jewelry, and accessories increase your charisma, improving persuasion checks, haggling, and even the chance to avoid conflicts entirely. Keeping these load-outs organized and switching between them before engaging in different activities will make your journey much smoother.
3. Find Mutt as soon as possible
One of the best early-game decisions you can make is completing the quest to find your dog, Mutt. He’s an invaluable ally, especially in combat, where you’re still learning the mechanics and haven’t built up your strength. Mutt can bait enemy aggro, distracting foes so you can land hits more safely or even retreat if necessary. This is a game-changer when facing multiple opponents, as he helps prevent you from getting overwhelmed.
Beyond combat, Mutt also has utility in exploration and survival. He can sniff out hidden items, track down NPCs, and even assist in hunting. Having him by your side makes many aspects of the game easier, and since he doesn’t require much upkeep, there’s no reason to delay getting him. Prioritize this quest early, and you’ll have a loyal companion who will help you in fights, loot hunting, and more throughout your journey. Just remember to feed and pet him now and then, or else his obedience level will drop.
4. Master combat mechanics, combos, and Master Strike
Combat in this game is skill-based and punishes button-mashing, making it crucial to learn the mechanics early. Understanding stamina management, attack angles, and blocking will set you apart from enemies who can quickly overwhelm you if you’re careless. One of the most important things to master is the Perfect Block, which uses no stamina and sets up counterattacks. Once you’re comfortable with blocking, Master Strike should be your next priority—this powerful counterattack lets you deflect an enemy’s strike and immediately retaliate, often turning the tide of battle instantly. You can learn it from Tomcat at the Nomad Camp, and it’s well worth the effort.
Combos are another essential skill, as they let you chain attacks together for maximum damage. Unlike random swings, executing proper combos lets you break through an opponent’s defense, which is crucial against tougher enemies wearing armor. Different weapons have different combos, and you can pay NPC combat trainers to teach you new ones throughout the game. Some trainers are only available for a limited time, so if you come across one, take advantage of their lessons before they disappear. Training at combat arenas, sparring with NPCs, and consistently practicing will reinforce these mechanics, ensuring you don’t get steamrolled in real fights. Mastering combat early will make later encounters far less punishing and give you a serious advantage against skilled opponents.
5. Never buy a horse—steal one instead
Horses are essential for traveling quickly, but there’s no reason to spend thousands of Groschen on one when you can simply steal one for free. Buying a good horse can cost upwards of 7,000 Groschen, whereas stealing and registering one at a Horse Handler costs only a fraction of that price. The best way to do this is to steal a horse at night, when fewer NPCs are around to witness the theft. Once you have the horse, ride straight to a Black Market Horse Handler, such as the one at the Nomad Camp in the Trosky region, to make it legally yours.
Be careful, though—getting caught stealing a horse can lead to serious consequences, including fines or even execution in extreme cases. To avoid this, make sure you’re unseen before mounting a stolen horse, and immediately ride out of the area at full speed. If you play it smart, you’ll have a top-tier horse without breaking the bank, making your early game much easier without draining your funds.
6. Stick with Pebbles and unlock "Good Old Pebbles"
If you love Pebbles and don’t want to swap him out for a better horse, you’re in luck—he eventually becomes one of the best horses in the game. By riding him for 35 kilometers, you’ll unlock the Good Old Pebbles perk. This hidden perk drastically boosts all of Pebbles' stats, turning him into a late-game powerhouse without needing to buy an expensive replacement.
Once the perk unlocks, Pebbles' stats improve significantly, giving him 216 stamina, 358 carry capacity, 53 speed, and 12 courage, making him comparable to some of the best horses available. To get this perk as quickly as possible, avoid fast travel and always ride Pebbles instead of running on foot. If you're patient and stick with him, you’ll save thousands of Groschen while keeping a loyal and well-upgraded steed for the rest of your adventure.
If you decide to swap out Pebbles for Herring in the Back to the Saddle Quest, it too will have a similar hidden perk that buffs its stats called the “Red Herring” perk (unlocks after 50 kilometers).
7. Alchemy is broken
Alchemy is one of the most underrated yet powerful mechanics in the game, and mastering it early can give you a massive advantage. Unlike buying potions, brewing your own is cheap, efficient, and highly customizable. Healing potions like Marigold Decoction will keep you alive in tough fights, while other brews, such as Painkiller and Aqua Venalis, reduce stamina drain and slow bleeding. Buff potions can temporarily boost Speech, Lockpicking, and combat stats, giving you an edge in difficult situations.
The best part? You don’t need to waste Groschen on recipes—just look them up on a KCD2 guide or steal them from vendors and alchemists. Once you know a recipe, you can brew the potion without ever needing to buy the formula. On top of being useful, potions sell for a lot of money, making Alchemy one of the best money-making methods in the game. If you invest in the Secrets of Secrets perk, you can brew Henry-quality potions, which are even more effective and valuable. Keep picking herbs, crafting potions, and selling extras for easy profit—you’ll never be short on Groschen again.
8. Get the Liberal Arts perk for easier skill checks
The Liberal Arts perk is one of the most useful perks in the game, especially if you plan on engaging in Speech, Charisma, or other skill-based interactions. Normally, when you encounter a skill check—whether it’s persuading an NPC, intimidating someone, or passing a reading requirement—you only see your own stats, leaving you guessing how difficult the check actually is. With Liberal Arts, you’ll get a clear indicator of how tough the check is before committing to a choice, allowing you to pick the best approach and avoid unnecessary failures.
This perk is especially valuable early on when you’re still developing your character’s skills. It helps you determine when you should use a Speech buff potion, wear Charisma-boosting clothes, or try a different tactic altogether. Without it, you’ll be blindly guessing whether you have a chance at succeeding, which can lead to wasted opportunities and failed negotiations. If you plan on talking your way through encounters, haggling for better deals, or making the most of skill-based interactions, Liberal Arts is a must-have perk.
9. Avoid getting surrounded in combat—it will get you killed
One of the fastest ways to die in combat is to let yourself get surrounded. Unlike one-on-one fights, where you can focus on blocking and countering, multiple enemies will attack you from different angles, leaving you defenseless. Even if you're wearing heavy armor, taking hits from multiple enemies at once will drain your stamina rapidly, making you vulnerable to devastating blows. If you find yourself in a fight against several opponents, your priority should be to keep them in front of you and avoid getting flanked.
Use terrain to your advantage by fighting in narrow spaces like doorways, hallways, or against walls where only one or two enemies can engage you at a time. If you're in an open area, backpedal and reposition yourself to funnel enemies into a line. Also, don’t forget about Mutt—your dog can help pull aggro and create openings for you to strike. If things get too overwhelming, don’t be afraid to run, reposition, or even retreat entirely—staying alive is more important than fighting a losing battle.
10. Take your time and enjoy the game
This isn’t a game you should rush through—the real fun comes from immersing yourself in the world, exploring side quests, and finding creative ways to solve problems. Unlike other RPGs with straightforward objectives, many missions here offer multiple ways to complete them. You can talk your way out of conflicts, sneak past enemies, or brute-force your way through obstacles—it all depends on your playstyle. Taking the time to experiment with different approaches makes every playthrough unique and rewarding. Side quests are just as rich and engaging as the main story, often filled with humor, intrigue, or unexpected consequences. Some side missions even provide unique rewards, rare gear, or valuable skills that can help you in the long run. Instead of racing through the story, slow down, explore, and let the game unfold naturally—the depth of the world is what makes it special.
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Patrick Yu is a Senior Project Manager at Level Interactive and has 8 years of experience writing business, legal, lifestyle, gaming, and technology articles. He is a significant contributor to Acer Corner and is currently based in Taipei, Taiwan.
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