Best Perks In KCD

Key Takeaways

• Gain unique perks in Kingdom Come: Deliverance to improve gameplay, like Alarm with the Houndmaster Perk.
• Choose perks wisely to suit gameplay style; like Stealth Perk Ordinary Mug evading confrontation by blending in.
• Level up efficiently to survive and thrive; perks like Firm Grip and Against All Odds boost combat ability.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a historical action role-playing game set in Bohemia in 1403. The player takes on the role of Henry, the son of the town’s blacksmith and the last remaining survivor of his family after an attack from Cuman mercenaries leaves his village in shambles. As players progress through the story’s engaging plotlines and leveling system, Kingdom Come: Deliverance introduces a skill system designed to improve Henry’s statistics and grant additional perks to different playing styles.

As players continue leveling up, more perks and skills will become available. As perk points are limited, players sometimes have to choose between dozens of available skills, which will be helpful with solidifying the style players wish to embrace. From picking locks and getting away with thievery to becoming Bohemia’s greatest warrior and defensive stalwart, this guide will cover some of the best available perks, what bonuses they grant the player, and why they’re suitable for the long-term lifestyle in Kingdom Come: Deliverance.

Updated November 29, 2024 by Rhenn Taguiam: As Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is set for a February 2025 release, fans of the realistic medieval survival franchise might want to go back to the first game to get a feeling of just how gritty the original mechanics can become for players. Compared to other first-person titles, players aren’t necessarily given much leeway in the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance game – making the game rather infamous for being extremely difficult.

However, seasoned players in the game know that choosing the right Perks can make the game much more manageable for players. Among must-try Perks for players include being able to spot enemies more easily, blending into crowds to evade the law, having a more brutal companion, and knowing when they’re about to get caught.

14 Alarm

Houndmaster Perk

• Requires: Hunting Level 10
• “Your dog will growl to warn you of the nearby proximity of enemies”

When players pursue the Houndmaster Perk in Kingdom Come: Deliverance, they can get access to Alarm – arguably one of the most useful Perks when it comes to having a dog around the player. Should players venture out in the open with no clue as to where enemies are, Alarm will have the dog start growling should players be in the proximity of opponents.

This Perk becomes extremely useful when players and Mutt unexpectedly enter an enemy camp or even on the road where ambushes are common. Being able to spot enemies early can help players avoid surprise attacks, allowing them to get back to safety or even try to find a safer way to traverse their current location.

13 Sixth Sense

Lockpicking Perk

• Requires: Lockpicking Level 9
• “Your sixth sense will warn you if someone is about to catch you in the act of lockpicking, so you’ll have more time to escape”

Lockpicking is an essential skill in Kingdom Come: Deliverance, especially for players who want to earn a quick buck without going through official channels. Unfortunately for them, pursuing lockpicking without the Lockpicking Perk can be difficult as they can be easily caught by guards and other people if they’re not careful, potentially leading to deadly encounters with law enforcement.

Thankfully for players, the Sixth Sense Perk within Lockpicking can make things much easier for them. When activated, players should be able to get an early “warning” from their “sixth sense” that an enemy is nearby and may be able to catch them. This gives players a headstart for their escape, allowing them to evade potential capture.

12 Ordinary Mug

Stealth Perk

• Requires: Stealth Level 8
• “When you’re wanted, people are less likely to recognize your face and soon stop looking for you”

Players who’ve played their fair share of stealth games know that being able to escape is just as important as never getting caught. Unfortunately for players of Kingdom Come: Deliverance, staying sneaky in the game isn’t as easy as they think. When caught in the act, guards and figures in authority aren’t as merciful toward Henry – and Henry isn’t always strong enough to tackle many of them head-on. Thanks to Ordinary Mug, Henry has a fighting chance to not even engage in conflict.

When purchased, Ordinary Mug will make crowds less likely to recognize the player even if they are wanted. This is especially useful during pursuits, as this allows players to evade capture by reducing the time they are wanted in a particular location.

11 Et Tu, Brute

Stealth Perk

• Requires: Stealth Level 10
• “Your attacks from behind will be one-third stronger”

In games like The Elder Scrolls series, backstab builds are almost always worth it due to how strong attacks can get when catching an opponent unawares. The principle is almost the same in Kingdom Come: Deliverance, but this time it’s daggers that mostly get one-shot kills when attacking foes from behind. However, this changes with Et Tu, Brute, a Stealth Perk that can cause quite a menace in combat when done correctly.

At its core, the Perk adds +33% or 1/3 potency to attacks from behind. This counts all attacks, including range, allowing players to deal close to the damage of daggers when backstabbing foes. This is especially useful in large-scale battles as flanking foes distracted by allies can help them take down foes more easily. With Mutt, the dog can distract foes while players kill them from behind.

10 Mule I, II, III

Strength Stat

• Requires: Strength Level 4 (I), Level 8 (II), Level 12 (III)
• “You can carry 15/20/25 pounds more”

The Mule perk series will grant players additional weight capacity for carrying items, which fulfills a need for long adventures in the wilderness and storing necessary items that are essential for survival. Over time, Kingdom Come: Deliverance will allow players to store valuable items that can be sold to merchants for profit, and build up funds to save for better weapons and armor sets. This will give Henry some extra storage to pack ingredients, which can help with creating potions.

Over time, Henry will become famished and see his health and stamina diminish if his lack of nutrition is ignored. Being able to carry an additional 15 to 25 pounds of cargo will provide just enough space for some extra food and supplies, which will help Henry outlast the conditions and his own starvation.

9 Perfect Throw

Agility Stat

• Requires: Agility Level 12
• “You have a better chance of throwing winning dice”

Many of the available Agility-based perks will offer players the ability to strike faster and move quickly, but all of them come with a caveat. For example, Fast Striker will boost a player’s ability to land a blow 30% faster than usual but will deal less damage and have lower odds of injuring the opponent. Perfect Throw, on the other hand, doesn’t come with any downside, and gives Henry a better chance at rolling a winning hand while playing dice – or Farkle – in Kingdom Come: Deliverance‘s gambling game with the city’s risk-taker.

The deeper Henry ventures into the world, the greater his need for wealth will come into play. Players can build wealth by selling valuable items to merchants or haggling a price down as much as possible to conserve their funds. If Henry has a better chance at beating the gambler in Farkle, he’ll make out with filled pockets and the funds to last him for a long while — or just long enough to purchase an upgrade in weaponry or armor.

8 Berserk

Vitality Stat

• Requires: Vitality Level 9
• “As soon as your Health falls to minimum, you go berserk and your Stamina regenerates four times faster”

Life in Bohemia can be tough, especially with Kingdom Come: Deliverance‘s difficult battle system and unusual controls. Players may find it hard to control Henry’s attacks and struggle to focus on the direction in which each swing will go, but mastering this ability early on will benefit the player’s long-term success. Having the right perk equipped for combat will go a long way, and Berserk is perfectly suited for those who struggle.

Berserk is unique in the sense that it rewards players with a boost if they begin to struggle during a fight and have their health drop to a dangerously low level. Once Henry’s health drops to a minimum level, he will enter Berserk mode, which will regenerate his stamina at four times the rate he normally could. This aids his ability to strike faster with three- or four-hit combos or flee the battlefield at a faster rate, surviving to fight another day.

7 Trustworthy Middleman

Speech Stat

• Requires: Speech Level 12
• “Merchants will be more willing to buy stolen items from you”

Skilled thieves can sneak into lodgings undetected and find food and other items not meant to be taken, but what Henry can actually do with them is quite limited. Items that are sold come with an asterisk next to them in the inventory list, indicating that the item is a stolen good. As word spreads around the town that certain items have gone missing, some merchants may notice the stolen goods in Henry’s inventory if he chooses to sell them for profit.

The Trustworthy Middleman perk helps with avoiding any suspicion, as merchants will be more willing to turn a blind eye to anything stolen being sold to them. This will help players who wish to turn Henry into Bohemia’s greatest thief, as stealing valuable items and selling them for wealth is an excellent and quick way to build up funds for future use.

6 Firm Grip

Defence Combat Stat

• Requires: Defence Level 4
• “Blocking your opponent’s strikes with your shield will cost him 15% more Stamina”

A good offense is a strong defense, an area players shouldn’t neglect when building Henry up for battle. While hacking and slashing may seem like the quickest way to earn a victory, Kingdom Come: Deliverance challenges players with a more strategic system where blocking and dodging are vital for survival. Equipping a perk along with mastering these skills will be the difference between life and death, and Firm Grip is a wonderful skill to possess in this regard.

Not only does it unlock at Player Level 4, which grants Henry a sturdy defensive skill early in the campaign, but its bonus will have players continuing to use it in the later stages of Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Once players master the art of blocking, each instance will deplete the enemy’s stamina by 15%. A string of successful blocks will have opponents stepping back to catch their breath, leaving them open for a counterattack.

5 Against All Odds

Warfare Combat Stat

• Requires: Warfare Level 12
• “You’ll have 20% greater Strength, Agility, Warfare and Defence in a fight where you’re outnumbered”

War can be brutal and unfair, especially when the opposing side has the numbers to overpower Henry and his troops. Having to fend off multiple enemies at once will be an obstacle players must overcome as early as one of the first missions in Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Players will have to flee Bohemia while being chased by Cuman mercenaries, and if they’re not careful, they may run into four mercenaries. Against All Odds will help turn the tables and give Henry a better chance at outlasting the group.

This perk grants Henry a 20% boost to his Strength, Agility, Warfare, and Defense stats, which goes a long way to taking down two or more enemies in a single fight. The additional bonus in these categories will have Henry landing heavier blows, recovering his stamina more quickly, and surviving counterattacks with proper dodging and blocks. Paired with some of the game’s more defensive perks, it will give Henry the ability to frustrate multiple enemy troops and take them down one by one.

4 Routine I, II

Alchemy Skill

• Requires: Alchemy Level 10 (I), Level 13 (II)
• “You can now auto-brew potions you have brewed once before, but you can only brew one” (I), “Autobrewing will produce 3 potions for the price of one” (II)

Practice makes perfect is a lesson that can be applied to many aspects of life. In Kingdom Come: Deliverance, making sure Henry has the necessary items to keep his health from falling too low is something players should keep in mind when choosing which perks to apply. Routine I and II, when combined, give Henry the ability to auto-brew potions and triple the amount he makes each time the command is entered.

Potions are a convenient item to bring along on lengthy missions and quests, as they allow Henry to keep his health at a reasonable level without having to backtrack for rest. Unfortunately, Routine II won’t activate until Routine I is unlocked because it is dependent on the auto-brew mechanic. Once players equip both to Henry, he’ll have no trouble whipping up multiple potions at a time, so long as he has the proper ingredients.

3 Leg Day

Herbalism Skill

• Requires: Herbalism Level 10
• “Herb-picking activity will add experience to your Strength stat too”

The life of a gardener can be tedious, and seeking out herbs is a burden many players won’t be too excited about. Not only is tracking these herbs down a chore in its own right, but collecting enough to make a variety of different items is very time-consuming, to say the least. Thankfully, with the Leg Day perk equipped, Henry will benefit from spending long hours in the field as he builds up his herbalism skills.

Leg Day works in conjunction with each herb picked, as it also builds Henry’s strength. A higher herbalism skill allows Henry to pick up herbs quicker, meaning the time spent in this area of the game is a great way to add experience to Henry’s strength without having to focus on other tasks like fighting or exchanging. It’s a quality-of-life addition to an action RPG that otherwise focuses on a brutal life of war and death.

2 Steak Tartare

Hunting Skill

• Requires: Hunting Level 13
• “You can eat raw meat”

As part of the survival portion of Kingdom Come: Deliverance, players will need to keep an eye out for Henry’s nourishment levels. If he’s eaten too much, Henry will earn the gluttony tag, and his ability to regain stamina will be much slower than usual. Going too long without food will deplete his health, leading to a death by starvation. As players continue to roam the world, food scarcity will become a real threat, leaving Henry with very few options.

Raw foods can lead to poisoning, which will lower Henry’s health quickly and lead to his death if not treated quickly enough. The Steak Tartare perk will negate this unfortunate side effect, as it allows Henry to eat raw foods with no consequences. This makes the hunting elements of Kingdom Come: Deliverance much more tolerable, as players won’t have to worry about cooking and storing their food for later use. Simply hunt down an animal and feast away, a perfect resolution for quick nourishment.

1 Racehorse

Horsemanship Skill

• Requires: Horsemanship Level 4
• “Your horse is faster, but can carries less weight. Can’t be combined with the Heavy Duty Pony perk”

One of the many aspects of Kingdom Come: Deliverance that players will want to invest sufficient time in is horse riding, as it will allow players to get across the map quickly while avoiding mobs of attackers. Learning the art of riding a horse is a necessity early on, as Henry will flee his mining village in the game’s first big mission, thanks to Cuman mercenaries storming the town and wiping out everyone in their wake.

The Racehorse perk may seem like a minor improvement at first glance, but its early-game use will come into play and help players get Henry out of dodge. Racehorse sacrifices cargo space and weight to improve the horse’s ability to run at faster speeds. This will come into play early on, as players won’t have too many items to carry around, which means the downside won’t hurt right away. Being able to escape sticky situations quickly will keep Henry out of danger and allow him to re-group and strategize a different approach, making it an essential early-game perk that continues to be useful throughout Henry’s journey.