Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Beginner's Guide: Saving, Combat and the First Hours

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1. Understand saving first The game does not save everywhere. It autosaves at the start, end and key points of quests; it also saves when you sleep in a bed you are allowed to use, when you choose Save and Quit, and when you drink Saviour Schnapps. Not knowing this can cost you an hour of progress.
2. Take the prologue slowly The opening sets up the story and teaches the basics. By the end Henry has almost nothing left, and that is by design. Read the tutorial prompts, especially those about blocking and attack directions.
3. First goal: a place to sleep Sleeping restores energy and saves the game. Renting a room at an inn or finding a bed that counts as yours is the most valuable thing you can do early on. Sleeping in someone else's bed will not save, and may get you in trouble.
4. Watch nourishment and energy As nourishment (hunger and thirst) and energy (tiredness) drop, Henry weakens. Carry food, but remember some of it spoils over time, and overeating has downsides too. Eat little and often.
5. Take combat training seriously Combat is built on choosing a direction with the mouse and blocking at the right moment. When trainers become available, practise with them; nailing block timing before your first bandit encounters saves lives.
6. Earn money and goodwill with side quests You start broke. Small jobs in villages bring coin and reputation. Doing a few side quests before rushing the main story leaves Henry better equipped and more skilled.
7. Keep your clothes clean Dirty, torn or bloodied clothes lower Charisma, and people treat you coldly. Washing at a trough or visiting a bathhouse fixes it. Check your appearance before a conversation you want to win.
8. Stock up on Saviour Schnapps It saves anywhere but is scarce; buy it from traders, find it in chests or brew it at an alchemy bench. Keep one or two before a hard quest.

• Perfect blocks cost no staminaWhen an enemy swings, a green shield icon appears; block right then for a perfect block that costs no stamina. Strike immediately afterwards for a riposte. This is the single most useful skill early on.
• Hit where they are openMost weapons attack from four directions. Watch where your opponent holds their guard and strike the unprotected side. Repeating the same direction is easy to block.
• Don't run out of staminaLow stamina weakens your attacks and breaks your defence, and armour absorbs damage better while you still have stamina. Keep a pace that lets you breathe.
• Avoid fighting groups aloneMultiple enemies are very dangerous for Henry, especially early. Back off, try to line them up, or avoid the fight entirely. Bows and crossbows give you an edge at range.
• Skills grow through useWant better Speech? Talk and haggle. Better archery? Shoot. At certain levels you unlock perks. Check the player screen (P) now and then.
• Brew your own potionsAt an alchemy bench you follow a recipe's steps in order; Saviour Schnapps can be made this way. Picking herbs along the road gives you ingredients and a little income.
• Charisma and reputation matter in dialoguePersuasion checks depend on Charisma, Speech and your local reputation. Even in your finest clothes, a bad history in a town keeps doors closed.
• Use the bathhouse's full serviceA paid full service at a bathhouse washes, heals and feeds Henry, the fastest way to recover after a tough quest.
• Crime has consequencesGetting caught stealing, trespassing or picking locks lowers your reputation and brings the guards. If you go sneaking, use night, crouching and unwatched moments, and always weigh the risk.
• Use the journal and map togetherThe quest you track in the journal (J) is marked on the map (M). Some quests move on at certain hours; press T to skip time and wait.

• Playing for a long time without understanding saving; autosaves are sparse, so one defeat can wipe an hour of progress.
• Drinking Saviour Schnapps before every small task; it is scarce and best kept for hard moments. Save and Quit works for a break.
• Taking on several enemies at once early on; Henry is still weak and runs out of stamina fast.
• Attacking constantly without practising blocks; combat is about timing, and random clicking leads to quick defeat.
• Going into an important conversation dirty and bloodied; low Charisma makes persuasion fail.
• Hoarding food or carrying none at all; food spoils, and hunger weakens Henry.

This guide was written for version: This guide reflects the current PC version of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II and default keyboard and mouse controls as of September 2026.

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