Hardcore Mode in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2: Survival Against the Odds

The difficulty in Kingdom Come 2 is higher than in most RPGs, and it achieves this through realistic and immersive mechanics, rather than simply boosting enemy stats. Nevertheless, there is always room for growth, and that’s why the April update introduced an advanced mode for players who enjoy a challenge.

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The main innovation is the addition of negative perks — a unique way to increase difficulty using realistic elements. You can choose from three to ten traits that hinder your character and force you to adapt. This experience will appeal to players who enjoy role-playing as flawed characters.

What Are Negative Perks?

Negative perks are the opposite of talents. Each one worsens something in Henry’s life. Each perk has unique effects; some will seem insignificant, while others will have a major impact on gameplay. If you activate all of them simultaneously, you will face numerous challenges and need to find workarounds where, in normal mode, there would be no issues.

All Negative Perks in Kingdom Come 2:

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Bad Back

A bad back reduces the maximum weight Henry can carry by half. If he carries too many items, Henry will become overloaded. In this state, he cannot run or ride a horse. His normal movement speed, attack speed, and dodge speed are also reduced. Additionally, attacks consume more stamina.

This ailment also increases the chance of straining his back when gathering herbs and mushrooms. Alchemy enthusiasts will shed so many tears that they could fill a whole cauldron with them.

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The easiest way to overcome this condition is to acquire a horse and transfer most of the items to its inventory. The harder and longer path involves gradually increasing carrying capacity by leveling up strength and perks like Pack Mule, Well-Built, and Strong as a Bull.

At the start of the game, either carry minimal items or, conversely, overload yourself to increase strength faster.

Heavy-Footed

Footwear wears out faster, and the character makes more noise. Even without Heavy-Footed, clothing deteriorates quickly, and now this will be even more of an issue. As for noise, this negative perk affects players who prefer stealth. Thieves, lock-pickers, and stranglers with this perk will need to carefully choose their clothing to minimize the sound they make.

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Whenever you come across a tailor kit, pick it up or buy it. Also, improve skills in the Craftsmanship branch. These will make repairs cheaper, and repairing items yourself will provide useful bonuses.

Thieves are already used to monitoring their clothing's noise level. Sometimes, it’s even better to sneak around naked.

Numbskull

Henry will earn 40% less experience from all sources. Essentially, you will need to work harder to level up. Completing the game will require more time and patience. The journey from "rags to riches" will feel more organic and gradual. Kingdom Come 2’s realism in these aspects will usually only motivate players to overcome the obstacles.

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To speed up the leveling process, complete more quests, read books, and train with instructors. Also, focus on using the most essential skills to level them up as quickly as possible.

Somnambulant

You get tired 40% faster after resting, and each time you go to sleep, there's a chance you’ll wake up somewhere other than where you went to bed. This will happen often, as the Somnambulant perk essentially encourages more frequent sleep.

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It would be wise to remember how long the character can stay awake without suffering negative effects. With this information, you can better plan when to be near a bed. Long-term room rentals at inns become even more useful as a result.

Hangry Henry

The character will get hungry more often, and food will satisfy less than usual. In addition to the regular consequences of hunger, the following attributes will decrease by 5 points:

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You will need to pay attention to food lying around, hunt, and also smoke and dry supplies. Keep an eye on your hunger levels to avoid missing the right moment for a snack. Be more mindful of how hungry you will get while sleeping.

Sweaty

Henry gets dirty more quickly. The distance from which others can smell the stench coming from the dirty hero is doubled. Moreover, perfumes won’t mask the smell. This primarily complicates life for diplomats and those who prefer stealth.

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In settlements, it’s easy to find a washbasin with water to clean up. Now, this will become a mandatory ritual. Stock up on plenty of soap to always be able to wash your clothes. Baths are always the best way to wash off dirt, but they are paid. To avoid soiling beautiful clothes, don’t wear them casually. By the way, with this negative perk, you should always dress well before dialogues.

Picky Eater

All food in the inventory spoils 25% faster. Even in normal mode, food often spoils, and you have to throw it away. Never eat spoiled food, as it will poison you. It’s better to regularly get rid of expired food than to die from stomach pain.

When butchering animals, you can collect only a quarter of what would normally be obtained from the carcass without this trait.

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Regularly update your food supplies. When taking new food, eat what hasn’t spoiled yet and throw away the spoiled ones. Don’t overeat, or you’ll get a painful debuff. Smoking and drying food increase its shelf life, but it’s not a cure-all.

Bashful

Shyness makes it harder to speak well, reducing the experience gained in the Speech skill, and without leveling it up, sometimes it’s impossible to complete certain quests peacefully. This will be especially noticeable in the first 30 hours of gameplay, as after that, the skill will gradually level up and alternative ways to increase your stats will become available.

You can't ask people for directions or receive all services at the bathhouses. This is the way.

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As for alternatives, clothing is key to changing how others perceive your character. Even with bad Speech, dressing like a noble or knight will make resolving conflicts through dialogue much easier. Sometimes, there’s an option to bribe your interlocutor, which is also a good way to bypass the Bashful condition.

Punchable Face

Enemies are stronger, bolder, more resilient, and deal 10% more damage. Increased aggression from enemies minimizes the chance to recover stamina, especially during battles against groups.

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Overall, this is a small change that mostly affects the player’s skill requirements for winning battles. Great equipment will, of course, always make combat easier, but without knowledge of how to fight properly, you won’t survive even in the normal version of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

Menace

If Henry is branded for a serious crime, the mark won’t disappear over time. A branded criminal will be executed if they commit another serious offense. If the game ended here, it would indeed be a significant change, but most players will simply load their last save and continue playing.

Punishments for all offenses also become harsher, and guards will search the character more frequently.

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It’s an interesting concept, but there are few realistic ways for players to use it. Perhaps someone will decide to roleplay redemption and leave their criminal past behind after receiving the brand.

Survival Strategies with Negative Perks in Kingdom Come 2

During leveling, you should prioritize perks that in some way negate the effects of the negative ones. Is your carrying capacity reduced? Then you’ll need a skill to increase it. This method is ideal for those who want to play the game more comfortably in this mode.

The most noticeable impact on combat comes from stamina-reducing limitations. The best thing you can do is avoid additional debuffs, like overeating. The more stamina you have, the easier it will be to catch an enemy when they’re out of breath and you’re not.

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You’ll have to spend money more often to maintain yourself, eat well, and bypass checks during dialogues. As a result, you’ll have more motivation to earn money. The faster you save for good clothes, the sooner you’ll be able to resolve conflicts in dialogues for free.

For those who want to earn money by playing dice at the tavern, we recommend reading our guide on dice gameplay.

As a thief, it can be faster to acquire the necessary items, but some negative perks complicate this playstyle. You need to choose the most suitable outfit and stay clean to avoid attracting attention due to smell.

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The cheapest way to get a horse is to steal one and then bring it to a gypsy camp. For a modest fee, it will become yours. A trusty steed is very useful when your carrying capacity and stamina are reduced. By the way, choose a horse with characteristics that suit you best.

You can find 10 more tips for effective gameplay in this article. They’ll help you overcome the challenges of the hardcore mode in Kingdom Come 2.

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Realistic Gaming Experience in Kingdom Come 2

There are several complications that add realism. Unlike the perks we choose, these changes are always active in this mode. The hero is not marked on the map, there's no compass, no directional indicator in combat, no fast travel options, and no interface displaying your health, stamina, and other parameters at the bottom of the screen.

The hardcore mode in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 will undoubtedly bring many amazing stories, and you can read about those that have already occurred in the normal game by following the link.

If you're interested in modifications, Hardcore Mode was released even before this update, featuring almost the same elements but with some differences. For example, perks can be turned on and off during the playthrough.

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Survival in Kingdom Come 2 is an important element of immersion in the game world, and with negative perks, it becomes even more intense. Henry’s journey is full of struggles, and here, there are even more — an increased portion of satisfaction when achieving your goals.

Have you tried the hardcore mod? What challenges seemed most interesting to you? Share your stories and survival strategies in the hardcore mode in the comments!

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