There are many masters of combat in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and Tomcat is likely the first one many players will encounter first. He is a swordmaster residing within the Nomad Camp west of Troskowitz, and as intimidating as his reputation might, he's actually a pretty swell guy.
Tomcat will teach players a few sword fighting tricks, and that includes the Master Strike in KCD2. However, for him to agree to teach you that sword technique, you'll need to beat him in a real fight first — a simple task that's easier said than done.
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How to Win Against Tomcat in KCD2
Tomcat will likely be the toughest enemy you'll fight at this point in the game. Not only is he a strong and aggressive fighter, but he can also perform Master Strikes against you. For those who don't know, a Master Strike is an unblockable counter-attack that pretty much guarantees damage. You won't be able to defend yourself against these, so you must learn how to avoid them instead.
Master Strikes are performed by attacking just before an enemy attack hits your unguarded side. Simply enough, make sure to never attack the opposite side of Tomcat's guard. Focus on attacking his guard directly. This will eventually tire him out, letting you land a few good blows.
Master Strikes can only be done with swords. When fighting against anyone using any other weapon, keep the basics of KCD2's combat in mind.
Do not riposte after parrying Tomcat. Riposting will put your guard on the opposite side of the enemy's, priming you for a Master Strike. Instead, focus on doing perfect blocks so you can recover your stamina. Swing at Tomcat after he performs a combo, and keep defending against his strikes. With a bit of patience, you'll win the duel eventually.
Get Better Gear
If Tomcat is dealing too much damage to you, consider coming back later after getting better equipment. You can collect several pieces of good gear early in KCD2, including better weapons and armor, if you know where to look. We recommend either raiding the Troskowitz armory or finding Brunswick's Armor set (assuming you pre-ordered the game).
Alternatively, you can try getting a good weapon like the 
Basilard and pair it with the Gladiator perk, which improves your sword fighting skill by +5 if wielding a one-handed sword. This should give you an edge if fighting Tomcat with a longsword isn't working.
When push comes to shove, the only thing left to do is come back later once you've improved your skills. There are plenty of enemies to fight in the Trosky region, and you could always ask Tomcat to spar with you for some extra Warfare and weapon XP.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
- Released
- February 4, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity
- Developer(s)
- Warhorse Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Deep Silver
- Engine
- CryEngine
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Playable
- PC Release Date
- February 4, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- February 4, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- February 4, 2025
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Action-Adventure, Open-World
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
