Summary
- 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 March 23, 2025, by Rhenn Taguiam: Fans who fell in love with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 might be curious as to what happened to Henry in the beginning parts of his journey, making Kingdom Come: Deliverance the perfect entry for players to stay next. Despite being a standard RPG, Deliverance is known for its brutal mechanics and emphasis on realism, making this an interesting game for fans who adored the likes of Skyrim, but want to amp up the difficulty. Thankfully, the right Perks can become game-changers, especially ones that reduce the penalty of standing and sleeping, and those that emphasize the value of stealth in their experience.
18 Contemplative
Standing Up Is Finally Unpunished
- Main Perk
- Requires: Level 12
- Description: “As long as you remain still, your tiredness and hunger will stay at the same Level.”
As a game that strove for realism, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is surprisingly punishing. Time is of the essence in the game’s harsh Middle Age setting, and the game reflects this sense of urgency through Henry’s fatigue, which can be triggered even by the simple act of standing up.
This changes with Contemplative, as standing still now ensures players don’t get decreased levels of Hunger and Tiredness. Activities such as sleeping, waiting, and even studying will no longer decrease Henry’s food and energy levels, significantly saving time by not forcing players to sleep and eat after every few actions.
17 Cloak And Dagger
The Best Stealth Perk In The Game
- Main Level Perk
- Requires: Level 8
- Description: “You prefer to remain in the shadows. You have a +2 Stealth bonus at the cost of a -1 penalty to both Strength and Speech. Can't be combined with the perks Ken, Brute, Juggler or Golden Tongue.”
Fans of Skyrim who appreciated the power of stealth gameplay in an open world title will experience similar advantages in Kingdom Come: Deliverance. As players increase their Stealth level, their overall “visibility” decreases, giving them various advantages when trying to jump the gun on their targets.
Players also get a tremendous advantage if they unlock the Cloak and Dagger Main Level Perk. Despite not being under the Stealth Perk Tree, Cloak and Dagger is arguably the best Stealth-related Perk in the game, giving players +2 Stealth despite -1 Stealth and Speech. While this can’t be used alongside Golden Tongue, Brute, Ken, and Juggler, fans who prefer to stay in the shadows rather than talking to others might see Cloak and Dagger as a worthwhile investment.
16 Burgher
A Great Choice For Urban Settings
- Main Level Perk
- Requires: Level 6
- Description: “In towns and villages and their immediate vicinity you have a +1 bonus on Strength, Agility, Vitality and Speech. Can't be combined with Savage perk.”
Thanks to the freedom players have in Kingdom Come: Deliverance, they can engage in different kinds of situations in both towns and the wilderness. Certain Perks give them advantages to activities in those settings. Players who prefer conversing with others might benefit from the Burgher Perk, which they can obtain as they progress through the main level.
When unlocked, Burgher gives players +1 to Strength, Vitality, Agility, and Speech whenever they’re inside towns, villages, and their immediate surroundings. This is a massive boost to a player’s overall skillset, making them more versatile when dealing with the challenges of socializing. Picking Burgher does mean players can’t take the Savage Perk, which has similar benefits but for the wilderness.
15 Insomniac
Perfect For Beginning Levels
- Main Level Perk
- Main Level
- Description: “Increases the time you can do without sleep. Your Energy Lvl falls one quarter more slowly.”
When players Sleep in Kingdom Come: Deliverance, they don’t just replenish Energy, but also make Henry a bit Hungrier and make time pass faster. In the game’s early levels, where danger lurks at every corner, this can be quite disadvantageous. One wrong turn, and it’s Henry’s head off his neck.
Thanks to Insomniac, a Main Level Perk, Henry doesn’t have to contemplate whether he needs to Sleep or risk lowering his Energy level whenever he skips the sack. With Insomniac, skipping Sleep will now have Henry’s Energy decrease more slowly. This can be extremely advantageous for players who want to maximize their time in the game’s early stages.
14 Alarm
Turn The Dog Into A More Formidable Ally
- Houndmaster Perk
- Requires: Hunting Level 10
- Description: "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.
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2: Best Bows, Ranked
If you're training Henry as a marksman in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, it's best to have at least one of these powerful bows on hand.
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
Get Out Of Sticky Situations Faster
- Lockpicking Perk
- Requires: Lockpicking Level 9
- Description: "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
A Basic Face Can Get Players Far
- Ordinary Mug
- Requires: Stealth Level 8
- Description: "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
Get More Out Of Stealth Attacks
- Stealth Perk
- Requires: Stealth Level 10
- Description: "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
Carry More Items
- Strength Stat
- Requires: Strength Level 4 (I), Level 8 (II), Level 12 (III)
- Description: "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
Gamble For Better Results
- Agility Stat
- Requires: Agility Level 12
- Description: "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.
6 Things We Learned From The Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Reveal Trailer
The reveal trailer for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 showed several features that are worth breaking down and discussing. Here are the main takeaways.
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.