Hardcore Mode

18:31 Hardcore Mode is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's harder way to play, added free in Patch 1.2.4 on Apr 15, 2025. The map no longer marks Henry's position, fast travel is gone, the compass loses its directions, enemies never surrender, combat shows no visual cues, and the player must pick at least three permanent negative perks before starting. Warhorse senior game designer Karel Kolman told Deep Silver it is meant to be "more immersive too", not only harder. The game has no difficulty slider: Hardcore is the only option, chosen when starting a new game, TheGamer notes.

Quick facts

What Hardcore Mode changes

25:16 Navigation is by landmarks. Deep Silver's Hardcore feature says the map stops showing Henry's position, the compass loses its cardinal directions and fast travel is unavailable. Kolman's advice there: "You have to orientate yourself by your surroundings instead." PCGamesN adds the stars, sun and moon as guides, and notes that a trip such as Kuttenberg to Suchdol now has to be walked.

27:44 People can still give directions, but not always. Henry can ask NPCs for the way, and according to Deep Silver, how much they help depends on his reputation and how he looks. The marker they give lasts only while the map stays open.

Combat loses its interface. PCGamesN says the combat interface is "completely gone", and Game Rant says health and stamina are hidden during fights. Without the cues, blocks and Master Strikes have to be read from the opponent's movement. See Combat Guide.

Enemies fight smarter. Kolman told Deep Silver: "They'll try to flank you, so fighting multiple opponents is much harder". Warhorse's launch post adds that enemies no longer surrender.

The negative perks

Every Hardcore run starts with negative perks that last the whole game. Warhorse says the player chooses "at least three" at the start, and more can be taken. Kolman said the team "only kept a couple of the first game's perks, and then we made new ones", so most of them are new to the series.

Source: Game Rant's Hardcore comparison, Apr 17, 2025; Bashful's map effect and Punchable Face's travelers from Deep Silver; Menace and Numbskull from PCGamesN, Apr 15, 2025; the list of ten from TheGamer. Some early coverage gave Numbskull a smaller XP penalty; PCGamesN and Game Rant both give 40%.

Warhorse's own posts name only some of these. Its Aug 4, 2025 post Hardcore Mode: the brutal beauty of Bohemia describes Sweaty, Heavy-Footed and Somnambulant, and the Deep Silver feature describes seven. Warhorse has not given the total in its posts; ten is the count guide outlets give.

Which negative perks to pick

TheGamer ranked all ten from least to most harmful (Apr 27, 2025): Sweaty, Picky Eater, Hangry Henry, Bad Back, Somnambulant, Menace, Numbskull, Bashful, Heavy-Footed and Punchable Face. Its reasons for the mild end: wash basins are everywhere, so Sweaty is easy to manage, and Pebbles' saddlebags offset Bad Back. At the other end, Punchable Face makes enemies hit harder and fight better, which TheGamer says suits only experienced fighters or stealth-only runs.

Some pairs multiply each other. TheGamer advises against taking Bashful with Somnambulant, since sleepwalking can leave Henry somewhere unknown with no one to ask, and against Picky Eater with Hangry Henry. Kolman suggested exactly the first pair to players who want the challenge.

Numbskull costs the most time. Experience 40% slower drags out every skill on the Leveling Guide, and TheGamer says it hurts most early on.

Tips

• Learn the land. Deep Silver's feature says to open the map and look for landscape features, because neither the compass nor fast travel will help.
• Look presentable. NPC directions depend on reputation and appearance, so clean clothes matter more than usual; see Speech and Charisma and Crime and Reputation.
• Avoid fights without good armor, and keep healing potions ready, as Deep Silver's feature suggests. Recipes are on Alchemy and Potion Recipes.
• Expect groups to flank: keep every enemy in view and back off when outnumbered, the group-fight advice Game Rant gives for normal play too.
• Plan for needs. Hangry Henry, Picky Eater and Somnambulant make food and sleep harsher; see Food, Sleep and Health and Saving and Savior Schnapps.

Achievements

Finishing the story in Hardcore earns Hardcore Henry II ("You finished the story in Hardcore mode"), which 2.0% of Steam players held on Oct 25, 2026, one of the rarest the community page shows. Game Rant's achievement guide also lists Against All Odds, for finishing Hardcore with all 10 negative perks, among the hardest in the game. The full list is on Trophies and Achievements.

Updates since launch

Patch 1.5.6 on Jun 25, 2026 fixed a glitch that let players confirm the disadvantage screen without picking enough perks, Warhorse's notes say. See Patches and Updates.

Frequently asked questions

When was Hardcore Mode added to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2? Hardcore Mode was added to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 for free in Patch 1.2.4 on Apr 15, 2025.

What are the negative perks in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Hardcore Mode? Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's Hardcore Mode has ten negative perks, as TheGamer lists them: Bad Back, Bashful, Hangry Henry, Heavy-Footed, Menace, Numbskull, Picky Eater, Punchable Face, Somnambulant and Sweaty. Players must take at least three.

How many negative perks do you need in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Hardcore Mode? In Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Hardcore Mode you must pick at least three negative perks at the start, and you may take more. Game Rant's achievement guide says finishing with all ten earns Against All Odds.

Can you fast travel in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Hardcore Mode? No. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's Hardcore Mode disables fast travel, hides Henry's position on the map and removes the compass directions, according to Deep Silver.

What is the easiest negative perk in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2? In Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, TheGamer ranks Sweaty as the least harmful negative perk because wash basins are common, followed by Picky Eater and Hangry Henry. It ranks Punchable Face the worst.

Is there an achievement for Hardcore Mode in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2? Yes. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 awards Hardcore Henry II for finishing the story in Hardcore Mode, held by 2.0% of Steam players on Oct 25, 2026.

Does Hardcore Mode change combat in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2? Yes. In Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's Hardcore Mode the combat interface is gone, health and stamina are hidden in fights, and enemies flank Henry and never surrender, according to PCGamesN and Deep Silver.

Sources

• Hardcore Mode is live NOW in Patch 1.2.4, Warhorse Studios on Steam, Apr 15, 2025
• Hardcore Mode arrives April 15, Warhorse Studios on Steam, Apr 10, 2025
• Hardcore Mode: the brutal beauty of Bohemia, Warhorse Studios on Steam, Aug 4, 2025
• Patch 1.5.6: A Jester's visit, Warhorse Studios on Steam, Jun 25, 2026
• This is Hardcore: Adventuring inside a brutal new Bohemia, Deep Silver, undated
• Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 hardcore mode arrives, PCGamesN (Ed Smith), Apr 15, 2025
• Differences Between Normal & Hardcore Modes In Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Game Rant (Eduardo Ariedo), Apr 17, 2025
• All Negative Perks To Use For Hardcore Mode, Ranked, TheGamer (Matthew Cochran), Apr 27, 2025
• How Long Does It Take To Beat Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2?, TheGamer (Tom Hopkins), Feb 4, 2025
• Tips To Master Combat In Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Game Rant (Eduardo Ariedo), Feb 4, 2025
• How To Get All Achievements/Trophies In Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Game Rant (Joe Grantham), May 16, 2025
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II global achievements, Steam Community, read Oct 25, 2026
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Dev Livestream #6, Warhorse Studios, Feb 28, 2025 (video)