I’ve always been captivated by the gritty realism of Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Warhorse Studios created a world that felt truly alive, a painstakingly recreated slice of 15th-century Bohemia where I wasn’t a prophesied hero, just Henry, a blacksmith’s son caught up in the gears of history. With the sequel, Deliverance II, on the horizon, many of us are diving back into the original game, and there’s no better way to enhance that experience than with the incredible work of the modding community.
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The modding scene for Kingdom Come has been thriving for years, offering everything from quality-of-life improvements to complete overhauls of core game mechanics. These mods can tailor the experience to your exact preferences, whether you want a more challenging survival simulation or just want to get rid of some of the game’s more frustrating quirks.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through some of the essential and most interesting mods that I believe every player should consider for their return to Bohemia. These will not only refresh your next playthrough but also highlight the incredible dedication of the game’s community.
🛠️ Essential Quality-of-Life Mods
Let’s start with the basics. While I love the game’s commitment to realism, some of its systems can feel a bit cumbersome. These mods are designed to smooth out the rough edges without compromising the core experience.
- Unlimited Saving: The ‘Saviour Schnapps’ system is an interesting idea, but I find it can be frustrating. This mod allows you to save anywhere, anytime, giving you the freedom to experiment without fear of losing progress.
- Perkaholic: This mod removes the perk level requirements, allowing for much more flexible and creative character builds from the get-go.
- A Sorted Inventory: A simple but life-changing mod that adds prefixes to item names, making your inventory much easier to manage.
Another one I can’t play without is a mod that allows for easier lockpicking and pickpocketing. The vanilla minigames are notoriously difficult, especially on a controller. There are several mods that simplify these mechanics, making a stealthy playthrough far more enjoyable. These small tweaks make the game more accessible and let you focus on the immersive world, which reminds me of the detailed environments in Cyberpunk 2077.
⚔️ Overhauling Combat and Realism
For those of us who want to lean into the game’s hardcore simulation, the modding community has us covered. There are several major overhaul mods that rebalance combat, survival mechanics, and the economy to create a more challenging and immersive experience. One of the most popular is Ultimate Realism Overhaul.
This mod makes combat faster and more lethal. Armor is more effective, but unarmored areas are incredibly vulnerable. It also makes the economy much harsher, so earning money and maintaining your gear becomes a real struggle. It’s not for the faint of heart, but for players seeking the ultimate medieval simulation, it’s a must-have.
Another fantastic mod in this category is ‘More Responsive Targeting.’ It makes switching between enemies in a group fight much more fluid, addressing one of the main complaints about the vanilla combat system. Combining these mods can transform the game’s already unique combat into something truly special, offering a level of tactical depth that rivals even modern action RPGs like The Witcher 3.
🌄 Enhancing the Visuals and Immersion
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is still a beautiful game, but mods can push its visuals into stunning new territory. There are numerous texture packs and lighting overhauls available, but one of my favorites is the ‘HD Reworked Project’ which upscales many of the environmental and character textures for a much crisper look.
I also highly recommend using a custom Reshade preset. These are graphical filters that can dramatically alter the color palette and mood of the game. Some presets create a grittier, more cinematic look, while others enhance the vibrancy of the game’s beautiful landscapes. Experimenting with different Reshades is a great way to give the game a fresh visual identity.
Finally, for ultimate immersion, I use the ‘No GPS on Map’ and ‘Immersive Hud’ mods. These remove modern conveniences from the user interface, forcing me to navigate using landmarks and the sun, just as Henry would have. It’s a challenging but incredibly rewarding way to experience the world that Warhorse Studios so lovingly created. This deep level of immersion is something I also seek in grand strategy games like those in the Civilization series.
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