As soon as you're done getting flogged in the town square of Troskowitz at the start of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, you learn of a combat master named Tomcat.? Tomcat is located to the west of Trosky, but he can teach you some extremely useful combat mechanics.

One of those mechanics is the Horizontal Slice, but?? it's incredibly diffi?cult to pull off if you're just following the game's directions.

Performing a Horizontal Slice in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

When you're training with Tomcat at the Nomads' Camp in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, he'll ask you to perform a couple of the mechanics you're trying to learn. The latter of those mechanics is the Horizontal Slice, which is a combat combo that sees you attack from three different directions. This is supposed t?o be used against tougher enemies that might be more prone to block your standard attac??ks.

During the combat training with Tomcat, you need to perform two Horizontal Slices to complete the "Combat Training: I" quest. This is required to unlock the Combat Training II quest, which unlocks the Master Strike ability. Fans of the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance will know how big of a deal learning the Master S??trike is, as it completely changes every combat encounter you??'ll have moving forward.

Unfortunately, the Horizontal Slice is seemingly imposs??ible to pull off if ??you're just following the directions the game gives you. According to the game's description, the Horizontal Slice requires the following combo:

• Attack in short succession from up, right and left

While you can randomly pe??rform a Horizontal Slice blindly following that combo direction, you won't be able to consistently pull it off. Moreover, you're likely going to hear Tomcat tell you to keep repeating the combo over and over, as you won't be doing it correctly during the combat training.

Luckily, there is a way to ensure you can perform a Horizontal Slice with ?some consistency. You just have to slightly disregard what the game says. Here's the best way to pull off a Horizontal Slice:

• To start, move your mouse or joystick up right before you attack. If you hold "up" for too long, your attack will default to the left side and the combo will be over before it can even begin.
• The moment after you attack while holding "up," immediately move your mouse or joystick to the right and attack. You want to ensure you're doing all of this with speed. If you let time go by in between the attacks, your momentum is thrown off, and the combo won't work.
• Right after you attack on the right, don't move your mouse or joystick to the left. All you have to do is immediately attack again.
• For some reason, your default attack is on the left side, so if you just press attack after going to the right side, you will attack on the left side without actually having to move your cursor over there.
• So, the Horizontal Slice combo is actually up, right, right. However, if you attack from the right first and then press attack again, you'll still go to the left side to complete the combo.
• It's also important to remember the speed at which you attack. Find the right rhythm between the swing of the sword every time you press the attack button.

It will definitely ta?ke a few (dozen) attempts to get the hang of the Horizontal Slice, but following my steps will eventually yield you ?the results you're looking for. Once you pull off two Horizontal Slices during the combat training with Tomcat, you're done with the first part of the quest.

To learn the Master Strike, you have to defeat Tomcat in a duel, which is far easier if you use the Horizon?tal Slice against him. Of course, you might also not be ready for a fight with someone as experienced as Tomcat, so there's no harm in further mastering your skills, getting better gear, and coming back later. The Master Strike is far more useful in the mid-late game, so don't sweat about it if you're still just starting out.

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During the process of The Hermit side quest in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, you'll co??me acr?oss some Cumans at a local tavern.

To get some much-needed help from the innkeeper, you need to serve the Cumans some sausages. However, Cumans aren't much-liked in B??ohemia, so ?serving them raises the ire of local citizens at the tavern. This eventually leads to a decision that forces you to kill or spare the Cumans.

Choosing to kill the Cumans in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

The quest involving the Cumans is called "Invaders," and it begins after you try and ask the innkeeper at Troskowitz ??about The Hermit. The innkeeper won't tell you anything about The Hermit until you help serve the Cumans, but she also do??esn't want any ruckus to come out of the situation, given how your last visit to the tavern went.

When you serve the Cumans t??heir sausages, nearby tavern-goers make a huge fuss about you even giving them the time of day. At various points during the dialogue between the citizens at the tavern and the Cumans, you have the chance to interject and take one side or simply stay out of it.

Of course, if you played the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance, you might be inclined to join in on the dogpiling of the Cuma??ns. If you continue to take the side of your fellow citizen??s, you'll eventually have to kill all four of the Cumans who were sitting at the tavern. Other NPCs at the tavern join you in this fight, but it can still be fairly difficult, as multiple Cumans can target you at once, and they're wearing impressive armor while wielding decent swords.

However, if you manage to escape the situation alive, the Invaders quest will simply end, there are no other objectives. You can return to the innkeeper to learn about the Hermit and go on with other quests in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. N?o one truly cares about dead Cumans, so there are no real repercussions for your actions at the tavern.

Choosing to spare the Cumans in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Alternatively, you can side with the Cumans against the tav??ern-goers who want them to leave. You might find yourself leaning toward this decision, as the Cumans are simply trying to enjoy a meal in peace and not harming ??anyone around them.

If you want to spare the Cumans, then? tell the tavern-goers to leave them alone, which starts a brawl with the NPCs. The Cumans join you in the fight, and you can pretty easily de??feat all of the citizens, including the leader, Vuytek. After the fight is over, Vuytek and the other NPCs will walk off their wounds, but the Invaders quest isn't yet done.

If you check your journal in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, you'll see a few new options under the Invaders section. You can now ask about the Cumans in Semine and try to find the Cumans' camp so they don't return to the?? tavern and cause more trouble. You can also speak to Vasko, the leader of the four Cumans, to learn more about them ??and where they're headed.

Speaking to Vasko allows you to see the location of the Cumans' camp, which is right ??near the Nomads' Camp on your map. If you haven't discovered that location yet, Vasko will give you a description of what to look for, and the quest area wil??l be marked on the map. By visiting the camp, you can talk to Vasko more and start an entirely different storyline that involves multiple other characters and several new objectives.

I won't spoil the rest of the quest, but it takes you down a route you likely didn??'t think would happen just by sticking up for the Cumans at the ta??vern.

Which option should you pick with the Cumans?

If you're not looking for another long side quest in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, then?? you? can simply kill the Cumans and be done with them.

However, if you want to go on a decently long quest that leads you to some different locations, defend the Cumans and head to their camp. The Invaders quest with the Cumans is one of the better side quests you can go on in the early part of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, so I would say it's worth it even if you don't want to complete it right away??.

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From the opening hour to the very end of a playthrough in Civilization 7, you'll meet a variety of other world leaders. They control different parts of the map with settl?ements, and you need to interact with them to help build up your empire.

However, if you want to take it a step further, you can also create an alliance?? with another leader, which comes with some unique benefits.

How to find other leaders on the map in Civilization 7

Before you can start an alliance with a leader, you need to find them. Fortunately, other world leaders will present themselves to you as you explore your map in Civilization 7.

The best way to meet every leader on the map is to take a Scout in the Antiquity Age or a Scout/naval unit in the Exploration Age and uncover every tile you can. Throu??gh uncovering tiles, you'll discover other continents and lands where other leaders have set up their empires.

When you discover a new leader's settlement, the game will introduce you to them, and you'll be able to greet them with hostility or friendship. If you want to start an alliance? with the leader, it's much easier to do so if you greet them nicely, as this starts your relationship off with them at a higher point.

You can discover every single leader on your map by the time most or all of the tiles are uncovered. Then, you can view your status with each leader and take action with them by clicking each one's portrait in the top-right of the screen in Civilization 7.

How to start an alliance in Civilization 7

Now that you know how to meet leaders, it's time to go full Dwight Schrute and start talking alliances. You can start an alliance with?? any leader in Civilization 7, but there are a few requirements that need to be met before you can even get to that point.

First and foremost, you need to have a strong relationship with another leader even to have the chance to ask them about an alliance. Specifically, your relationship with a leader must reach 90 before the game allows you to select the "Form Alliance" button in a leader's menu. When the relationship reaches 90, you can ask the other lea??der if they would like an alliance, and in my experience, they'll always say yes.

Whi?le you can manually ask a leader for an alliance, they can also approach you about an alliance, giving you the chance to accept or reject ?the offer. Once again, though, this only happens after your relationship reaches the "90" threshold.

It should also be noted that in the future in Civilization 7, you wi?ll have to make d??ecisions that can continue or end your alliance with a leader. Most notably, if a leader you have an alliance with asks you to join in a war against another leader, you will have to accept that call if you want to keep the alliance. Denying the war request ends that alliance with the leader.

Alliances can also end if you don't engage enough with the le?ader through diplomatic actions, so always make sure you have at least one action going with an allied leader.

How to improve relationship with a leader in Civilization 7

If you look at your relationship number with a leader and it's nowhere near 90, then you'??re likely wondering how to boost that number.

Well, the main way to increase your relationship with a leader is simply by engaging in diplomatic actions with them. Opening your borders, starting a cultural celebration, or establishing more trade routes are all things you want to do consistently to improve your re??lationship with l?eaders.

However, there are also gameplay elements to maintaining a leader relationship.?? For example, if you start a settlement too close to a leader's capital, you'll receive a huge penalty to your relationship status with that leader. The same goes if your borders touch with a leader's settlements. You can view everything affec?ting your relationship number with a leader by clicking their portrait and selecting the heart tab.

For the most part, if you don't engage in war against a leader and leave their borders alone, you'll eventually be able to reach the alliance point with them in Civilization 7.

The post How to? start an ?Alliance with a leader in Civilization 7 appeared first on Destructoid.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 doesn't offer many ways to heal Henry once he's taken some damage. You can rest or sleep in a bed to regain health, but you aren't always near a town or haystack to sleep off your wounds. You need t??o rely on the Marigold Decoct?ion potion.

The Marigold Decoction potion is the pri??mary way to restore Henry's health. While you can eat some food or drink water to gain a little bit back, you also run the risk of g?etting the overeating debuff, which puts you in a different kind of pickle. Marigold Decoctions have no downside, healing Henry for a percentage of his health over time.

Unfortunately, Marigold Decoctions are incredibly difficult to get hold of, so how do you consistently add them to your inventory in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2?

Finding Marigold Decoction Potions in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

At the start of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, you won't have access to many, if any Marigol??d Decoctions. Moreover, your first one likely won't even be the full potion, as the early-game drops are often tagged with the "Weak" description. ??These are less effective than the normal type, but they still get the job done if you're in a pinch and need some healing.

Getting Weak Marigold Decoctions

To obtain some Weak Marigold Decoctions, your best bet is to search dead bodies, particularly those of bandits or soldiers, and check in with town traders. I found a few Weak Marigold Decoctions during "The Jaunt" side quest, which comes from trying to get inv??ited to the wedding via Radovan the Blacksmith. I was able to loot bandi??ts' bodies and search a few chests to get some of the potion along the way.

However, buying them from traders is the more reliable way to get both Weak and normal Marigold Decoctions. Specifically, you want to look for regular traders, indicated by the hand and gold icon on your map. Traders are usually located in their o??wn building within every town and city. The earliest trader you can vi??sit is in Troskowitz, as there's one in a building just before the edge of town.

Weak Marigold Decoctions are all traders sell at the start of the game, but as you progress and visit more locations, you'll start to see the normal variation pop up. The weak version doesn't cost too much groschen, so you should be able to afford it regardles??s of your sit?uation.

Regular and Strong Marigold Decoctions

As for the more advanced Marigold Decoctions, you can acquire them in the same ways as the weak version. However, you'll have to complete more of the story in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 before you start seeing them around.

Also, there's a regular and Strong version of the Marigold Decoctions. Weirdly enough, you'll be able to acquire the Strong version more easily than the regular potion. The Strong Marigold Decoction is ??readily available at the Apothecary Emerich's shop in Troskowtiz. This shop is located right next door to the Carpenter. Emerich sells Strong Marigold Decoctions for 43 groschen each, and he usually stocks around three of them every day. Other apothecaries around t?he map will also sell Marigold Decoctions, so you don't solely have to visit Emerich for your healing needs.

If you don't want to? purchase the potion, you can also purchase the recipe for the standard Marigold Decoction at Emerich's shop. This costs 150 groschen but enables you to brew the potion whenever you want at an alchemy bench. There are two alchemy benches nearby in Troskowitz, so visit them to start brewing the potion.

Of course, you'll need the recipe for Mar??igold Decoctions, w??hich is:

• Water base
• 1x Nettle
• 2x Marigold

The exact recipe can be found by reading the recipe for the Marigold Decoction in your inventory (books section) after purchasing it from Emerich. This tells you exactly how to do the recipe. Of course, you'll still need the supplies, and Nettle and Marigold can be hard to come by in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

Later in the game, you can also purchase the recipe for the Strong Marigold Decoction, but you won't need that until Henry faces much stronger enemies. For most of your needs, buying Strong Marigold Decoctions, finding Weak or normal ones on enemies, and brewing your own potions are the best ways to ensure Henry always stays healed in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

The post How to get Marigold Decoc??tion in Kingdom Come:? Deliverance 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

There are plenty of map icons you'll come across and discover in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, but one of? the more myste??rious icons is the one for Shrines.

From random traders to quest tipsters to fast travel waypoints, your map is always going to be full of icons, especially in towns. Most towns will also have a Shrine, however, which is usually located at the center of a village and looks like a stone birdhouse with a roof and a Jesus symbol. When you first stumble upon a Shrine, the game makes a note to say you've discovered it but doesn't offer any other det??ails.

So what exactly are Shrines used for in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2? Keep reading the guide below to find out.

What are Shrines in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2?

At the start of your playthrough in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Shrines seem like they should do something. They're g??iven a map icon and stand alone in the center of towns, which usually indicates an item of significance.

Unfortunately, for the bulk of the early game, Shrines don't do anything. You can't interact with them nor will you be able to get any use of the stone objects. However, you still want to try and collect as many Shrine icons as you can, as they are quite useful later on in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

Specifically, a Shrine's ability is unlocked after you gain a certain perk i??n the Scholarship?? section of your skills menu. To find the skills menu, go to your inventory, click on the "Player" tab at the top of the screen, and then go to the skills section. Here, find the Scholarship entry and click on the arrow right to the left of it. This brings up all the available perks for the Scholarship skill that you can unlock by leveling it up.

The primary perk you're looking for under the Schol?arship skill is called "Fundamentals of Theology." This perk allows you to pray at Shrines and other religious sites across Kuttenberg and T??rosky. Praying at a Shrine gives you a buff that "can protect you from mortal injury in combat and restore 25% of your health."

This buff lasts for 12 in-game hours or until you need the buff, which might be in your next combat engagement seeing as how difficult fights can be in Kingdom Come 2. To get the buff back, ??you need to go and pray at a Shrine again, which is why I recommended to try and uncover as many Shrine ??icons as possible during the early game.

How to unlock the Fundamentals of Theology perk

The next question you might have is how to get the Fundamentals of Theology perk so you can start praying at Shrines. Unfortunately, you won't be able to access this Scholarship perk for quite a while. You need to be level 14 at the minimum to unlock the perk and it requires you to have the Lib?eral Arts perk unlocked as well.

The best way to start leveling up your Scholarship skill is to read as many books, letters, and other texts?? as you can get your hands on. Reading more levels up the skill and allows you to unlock more perks for it. While you won't be able to unlock a new perk for every Scholarship level you obtain, you will eventually get enough points to unlock the Liberal Arts and Fundamentals of Theology perks. Remember, though, you need to be at least level 14 in Scholarship.

The longer you go without the Fundamentals of Theology perk, the longer Shrines have no effect whatsoever in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. So I'?d advise you to hit the books and get Henry as smart as he can be.

The post How to use the Shrines in Kingdom Come: Deli??vera??nce 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

During the tutorial sequence at the start of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, you're given various dialogue choices for Henry that can increase one of his ?many skills. Picking one of th??ese choices gives you extra points in that skill, which can help later in the game.

One of the first instances of Henry needing to pick a specific dialogue option is around the campfire outside of Trosky Castle. Here, Henry, Lord Hans Capon, Oats, and your other comrades are swapping stories and gettin??g some digs in while waiting for the sun to go down. During the middle of the dialogue, you can pick between one of four dialogue choices for Henry: Houndmaster, Stealth,? Survival, or Scholarship.

So, the question is, which is the best one to pick for the long run in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2?

The differences between Houndmaster, Stealth, Survival, and Scholarship

The four dialogue choices you can pick between all relate to specific skills that Henry possesses. These skills can be leveled up just like your standard Strength, Vitality, and other stats, and the more points that go into them, the more abilities you unlock fo??r Henry.

If you head into your inventory, navigate to the "Player" tab at the top of the screen and view Henry's skills. In the Player tab, go to the?? "Skills" s??ection to see your current level for all the available skills, how to level them up, and what each one offers.

Here's a quick breakdown of the Houndmaster, Stealth, Survival, and Scholarsh?ip skills:

• Houndmaster: Allows for better control over Mutt, your dog. Leveling up Houndmaster gives Mutt new perks and gives him the ability to find items, grow stronger and more obedient, and makes him tire out less easily.
• Stealth: Improves the overall stealth of Henry. You are harder to spot when crouching, which comes in handy if you don't want to engage in combat with an enemy or you need to sneak into a building without someone noticing.
• Survival: Makes it easier to hunt game and get more meat from the animals you kill. You can also gather herbs quicker and use the fast travel system more effectively.
• Scholarship: Increases your literacy level, allowing Henry to comprehend written text in books, letters, etc. The skill also makes it faster to read, which can give you an edge in certain situations during Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

You'll also get to level up more skills through dialogue options in the future. However, the first time you c?an do so requires you to pick between Houndmaster, Stealth, Survival, and Scholarship.

What's the best option to pick in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2?

Now that you have a better idea of what each skill does, what's the best one to pick during the opening of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2? Well, it doesn't truly matter. Without giving too much of the story away, you'll soon find yourself in a pickle, which will result in Henry losing a majority of his skill points. That means the points you get from using any of ??the dialogue options go away after this happens.

However, if you have to make another choice in the future or simply want some advice on what skill to target, my recommendation would be either Houndmaster or Stealth. While Survival and Scholarship are important, you won'??t get much use out of them if you don't expl??icitly seek out ways to utilize those skills.

On the other hand, Mutt is quite the useful companion in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, especially in combat, so having a high Houndmaster skill is extremely beneficial. Also, you'll always want to have a high Stealth level, as the RPG calls for Henry to sneak around numerous times. Getting caught by barkeeps or enemies while ?crouching is never pleasant, as you either need to reload a save or try to find another way to continue with your objective without sneaking.

And there you have it. While the dialogue choice isn't as impactful as others in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, it's s??till something to lean on for future refere?nce.

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