Honestly, alchemy in the first game was a bit of a trip. You’re standing there in a dark room, squinting at a recipe book, trying not to boil your herbs into a useless sludge. It was tactile. It was clunky. It was brilliant. But as we look toward the sequel, the chatter around Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Materia Prima is starting to signal something much deeper than just "click button to make potion." Warhorse Studios isn't just giving us more of the same. They are leaning into the actual, historical messiness of medieval science.
Materia prima. The first matter.
In the world of 15th-century alchemy, this wasn't just a cool-sounding item you'd find in a loot chest. It was the philosophical foundation of everything. If Henry is going to survive the chaos of Kuttenberg, he’s going to need more than just a sharp sword and a decent pair of boots. He’s going to need to understand the raw materials of the world.
What is Materia Prima in the Context of Kingdom Come Deliverance 2?
To understand why this matters for the gameplay, you have to look at how Daniel Vávra and the team at Warhorse approach realism. They don't just want a "crafting system." They want a simulator. In the upcoming sequel, Materia Prima represents the base state of all things—the chaotic, undifferentiated substance that an alchemist must refine.
Gameplay-wise, this translates to a more complex hierarchy of ingredients.
In the first game, you had your marigold, your belladonna, and your nettles. You'd grind them up, toss them in the wine or water, and boom—you've got a savior schnapps. Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Materia Prima mechanics suggest a shift toward "transmutation" and refining base components before they even hit the cauldron. You aren't just a cook anymore. You are becoming a primitive chemist.
It’s about the "Great Work."
The developers have hinted that the alchemy station in Kuttenberg is a massive step up from the wooden benches in Rattay. We’re talking about glassware that looks like it belongs in a museum, bellows that actually require rhythm, and a focus on the purity of your starting materials. If your Materia Prima is tainted or poor quality, your final product—be it a potion or a coating for your arrows—is going to fail. Hard.
💡 You might also like: Why Batman Arkham City Still Matters More Than Any Other Superhero Game
The Brutal Reality of Medieval Science
Let’s talk about the vibe. Medieval Kuttenberg was a powerhouse of silver mining and wealth, but it was also a hub for thinkers and "scientists" who were basically guessing how the universe worked.
The inclusion of Materia Prima isn't just a mechanic; it’s a narrative device.
Henry is older now. He’s more experienced. The world is bigger and much, much more dangerous. When you’re dealing with the political machinations of kings and the religious fervor of the Hussite wars, you can't rely on luck. You need an edge. The Materia Prima represents that edge—the ability to take the raw, ugly parts of nature and turn them into something life-saving.
Think about the sheer stress of the first game's alchemy. One wrong flip of the hourglass and you’ve ruined the batch. Now, imagine having to manage the purity of your ingredients before you even start the fire. It sounds exhausting. It sounds like a chore. And for a Kingdom Come fan? That’s exactly what we want. We want the struggle.
How the New Alchemy Station Actually Works
In the previews and developer deep-dives, we've seen the new UI. It’s cleaner, but don't let that fool you. The physical interactions are more granular.
- Distillation matters more than ever. You aren't just boiling; you're separating.
- The heat levels are nuanced. It’s not just "fire on" or "fire off."
- Ingredient preparation is a mini-game in itself.
If you’re hunting for Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Materia Prima, you’re likely looking for the "prime" versions of base elements like lead, mercury, or sulfur. These were the "Tria Prima" (salt, sulfur, mercury) that Paracelsus would later formalize, but in the 1410s, it was still a wild west of experimentation.
The game forces you to be precise. If the recipe calls for a specific state of Materia Prima, and you try to shortcut it with raw ore, you’re going to end up with an explosion or a poisoned Henry.
📖 Related: Will My Computer Play It? What People Get Wrong About System Requirements
Why This Isn't Just "Crafting"
Most RPGs treat crafting like a grocery list.
- Get 2 iron.
- Get 1 wood.
- Click "Craft."
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 spits on that.
The Materia Prima system is designed to make you feel the weight of the era’s ignorance and its brilliance. You are working with tools that are barely functional by modern standards. You are following instructions that are half-superstition. This makes the successful creation of a high-tier potion feel like an actual achievement, not just a menu interaction.
I remember spending an hour in the first game just trying to get the "Bane" poison right so I could clear out a bandit camp without swinging a mace. It felt earned. The sequel is doubling down on that "earned" feeling. By forcing Henry to interact with the Materia Prima—the very essence of the ingredients—the game creates a bond between the player and their equipment.
The Technical Leap in Kuttenberg
The scale of the city changes how we interact with these systems. In a small village like Samopesh, you’re lucky to find a mortar and pestle. In Kuttenberg? You have access to the cutting edge of 15th-century tech.
The Materia Prima you find in the city will likely be of higher quality than what you forage in the woods. This creates a gameplay loop where you have to balance the cost of buying refined materials against the difficulty of refining them yourself from raw, "dirty" sources.
It’s a socio-economic layer to the alchemy.
👉 See also: First Name in Country Crossword: Why These Clues Trip You Up
Wealthy alchemists in the city have already done the hard work of isolating the Materia Prima. As Henry, do you spend your hard-earned Groschen on the "pure" stuff, or do you risk your eyebrows trying to distill it in a leaky shed? That’s the kind of choice that makes this series stand out.
Navigating the Complexity of the "Great Work"
For those who found the first game's alchemy too difficult, there’s good news and bad news.
The bad news: It’s more complex.
The good news: It’s more logical.
The "Materia Prima" philosophy actually helps simplify the mental load once you understand the "why" behind the recipes. Instead of memorizing random steps, you’re learning the process of refinement. You’re learning that certain materials need to reach a specific state of "primality" before they can bond with others.
It’s a logic puzzle. It’s a rhythm game. It’s a history lesson.
Actionable Steps for Aspiring Alchemists
If you want to master the Materia Prima when the game drops, you need to change your mindset now. Stop thinking about "buffs" and start thinking about "chemistry."
- Hoard the "Useless" Stuff: In the early game, raw ores and common minerals might seem like inventory clutter. They aren't. These are your sources for Materia Prima.
- Read the Lore Books In-Game: Warhorse hides actual mechanical tips in the fluff text. If a book mentions "the weeping of the lead," it’s probably telling you how to tell when the temperature is right at the alchemy bench.
- Invest in Glassware Early: Better equipment reduces the margin of error when refining Materia Prima. Don't settle for the cracked retort you find in a dungeon.
- Practice the Rhythm: The bellows and the cooling process are tactile. Spend some time just boiling water (if the game allows) to get the timing of the heat down.
The transition from a simple blacksmith's son to a man who understands the Materia Prima of the world is Henry's journey in a nutshell. It’s about taking something raw and unformed—like a boy from Skalitz—and refining it through fire and pressure into something pure and strong.
Don't ignore the alchemy bench. It’s where the real power in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 lies.