Look, let’s be real for a second. When Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 finally dropped, we all knew exactly what was going to happen. Within hours, people were already digging into the files, trying to figure out how to make Henry less of a hungry peasant and more of a medieval god. But here is the thing. The modding scene for this game isn't just a carbon copy of the first one. It’s weirder, it’s faster, and honestly, it’s a lot more organized thanks to some surprisingly early support from Warhorse Studios.
You've probably seen the usual suspects on Nexus Mods already. The "Unlimited Saving" mods and the "No Herb Picking Animation" tweaks. Those are the basics. But the reality of kingdom come deliverance 2 mods in 2026 is that we’ve moved way past simple quality-of-life fixes. We are talking about fundamental shifts in how the game plays.
The Myth of the "Broken" Launch and the Modder Fix
People love to say that mods are only there to fix a broken game. That is nonsense here. KCD2 launched in a much better state than the original, but the "Realish" series of mods—specifically things like Realish Enemies by Actalo—proved that the community wanted something even more hardcore than what the devs provided.
I was playing with the Realish Enemies mod last week. It basically reworks the AI to be less predictable in master strikes. If you think you can just parry-spam your way through a group of bandits in Kuttenberg now, you’re in for a very short, very bloody surprise. The modding community didn't wait for a "Hardcore Mode" DLC; they built their own version of it using the official Modding Tools that Warhorse released alongside Patch 1.2.
Why Steam Workshop Changed Everything
If you played the first game, you remember the "mods" folder headache. It was a mess. You’d drop a .pak file in, hope the manifest didn't break, and then spend three hours wondering why Henry’s head disappeared.
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Warhorse actually listened this time.
By integrating Steam Workshop support directly, the barrier to entry evaporated. You just hit subscribe. It’s that simple. However, there’s a catch that a lot of people miss. Because the game uses a heavily modified version of CryEngine (the "Sandbox" editor), some of the most ambitious mods—like the Merchant Companion—still require a bit of manual tinkering.
I’ve seen dozens of players complain that their mods aren't loading, and 90% of the time, it’s because they haven't created the mod_order.txt file in their root directory. If you’re running multiple "PTF" (Fine-Tune) mods, they will fight each other. The last one in the list wins. Simple as that.
Essential Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Mods You Actually Need
Forget the cheat menus for a second. If you want to actually enjoy the atmosphere of 15th-century Bohemia without the "video game" jank, there are four mods that are basically mandatory at this point.
- Loot Info: This is such a tiny change but it saves lives. It adds a small tag next to containers. "Empty," "Searched," or nothing if you haven't touched it. No more opening the same empty barrel five times.
- Luck Laid Bare: Dice is great, but the math is hidden. This mod shows you the actual percentage chances for your rolls based on the dice you’re using. It turns a guessing game into actual strategy.
- Thinner HUD: The vanilla HUD in KCD2 is... chunky. It’s loud. This mod shrinks the stamina and health bars to be more like the first game. It lets the beautiful visuals actually breathe.
- First Person Herb Picking: Honestly, who thought switching to a 3rd-person animation every time I grab some mint was a good idea? This keeps the camera locked. It’s smoother. It’s faster. It’s better.
The Controversies and the Deleted Mods
It hasn't all been sunshine and roses. The community had a bit of a meltdown a few months back. A few popular mods were pulled from Nexus because of "compatibility issues" that turned out to be personal drama between creators.
There was also the whole situation with the "Bromance" mod. Some people wanted to remove specific romance options to keep things purely platonic between Henry and Hans Capon. It got heated. Some versions were banned; others were moved to private Discords. It’s a reminder that even in a historical sim, the "human" element of modding can get messy.
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How to Install Mods Without Breaking Your Save
Don't just go clicking "Download" on everything you see. Here is the actual, expert-level way to handle your load order so you don't lose 40 hours of progress.
- Create the Folder: Go to your game directory. Create a folder named
mods(lowercase). - Check the Manifest: Every mod needs a
mod.manifestfile inside its specific folder. If it’s not there, the game won't see it. - The Order Matters: If you have a mod that changes sword damage and another that changes all weapon stats, they will conflict. Use the
mod_order.txtfile to put your most important "overhaul" mods at the bottom of the list. - Steam vs. Nexus: Stick to one if you can. Mixing Steam Workshop subscriptions with manual Nexus installs is the fastest way to cause a CTD (Crash to Desktop).
I personally prefer the manual Nexus route because it gives me control over when things update. There is nothing worse than Steam auto-updating a mod in the middle of a quest and corrupting your save file because the scripts changed.
The Future: Quest Mods and Map Expansions
We are starting to see the first real quest mods. Thanks to the official tools—which include the Editor.exe—modders can now actually place NPCs and script dialogue. It’s not quite Skyrim levels of "new lands" yet, but the Pschitoky Castle expansion showed us that adding new locations to the existing map is possible.
The complexity of the AI in KCD2 is the biggest hurdle. Writing a script for an NPC to just stand there is easy. Writing a script for an NPC to have a full day/night cycle, eat at the tavern, and react to Henry’s reputation? That takes serious work.
Actionable Next Steps for Players
If you’re ready to jump in, don’t go overboard. Start with the Thinner HUD and Loot Info to get a feel for how the game handles modifications. Once you’re comfortable, look into the Realish suite to see if the increased difficulty fits your playstyle.
Always keep a "clean" save—a save made before you installed any mods—tucked away in a separate folder. The 1.3 patch is rumored to be coming soon, and as every veteran modder knows, big patches usually break everything. Be ready to wait a day or two for the mod authors to catch up before you try to load your main character again. Tighten up your load order, verify your files, and enjoy a version of Bohemia that’s actually tailored to you.