KCD2 Weapons Tier List — Best Swords, Maces, and Polearms Ranked
How weapons are ranked
Weapons in KCD2 are ranked across four axes: raw damage (DPS at base skill), master-strike timing (how easy the wind-up is to read), armor effectiveness (does the weapon bypass plate armor or get blunted by it), and acquisition difficulty (when in the game you can reasonably own one).
Tier rankings assume the player is using the weapon at its appropriate skill level — Longsword skill 10 for longswords, Warfare 10 for polearms, etc. A theoretically great weapon used at skill 0 is worse than a tier-2 weapon used at skill 15.
Weapon categories ranked
| Category | Tier | Best at | Worst at | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Longsword | Longsword | S | Mid-range duels, master-strike chains | Tight indoor fights |
| Mace | Mace | S (vs plate) | Heavy armor opponents (plate, brigantine) | Reach (short range) |
| Polearm | Polearm | A | Crowd control, reach | Indoor fights, low Strength characters |
| Short Sword | Short Sword | A (early) | Act 1 default, light armor enemies | Mid-late game |
| Axe | Axe | B | Brigantine bypass, niche damage | Mid-armor matchups |
| Dagger | Dagger | C | Stealth backstabs, unarmored opponents | Open combat |
| Bow / Crossbow | Bow / Crossbow | A (ranged) | Picking off scouts, opening volleys | Close range, indoor fights |
Longsword — the gold standard
Longswords are KCD2's most versatile melee weapon. They have balanced damage (slash + stab), reach that covers most engagement distances, and a wind-up animation that's slow enough for reliable master-strike timing.
Henry's prologue gives him basic short sword training, but Longsword skill levels independently — start training with Bernard's longsword drills from your first Trosky visit. By Longsword skill 10, you unlock unique combos that flow naturally from master-strike counters into 3-hit chains.
Best Act 1 longsword: Trosky Smith's Longsword (800 groschen, balanced stats). Best Act 2: Bohemian Greatsword (drops in 'Necessary Evil', requires Strength 10+ to wield).
Top longswords by Act
| Weapon | Damage | Where | Required Skill | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trosky Smith Longsword | Trosky Smith Longsword | 55 slash / 60 stab | Buy from Trosky smith — 800g | Longsword 1 |
| Cuman Officer Longsword | Cuman Officer Longsword | 62 slash / 65 stab | Loot from Cuman Captain quests | Longsword 5 |
| Reichersdorf Longsword | Reichersdorf Longsword | 68 slash / 70 stab | Wedding Crashers quest reward | Longsword 7 |
| Bohemian Greatsword | Bohemian Greatsword | 80 slash / 75 stab | Necessary Evil drop | Strength 10, Longsword 10 |
| Lord Markvart's Sword | Lord Markvart's Sword | 92 slash / 88 stab | Voices of the Dead reward (late Act 2) | Strength 12, Longsword 12 |
Mace — the plate-armor counter
Maces are blunt weapons that bypass armor differently than swords. A mace strike against a plate-armored enemy deals significantly more effective damage than a sword strike because plate armor reduces slash/stab damage but does little against blunt force. Mid-to-late Act 1 introduces plate-armored bandits and Cuman captains — your longsword will struggle, but a mace will demolish them.
The trade-off: maces have shorter reach than longswords, and master-strike timing on maces requires reading a different animation (overhead arc vs the longsword's horizontal swing). Train Warfare skill (covers mace, axe, war hammer) separately from Longsword.
Best Act 1 mace: Iron Mace (looted from any bandit captain). Best Act 2: Cuman Captain's Mace (Suchdol arc reward, increased blunt damage).
Top maces by Act
| Weapon | Blunt damage | Where | Required Strength | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Mace | Iron Mace | 75 | Bandit captain loot, common | Strength 5 |
| Studded Mace | Studded Mace | 85 | Trosky smith — 1200g after Warfare 5 | Strength 7 |
| Cuman Captain's Mace | Cuman Captain's Mace | 100 | Suchdol arc quest reward | Strength 10 |
| Holy Trinity War Hammer | Holy Trinity War Hammer | 115 | Voices of the Dead late drop | Strength 12, Warfare 10 |
Polearm — crowd control and reach
Polearms (spears, halberds, war scythes) trade speed and indoor utility for reach and crowd control. A halberd swung horizontally can hit two enemies side-by-side; the spear's stab keeps enemies at arm's length where they can't clinch you.
Polearms struggle in tight spaces (inn brawls, dungeon corridors) because the swing requires arc space. Outside fights — bandit camps, road ambushes, open-field encounters — they dominate. Use polearms specifically for the Cuman raid setpieces and the 'Wedding Crashers' open-field battle.
Best Act 1 polearm: Wedding Crashers Spear (free quest reward). Best Act 2: Trosky Halberd (Strength 12 requirement).
Top polearms by Act
| Weapon | Damage | Where | Reach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wedding Crashers Spear | Wedding Crashers Spear | 55 stab | Quest reward (free) | Long |
| War Scythe | War Scythe | 70 slash | Peasant tools — bandits often drop | Medium |
| Trosky Halberd | Trosky Halberd | 85 mixed | Trosky smith — 1500g | Long |
| Cuman War Spear | Cuman War Spear | 90 stab | Voices of the Dead | Very long |
Short Sword — the underrated Act 1 default
Henry starts the game with short sword training. The prologue Hans gives you a short sword and it's tempting to swap to longsword immediately at Trosky — but the short sword has hidden advantages early.
Short swords have faster swing speeds than longswords, work in tight indoor spaces (cellar fights, inn brawls), and their master-strike windows are forgiving for new players. They scale damage off both Strength AND Agility, so they fit hybrid builds well.
Drop the short sword by Act 2 when longswords and maces clearly outpace it. But for the first 10 hours, the prologue Short Sword Henry gets from Hans is genuinely competitive.
Weapon acquisition priority order
- Hour 0-2: Use Hans's prologue Short Sword. No purchase needed.
- Hour 2-5: Buy Trosky Smith's Longsword (800g). Use as primary weapon.
- Hour 5-10: Loot an Iron Mace from a bandit captain. Carry as secondary for plate-armor fights.
- Hour 10-15: Complete 'Wedding Crashers' for the spear reward. Use for open-field setpieces.
- Hour 15-25: Upgrade to Reichersdorf Longsword + Studded Mace from Trosky smith.
- Act 2 onward: Bohemian Greatsword (Strength 10+ check) and Cuman Captain's Mace as endgame Act 2 picks.
- Late Act 2 / Act 3: Lord Markvart's Sword and Holy Trinity War Hammer.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best weapon in KCD2 overall?
There isn't a single best weapon — it depends on the enemy. Longsword is the best all-rounder (S-tier vs leather and brigantine), Mace is the best against plate armor (S-tier vs Cuman captains and late-game nobles). Carry both and switch based on the encounter.
Does Longsword skill or Warfare skill control mace damage?
Warfare skill. Each weapon type has its own skill: Longsword (for longswords), Warfare (for maces, axes, war hammers, polearms), Bow (for bows + crossbows), Dagger (for daggers/short blades), Unarmed (for fists). Train Warfare separately from Longsword to use maces effectively.
Are crossbows good in KCD2?
Yes — crossbows are new to the series and hit hard. They deal more damage per shot than bows but reload slower. Best for opening volleys against unarmored enemies (one-shot kills) or against plate-armored opponents (crossbows bypass plate better than bows). Levels under Bow skill.
Can I wield a two-handed weapon and a shield?
No. Two-handed weapons (greatswords, halberds, polearms) require both hands. Shields require an off-hand. Choose between two-handed damage and one-handed-plus-shield safety. The Bohemian Greatsword is two-handed; the Trosky Smith Longsword is one-handed (can pair with shield).
Is the prologue Short Sword worth keeping?
Yes, for the first 10 hours. Faster swing speed and forgiving master-strike timing make it strong in early Trosky combat. Replace it with Trosky Smith's Longsword by hour 5-10 once your Longsword skill catches up.
Where do I buy weapons in Act 1?
Trosky's smith (main square, daytime hours) sells most Act 1 longswords and maces. The Suchdol traveling armorer (random visits) sometimes has unique items. Looting bandit captains is the cheapest source for maces. Save 1000+ groschen before visiting the Trosky smith to afford the Longsword.
Sources & verification
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Continue this guide path
- ›Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Beginner Guide — Combat, Skills, and Your First DaysKCD2 throws you in with minimal hand-holding. This guide covers what to learn in your first hours, the skill priorities that compound fastest, and the survival basics the tutorial barely explains.
- ›Master-Strike Combat Guide for KCD2 — Timing, Unlock, and How to PracticeMaster-strike is the move that defines KCD2 combat. This guide explains exactly when to press block for the perfect counter, how to unlock it, and the drill routine that builds the muscle memory.
- ›Best Early-Game Build in KCD2 — Defense + Speech Hybrid for Act 1Most KCD2 builds collapse in Act 1 because they specialize too hard. This Defense + Speech hybrid build keeps you alive AND keeps quest options open through the entire Trosky/Kuttenberg arc.