Warhorse Studios released Kingdom Come: Deliverance on 13 February 2018, set in Bohemia in 1403 with no magic, no dragons and a map built from real places. You play Henry, a blacksmith's son from Skalitz, after Cuman raiders in Sigismund's pay burn the town and kill his parents. All 17 skills level only through use, and saving outside a bed normally costs a bottle of Saviour Schnapps.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longsword | S | Duels and one on one fights against lightly and medium armoured opponents | Two handed, the fastest route to Master Strike dominance and the weapon most trainers assume you are using. |
| Shortsword | A | Early game fights and any situation where a shield matters more than reach | One handed, which frees a shield for the early game when Henry blocks badly and takes damage he cannot afford. |
| Mace | A | Armoured knights and any fight where the enemy is better protected than you | Blunt damage that gets through plate where a sword edge simply does not. |
| Axe | B | Early bandit camps and players who want cutting damage without longsword training | Sits between sword and mace, cheap to acquire and effective against unarmoured bandits. |
| Bow | B | Hunting, thinning bandit camps before contact, and mounted hit and run | Has no crosshair by design, so hitting anything requires learning the arc by feel. |
S-Tier: Longsword
Two handed, the fastest route to Master Strike dominance and the weapon most trainers assume you are using. Saint George's Sword sits at the top of the class at 72 slash damage and cannot be bought, only earned.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Duels and one on one fights against lightly and medium armoured opponents |
| Key Mechanic | Skills level only through use |
| Recommended Build | Swordsman |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Longsword: Pairs naturally with Swordsman thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Shortsword
One handed, which frees a shield for the early game when Henry blocks badly and takes damage he cannot afford. It is the sensible weapon for the chapters before Bernard's training.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Early game fights and any situation where a shield matters more than reach |
| Key Mechanic | Combat rose and Master Strikes |
| Recommended Build | Archer |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Shortsword: Pairs naturally with Archer thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Mace
Blunt damage that gets through plate where a sword edge simply does not. The Ceremonial Mace is widely treated as the best in class and stays useful for the entire game.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Armoured knights and any fight where the enemy is better protected than you |
| Key Mechanic | Saviour Schnapps save system |
| Recommended Build | Stealth Thief |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Mace: Pairs naturally with Stealth Thief thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Axe
Sits between sword and mace, cheap to acquire and effective against unarmoured bandits. Its skill line levels quickly because axes are everywhere in the early world.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Early bandit camps and players who want cutting damage without longsword training |
| Key Mechanic | Hands on alchemy brewing |
| Recommended Build | Diplomat |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Axe: Pairs naturally with Diplomat thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Bow
Has no crosshair by design, so hitting anything requires learning the arc by feel. Once learned it clears camps from range and stacks with Horsemanship for mounted archery.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Hunting, thinning bandit camps before contact, and mounted hit and run |
| Key Mechanic | Reputation, speech and charisma |
| Recommended Build | Alchemist |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Bow: Pairs naturally with Alchemist thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Rattay
- Shortsword → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Mace → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Longsword → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- Go to Captain Bernard at the Rattay arena before the main quest pushes you into real fights. He is the only character who teaches Master Strikes, combos and feints, and Master Strikes alone change the difficulty of the whole game.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Kingdom Come: Deliverance Guides
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance Kingdom Come: Deliverance Overview
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance Best Builds
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance Tier List
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance Walkthrough
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance Beginner's Guide
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance Tips & Tricks
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance Combat Guide
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance Boss Guide
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance Maps & Locations
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance Crafting Guide
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Kingdom Come: Deliverance, check out these related guides:
- Elden Ring Weapons Guide: rpg game with similar mechanics
- Baldur's Gate 3 Weapons Guide: rpg game with similar mechanics
- Cyberpunk 2077 Weapons Guide: rpg game with similar mechanics
