As soon as you’re done getting flogged in the town square of Troskowitz at the start ofKingdom 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 difficult 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 inKingdom 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 to be used against tougher enemies that might be more prone to block your standard attacks.
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 originalKingdom Come: Deliverancewill know how big of a deal learning the Master Strike is, as it completely changes every combat encounter you’ll have moving forward.
Unfortunately, the Horizontal Slice is seemingly impossible 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:
While you may randomly perform 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:
It will definitely take 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 Horizontal 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.
