Main level and stats
| Perk | Where | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Martin’s Heritage / Radzig’s Heritage | Main level 10 | Faster growth in swords, crafting and survival — or in heavy weapons, marksmanship and scholarship. Pick the one that matches your weapon |
| Undaunted Cavalier | Main level 8 | Charisma above 20 adds armour |
| Train Hard, Fight Easy I and II | Strength 6 / 10 | Weapons need 2, then 5, less Strength: the best early perk in the game |
| Tight Grip | Strength 10 | Stealth kills and knockouts land more reliably |
| Deft Hands I and II | Agility 6 / 10 | Weapons need 2, then 5, less Agility |
| Totentanz | Agility 12 | A perfect dodge gives 15% attack for five seconds |
| Thick-Blooded | Vitality 6 | Slower bleeding: an early survival perk |
| Well-Dressed | Vitality 10 | Clothes and body dirty 20% slower; Charisma stays up |
| Jack of All Trades | Speech 10 | Bonus to skill checks and more experience from them |
| Battle Cry | Speech 12 | 10% more damage for twenty seconds after a battle cry (Vandal, GamerGuides; PCGamesN says ten) |
Skills
| Perk | Where | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Secret of Matter | Alchemy 8 | One extra potion per successful brew |
| Water of Life | Alchemy 12 | Potions heal 25% faster |
| Thorough Maintenance | Craftsmanship 8 | Gear wears 10% slower |
| Keen Eye | Craftsmanship 10 | Experience from paid repairs |
| Nightcap | Drinking 6 | Lighter hangovers, beds 10% more restful |
| Enhanced Mixture | Drinking 16 | Any potion heals while drunk |
| Head Start / Ride Like the Wind | Horsemanship 8 / 10 | Quick start from standing; less stamina at the gallop |
| Charming Companion / Bark | Houndmaster 10 / 12 | +3 Charisma with Mutt nearby; the dog distracts enemies |
| Liberal Arts / Explorer | Scholarship 10 / 18 | See dialogue check difficulty; reveal the whole map |
| One Way or Another / Surprise Attack | Stealth 6 / 12 | A failed stealth kill still debuffs; an unseen ranged hit debuffs |
| Leg Day / Leshy | Survival 10 / 12 | Herb picking trains Strength; forests boost stats and stamina |
| Rapid Flight / Mischief Artist | Thievery 8 / 14 | Failed pickpockets go unnoticed; +3 Thievery and Stealth after a lock |
Combat
| Perk | Where | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Against All Odds / River | Warfare 8 / 10 | Stats when outnumbered; dodging restores stamina |
| Showtime / Magister Dimicator | Swords 8 / 14 | Combos and master strikes restore stamina; +5 swordsmanship after a combo |
| Onslaught / Concussing Blow | Heavy Weapons 14 / 16 | Combos at half stamina; blunt combos stop dodges |
| Iron Harvest / Tormenting Strike | Polearms 10 / 14 | Stamina back after a combo; their stamina regenerates slower |
| Start Me Up / Sandman | Unarmed 10 / 12 | Stamina after an unarmed combo; easier knockouts |
| Crippling Shot / Hal Shot First | Marksmanship 6 / 10 (PCGamesN; Fextralife says 8 for Hal Shot First) | A hit drains their stamina; the first shot does 15% more |
Still to verify
Cross-checked on 17 September 2026 against PCGamesN’s perk guide (every perk, level and effect in the tables), Fextralife’s and TheGamer’s best-perk lists, which overlap on Jack of All Trades, Battle Cry, Secret of Matter, Head Start and the weapon-requirement perks; the recommendations are theirs, not from a playthrough. Re-checked on 1 October 2026 against Vandal and GamerGuides. Not from a playthrough: checked against the sources above. Still to confirm in-game.