Kingdom Come Deliverance 2: Branded and Other Punishments Effects

The lively towns in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 welcome visitors but do not hesitate to punish troublemakers. While Henry starts off on shaky ground in Troskowitz, his reputation is not set in stone—it is up to you to shape his fate.

Act recklessly, and Henry will face harsh consequences; play nicely, and he will build strong ties with NPCs and traders. In this guide, we will break down what happens when Henry gets branded and the effects of all punishments in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2.

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All Bailiff’s Punishments and Their Effects in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

When Henry causes trouble in town and gets caught, the local guards give him a few options to make up for his crimes in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. You will even see a list of the specific offenses he’s accused of, and depending on the severity, he may face punishment from the town’s Bailiff.

NOTE: Keep in mind that these consequences only apply to the town where the crimes were committed. A red shield icon with a “#” symbol will appear before that town’s name on the map, indicating Henry is wanted for crimes there.

Pillory

Early on in the game, players learn that Henry can be sentenced to the pillory—a form of public humiliation where he’s locked in wooden stocks. His hands and neck are restrained in this contraption for several days, leaving him vulnerable and uncomfortable. This punishment does not just hurt Henry’s pride; it also comes with some serious gameplay debuffs:

• Charisma drops by 4 points temporarily.
  Charisma is a key stat that helps Henry succeed in speech-based interactions with NPCs. When this stat is lowered, it becomes much harder to talk his way out of situations, negotiate, or persuade others. In short, Henry’s silver tongue turns to lead.
• Conspicuousness increases by 20 points.
  This stat boost isn’t a good thing. With higher conspicuousness, townsfolk and guards will keep a close eye on Henry, often shouting things like, “I’m watching you!” or “Don’t do anything stupid!” They will also be quick to blame him if anything goes wrong, making it harder for Henry to move around unnoticed or avoid further trouble.

All in all, the pillory is not just a temporary inconvenience—it can seriously impact Henry’s ability to pass some time in that town for the duration of debuff and interact with others easily. So, if you want to avoid being the town pariah, it is best to keep Henry’s antics in check.

Caning

If Henry keeps causing trouble in a town—even after being punished with the pillory—the consequences will escalate. The next level of punishment he will face is caning. This harsh penalty is unavoidable if Henry fights the guards or the Bailiff himself, even if he’s never been sentenced to the pillory before.

The effects of caning are severe and will leave Henry in a much weaker state. Here’s what happens:

• Strength, Agility, and Vitality are all reduced by 40%.
• Stamina regeneration is also reduced by 40% temporarily.

These debuffs make life much harder for Henry. With reduced Strength, Agility, and Vitality, he’ll struggle in combat, whether he is facing bandits, clearing enemy camps, or fighting one-on-one. Henry will feel noticeably weaker, making it tough to hold his own in battles.

While some quests can be completed through stealth—like knocking out enemies or performing stealth kills—direct combat will be a losing battle while the caning debuff is active. If you plan to take on enemies head-to-head, you will need to wait until Henry recovers, or you will find yourself outmatched.

Branding

While the pillory and caning come with their own set of negative effects, branding is by far the most severe punishment Henry can face. Not only does it come with harsh debuffs, but it also leaves a permanent mark on Henry’s neck—a visible reminder of his crimes that stays with him for the rest of the game.

Branding is reserved for the most serious offenses or when Henry has committed a long list of crimes. For example, if you try to farm money early in the game by looting the town hall in Troskowitz and get caught (or even accused), you will face a steep fine—one that is nearly impossible to pay early on.

If you can’t pay, branding becomes your only option. Once branded, Henry will be constantly chased and harassed in that town, making it a place he will want to avoid.

Other actions that can lead to branding include killing guards or citizens and getting caught in the act. No matter how it happens, the consequences are severe:

• Positive reputation gain is reduced by 50%, making it much harder to rebuild relationships with the townspeople. It will take a long time before Henry can earn their trust again.
• Merchants will refuse to do business with Henry until the branding debuff wears off after some time.
• Other NPCs will also shun him, refusing to talk or provide services. For example, if you try to ask Betty for a place to sleep in the Troskowitz tavern, she’ll turn you away immediately.

Execution

If Henry continues to cause trouble in a town—even after being branded—the local Bailiff will have no choice but to sentence him to death by hanging. Execution by gallows is the final punishment for repeat offenders.

A cutscene will play out showing his death, and you will be sent back to your last save file. Most likely, this will be from before you entered the town where you are wanted for crimes.

The best way to avoid the gallows is to stay out of trouble and stay out of that town. Make sure you have enough money to pay off your fines if you are caught, or better yet, avoid entering towns where you are a wanted criminal altogether.

That is everything you need to know about branding and other punishment effects Henry gets after committing crimes in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. For more tips about the game, we recommend you check out our What is the Answer to Klara Riddle, How to Find the Axe from the Lake, and the Best Early Game Items and How to Get Them in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 guides.