Dishonored has a lot of interesting features for action and stealth including supernatural abilities. They are gifts of the Void granted for the protagonist – Corvo Attano – and several NPCs. Powers are available in all DLCs and in the second game, but here we will focus on best skills for the first part. You can also check our guide to powers in Dishonored 2.
The outsider will gift supernatural abilities for you at the start of the game. Some starting skills are available for free, but others can be unlocked and upgraded to 2 level with runes. There are only 39 runes while you need 58 ones to maximize every power. So plan your builds carefully as you cannot upgrade all skills. It’s pretty important for gameplay. This guide is created to facilitate the game. Here you can choose the best powers for all strategies.
Also, remember that each ability requires mana to perform. Different powers cost a different amount of mana, but 20% of the total stock is regenerated automatically. To restore all mana you should use elixirs and potions. Some upgrades of equipment and bone charms can increase the total amount of mana and provide new sources of this resource.
Now let’s discover what skills are the best for different strategies and what are cool for every playthrough. Don’t appraise this guide as an axiom. Try your own builds, experiment and find funnier or easier ways to beat the game!
Universal essential powers
Some powers are useful for all styles of game. There are only 2 abilities which we recommend to maximize for every playthrough:
- Blink
One of the symbols of this game is special power called Blink. Long story short, it’s a teleport in your pocket. Blink allows you to quickly move from one place to another. 1 level of power works only for short distances while 2 level has increased length. Basic ability is granted to you by the Outsider for free. Upgrade costs 3 runes as well.
Well, Blink is totally cool. It opens different ways and tactics. With it, you can reach unavailable before places and secret rooms. Cast this spell to quickly reach an enemy and perform a takedown or kill. Also, use Blink to hide from foes. 2 casts is enough to leave all pursuers far away. For this power necessarily grab an upgrade.
Our rating: 10/10 for every strategy.
- Bend Time
This skill is designed for all who love slow motion. 1 level of Bend Time allows the protagonist to slow time around him for about 12 seconds. Every hit will instantly kill any foe. Basic level costs 2 runes. But you want to upgrade Bend Time for 8 runes to 2 level to stop time. 2 level of ability will be active for 8 seconds.
It’s pretty useful skill as well. Bend Time allows you to slow or totally stop time, you know. During the period of activity, you can do what you want. Block attacks, trick enemies, catch bullets and bolts, hide or kill guards. Bend Time is priceless both for a bloody or stealthy playthrough. 1 level is enough for comfortable gameplay if you don’t want to spend 8 runes.
Our rating: 8/10 for every strategy.
Powers for low chaos
Some powers are designed for stealth and non-lethal playthrough. Such strategy can lead you to better endings, but it requires more time and patience. These abilities will help you:
- Dark Vision
This ability works like a radar combined with a roentgen sensor. 1 level of it costs only 1 rune and lets you see through walls. All living creatures and corpses can be detected. But more valuable is that you can see cones of sight and avoid detections. Upgrade Dark Vision to 2 level for 2 runes and you will see resources as well as traps.
The most valuable feature of this ability is an opportunity to see cones of sight. Dark Vision can be active permanently, but don’t forget about mana usage. So we suggest activating it only when you want to detect hidden patrols. Upgrade of the skill isn’t required as you can disarm traps without it and use the Heart to locate valuable collectibles.
Our rating: 9/10 for stealth strategy and 5/10 for combat one.
- Possession
If you want to feel like a Jedi unlock this power for sure! Basic Possession lets you move inside bodies of animals including rats, dogs, and fishes. 2 level is more useful as you can possess humans. It’s highly recommended to upgrade this skill to the maximum for the total amount of 8 runes. Note that Possession has a quite high mana cost.
Even 1 level of this special power grants you additional options of exploring and infiltrating into key locations. Possess a rat and travel inside its body. Move into a hound and run from a chase. But 2 level is priceless for stealth strategy! You can easily enter well-guarded mansions or pass through posts of Overseers. It’s cool, isn’t it?
Our rating: 8/10 for stealth strategy and 6/10 for combat one.
Powers for high chaos
If you are a bloody killing machine you should grab these 2 powers. They are stylish and powerful, but almost useless for stealth men:
- Devouring Swarm
It’s an iconic power for Dishonored. There is an interesting story about an early concept of the game where was a lot of fair duels and royal decorations. But then developers have invented Devouring Swarm which completely changed all game style. Anyway, it lets you summon dozens of hungry rats to kill foes or destroy their corpses.
1 level can be unlocked with 3 runes and 2 level costs 4 additional runes. Basic Devouring Swarm can summon a rat pack. Its upgrade makes your summoned swarm bigger and faster. We don’t claim that this power is the most effective in the game. But it’s stylish as hell! Mark 1/10 for stealth lovers means that you can use Devouring Swarm to get rid of corpses.
Our rating: 1/10 for stealth strategy and 7/10 for combat one.
- Windblast
With it, you can use some Jedi power again. Windblast can push single enemies or even groups of them away from you. Basic ability cannot kill foes, but you can upgrade it to smash guards against walls. Fully upgraded power will cost 7 runes at all. It’s recommended to grab 2 level if you want to blow up enemies.
Windblast is a well-designed thing so you want to take it only for cool screenshots. But it’s priceless for the dramatic start of every fight. Use Windblast to open doors or windows and reject first shots of guards. Combine it with Bend Time or Blink to distract NPCs effectively. Upgraded ability is good for pathetic kills as well.
Our rating: 3/10 for stealth strategy and 9/10 for combat one.
Other powers
These skills are not such cool as listed above, but you may want to experiment. Here are short descriptions of each remained supernatural power:
- Vitality
It’s one of the passive powers that don’t require mana for useful effects. Vitality on the 1 level increases your health and Vitality on the 2 level accelerates the regeneration of health. Maximizing of ability costs 4 runes at all. This skill is totally useless for stealth playthrough as you don’t want to even fight. Also, it adds not so much health to make you an immortal tank.
Our rating: 0/10 for stealth strategy and 5/10 for combat one.
- Agility
Here we have the second passive ability. With it, you can jump higher, run, swim and climb faster as well as receive less damage after falling. 1 level enhances your jumps and costs 2 runes. Upgrade increases speed and worth 3 runes. Agility is more useful than Vitality as it allows you to reach hidden rooms, for example, or run from enemies.
Our rating: 4/10 for stealth strategy and 6/10 for combat one.
- Shadow Kill
This power turns corpses into ashes so nobody will see bodies. It is helpful as you don’t have to find safe places for corpses or unconscious bodies. Note that 1 level for 2 runes has effect only on unaware enemies when 2 level for 4 runes is suitable for all targets. Shadow Kill can be slightly useful, but it’s not too difficult to find room for bodies in this game.
Our rating: 6/10 for stealth strategy and 4/10 for combat one.
- Blood Thirsty
The skill is quite unique as it brings new feature into the game. With Blood Thirsty you can accumulate adrenaline in combats. Full capacity of adrenaline allows you to perform lethal attack regardless of target’s health or blocks. 2 level of this power doubles the number of lethal attacks and accelerates adrenaline accumulation.
Our rating: 0/10 for stealth strategy and 5/10 for combat one.
Powers from DLCs
Daud – the main protagonist of DLCs – can also use supernatural abilities. Some of them we have described above, but there are new skills as well. The most important powers for Daud are similar to Corvo’s ones: Blink and Bend Time. Here you can read about unique skills of a new hero and see our ratings for them:
- Void Gaze
Basic level of this ability is free and works similar to the Heart from Dishonored. The Mark of the Outsider begins to glow near runes or bone charms. Upgrade of Void Gaze works like maximized Dark Vision. You can detect creatures with their sounds and cones of sight. You also can see collectibles and traps. 2 level costs 2 runes.
Our rating: 9/10 for stealth strategy and 5/10 for combat one.
- Pull
Do you remember Windblast? Now invert it and you will get Pull. With 1 level of it, you can drag small objects like coins or notes. It’s useful for stealth playthrough when you want to get an important item without being detected. 2 level allows you to pull corpses or living creatures including all humans, Use it to eliminate powerful enemies.
Our rating: 6/10 for stealth strategy and 6/10 for combat one.
- Summon Assassin
This power is really unique as it has no analogs in the main game. Daud can cast it to summon a Novice Assassin or a Master Assassin to fight against enemies. 1 level with novice ally costs 1 rune. To summon more experienced fighter you have to spend 5 additional runes. Assassins are cool for creative kills or distraction of enemies.
Our rating: 1/10 for stealth strategy and 7/10 for combat one.
- Arcane Bond
If you want to enhance summoned allies be sure to unlock both levels of Arcane Bond. Basically, ability increases the health of Novice and Master Assassins. It also gives them Blink. 1 level is free as well. Upgrade Arcane Bond empowers allies with Pull, Shadow Kill, and immunity to Bend Time. It costs 4 runes. It’s clear that this power is passive.
Our rating: 1/10 for stealth strategy and 6/10 for combat one.
Well, you may use our guide as an example of best builds. But Dishonored is very fun so far as it has a lot of options for every playthrough. Combine powers, use strange builds, invent your own style!