Dishonored 2 comes packed with an intense storyline and two playable characters – Emily and Corvo. Once again, stealth is at the heart of Dishonored 2 along with plenty of hidden secrets, puzzles, challenges and more.
Abilities play a major role in Dishonored 2 and it is important that you understand how they work. The following guide will help you understand how the work, upgrade, and what are unique powers.
For more help on Dishonored 2, read our Bonecharms Locations and Upgrades, Death to the Empress Stealth Walkthrough and Paintings Locations Guide.
Dishonored 2 Powers Guide
How Powers Work In Dishonored 2
The first thing you need to know is that abilities are purchased with Runes to it is important to collect as many of them as possible. You need to grab them via Outsider Shrine or on their own by exploring the game. It is to be noted that you can not unlock everything in the first playthrough.
Use runes to craft and customize your powers according to your playstyle. There are abilities that give you an edge in stealth while others help you take down enemies quicker and more effectively.
We also have shared abilities that are common for both playable characters. They function the same way for both Emily and Corvo.
Once you have enough runes to acquire an ability, head to the Power Menu and check out everything your character can learn and do. Abilities cost from 1 to 6 runes so you would need to save up runes for advanced abilities.
It is recommended that you save your game before getting a new ability as it may not be to your liking. Save the game, get the ability, try it and load previous save if you don’t like it.
All Dishonored 2 to Powers have secondary aspects that also take runes for extra bonuses and perks. The best way to play the game is to unlock only a few abilities and get as many bonuses as possible.
Dishonored 2 Shared Abilities
Dark Vision – Cost 2
Dark Vision is custom made for players who will go down the stealth role. It will allow you to see through walls, detect guard, and plan the route you wish to take to complete your mission. It is to be noted that Dark Vision updates every second in pulses. Stop and give yourself time to actually see things around you rather than rushing through areas using Dark Vision.
Great Dark Vision Upgrade – Cost 3
This upgrade allows you to spot bonus objects as well as security systems in the area. This will help you get more valuable items that are hidden inside or behind objects.
Premonition Upgrade – Cost 2
The upgrade allows you to see enemy routes and use that information to evade guards. The upgrade makes Dark Vision much more valuable. However, keep in mind that it sometimes becomes visually confusing when combined with Great Dark Vision update as you get plenty of information on your screen.
Strength – Cost 3
The power increases your character’s strength and allows you to throw objects further. This means you can knock out enemies at a distance. This ability does not necessarily have to be in a stealth build because stealth players should not be involved in combat. However, it is much more useful when upgraded.
Greater Strenght Upgrade – Cost 2
This allows you to break through wooden barricades with basic Sword attacks.
Vitality – Cost 2
This ability adds to your base health amount. This is a very useful ability for competitive players who are going to engage in combat rather than use stealth in Dishonored 2. Stealth players don’t need this as much as combat-focused players do so they may be better off spending their Runes somewhere else.
Greater Vitality – Cost 2
This upgrade allows your health to regenerate faster. Moreover, you regain more of total health without using Elixir. It is a great upgrade to have if you wish to add a bonus to your vitality.
Reflexes – Cost 1
Another combat focused power that allows you to deflect incoming projectiles using your sword. It is best to ignore this one if you are a stealth focused player. It is primarily for competitive players so useful if you are going down the stealth road. For competitive players, this one should be in their build. It is cheap and inexpensive.
Focused Slide Upgrade – Cost 2
Time will slow down when you engage a slide while you have a precise ranged weapon equipped. This allows you slide, slow down time, and take out an enemy with your weapon.
Superior Deflect Upgrade – Cost 2
This is pretty much a must have ability for combat focused playthroughs. You will be able to deflect bullets and bolts toward nearest enemies. We suggest getting this during the mid or late game when you come across more enemies.
Adept Perry Upgrade – Cost 1
The window is which you perry is increased when you get this upgrade for your primary Reflex ability. This will make it much easier to pull off this move, increasing the number of counter kills. The best part about this upgrade is that it is cheap and highly useful.
Snap Reaction Upgrade – Cost 3
This is similar to the reflex ability from Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Time will slow down when the enemy spots you. This is useful for both steal and combat-focused players. It allows you to kill everyone or take out the one that saw you before he alerts every the whole squad.
Agility – Cost 2
It is a mobility focused feature in and out of combat. Its use isn’t limited to a specific type of play style. You get higher jumping which allows you to reach higher ground which, can sometime, result in finding valuable items.
Rapid Sprint – Cost 2
Your sprinting speed is increased which is very useful for crossing cleared areas or charging distant enemies without offering them time to react. The upgrade is best for competitive players but those players who don’t with getting their stealth perfect can also use this upgrade.
Cat Fall – Cost 1
Call Fall decreases the amount of fall damage and is useful for players who like to run from ledge to ledge.
Blood Thirst – Cost 2
Your adrenaline builds up during combat and killing/parrying the enemies will raise this. When the stat reaches its limit the screen will go dark and you are able to automatically kill a target using fast attacks.
Adrenaline Burst – Cost 1
When you are outside of combat your adrenaline builds to mid level. This also means that your first adrenaline kill comes quicker.
Greater Blood Thirst – Cost 3
Your Blood Thirst will become much stronger, allowing you a couple of powerful strikes.
Bonecharm Crafting Cost 1
It is a required ability of you wish to develop your own bonecharms. You can use Raw Whalebone to craft them.
Trait Synergy – Cost 3
You can use the same trait up to four times.
Witch Crafting – Cost 2
This ability lowers the chances of a bonecharm corrupting. Corruption adds negativee effects so grab this updgrade to avoid this.
Master Crafting – Cost 2
Any charm with three traits will have no chance of corrupting.
Craft Runes – Cost 4
The upgrade allows you to turn Raw Whalebones into Runes to vice versa.
Shadow Kill – Cost 2
The enemies you kill turn into ashes but only if you kill them without alerting. It is most effective for players going for a stealth playthrough. You won’t have to hide bodies after killing enemies.
Greater Shadow – Cost 2
All enemies will turn into ashes when they die, it doesn’t matter if they are alerted or not.
Bloodfly Swarm – Cost 3
The enemies you kill will turn into bloodflies and attack nearby enemies.
Corvo’s Unique Powers
Possession – Cost 4
This is an excellent ability for stealth players as they can merge themselves with animals. This allows you to bypass security. However, it comes at a very high mana cost. Meanwhile, combat-focused players can use this escape engagement when overwhelmed by the enemy.
Chain Hosts – Cost 3
Leap from one possessed entity to other without leaving the body.
Lasting Possession – Cost 1
Possessions will last longer which makes everything much easier to do.
Corpse Possession – Cost 1
You can possess dead bodies but keep in mind that you won’t be able to move them.
Human Possession – Cost 4
You can possess human beings and use them to attack other enemies or bypass security.
Blink – Cost 0
Both Dishonored 2 characters have this kind of ability. Corvo’s Blink will get you to hard to reach places, help avoid enemies, and collect valuable items while exploring,
Greater Blink -Cost 4
Your Blin range will extend itself so you can reach far away places.
Redirective Blink – Cost 3
Time stops as long as you stand still while you are aiming your Blink.
Blink Assualt – Cost 1
Competitive players need to get this ability as it can knock down alerted targets or assassinate unaware victims.
Bend Time – Cost 5
This is a survivor’s ability as it increases your survivability, lethality, and stealth. You have to be smart in using this for either combat or stealth playthroughs. You may not want to use possession and Bend Time at the same time as it will take a toll on your mana.
It is best to use Bend Time during big fights as it makes it easier to take down enemies. Meanwhile, you can also use this to cross through protected areas.
Stop Time – Cost 6
Nothing will move while the spell is triggered. The world around you is frozen still but is is possible to advance time within the spell. This upgrade is not for competitive players and is suggested for stealth play style.
Lasting Bend Time – Cost 2
This is a must have bonus if you are getting Bend Time. You can Bend Time for a longer period of time and can cross through large sections.
Relativity – Cost 1
Your movement speed, while the Bend Time is triggered, is much faster.
Windblast – Cost 4
The power allows you to deflect slow moving projectiles and shatter doors. You can also through enemies around. It is useful for combat play style.
Greater Windblast – Cost 3
The upgrade will add additional lethal damage when you throw an enemy into something.
Shockwave – Cost 3
The name is pretty self-explanatory; when you are surrounded, use the shockwave to clear the area.
Devouring Swarm – Cost 4
This gives you power over rats and they can be called in groups to attack the enemy. They can also be used for distraction.
Greater Swarm – Cost 2
The rats grow in size and are harder to kill.
Rat Piper – Cost 2
Your rats will follow you around, allowing you to chain multiple small encounters.
Twin Swarms – Cost 3
You will get to choose two different areas of attack for your rats. The number of people they attack is increased, causing chaos.
Emily’s Unique Powers
Domino – Cost 4
You can link different enemies together and whatever happens to one of them, all with automatically suffer the same. For example, if you kill one of them, all will die. Compbat players, as well as stealth players can use this ability to great effect.
Lin Three – Cost 3
You can link up to 3 enemies.
Link Four – Cost 3
You can link up to 4 enemies.
Doppelganger – Cost 4
You can summon a doppelganger of Emily to distract the enemies by triggering alarms, making enemies follow it around. Once the doppelganger is killed, the enemies will return to their position.
Baffling Shade – Cost 1
The doppelganger’s fate is to die and once it does, it will cause confusion among enemies for a few seconds in a small area. This allows you more time to avoid enemies and leave the area.
Transposition – Cost 2
You can trade places with the doppelganger, use this upgrade wisely. You can grab a few quick kills but switching places with it and then switching back, letting it die.
Deadly Shade – Cost 3
The doppelganger fight- off enemies and kill unaware targets.
Twin Shades – Cost 3
This is a very powerful upgrade as it allows you and your twin to fight off large number of enemies.
Shadow Walk – Cost 4
This is a very useful upgrade for both competitive and stealth play styles. You can reduce the range at which enemies realize you are a threat.
Improved Shadow Attack – Cost 2
You can kill or known out two targets before coming out of Shadow Walk.
Rat Shadows – Cost 1
You can go through rat tunnels while using Shadow Walk. This can allow emily to bypass enemies at certain sections of the map more easily.
Shadow Run – Cost 2
Shadow Walk movement speed increased.
Greater Shadow Attack – Cost 2
You can kill or known out three enemies before coming out of Shadow Walk.
Mesmerize – Cost 6
You can full distract two targets, allowing you more than enough time to kill or go past them. The cost of this power is very high so you it is best to use it for stealth and not killing enemies.
Mesmerize Three – Cost 3
Affects three nearby targets.
Mesmerize Four – Cost 3
Affects four nearby enemies.
Lasting Mesmerize – Cost 2
The upgrade will increase the duration of Mesmerize.
Far Reach – Cost 0
Far Reach is Emily’s version of Blink. You can get early on in the game and it allows you to travel around the game world and get to hard to reach places.
Pull Objects – Cost 2
Emily is able to pull bodies and other objects toward her.
Decelerate – Cost 2
Time will stop if you fall during Far Reach, allowing Emily to land safely to try again.
Pull Enemies – Cost 4
You can now pull enemies to kill or knock them out. This upgrade gives Emily a competitive edge over her opponents.
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