In Dishonored, the player is granted various powers by the Outsider. The powers are manifestations of the Void and are either passive or active supernatural abilities. These super natural abilities range blinking short distances to the ability to possess people or even stop time. Here at The Centurion Report, we ranked all ten powers available in the first Dishonored game and made a list going from the worst power to the best – here is our Top Ten Powers in the First Dishonored Game.
10. Vitality
Vitality comes in at #10 on our list because it is not at all required to complete the game. It is a simple power-up that increases your health at rank I and increases your health’s regeneration at rank II. Each rank costs two runes. I would not recommend getting even the first rank unless you often find yourself dying in combat. However, you may find that the other powers in this list help you in combat more than some extra health. Another good thing to remember is that if you’re dying a lot in combat, extra health might as well be a band-aid to your lack of combat skills. Combat in Dishonored can be very fluid and if done right you can play through a whole level without even taking a single hit.
9. Windblast
Windblast – a power I never personally used for multiple reasons but ranks higher than Vitality because it can be useful in more situations. It is very expensive with rank I costing three runes and rank II costing four runes. Windblast does exactly what it sounds like – it gives you the ability to blast enemies into objects, push back bullets and bolts, and smash open wooden doors. Rank II lets you instantly kill your enemies by smashing them into walls instead of just injuring them. Due to its high cost and the fact that it only becomes useful at rank II, windblast comes in at #9.
8. Shadow Kill
Are you tired of having to lug bodies into the shadows after you kill someone? Tired of opening and closing those dumpsters all over the levels? Then Shadow Kill is the power for you! At rank I, Shadow Kill turns any unaware enemies into ash when they are killed by you. At rank II, all of your enemies turn to ash regardless of whether they saw you or not. It costs two runes to unlock and four to upgrade making it a little pricey considering some of the other powers you can get, but depending on your playstyle it can be useful to not have to drag those bodies around and instead focus on your gameplay. However, if you are going for a sneaky playthrough or simply don’t care if other guards find bodies then I’d suggest passing on this power.
7. Agility
Ever wanted to jump in a fight so high it counts as a drop assassination? Need a boost to get up on that roof and don’t want to blink? Do you think you’re character moves slow and want to move at an even faster pace? Take Agility! Agility increases your jump height, reduces or even completely negates fall damage, and lets you sprint, climb, and swim faster. Who would’ve thought Agility does exactly what it says? Rank I unlocks the jump bonus which can let you drop-assassinate most enemies even in the middle of combat! Rank II allows you to move around the map faster. This power is probably one of the best passive powers and can make your gameplay more fast-paced if that’s the kind of run you’re looking for. All-in-all it’s not one of the worst but certainly is not the best.
6. Blood Thirsty
Blood Thirsty lets Corvo or Daud build up adrenaline throughout combat. When your adrenaline is at its max, they unleash a powerful fatality that will kill your enemies regardless of their health even if they are blocking! While this fully drains your adrenaline meter and you have to build it up all over again, it can make for some fun combos and make combat a breeze. Rank I costs two runes and rank II costs three runes but has the added bonus of allowing you to gain adrenaline faster and insta-kill two enemies at once! It also lets you keep your adrenaline for a bit longer before it starts draining.
5. Devouring Swarm
The city of Dunwall is infested with rats and going through a deadly plague. You can help make that worse by summoning hordes of blood-thirsty, man-killing rats! One of the pricier powers, at three and four runes Devouring Swarm may be a late-game purchase but is useful in so many situations. Not only can you summon the rats to kill your foes, but you can also summon the rats and then use Possession to control one of them and get around the map! Use it to distract your enemies or slip past them. At rank II the swarm is even larger allowing it to kill enemies faster and eat their dead bodies even faster. It has multiple uses and that’s why it comes in at #4.
4. Dark Vision
Dark Vision is one of the best active non-combat powers. It allows you to see through walls for a limited time and costs less than most other abilities allowing you to save your mana for other costlier powers. It is also one of the cheapest powers to buy and is usually bought by players early on in the game. Rank I costs a single rune and allows you to see enemies through walls as yellow outlines. It also lets you see their alert meter through walls letting you know if a sound you just made alerted a nearby guard. Rank II shows Corvo or Daud weapons, traps, and other items you may be interested in. Dark Vision’s ability to set up kills and let Corvo or Daud sneak around guards they would not have known were there puts it at #4.
3. Possession
Possession – one of the best abilities in the game. The versatility and possibilities are endless. Take control of a fish and swim through a sewer, use a rat to go in a pipe, or take control of a guard and walk around like your the city watch. Want to use it offensively? Walk your foes into Walls of Light or move them in front of their own bullets with the help of Bend Time! Perhaps the most expensive power at three and five runes, Possession is definitely a late-game power as the first rank only lets you possess animals. The second rank lets you control humans.
2. Bend Time
The combo setter-upper – Bend Time. You’ve probably seen this used in countless Dishonored kill compilations. The most expensive ability to max, Bend Time is also one of the most useful for players attempting a high-chaos playthrough. At rank I Bend Time slows the game down for 12 seconds. Enemies move extremely slowly while Corvo or Daud move at their normal speed. Use it to kill your enemies in combat or combine it with Possession to move your foes in front of their own bullets. Slow down time and rapidly shoot bolts at all your foes so when time resumes they all drop at once. See? Endless possibilities. Rank II costs a whopping eight runes! Rank II lets the player stop time completely however it is a shorter duration at just eight seconds.
1. Blink
A staple power for any Dishonored player, Blink is our top choice and comes in at #1. Finally, we reach the ultimate power in all of Dishonored – Blink. Blink is the most useful and cost-effective power in the game. It is so useful and widely used there is even an achievement for not using it all through a whole playthrough! The first rank is given to Corvo and Daud for free by the Outsider. It lets you blink short distances almost instantly. The second rank costs just three runes and allows you to blink fifteen meters instead of the previous ten. This lets you reach places previously unobtainable. It does not matter whether you are going for an undetected playthrough or a high-chaos playthrough – Blink will be one of your most-used abilities.
Think they should be ranked differently? Let us know down below what you think the top ten powers in the first Dishonored game are!