Character Skills

Overview

_Dishonored 2_ features two playable characters: Corvo Attano and Emily Kaldwin. Each has a unique set of supernatural powers, but both share access to passive upgrades (via Runes) and bone charm effects. This guide covers every ability, its effects, upgrades, combos, synergies, and recommended builds for both characters.

Core Mechanics

• Runes: Used to unlock and upgrade powers. Found throughout levels or crafted (see Crafting Guide).


• Bone Charms: Equippable trinkets that grant passive bonuses. Some are crafted, others found; they can be swapped anytime.


• Chaos: Affects world state, enemy density, and NPC behavior. High chaos yields more aggressive enemies, more bloodflies, and darker dialogue. Lethal actions increase chaos; non‑lethal reduces it.


• Mana: Consumed by powers. Regenerates slowly; can be restored with elixirs (mana potions).


• Black Magic: Certain powers have an offensive upgrade that adds a lethal component.




Corvo Attano's Powers



Corvo’s abilities are inherited from the first game, focused on aggressive stealth and direct combat.



Blink


Base Effect: Teleport short distances instantly. Silent, does not break stealth if unseen. Can be aimed at ledges, rooftops, and behind cover.

• Cooldown: None (free, limited by range).


• Upgrades:

- Level 2 (2 Runes): Increased range and can slow time while aiming (hold F on PC).
- Level 3 (3 Runes): Blink leaves a short‑lived clone that distracts enemies.

• Combos: Blink behind an enemy for instant assassination; combine with Bend Time for multiple kills.


• Best Use: Traversal, silent repositioning, and quick escapes.




Dark Vision


Base Effect: See enemies and objectives through walls for ~5 seconds. Enemies appear as glowing silhouettes. Highlights loot, traps, and bloodflies.

• Cooldown: ~8 seconds after effect ends.


• Upgrades:

- Level 2 (2 Runes): See enemy awareness state (calm, suspicious, alerted).
- Level 3 (3 Runes): Highlight all interactive objects (e.g., levers, doors, bottles).

• Combos: Use before Blink to scope enemy patrols; combo with Domino (Emily only) but not cross‑character.


• Best Use: Reconnaissance, planning stealth routes, locating targets.




Bend Time


Base Effect: Slows time for 6 seconds. Enemies move at 10% speed. Corvo moves normally.

• Cooldown: Starts after ability ends; ~30 seconds base.


• Upgrades:

- Level 2 (2 Runes): Increased duration (+3 seconds).
- Level 3 (3 Runes): Time stop – enemies freeze completely but can still take damage; you can assassinate frozen enemies.

• Combos: Use with Blink to chain assassinations; drop a spring razor before activation for instant kills.


• Best Use: Eliminate multiple enemies in high‑chaos runs; escape detection; steal items unnoticed.




Possession


Base Effect: Inhabit a living creature (human, rat, wolfhound) for 6 seconds. Can move, but cannot attack. Enemies may notice if you possess a friendly? No, if you possess an enemy, they become passive.

• Cooldown: ~25 seconds after possession ends.


• Upgrades:

- Level 2 (2 Runes): Increase duration (+4 seconds).
- Level 3 (3 Runes): Can possess humans and force them to walk to a location or commit suicide (if high chaos).

• Combos: Possess a guard to walk through security doors; possess a rat to reach small vents.


• Best Use: Infiltration, bypassing tight security, non‑lethal movement.




Windblast


Base Effect: Fires a powerful gust of wind that knocks enemies backward and destroys wooden doors. Can deflect projectiles.

• Cooldown: ~10 seconds.


• Upgrades:

- Level 2 (2 Runes): Increased force and blast radius.
- Level 3 (3 Runes): Windblast now disintegrates enemies in a small area (lethal).

• Combos: Use to blow enemies off ledges or into traps; clear groups.


• Best Use: Crowd control, breaking cover, high‑chaos encounters.




Devouring Swarm


Base Effect: Summon a swarm of rats that attack and devour nearby enemies. Rats persist for ~15 seconds. Can also be used to distract.

• Cooldown: ~15 seconds after rats dissipate.


• Upgrades:

- Level 2 (2 Runes): Rats last longer (+10 seconds) and can travel further.
- Level 3 (3 Runes): Summon a rat swarm that follows you until dismissed or until all rats are killed.

• Combos: Use in conjunction with Bend Time to swarm a crowd; or use as a distraction while sneaking.


• Best Use: Area denial, corpse disposal (rats eat bodies), creating chaos.




Shadow Kill (Passive Ability)


Base Effect: When you kill an enemy, their body disintegrates into ash, leaving no evidence.

• Upgrades:

- Level 1 (2 Runes): Always active once purchased.

• Combos: Essential for high‑chaos runs to hide bodies – prevents discovery and alertness.


• Best Use: Ghost/clean hands runs (but note: kills still count for chaos).




Emily Kaldwin's Powers



Emily’s abilities are unique and emphasize misdirection, crowd control, and creative stealth.



Far Reach


Base Effect: A telekinetic arm that pulls Emily to a targeted location or object. Can also grab items and enemies from range. Silent.

• Cooldown: ~6 seconds after use.


• Upgrades:

- Level 2 (2 Runes): Increased range and can grab human‑sized objects (e.g., crates, barrels) to throw.
- Level 3 (3 Runes): Can pull enemies toward Emily, stunning them briefly (non‑lethal).

• Combos: Pull a guard to you for a quick chokehold; use to retrieve keys from afar.


• Best Use: Traversal, non‑lethal removal, vertical mobility.




Dark Vision (shared with Corvo)


Same effect and upgrades as Corvo. Unlocked separately with Runes.



Domino


Base Effect: Links 2 enemies together. If one is killed, unconscious, or affected by a power, the linked enemies suffer the same fate (e.g., sleep dart one, all sleep).

• Cooldown: ~15 seconds after effect ends (links break when target dies or sleeps).


• Upgrades:

- Level 2 (2 Runes): Link up to 4 enemies.
- Level 3 (3 Runes): Link can now include objects (e.g., a bottle dropped will trigger the same effect on linked targets).

• Combos: Use with Mesmerize to put a group to sleep; or with a spring razor to kill multiple at once.


• Best Use: Non‑lethal crowd control; synchronized takedowns.




Doppelgänger


Base Effect: Create a ghostly copy of Emily that walks forward and distracts enemies. Lasts ~8 seconds. The copy can be attacked and destroyed.

• Cooldown: ~20 seconds after clone dies or expires.


• Upgrades:

- Level 2 (2 Runes): Clone now mimics your movements (you control direction) and can trigger alarms.
- Level 3 (3 Runes): When clone is destroyed, it emits a blinding flash that stuns nearby enemies.

• Combos: Use clone to draw guards away; then Blink/Far Reach past them. Combine with Shadow Walk to attack from clone’s distraction.


• Best Use: Diversion, creating openings, non‑lethal misdirection.




Mesmerize


Base Effect: Emit a hypnotic aura that puts nearby enemies into a trance. They stand still, vulnerable to attack. Duration 5 seconds. Does not affect alerted enemies.

• Cooldown: ~20 seconds after effect ends.


• Upgrades:

- Level 2 (2 Runes): Increased radius and duration (+3 seconds).
- Level 3 (3 Runes): Mesmerized enemies can be pickpocketed or set up for a non‑lethal chokehold.

• Combos: Use with Domino to affect a linked group instantly.


• Best Use: Non‑lethal takedowns, avoiding combat.




Shadow Walk


Base Effect: Transform into a shadowy form that is invisible while moving slowly. You can attack from this form (lethal slash) or pass through grates/gaps. Lasts 8 seconds.

• Cooldown: ~30 seconds after transformation ends.


• Upgrades:

- Level 2 (2 Runes): Move faster in shadow form; can climb walls.
- Level 3 (3 Runes): While in shadow form, you can perform a non‑lethal knockout (pouncing).

• Combos: Activate Shadow Walk to bypass detection fields, then emerge behind a key target. Combine with Doppelgänger for confusion.


• Best Use: Stealth infiltration, escaping combat, vertical mobility in shadow.




Semblance


Base Effect: Temporarily steal the identity of a dead or unconscious human. Wear their face and walk among enemies without alerting them (unless you act suspiciously). Lasts 10 seconds.

• Cooldown: ~25 seconds after disguise ends.


• Upgrades:

- Level 2 (2 Runes): Extended duration (+5 seconds).
- Level 3 (3 Runes): Enemies of the same faction (e.g., all guards) will not become suspicious even if you run or bump into them.

• Combos: Use Semblance on a guard to walk past a checkpoint; then switch to Shadow Walk to bypass a second area.


• Best Use: Social stealth, accessing restricted areas, avoiding combat entirely.




Passive Abilities & Bone Charms



Both characters can invest Runes into passive upgrades that improve general gameplay:


• Agility: Unlock double jump. (2 Runes)


• Vitality: Increase health by +50%. (2 Runes)


• Bonecharm Crafting: Create your own bone charms at a shrine (requires raw whalebone and blueprint).


• Shadow Kill: Only Corvo (see above).


• Reflexes: Slow time while aiming (default for both). Improves with Runes? No, but crouch sliding and sprinting can be enhanced via bonecharm traits.


Bone Charm Traits (not exhaustive, but most impactful):

• Swift Shadow: Move faster while crouched.


• Strong Arms: Chokeholds and assassinations are faster.


• Spirit Water: Mana recovers faster when in water.


• Undertaker: Bodies you carry disappear after a short time (non‑lethal).


• Bloody Death: Enemies explode on kill (stealth break).




Recommended Builds





Low Chaos / Ghost (Non‑lethal, Undetected)



• Corvo: Blink (L3) for mobility, Dark Vision (L2), Bend Time (L2 for duration), Possession (L3 for forced movement), Agility, Vitality. Avoid Windblast and Devouring Swarm (chaos risk).


• Emily: Far Reach (L3 for pulling), Domino (L3 for linking objects), Mesmerize (L3), Dark Vision (L2), Shadow Walk (L3), Agility, Vitality. Use sleep darts and chokeholds.




High Chaos / Lethal



• Corvo: Blink (L3), Bend Time (L3 for time stop), Windblast (L3 for disintegration), Devouring Swarm (L3 for persistent rats), Shadow Kill, Vitality.


• Emily: Far Reach (L3), Domino (L3 with spring razors), Doppelgänger (L3 for blinding flash), Shadow Walk (L3 for lethal finisher), Dark Vision (L2).




Mixed Playstyle



• Prioritize core traversal (Blink/Far Reach) to level 2, Dark Vision level 1, then invest in one crowd control power (Bend Time for Corvo, Domino for Emily). Fill remaining runes with passives.




Synergies & Combos





Corvo Combos



• Bend Time + Blink: Teleport to multiple enemies and assassinate while time is slowed. With Time Stop, kill all without raising alarm.


• Windblast + Rat Swarm: Blow enemies into a swarm for instant consumption.


• Possession + Shadow Kill: Possess a guard, walk into a fire, then Shadow Kill the ash – no body left.




Emily Combos



• Domino + Mesmerize: Link a group, then Mesmerize one – all fall asleep.


• Far Reach + Doppelgänger: Pull a guard while clone distracts others; then choke the pulled guard.


• Shadow Walk + Semblance: Use Semblance to walk past outer guards, then Shadow Walk to bypass inner defenses.




Universal



• Dark Vision + Any Power: Pre‑scan before using an ability.


• Bone Charm Combo: Stack movement speed (Swift Shadow + Zephyr) for insane stealth agility.

When to Use Each Skill (Quick Reference)

Final Notes

• Experiment with all powers; each level offers new tactical options.


• Runes are finite per playthrough (max ~45–50 without New Game+). Invest wisely.


• New Game+ unlocks all powers from both characters (Corvo can use Emily’s powers and vice versa).


• Bone charms can dramatically alter playstyle; craft or find ones that complement your chosen abilities.

For more details on bone charm effects and crafting, see the Bone Charms & Crafting section of the All Game Items guide.