Overview
If you’re a new player in Dishonored this guide is for you. Here you’ll find information about every single power that you can buy with runes. THIS GUIDE DOES NOT INCLUDE THE DLC DAUD’S POWERS.
Dark Vision
I don’t recommend you buying this power, unless you’re completing Dishonored for the first time. Otherwise it’s one of the most useless powers in the game.
2 level (2 runes) – See enemies and items through solid matter.
Again – still useless, only makes you able to see all the panels and security systems. After you’ve completed Dishonored once, you learn all the shortcuts that you can pass by using blink.
Blink
1 Level (You get it after The Outsider’s given you his mark) – Teleport a short distance away.
One of the best low-cost powers. With it, you can make your way practically through every single obstacle. When you learn combat you’ll know that you can blink behind your enemy or just quickly escape on high ground. For no reason guards don’t really look up.
2 Level (3 Runes) – Teleport distance increased.
Makes more easy climbing on high and further obstacles, doesn’t cost too much and it’s a must-have for all the non-lethal achievements.
Bend Time
1 Level (2 Runes) – Slows time around Corvo for a brief duration.
It’s probably the best power in Dishonored. Even though it only slows time, you still can kill 5 guards at once, just by quickly swinging your sword, shooting ’em or just putting spring-razors under their feets. You can use it for fast escapes as well.
2 Level (8 Runes) – Stops time around Corvo for a brief duration.
This ♥♥♥♥ is overpowered, you can screw over all your enemies just by using it. It lasts enough time to make a fast chain-kill or just to infiltrate various locations without getting noticed. No one notices you while you’re using this power.
Devouring Swarm
1 Level (3 Runes) – Conjure a group of ravenous rats.
I have no idea why you’d even use this one. It’s definitely not bad, but can be used only as a distraction for guards when you wanna make your way through ’em, when they’re chasing you as well. It’s rather a power for new players.
2 Level (4 Runes) – Conjure a larger group of rats.
The same story, but the rats you summon work more like a slow killing machine.
Possession
1 Level (3 Runes) – Physically possess animals and manipulate them.
The third best power in Dishonored, unless you stay with it at Level 1. Manipulating animals isn’t so useful, however, you can get an achievement by possessing a fish.
2 Level (5 Runes) – Physically possess both humans and animals.
Now this power becomes good and it’s balanced. The time you can spend in a human’s body isn’t that long at all. It’s good for making your way to some places and for escapes, no one will notice who you possessed and only will say to the possessed person “Hey, you don’t look so good”. However, you must remember that you’ll get kicked outta the person you’ve possessed if that person’s in Overseer’s music box radius when the box is activated.
Windblast
1 Level (3 Runes) – Blow gusts of wind to break thin doors, extinguish torches, and knockdown enemies.
I guess you can use it if you’re new in Dishonored and don’t know how to deal with bigger groups of enemies. The problem is that the power itself won’t kill anyone unless you’re fast enough to make an overkill on all of ’em or combo it with a wall of light after using a rewire tool on it.
2 Level (4 Runes) – Wind speeds are fast enough to injure or kill enemies blown against walls.
Now it has more sense, but still, there are many better ways of spending your runes than that.
Vitality
1 Level (1 Rune) – Life is increased.
Nice power for new players who started learning advanced combat. Enemies will have to hit you more times in order to kill you, depends on which difficulty you’re playing at. However, don’t buy it if you already know all the game’s mechanics, you can get extra health from bonecharms and it’s enough.
2 Level (3 Runes) – Life is increased and regenerates faster.
Again – a power for new players who don’t know how to deal with enemies that well.
Blood Thirsty
1 Level (2 Runes) – Single Adrenaline kills unlocked.
The second-best power you can buy. However, at the first level, it takes a few persons to kill in order to activate your rage, which still gives you only one fast kill. It slows time a little bit, but within that time you’ll be able to maybe fast-switch to your pistol and kill another person.
2 Level (3 Runes) – Multiple Adrenaline kills unlocked.
Now we’re talking. It works sometimes even better than Level 2 Bend Time. Unfortunately, the second level of blood thirsty takes skill and only experienced players will make use of it.
Agility
1 Level (2 Runes) – Corvo may jump higher and the fall damage is reduced.
Great power for new and advanced players as well. In most situations, after you’ve jumped from a higher place, you’ll lose health, sometimes even more than you expected. This power will prevent you from losing health and the animation is cool. Of course, it gives you the ability to jump higher, which is amazing. It’ll make you climb faster and with the longer blink, you’ll easily make your way on obstacles you’d not normally jump on.
2 Level (3 Runes) – Corvo may swim and run faster.
There is no reason to buy this power if you don’t play in high chaos. Unless you just wanna move faster. It makes a good combo with The Boot Stealth Level 2 though.
Note: The Boot Stealth is not a power and can be unlocked after you’ve collected the blueprint in “The Royal Psychician” mission. After you’ve got it, it’s gonna be unlocked in Piero’s workshop to buy for 450 coins for level one and 600 coins for level two. Level one makes your footsteps a little bit silent and level two makes your running and walking completely silent.
Shadow Kill
1 Level (2 Runes) – Stealth killed enemies turn to ash.
Pretty nice if you don’t wanna waste your time at dropping dead or uncouncious bodies to place where no one will see them in order to stay stealthy.
2 Level (4 Runes) – All slain enemies turn to ash.
The same story, except everyone you kill, turns to ash. Don’t buy it if you think that having this power will always give you low chaos. Kill counts as a kill.