The Ultimate Guide: Master Stealth, Powers, and Chaos in Dunwall

Stepping into the plague-ridden streets of Dunwall for the first time can be an overwhelming experience, which is why having a comprehensive dishonored guide by your side is essential. Whether you want to ghost through the entire campaign without spilling a single drop of blood or unleash absolute carnage with supernatural abilities, this ultimate dishonored guide will set you up for success. Developed by Arkane Studios, this immersive sim rewards creativity, adaptability, and tactical planning above all else. By understanding the core mechanics early on, you can tailor Corvo Attano's journey to match your exact playstyle.

Understanding Chaos: How Your Playstyle Shapes Dunwall

Dishonored features a dynamic "Chaos" system that tracks your actions and directly shapes the world around you [YJZw8LGsrX8]. Every life you take—and how you handle your targets—contributes to this rating [YJZw8LGsrX8]. If you murder indiscriminately, the game shifts into High Chaos [Walkthrough - Dishonored Guide - IGN]. This state results in a darker story, a gloomier atmosphere, more hostile city guards, and a massive surge in the plague-carrying rat population [YJZw8LGsrX8].

Conversely, maintaining Low Chaos requires a non-lethal approach [Walkthrough - Dishonored Guide - IGN]. According to community reports, you must kill fewer than 20% of the characters in any given mission to keep your Chaos rating low [Walkthrough - Dishonored Guide - IGN]. While playing stealthily is more challenging, it yields a more optimistic ending and a safer city to explore [YJZw8LGsrX8, Walkthrough - Dishonored Guide - IGN]. By following this dishonored guide's breakdown of the Chaos system, you can choose the path that best suits your narrative and gameplay goals.

The Outsider’s Gift: Prioritizing Powers and Runes

After completing the first mission, Corvo is visited in his sleep by a mysterious entity known as the Outsider [YJZw8LGsrX8]. This encounter unlocks the Void and grants you the Mark of the Outsider, which allows you to wield supernatural abilities [YJZw8LGsrX8]. To unlock or upgrade these powers, you must collect Runes scattered across Dunwall [YJZw8LGsrX8]. Runes are a rare, non-refundable currency, meaning you must spend them wisely [YJZw8LGsrX8].

To find these hidden treasures, you will rely on the Heart, a mystical device that beats faster the closer you get to a Rune or a Bone Charm [YJZw8LGsrX8]. While the tutorial prompts you to purchase Dark Vision first, our dishonored guide recommends prioritizing a specific set of powers early in the game to maximize your tactical options [YJZw8LGsrX8].

Here is a breakdown of the best early-game powers to unlock using your first five collected Runes:

Once you have unlocked these foundational abilities, you should focus on upgrading them. Experienced players highly recommend upgrading Dark Vision and Bend Time to Level 2 as soon as possible [YJZw8LGsrX8]. Bend Time Level 2 is widely considered the most overpowered ability in the game, as it completely freezes time, letting you walk right past enemies or eliminate an entire squad before they can react [YJZw8LGsrX8].

Optimizing Your Gear: Pierro's Best Upgrades

Between missions, you will find refuge at the Houndpits Pub, which serves as your central hub [YJZw8LGsrX8]. Here, you can interact with Pierro, an eccentric inventor who sells ammunition, blueprints, and equipment upgrades [YJZw8LGsrX8]. While it is tempting to spend your hard-earned coins on extra bullets or crossbow bolts, you can easily loot these resources during missions [YJZw8LGsrX8]. Instead, save your money for permanent gear upgrades [YJZw8LGsrX8].

As highlighted in this dishonored guide, managing your upgrade economy is key to building an unstoppable assassin. Your first priority upon waking up at the Houndpits Pub should be expanding your Bone Charm capacity [YJZw8LGsrX8]. Bone Charms are equippable items that grant minor passive bonuses, such as faster choking or increased mana regeneration [YJZw8LGsrX8]. You start with three slots, but you can find four mystical artifacts in your room to expand this to seven [YJZw8LGsrX8]. To unlock the remaining three slots, you must purchase upgrades from Pierro [YJZw8LGsrX8].

Tactical Combat and Stealth Strategies

Dishonored is built around player freedom, but engaging in direct sword fights can be incredibly punishing, even on lower difficulties [YJZw8LGsrX8]. Corvo is an assassin, not a frontline soldier [YJZw8LGsrX8]. If you are spotted and forced into combat, utilize the environment and your gadgets to turn the tide. A reliable combat trick is to shoot an enemy in the chest or leg with your pistol to stagger them, then immediately close the distance for a quick sword finisher [YJZw8LGsrX8].

For those pursuing a stealthy approach, crouching is your best friend [YJZw8LGsrX8]. Approaching enemies slowly from behind allows you to perform a non-lethal chokehold or a silent assassination [YJZw8LGsrX8]. Additionally, the crossbow is your premier tool for silent, ranged takedowns [YJZw8LGsrX8]. Be sure to search the bodies of fallen guards, as you can often retrieve spent crossbow bolts that did not break upon impact [YJZw8LGsrX8].

Throughout your journey, you will encounter specialized enemies that require unique tactics. Refer to this dishonored guide's enemy counter-strategies to handle Dunwall's toughest threats:

Navigating Achievements and Key Story Choices

For achievement hunters, Dishonored offers some of the most satisfying challenges in modern gaming. The most famous of these are "Clean Hands" (completing the game with zero kills) and "Ghost/Shadow" (completing the game without ever being detected) [Walkthrough - Dishonored Guide - IGN]. If you are aiming for these achievements, utilizing a comprehensive save history is your greatest weapon [Walkthrough - Dishonored Guide - IGN]. Save often, and keep multiple manual save files so you can reload if things go wrong [Walkthrough - Dishonored Guide - IGN].

If you find these stealth achievements too frustrating, player experiences suggest playing on Easy difficulty [Walkthrough - Dishonored Guide - IGN]. On Easy, you do not need to be in sneak mode (crouched) to choke out an enemy; you can simply sprint up behind an unaware guard and initiate the takedown [Walkthrough - Dishonored Guide - IGN]. Upgrading your boots to maximum stealth makes this tactic incredibly fast and effective [Walkthrough - Dishonored Guide - IGN].

One of the biggest hurdles for a Clean Hands run occurs during the Flooded District mission [Walkthrough - Dishonored Guide - IGN]. Here, you are forced to make a mandatory choice involving two prominent NPCs [Walkthrough - Dishonored Guide - IGN]. This encounter can easily ruin your pacifist run if you are not careful [Walkthrough - Dishonored Guide - IGN].

Whether you are sneaking through the shadows or fighting your way through the city, Dunwall is a playground of endless possibilities. To experience everything this masterpiece has to offer, you can find the game on the official Steam store page for Dishonored and begin your quest for vengeance. By utilizing this dishonored guide, you can easily navigate the complex web of choices, powers, and upgrades to become the ultimate supernatural assassin.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I get the Clean Hands achievement if rats eat a body?

No [Walkthrough - Dishonored Guide - IGN]. If you knock an enemy unconscious and a swarm of rats devours their body, the game counts this as a kill attributed to you [Walkthrough - Dishonored Guide - IGN]. To prevent this, always place unconscious bodies on high ground, such as tables, crates, or rooftops, where rats cannot reach them.

What is the most overpowered power combination in Dishonored?

The most powerful combination is Bend Time (Level 2) paired with Blink (Level 2) and Adrenaline [YJZw8LGsrX8]. Freezing time completely allows you to reposition, line up crossbow headshots, or place springrazor traps next to enemies before they can react [YJZw8LGsrX8]. Once time resumes, your enemies will be eliminated instantly.

Where can I find a complete dishonored guide for finding all Runes and Bone Charms?

To find every collectible in the game, you should always equip the Heart [YJZw8LGsrX8]. The Heart is given to you by the Outsider and acts as an in-game dishonored guide, showing the exact location and distance of every Rune and Bone Charm on your screen, even through solid walls [YJZw8LGsrX8].

Does killing main targets ruin a Low Chaos playthrough?

Not necessarily. While killing main targets does slightly increase your Chaos level, it does not automatically trigger High Chaos [YJZw8LGsrX8]. However, every main target has a non-lethal elimination method [Walkthrough - Dishonored Guide - IGN]. Utilizing these creative, non-lethal alternatives is highly recommended if you are aiming for a true Low Chaos run [Walkthrough - Dishonored Guide - IGN].