The Ultimate Dishonored Walkthrough: Master Low Chaos, High Chaos, and Ghost Runs

Are you ready to step into the boots of Corvo Attano and exact your revenge on the conspirators of Dunwall? Navigating the plague-ridden streets, heavily guarded checkpoints, and vertical rooftops of this industrial whaling city can be incredibly daunting, which is why a comprehensive dishonored walkthrough is essential for players looking to master every path. Whether you are aiming for a stealthy, non-lethal run or want to unleash absolute devastation, this dishonored walkthrough will guide you through every choice, power, and secret the game has to offer.

Dunwall is a playground of emergent gameplay where your choices directly influence the world around you. By understanding how the game's mechanics interact, you can seamlessly transition between a silent shadow and a lethal force of nature. Let us dive into how the game calculates your impact on this dying city.

Understanding Chaos and Playstyles

The heart of Dishonored lies in its Chaos system [1]. Every life you take and every alarm you trigger alters the stability of Dunwall. High Chaos leads to darker storylines, more plague-infected Weepers, larger rat swarms, and a cynical ending. Low Chaos, on the other hand, preserves the city's remaining humanity, resulting in a brighter future for young Emily Kaldwin.

For players seeking the ultimate challenge, achieving the "Clean Hands" (no kills) and "Ghost" (never spotted) achievements is the gold standard [1]. This requires a deep understanding of patrol routes, vertical navigation, and non-lethal gadgets. If you are struggling with a specific mission, checking a detailed dishonored walkthrough can save you hours of trial and error.

Core Missions Step-by-Step Guide

To help you navigate these choices, our dishonored walkthrough provides a step-by-step breakdown of the main campaign's key milestones. Each mission offers unique opportunities for both lethal and non-lethal resolutions.

Mission 1: Dishonored (The Prison Escape)

Your journey begins in Coldridge Prison. After a mysterious ally leaves you a key in your bread, you must escape your cell.

For a stealthy escape, stick to the shadows and utilize non-lethal chokeholds from behind. Hide unconscious bodies in empty cells or dark corners where patrols cannot find them. When you reach the yard, bypass the guards by climbing the scaffolding and dropping down into the sewers.

Mission 2: High Overseer Campbell

This is your first true assassination mission. Your target is High Overseer Campbell, who holds a secret journal detailing Emily's location.

Before heading out, meet with Piero at the Hound Pits Pub to upgrade your gear and acquire your iconic mask. Once in the streets, you can choose to assist Granny Rags or help the bottle street gang to secure alternative routes.

Mission 3: House of Pleasure (The Golden Cat)

You must rescue Emily from the Golden Cat bathhouse while dealing with the corrupt Pendleton twins, Morgan and Custis.

We have structured this dishonored walkthrough to highlight the easiest non-lethal route: speak to Slackjaw in the Distillery District. If you complete a favor for him (investigating Dr. Galvani's lab), he will shave the Pendleton twins' heads and send them to work in their own slave mines, removing them from parliament without a single drop of blood spilled.

Mission 4: The Royal Physician

To locate the Lord Regent's mysterious mistress, you must abduct Anton Sokolov from his heavily fortified home on Kaldwin's Bridge.

Use your Blink power to navigate the massive steel girders of the bridge, bypassing the deadly Arc Pylons and Walls of Light by rewiring or removing their whale oil tanks. Once inside Sokolov's greenhouse, knock him unconscious and carry him back to Samuel's boat.

Mission 5: Lady Boyle's Last Party

This mission is a masterclass in social stealth. You must infiltrate a masquerade ball at the Boyle Estate and identify which of the three Boyle sisters is the Lord Regent's mistress, Lady Boyle.

Mingle with the guests, sign the guestbook, and speak to Lord Shaw (you can duel him non-lethally with a Sleep Dart). To resolve the mission without killing her, speak to Lord Brisby in the cellar. He will offer to take her away forever if you deliver her to him unconscious.

Mission 6: Return to the Tower

The final confrontation with Hiram Burrows, the Lord Regent. Infiltrate Dunwall Tower using the waterlock.

While you can assassinate him in his safe room, the non-lethal option is far more satisfying. Sneak into the broadcast tower and speak to the propaganda officer. He will tell you about an audiograph recording hidden in the Regent's safe (combination: 935). Play this recording on the public address system to expose his crimes to the entire city, leading to his immediate arrest by his own guards.

Safe Combination: 9-3-5 (Located in the Lord Regent's private chambers)

Mission 7: The Flooded District

After a shocking betrayal by your loyalist allies, you are dumped into the ruins of the Flooded District. You must recover your gear and escape the territory of Daud, the assassin who killed the Empress.

This mission features a pivotal encounter with Daud. According to player experience, sneaking up on Daud and stealing his key from his belt is the cleanest way to bypass him. Alternatively, you can defeat him in a duel and choose to spare his life, which heavily influences your final Chaos rating.

Essential Powers and Upgrades for Stealth and Combat

Your playstyle in Dishonored is defined by the supernatural abilities gifted to you by the mysterious Outsider. To help you spend your hard-earned Runes wisely, we have compiled a power priority list tailored for both stealth-focused and combat-heavy playthroughs.

Advanced Stealth and Combat Tips (Player Experience)

When aiming for a perfect stealth run, community reports emphasize the importance of manual saving. Dishonored does not have an active detection meter on the HUD outside of the white "awareness bolts" above enemy heads. If those bolts turn red and shatter, you have been spotted, instantly ruining a Ghost run.

Here are some crucial tips directly from veteran player experience:

• Beware of Rats: If you knock a guard unconscious and leave them on the ground, rat swarms may eat them. If this happens, it counts as a kill on your mission screen, immediately ruining your "Clean Hands" achievement. Always place unconscious bodies on high ground, such as tables, crates, or pipes.
• Verticality is King: Dunwall's guards rarely look up. If you stay on the pipes, chandeliers, and ledges, you can bypass entire security checkpoints without using a single resource.
• Upgrade Your Boots: Prioritize upgrading your boot stealth at Piero's workshop as early as possible [1]. At maximum level, you can sprint directly behind enemies without making a sound, allowing for incredibly fast non-lethal takedowns.
• The Sleep Dart Advantage: Combat Sleep Darts are your only ranged non-lethal option [1]. Keep a full stock of them for emergencies when a guard suddenly surprises you.

If you are looking for more tips or want to buy the game, you can check out the official Dishonored Steam Store page to begin your journey.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I get the Clean Hands and Ghost achievements in a single run?

Yes, you can absolutely complete both achievements in the same playthrough. In fact, doing so is highly recommended because a non-lethal approach naturally encourages you to stay out of sight. Just remember to save your game frequently and check the end-of-mission stats screen to ensure you have zero kills and zero detections before moving on.

Does killing Weepers count against my Low Chaos rating?

Yes. Even though Weepers are highly aggressive and resemble zombies, the game still classifies them as human citizens. Killing them will increase your overall Chaos rating and can ruin a "Clean Hands" run. Treat Weepers exactly like normal guards: bypass them entirely using verticality, or neutralize them using Sleep Darts or chokeholds.

Where can I find a complete dishonored walkthrough for the DLC expansions?

The DLC expansions—The Knife of Dunwall and The Brigmore Witches—follow the assassin Daud and run parallel to Corvo's main story. While this specific dishonored walkthrough focuses on Corvo's campaign, the core stealth and chaos mechanics remain identical for Daud. Look out for Daud's unique powers, such as Void Gaze and Summon Assassin, to navigate those campaigns successfully.

Does changing the difficulty setting affect my ability to get achievements?

No, there are no difficulty-specific achievements in Dishonored [1]. You can complete your Ghost and Clean Hands runs on Easy difficulty if you want to make your playthrough faster and more forgiving [1]. On Easy, enemies have reduced peripheral vision and take longer to detect you, making it the perfect setting for a stress-free stealth run [1].