Dishonored 2: Complete Guide

A complete guide to Dishonored 2: choosing Emily or Corvo, powers and upgrade priorities, stealth and chaos, a mission-by-mission outline with non-lethal routes, achievements that need planning, and New Game+.

Researched September 2026 — current as of PC Game Update 5 (November 2017), the last patch, plus the free December 2018 content (Mission+, Black and White mode, Imperial Assassin's Pack). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Quick Start

1. Pick Emily or Corvo at the start of Mission 1 — the choice locks for that playthrough. Emily's powers are subtler; Corvo's are the classic kit.
2. You can refuse the Mark. In the Void, you may decline the Outsider's gift for a no-powers run (the Flesh and Steel achievement). Runes you find become coin instead.
3. Chaos tracks how violent you are. Killing lots of people (especially non-hostile ones) raises chaos, which darkens the story, adds enemies and bloodflies, and changes the ending.
4. Use the Heart. It points to runes and bonecharms and whispers secrets about people you aim it at.
5. Save often, in multiple slots. Quick-save before every attempt at a ghost/no-kill section.
6. Every target has a non-lethal option. They're harder, often hidden, and worth discovering.
7. Explore for coin. Black market shops sell upgrades, ammo, and blueprints; you can also rob them.
8. Climb. Rooftops, pipes, and balconies are the default routes for both characters.

Emily vs Corvo

For first-timers: Corvo is more forgiving (Blink + Possession + Bend Time solve most problems). For a second run: Emily's Domino and Mesmerize make creative stealth and non-lethal chains very strong.

Power and Upgrade Priorities

Runes unlock powers and upgrades. Recommended order:

Emily (stealth/non-lethal):

1. Far Reach
2. Dark Vision
3. Domino (link two targets, then knock one out — both go down)
4. Mesmerize
5. Shadow Walk
6. Doppelganger for distraction

Corvo (stealth/non-lethal):

1. Blink upgrades (Corvo starts with Blink)
2. Dark Vision
3. Possession (bypass guards and locked areas entirely)
4. Bend Time (pause time to set up takedowns)
5. Devouring Swarm / Windblast for high-chaos or emergencies

Common upgrades worth runes early: Vitality (extra health), Agility (higher jumps, faster movement), and Shadow Kill (bodies of killed enemies turn to ash — useful for stealth kills; no help for non-lethal runs).

Bonecharms and crafting

Bonecharms grant passive perks (faster choke-outs, higher health from food, quieter movement, etc.). Some are corrupted — they add a strong buff with a drawback. Later you can craft custom bonecharms by spending raw whalebone and combining traits you've learned from destroying charms (Occult Carver: craft 10).

Stealth, Combat, and Chaos

• Chokeholds are non-lethal and silent; you can sleep-dart as well with the crossbow.
• Drop assassinations/knockouts from above are the fastest takedowns (Acrobat: 10 drop assassinations).
• Sliding gets you under obstacles and sets up slide attacks.
• Hide bodies out of guard patrols — unconscious or dead bodies raise alerts if discovered.
• Chaos: killing guards, witches, and civilians raises chaos; killing people the game treats as murderous raises it less. High chaos means more guards, more rats and bloodflies, and grimmer dialogue and endings.
• Combat: block (and counter-block into a parry) with the blade, use the pistol for loud kills, and grenades/mines for crowds.

Gadgets: sleep darts, stun mines (non-lethal), springrazors (lethal), howling bolts, incendiary bolts, and the stun/incendiary variants unlocked via blueprints and black markets.

Mission Outline

Non-lethal routes (spoilers)

• Crown Killer (The Good Doctor): find Hypatia's counter-serum in her lab and use it to cure her — both the Crown Killer threat and Hypatia are dealt with without a death. Chatting with her aboard the Dreadful Wale unlocks Counter-serum.
• Kirin Jindosh (Clockwork Mansion): knock him out and use his own electroshock chair in the lab. Doing it with Jindosh never knowing you were there earns Silence.
• Breanna Ashworth (Royal Conservatory): there is a non-lethal option that cuts her off from the Void; explore her quarters and the conservatory's archives.
• Paolo / Vice Overseer Byrne (Dust District): side with the Howlers (Howlers 'til the End) or the Overseers (Faithful to the Abbey), or deal with both leaders non-lethally. The Jindosh Lock guards Aramis Stilton's apartment; Eureka rewards solving it yourself (the solution is randomised each playthrough).
• A Crack in the Slab: use the Timepiece to travel to the past. Knocking out Stilton in the past (before the séance) changes the present.
• Duke Luca Abele (Grand Palace): replace the Duke with his body double for a non-lethal resolution.
• Delilah (Death to the Empress): trap her in her own painting via the Outsider's hint, rather than killing her.

Achievements That Need Planning

Efficient plan: Run 1: Corvo, low chaos, non-lethal (Clean Hands) and Shadow if you're patient. Run 2: Emily with no powers (Flesh and Steel) and high chaos — or use New Game+ for power-combo achievements.

New Game+, Custom Difficulty, and Mission+

• New Game+ (added December 2016): keep your powers and play the other character — you can combine Emily and Corvo powers.
• Custom Difficulty and mission select (added January 2017) let you tune detection, damage, and resources.
• Mission+ (free, December 2018): replay any completed mission with all powers and weapons available. It, Black and White mode, and the Imperial Assassin's Pack were unlocked by logging in with a Bethesda.net account from the main menu; Bethesda's account systems have changed since, so availability may vary.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Killing by accident on a non-lethal run — rats eating unconscious bodies, falls, and springrazors all count.
• Dropping unconscious bodies in water — they drown.
• Leaving bodies in patrol paths — discovered bodies raise alarms.
• Ignoring the Heart — you'll miss most runes and bonecharms.
• Buying lethal ammo on a stealth run — invest in sleep darts and stun mines.
• Forgetting to explore the Dreadful Wale between missions.
• Spending all coin early — some black markets carry key blueprints later.

Advanced Tips

• Emily's Domino + a single sleep dart knocks out a whole linked group.
• Corvo's Bend Time + Possession lets you walk past entire rooms.
• Use Far Reach on objects to pull keys, coins, and bottles from a distance.
• Rob black markets (Black Market Burglar) — they have multiple entry points and safe codes.
• Look for safe codes in notes, journals, and environmental clues; many safes contain runes or bonecharms.
• Clockwork Soldiers are tough in melee; take them apart from range or avoid them — collecting three of their numbered plates earns Clockwork Collector.
• Play once without the HUD objective markers for a more immersive run.

FAQ

Should I play the first Dishonored first? It helps with the story (Emily and Corvo's history) but isn't required.

Can I switch between Emily and Corvo? Not within a playthrough. New Game+ lets you combine their powers.

Does the Jindosh Lock solution change? Yes, it is randomised per playthrough.

How do I get the low chaos ending? Minimise kills, especially of non-hostile characters; use non-lethal target resolutions.

How do I play without powers? Refuse the Mark when the Outsider offers it early in the campaign.

Is Death of the Outsider a DLC? It's a standalone follow-up sold separately.

Sources

• Dishonored 2 — Wikipedia
• Dishonored 2 achievements — Steam
• Dishonored 2 — Steam news (Update 5 and free Mission+ content)