Natural Abilities

Corvo freerunning across buildings.

"I saw him fight three to one in the practice yard. He's a whirlwind."

—A guard about Corvo

Corvo Attano can utilize an extensive range of Natural Abilities which aid him throughout the course of Dishonored, in both combat and in stealth situations.

Movement

Corvo has a wide range of mobility; he can lean, slide, sneak, sprint, jump, and swim. 

Certain supernatural abilities further widen the scope of Corvo's movement - Agility, for instance, allows Corvo to double-jump to reach greater heights. His movement is slowed by sneaking and holding bodies, although certain bone charms (such as Swift Shadow and Undertaker) can counteract this effect. Bone charms can similarly augment Corvo's natural abilities, allowing him to swing his weapon faster and increasing his strength.

Combat

Combat in the Dishonored debut trailer.

Corvo always uses his right hand to hold a sword and his left hand for ranged weapons or supernatural abilities. Melee combat is intricate and consists of slashes, stabs, blocks and parries. Accurate timing of sword blocks can also aid in combat.

Ranged combat is available through the crossbow and pistol, each of which have various types of special ammunition. The crossbow is the only weapon that can be used non-lethally, via the utilization of sleep darts; however, unlike regular bolts, Corvo's sleep dart capacity cannot be upgraded, limiting him to carrying ten at a time.

Corvo also has a variety of gadgets at his disposal that can be used during combat, such as spring razors and grenades. Gadgets can also affect the environment in ways that augment combat and lethality; shooting the support for a Loudspeaker, for instance, will cause it to fall and explode, increasing overall destruction.

Stealth

File:Corvoskyling.jpg

Corvo on a rooftop in the Dishonored debut trailer.

When he desires to remain undetected, Corvo can enter Stealth Mode, crouching and moving slowly to reduce sound and visibility. This mode allows Corvo to move through the world without drawing attention, making sneak attacks easier to execute and allowing him to avoid confrontation altogether.

Corvo performing a drop assassination.

Silent attacks can be either lethal or non-lethal. Examples of lethal sneak attacks include drop assassinations (wherein Corvo attacks an enemy from above, stabbing as he lands on them), slitting a target's throat, or stabbing them from behind. Non-lethal options are available in the form of sleep darts and sleeper holds. With the exception of hounds, rats, hagfish, river krusts, and tallboys, all enemies can be taken down with a sleeper hold; the effectiveness of sleep darts depends on the target, as some high-profile enemies (such as Daud and the Royal Interrogator) are immune. While wolfhounds can be rendered unconscious with sleep darts, the effects are temporary.Template:Citation

Once a target has been incapacitated, Corvo can then move and hide the body in order to keep it from being discovered. Care must be taken to avoid accidentally killing unconscious victims, as they are more vulnerable to damage. Enemies cannot be woken by their comrades, but if their bodies are found, the discovering party will be on high alert.

Corvo is able to peer through keyholes as part of stealth play.

Actions that complement stealth play include eavesdropping, peering through keyholes, and the ability to blow out candles. Corvo can also throw objects to distract enemies and divert their attention.

Hiding in shadows renders Corvo all but invisible at a distance, but close-range enemies will still notice him when he is directly in their line of sight.