Natural Abilities

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Corvo on a rooftop in the Dishonored debut trailer.

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

—A guard about Corvo

Corvo Attano and Daud can utilize an extensive range of Natural Abilities which aid them throughout the course of Dishonored and its DLCs in both combat and in stealth situations.

Movement

Corvo freerunning across buildings.

Corvo and Daud have a wide range of mobility; they can lean, slide, sneak, sprint, jump, and swim. 

Certain supernatural abilities further widen the scope of their movements - Agility, for instance, allows them to double-jump to reach greater heights. 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 their natural abilities, allowing them to swing their weapons faster and increasing their strength.

Combat

Combat in the Dishonored debut trailer.

Corvo and Daud both use their right hands to hold swords and their left hands 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 for Corvo, the Wristbow for Daud, and pistol for both, each of which have various types of special ammunition. The crossbow and wristbow the only weapons 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. Daud's sleep dart capacity can be upgraded in The Brigmore Witches.

Corvo and Daud also have a variety of gadgets at their 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

Corvo performing a drop assassination.

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

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Daud poised to perform an air assassination.

Silent attacks can be either lethal or non-lethal. Examples of lethal sneak attacks include drop assassinations (wherein Corvo or Daud attack an enemy from above, stabbing as they lands on the target), 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 in Dishonored) are immune. While wolfhounds can be rendered unconscious with sleep darts, the effects are temporary.^{[citation needed]}

Once a target has been incapacitated, Corvo and Daud can then move and hide the body in order to keep it from being discovered.

Peering through keyholes is part of stealth play.

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.

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

Hiding in shadows renders Corvo and Daud all but invisible at a distance, but close-range enemies will still notice them when they are directly in the enemy's line of sight.