Do River Krusts Count as Kills in Dishonored?

Yes, river krusts count as kills in Dishonored. Eliminating these creatures will negatively impact your “Clean Hands” achievement and contribute to a high chaos playthrough.

Understanding Dishonored’s Morality System

Dishonored’s morality system is nuanced and dependent on player choices. While it doesn’t present a simple good-versus-evil dichotomy, the game tracks the player’s actions and assigns a “chaos” level based on the number of enemies killed. This system directly impacts the game’s ending and the availability of certain missions and resources. A “low chaos” playthrough, usually achieved by minimizing kills, unlocks a better ending, while a “high chaos” playthrough, characterized by numerous deaths, leads to a more bleak and grim conclusion. The coveted “Clean Hands” achievement requires completing the game without killing anyone, making even seemingly insignificant encounters important.

What Constitutes a “Kill”?

Determining what exactly counts as a “kill” can be tricky. While directly stabbing, shooting, or choking out an enemy is an obvious kill, the game also tracks indirect deaths. This includes deaths caused by setting traps, manipulating the environment, or even allowing enemies to fall from great heights. The system is less forgiving than many players initially assume.

River Krusts: Deceptive Dangers

River krusts are crab-like creatures found in the waterways of Dunwall. While they may appear to be minor adversaries, they are surprisingly dangerous and pose a significant threat to players aiming for a “low chaos” or “Clean Hands” run. Their aggressive nature and tendency to swarm make avoiding direct confrontation difficult, adding a layer of complexity to navigating the game’s levels.

Why River Krusts Matter

The reason river krusts matter is straightforward: they are classified as enemies, and their deaths are recorded by the game’s kill counter. While they may not be human, and therefore some players might rationalize their elimination as permissible, the game does not differentiate between human and river krust deaths in terms of chaos rating.

Impact on Chaos Level

Killing river krusts, even just a few, will inevitably contribute to a higher chaos level. This can subtly shift the game’s trajectory, affecting the story, character interactions, and ultimately, the ending. Players aiming for a “low chaos” playthrough must exercise caution and find alternative ways to deal with these creatures.

Avoiding River Krust Kills

Successfully navigating the game while avoiding river krust kills requires a strategic approach and mastery of Corvo’s abilities. Here are some useful strategies:

• Avoidance: The most straightforward strategy is to simply avoid areas infested with river krusts. Explore alternative routes and utilize Blink to quickly traverse dangerous sections of the waterways.

• Distraction: Using distractions, such as bottles or other throwable objects, can lure river krusts away from your path.

• Possession: Possessing a rat and leading the river krusts away from your intended route is an effective way to avoid direct confrontation.

• Sleep Darts (With Caution): While not inherently lethal, be careful using sleep darts around water. An unconscious enemy falling into water usually counts as a kill. However, if knocked out on land, it will NOT count as a kill.

• Environmental Manipulation: Utilizing environmental hazards to your advantage can be a risky, yet effective strategy. For example, flooding an area with water using the environment can drown krusts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Does using the Heart on a river krust affect my chaos level?

No, using the Heart to listen to the thoughts and secrets of a river krust does not affect your chaos level or void the “Clean Hands” achievement. It’s purely an informational tool.

2. Can I use powers like Blink or Far Reach to bypass river krusts without engaging them?

Yes, using powers like Blink (Dishonored 1) or Far Reach (Dishonored 2) is highly recommended to quickly traverse areas infested with river krusts without risking confrontation.

3. If a river krust kills another enemy, does that count as my kill?

No, deaths caused by enemies fighting each other do not count towards your kill count. However, this situation is rare with river krusts.

4. Does upgrading powers that might indirectly cause kills, like the increased range of Blink, affect my chaos level?

Upgrading powers themselves does not affect your chaos level. However, be mindful of how you use upgraded powers. For example, blinking too far and causing a fall that results in death would count against you.

5. Are there any levels in Dishonored where avoiding river krusts is impossible for a “Clean Hands” run?

No, there are no levels where avoiding river krusts entirely is impossible. While some sections might be challenging, careful planning and the use of Corvo’s abilities will always provide a non-lethal path.

6. Does it matter if I kill river krusts in self-defense?

Yes, even killing river krusts in self-defense will impact your chaos level and void the “Clean Hands” achievement. The game doesn’t differentiate between intentional and defensive kills.

7. Does setting river krusts on fire count as a kill?

Yes, setting river krusts on fire will definitely count as a kill and increase your chaos level.

8. Are there any mods that change how river krust kills are counted?

Yes, there are mods available for Dishonored that can alter gameplay mechanics, including how kills are tracked. However, using mods will often disable achievements. Check the mod description carefully before using them.

9. If I possess a river krust, and it dies, does that count as a kill?

No, if you are possessing a river krust and it dies, this DOES NOT count as a kill for Corvo/Emily. You can possess one of them and lead it to its death if necessary.

10. Does the difficulty setting affect whether river krust kills count?

No, the difficulty setting does not change the game’s kill tracking system. River krust kills will always impact your chaos level, regardless of the chosen difficulty.

11. What’s the best way to deal with a large group of river krusts?

The best approach is avoidance. If that’s not possible, utilize Blink/Far Reach to quickly traverse the area. Distractions can also be helpful, but be mindful of your surroundings.

12. Can I use explosives to get rid of river krusts without it counting as a kill for me?

No. Using explosives to kill river krusts will count towards your kills and it will affect both your chaos level and your chances of getting the Clean Hands achievement.

13. Is it possible to drown river krusts without it counting as a kill?

In Dishonored, drowning will count as a kill. It is not a non-lethal way to deal with the krusts.

14. If I alert guards to a river krust presence and they kill the krusts, will that impact my chaos level?

No, your chaos level won’t be impacted if guards eliminate river krusts after you alert them to their presence. As long as your actions didn’t directly cause the river krust’s death.

15. Does using the “Bend Time” power help with avoiding river krusts?

Yes, “Bend Time” can be incredibly helpful for avoiding river krusts. You can freeze time and slip past them without being detected or attacked. This is a great strategy for “low chaos” runs.