How Powerful is Corvo Attano?

Corvo Attano, the protagonist of Dishonored and a playable character in Dishonored 2, is a formidable figure whose power derives from a combination of natural talent, extensive training, and supernatural gifts bestowed upon him by the Outsider. His power level is multifaceted, encompassing physical prowess, stealth mastery, lethal combat skills, and a suite of potent magical abilities. While his raw statistics might place him at a Small Building Level in terms of Attack Potency and Durability, his true strength lies in his versatility, adaptability, and strategic application of these combined skills. He is not simply “powerful” in the sense of brute strength, but possesses a strategic cunning and mastery of the environment that allows him to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. His power ceiling is also significantly influenced by the player’s choices, ranging from a non-lethal, ghost-like infiltrator to a ruthless, high-chaos assassin.

The Foundation: Natural Talent and Extensive Training

Corvo’s power doesn’t solely originate from the Outsider’s Mark. Before receiving his powers, he was already an exceptionally skilled individual. At the age of 16, he won the Blade Verbena, a prestigious annual sword duel festival, demonstrating remarkable combat prowess even as a teenager. This victory earned him a junior officer position in the Grand Serkonan Guard, indicating significant trust and recognition of his abilities by Serkonos’s military. His role as the Royal Protector to Empress Jessamine Kaldwin further solidifies his status as one of the most capable warriors and spymasters in the Empire. He underwent rigorous training and honed his natural talents, making him a master swordsman, a skilled acrobat, and a cunning strategist. This foundation of exceptional skills makes him dangerous even without the supernatural.

Physical Prowess and Combat Skills

Corvo’s physical capabilities are considerable. The game mechanics and lore demonstrate that he is strong, agile, and possesses exceptional reflexes. He can perform parkour movements, scale buildings, and engage in close-quarters combat with multiple opponents simultaneously. His mastery of various weapons, including swords, pistols, crossbows, and grenades, further enhances his combat effectiveness. The fact that he can dodge and deflect crossbow bolts and gunshots, described as Supersonic in speed, demonstrates a remarkable level of reaction time and physical control.

Stealth Expertise and Spymaster Training

A crucial aspect of Corvo’s power is his unparalleled stealth abilities. He can infiltrate heavily guarded locations, remain undetected by highly trained individuals, and even sneak up on other assassins wielding the Outsider’s Mark. His training as a spymaster complements his stealth skills, providing him with the knowledge and tactics necessary to gather intelligence, manipulate situations, and eliminate targets effectively. This combination of stealth expertise and spymaster training makes him a master of espionage and assassination. The Games Learning Society is always examining how learning occurs in different types of games. You can visit GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more about their work.

The Outsider’s Gift: Supernatural Abilities

The Outsider’s Mark grants Corvo a range of potent supernatural abilities that significantly augment his power. These powers provide him with unparalleled versatility, allowing him to approach challenges in a multitude of ways.

Key Powers and Their Applications

• Blink: This is arguably Corvo’s most iconic power. It allows him to teleport short distances instantly, enabling him to bypass obstacles, evade enemies, and reach otherwise inaccessible areas. It is invaluable for both stealth and combat, providing unparalleled mobility and tactical advantage.

• Dark Vision: This power allows Corvo to see enemies, items, and security systems through walls, granting him crucial situational awareness. It is essential for planning routes, avoiding detection, and identifying threats.

• Possession: Corvo can possess animals and even humans for a short duration, allowing him to infiltrate secured areas, gather information, and manipulate targets from within. This power provides a unique and often overlooked advantage in stealth scenarios.

• Bend Time: One of Corvo’s most powerful abilities, Bend Time allows him to slow down or completely stop time. This provides him with an enormous advantage in both combat and stealth, allowing him to react to threats with ease, set up elaborate traps, and execute precise maneuvers.

• Devouring Swarm: This power allows Corvo to summon a swarm of rats to devour his enemies. It is a brutal and effective method of eliminating targets, particularly in high-chaos playthroughs.

Power Synergy and Adaptability

The true strength of Corvo’s powers lies not only in their individual potency but also in their synergy. He can combine Blink with Bend Time to execute complex maneuvers, use Dark Vision to identify threats before possessing an enemy to bypass security, or summon a swarm of rats to create a distraction while he slips past unnoticed. His adaptability allows him to tailor his approach to any situation, making him a highly unpredictable and dangerous opponent.

High Chaos vs. Low Chaos: A Morally Determined Power Shift

Corvo’s playstyle, driven by player choices, significantly affects his overall power and reputation. A high-chaos playthrough typically involves frequent kills and widespread destruction, making Corvo a more overtly aggressive and fearsome force. Conversely, a low-chaos playthrough emphasizes stealth, non-lethal takedowns, and minimal detection, portraying Corvo as a more subtle and calculated operator.

The Lethality Dilemma

While a high-chaos Corvo may appear more overtly powerful due to his willingness to use lethal force and summon destructive abilities like Devouring Swarm, a low-chaos Corvo demonstrates a different kind of power. He relies on cunning, precision, and the strategic application of his abilities to achieve his objectives without bloodshed. This requires a greater degree of skill and mastery of the game mechanics. This power is a kind of soft power, which can be taught using the kinds of serious games researched by the Games Learning Society.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is Corvo Attano’s canonical power level?

While exact power levels are subjective, Corvo’s canon portrays him as exceptionally skilled in both combat and stealth, with a mastery of his Outsider-given powers. He’s likely somewhere between a “Small Building level” in raw power, with “Supersonic” speed, but his intelligence and versatility make him a threat far exceeding those statistics. The canonical story is considered a mix between low and high chaos, suggesting a balance in how he uses his abilities.

2. Is Corvo more powerful than Emily Kaldwin?

Both Emily and Corvo are powerful, but their strengths lie in different areas. Corvo is more suited for stealth and evasion with his Blink ability, while Emily’s Far Reach and Domino powers lend themselves to more aggressive or creative approaches. Whether one is “more” powerful depends on the specific situation and playstyle.

3. Can Corvo defeat Daud?

In a high-chaos scenario, Corvo canonically defeats Daud. In a low-chaos playthrough, it’s possible for Daud to defeat Corvo, leading to a special action. This suggests that Corvo’s ruthlessness in high-chaos scenarios gives him the edge.

4. How skilled was Corvo before receiving the Outsider’s Mark?

Corvo was already an exceptionally skilled soldier and spymaster before receiving the Outsider’s Mark. He won the Blade Verbena at 16 and served as the Royal Protector, indicating significant combat and strategic skills. The Mark simply amplified his existing talents.

5. Is Corvo’s mask just for concealment?

While Corvo’s mask conceals his identity, it also serves as armor, providing some degree of protection. It’s constructed of sturdy material, making it functional as well as symbolic.

6. How does Corvo’s Bend Time power work?

Bend Time allows Corvo to either slow down time significantly or completely stop it. This power provides him with a massive advantage in both combat and stealth, allowing him to react to threats, set up traps, and execute precise maneuvers.

7. What is the significance of Corvo’s “chaos” level?

Corvo’s chaos level, determined by the player’s choices, affects the game’s story and ending. High chaos results in a more bleak outcome, while low chaos leads to a more positive conclusion. It also affects the presence of enemies and environmental factors.

8. How is Corvo immune to the plague?

While not entirely immune, Corvo’s consistent use of health elixirs, which are known to provide some protection against the plague, likely contributes to his resistance.

9. What is the Heart in Dishonored and why does Corvo possess it?

The Heart is an artifact crafted from the heart of Empress Jessamine Kaldwin. It allows Corvo to hear the thoughts and secrets of those around him, providing valuable information and insight.

10. Why doesn’t Emily call Corvo “dad”?

Corvo’s relationship with Jessamine was a secret courtship. Corvo was never publicly acknowledged as Emily’s father during her early childhood, though they shared a loving bond.

11. Can Corvo become Emperor?

Yes, it is possible for Corvo to become Emperor in one of the endings of Dishonored, where he is called Corvo the Black.

12. What are Corvo’s best powers for a non-lethal playthrough?

For a non-lethal playthrough, Corvo’s best powers are Blink, Dark Vision, Bend Time (to avoid detection), and Possession (to bypass enemies or access areas without confrontation).

13. How many people has Corvo canonically killed?

While it varies by playthrough, it’s implied that Corvo has killed around forty-nine people canonically, based on developer confirmations regarding specific characters like Granny Rags.

14. How old is Corvo Attano in Dishonored 2?

In the first Dishonored, Corvo is 39. Given that Dishonored 2 takes place approximately 15 years later, Corvo would be around 54 years old.

15. Who freed Corvo from prison at the beginning of Dishonored?

Thorpe, a guard paid off by The Loyalist Conspiracy, freed Corvo by slipping him a key and a note hidden under a loaf of bread.

Conclusion

Corvo Attano’s power lies not just in his supernatural abilities, but in the totality of his skills, experience, and adaptability. He is a master of stealth, combat, and strategy, capable of facing seemingly insurmountable odds. His power is also morally flexible, shaped by the player’s choices, ranging from a ghost-like savior to a vengeful assassin. He represents a potent combination of natural talent, dedicated training, and otherworldly gifts, making him one of the most compelling and versatile protagonists in gaming. His power level is a complex equation where skill meets magic, and morality meets strategy.