If you’re aiming for a no-kill run in the original Dishonored, the reliable approach is to sneak past Tallboys rather than try to knock them out. They resist ordinary sleep darts and chokeholds. You can also use Possession to redirect one temporarily, while a reported arc-pylon exception applies only during The Loyalists.
How to get past a Tallboy without killing it
Tallboys are stilt-mounted marksmen armed with incendiary arrows, and Bethesda’s Dishonored – What You Need to Know says they can be avoided by stealth. For a no-kill run, treat one as an obstacle to bypass, not a target to subdue.
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Dishonored - Xbox 360 | $12.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Dishonored 2 - PlayStation 4 | $12.89 | Buy on Amazon |
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Dishonored - The Corroded Man (Video Game Saga) | $7.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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- Stay out of sight. Take a route that lets you avoid the Tallboy rather than approaching it for a takedown. The available sources do not establish a guaranteed route for any particular level.
- Keep quiet. The game manual advises avoiding sprinting and loud noise when you want to remain undetected. Move carefully and avoid drawing attention while passing through the area.
Can Possession help?
Yes. PlayStation’s launch tips recommend stealth or using Possession to take command of a Tallboy temporarily. Use the power as a diversion to redirect it and create an opening to move past; it is not a permanent neutralization or a reason to attack the Tallboy. The tips do not specify a guaranteed duration, distance, or route.
Why sleep darts and chokeholds fail
Don’t rely on a sleep dart or a chokehold as a nonlethal Tallboy takedown. The Tallboy reference says both are ineffective against them, and the separate sleep-dart reference lists Tallboys as immune. The manual’s general choking instructions concern unaware enemies; Tallboys are an exception, according to that Tallboy-specific reference.
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- Improvise and Innovate: Approach each assassination with your own style of play
- Use shadow and sound to your advantage to make your way silently through levels unseen by foes, or attack enemies head-on as they respond to your aggressiveness.
- Action with Meaning: The world of Dishonored reacts to how you play. Move like a ghost and resist corruption, or show no mercy and leave a path of destruction in your wake. Decide your approach for each mission, and the outcomes will change as a result.
- Supernatural Abilities: Combining your suite of supernatural abilities and weapons opens up even more ways to overcome obstacles and eliminate targets. The game's upgrade system allows for the mastery of deadly new abilities and devious gadgets.
- A City Unlike Any Other: Enter an original world envisioned by Half-Life 2 art director Viktor Antonov. Arkane and Bethesda bring you a world where industry and mysticism collide, creating an atmosphere thick with intrigue. The world is yours to discover.
The reported arc-pylon exception
A Tallboy-specific wiki reference reports one nonlethal arc-pylon opportunity during The Loyalists. Treat this as a mission-specific exception, not a general tactic: the reference describes it as the only such opportunity, and the available official guidance does not establish arc pylons as a dependable way to handle Tallboys elsewhere.
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| Approach | Best for | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Stealth bypass | Getting past a Tallboy while preserving a no-kill run | Bethesda identifies stealth as an avoidance option. Avoid sprinting and loud noise; no source gives a guaranteed route for every encounter. |
| Possession | Temporarily redirecting a Tallboy to create an opening | PlayStation recommends it as a temporary way to take command; exact timing and distance are not specified. |
| Arc pylon | The reported special opportunity in The Loyalists | Mission-specific, according to a secondary reference; do not treat it as a general solution. |
PlayStation’s Dishonored: 7 Launch Day Tips opens its Tallboy advice with “That towering Tallboy makes for a tempting target, right?” For a no-kill playthrough, resist that temptation: avoid the patrol, or use Possession to redirect it rather than attempting an ordinary takedown.
Quick Recap
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- The Assassins: As fully voiced characters, Emily Kaldwin and Corvo Attano now bring their own perspectives and emotional responses to the world and story.
- Supernatural Powers: Advanced bone charm crafting and all-new upgrade trees allow you to customize your powers in vastly different ways.
- Imaginative World: The world is a character in its own right, rich with story, architecture and eclectic characters.
- Challenge: Customize your gameplay options and difficulty settings for an even more tailored adventure.
- The Void Engine: Dishonored 2 is beautifully brought to life with the new void engine, a leap forward in rendering technology, built from id tech and highly-customized by Arkane studios.
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