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This question started out asking whether a no-magic, no-upgrades pacifist and ghost runs are possible at all, but now that it seems to be confirmed as impossible, I'm expanding the scope to be more specific.

How many points are there in the game that absolutely require the use of magic (notably blink) or any of the mobility-enhancing upgrades, such as Agility, to progress?

In addition to the above, how many runes, bone charms and Sokolov paintings require such to obtain, as well?

And finally, how many points are impossible to slip past the guards unnoticed without such methods?

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    Well, there's an achievement for it, so I'd hope it can be done...
    – LessPop_MoreFizz
    Dec 2 '12 at 22:15
  • @LessPop_MoreFizz I think he's asking something slightly different. I believe the achievement is for no magic other than Blink 1. Pvt. Grichmann seems to be asking if it's possible to not even use Blink 1 (after the section where you get it).
    – Sterno
    Dec 2 '12 at 22:35
  • Oh, silly me. Should've looked through the achievements first. If only they didn't spoil things... Okay, minimal magic is confirmed. Pacifist/ghost compatibility with that is still on the table, or complete no-magic run, still on the table.
    – Pvt. Grichmann
    Dec 2 '12 at 22:38
  • @Pvt.Grichmann By "...can be beaten without using magic (after the sequence where you first get blink)", do you mean without using even Blink I after that sequence? I'm asking because the ‘Mostly Flesh and Steel’ Achievement/Trophy can be achieved even if you use Blink I throughout the game (but not Blink II).
    – galacticninja
    Dec 3 '12 at 5:34
  • @galacticninja Yes, not using Blink, any other magic power or passive rune upgrade. The achievement proves that the game can be beaten without buying any additional powers, but otherwise irrelevant.
    – Pvt. Grichmann
    Dec 3 '12 at 6:31
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You need blink to complete the game at all in levels 6 and 7. To climb up the tunnels above the water lock, and to climb out of the cell/pit in the flooded district.

So you need to blink in those 2 areas to complete the game. 3 blinks in total I think.

Now if you were also playing for a ghost run, I don't think this changes. By ghost I mean no guards, guard dogs, weepers etc ever see you, even for 1 electricity bolt. River Krusts and rats don't count.

I'm playing through this exact way and currently on level 9. Successful so far. I haven't always gotten ghost because I like to rescue the innocent people from guards and so forth. So sometimes I knock out guards. But if you want to completely ghost you can always be a douche and ignore those encounters.

I suppose it would be pretty funny to have Sam go at the last mission "yeah mister Corvo, you're sharp because you managed to keep sight of what's good in all this mess" when you stood by and did nothing in mission 3 as an innocent woman was beaten to death by thugs, despite yourself being one of the deadliest assassins around.

Anywho, yeah you can ghost the entire game, get most of the loot (theres loads you can't obviously), runes and bone charms, and all but one Sokolov painting (nothing to do with ghost, you just need blink to get the thing).

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  • Thanks. Exactly the kind of info I was looking for, and my own playthrough confirms it.
    – Pvt. Grichmann
    Feb 2 '14 at 18:37
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I'm pretty sure you can't. During the start of the Flooded District area you have to use Blink to escape a pit (it's a very confined area, there definitely isn't another way out) and I'm pretty sure it's impossible to scale the water lock in the level previous without Blink as well. Several areas are designed quite deliberately with Blink in mind. The other upgrades and spells are totally superfluous though.

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  • Thanks, that more or less matches my own playthrough, which I'm going to post as my own answer. I'm going to expand the question's scope somewhat, as well: see comments to the question.
    – Pvt. Grichmann
    Jan 31 '13 at 3:35
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I just finished the game using only two Blinks, 4 Knockouts and a Civilian Kill, while only being detected when blowing up the door in the prison. You could probably save the civilian kill, if you don't happen to have one of the Pendletons in the steam room, and some knockouts, if the ai patrol pattern doesn't suddenly break, like it did in my playthrough :(.

The ABSOLUTE BARE MINIMUM is, two blinks, one knockout.

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My own "dirty" (most spells and all upgrades were obtained, but seldom used where applicable) run seems to indicate that to complete the game, you have to use Blink or high jump granted by Agility twice, both times to get to an otherwise inaccessible ridge at the beginning of a level.

In addition to that, only one Sokolov painting in the Flooded District seems to be inaccessible without the use of Blink (possibly Blink 2). All runes and bone charms seem to be accessible.

Bypassing (not neutralising) guards can usually be accomplished by distracting them with thrown items and crossbow bolts. I've only needed to actually blink past or possess guards twice - once to reach a lever at the bridge level, and once to clear a narrow hallway in the Flooded District.

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