Deathloop has many elements that are similar to previous Arkane Studios games, specifically its gameplay centered around supernatural abilities. In Deathloop, the items that convey these powers are called Slabs--equippable powers that are held by the most dangerous citizens of Blackreef. These Visionaries all have a different slab on them, with each one giving you an entirely new way to get around the island or engage with enemies. They also all feature numerous upgrades that can extend their abilities in creative ways, which begs the question: which ones should you get?
In short: all of them, really. Unlike Dishonored, Deathloop claws back the scope somewhat and limits slabs to just five variations. Considering you can only equip two of them at a time anyway, this isn't too big of a deal, especially when you take into account how many upgrades each one has to enhance its effectiveness. Deathloop makes it clear where you can find each one, but if you need a comprehensive explanation of each one's effect and potential upgrades, then look no further.
It's worth noting that while all these slabs are specific to certain Visionaries, the invading Julianna will always carry one random slab with her when she invades your game. If you manage to take her down, you can pick up a new ability or upgrade without needing to hunt a specific character, which should incentivize you to at least try to defeat invaders most times they appear.
Don't forget to check out our Deathloop beginner's tips to help you survive as long as possible in Blackreef.
Shift Slab
This is arguably the most recognizable of the slabs in Deathloop, mimicking the Blink ability from Dishonored entirely. Shift allows you to teleport small distances in any direction, which makes it an incredibly versatile tool when making your way around Blackreef. It's not just for getting around, either--smart uses of Shift can turn the tide in a hectic firefight, confusing your enemies and giving you a moment to take many of them out before they reconfigure their aim.
Visionary: Charlie Montague
Location: Updaam at noon
Upgrades:
- Airborne: You can hover mid-air when using Shift, letting you change direction.
- Dropkick: Kicking right after finishing Shift will produce a sonic boom that does area-of-effect damage.
- Reach: Your Shift will be able to reach further away.
- Swapper: Instantly swap positions with a targeted enemy.
Aether Slab
If teleporting around is effective for staying hidden, Aether is the perfect complement to it. Aether lets you become mostly invisible (enemies will detect you when you're very close to them), letting you easily slink around areas without detection. Not only will it help you avoid Eternalists, but it will also bounce the laser of trip mines, letting you access restricted areas without needing to get close enough to disarm them or violently trigger them, thereby alerting everyone around you. Aether's upgrades help you extend its effect while also allowing you to take out enemies and prevent them leaving an ethereal stain, which is perfect for fully stealthy play.
Visionary: Egor Sterling
Location: The Complex in the evening
Upgrades:
- Phase: Taking damage does not deactivate Aether.
- Ghost: Energy doesn't drain while standing still.
- Erase: Enemies don't leave an ethereal trace when killed while Aether is activated.
- Flicker: Attacking won't deactivate Aether.
Nexus Slab
Borrowing again from Dishonored and its Domino power, the Nexus slab lets you link together multiple enemies and have them share fates. What that means is that if you kill one of the linked Eternalists all those linked with them die at the same time. It's an incredibly powerful tool for both stealthy and all-out action gameplay, letting you take down groups of enemies with a single bullet. It also helps that the slab is used almost like a lobbed grenade, letting you link together enemies from quite a distance.
Visionary: Harriet Morse
Location: Karl's Bay in the morning
Upgrades:
- Influence: Enemies will create new connections as they walk around.
- Parasite: You gain health from damage dealt to linked enemies.
- Attraction: Nexus will home in on enemies.
- Protraction: Energy drains more slowly when enemies are linked.
Karnesis Slab
If Deathloop is one big power trip, then Karnesis is the cherry on top. It's the Star Wars force push of Blackreef, allowing you to pick up and throw enemies, making high cliffs a new weapon you can use against unsuspecting Eternalists. With a few upgrades you can get a bit more flamboyant with your telekinetic flicks of your hand, letting you slam enemies down into the ground and push groups instead of just single targets. Sadly, this only works on human enemies and not items around the world, so keep that in mind.
Visionary: Aleksis Dorsey
Location: Updaam in the evening
Upgrades:
- Slam: Bring enemies down to earth with a powerful slam.
- Zone: Push multiple enemies at once.
Havoc Slab
If going loud is your preferred playstyle, then Havoc is going to be an irreplaceable slab in your inventory. It's the only one that compliments big firefights wholeheartedly, buffing your damage and reducing the amount of damage you take in return. The upgrades only improve this, reducing the rate of energy drain and letting you extend the effect by dealing damage.
Visionary: Fia Zborowska
Location Fristad Rock at noon
Upgrades:
- Backlash: Release a powerful, damaging blast when Havoc ends.
- Withdrawal: Regain energy by dealing damage to enemies.
- Euphoria: The more damage you take, the more damage you deal.
- Bulwark: Taking damage no longer drains energy faster.
Which Slabs Should You Get First?
You can think of Deathloop's slabs like the abilities in Mega Man: you can get them in any order, but that order might make certain future encounters easier or harder depending on your choice. Since you can only take two slabs into a district at a time, these decisions are far less persistent than in the Mega Man example, and become non-existent once you've infused each one, but there are some that you should focus on first.
Perhaps the easiest recommendation is Shift. This is an indispensable slab to have just so that you can explore each of Blackreef's districts with more freedom, uncovering new entrances to important areas or shortcuts back the underground tunnels that link each area. It is a skill that you'll find yourself missing when it's not included in your loadout, since the breadth of movement freedom it provides transforms how you think about approaching every encounter ahead of you. If not your first choice, grab it early on, and then continue hunting it down for all the upgrades.
Another great slab to pick up early is Nexus, primarily because of how it compliments all styles of gameplay. Being able to link enemies together can make stealthy runs through districts quick and efficient, saving you both time and ammunition as you head for a Visionary. In the thick of a fight, it's also easy enough to use on enemies directly in front of you, letting you wipe out scores of foes with just a handful of bullets. Influence is probably the best upgrade to get for Nexus too, letting already linked enemies create new connections as they move around areas, while Attraction helps during frantic firefights by taking care of aiming for you.
If you're looking for even more on Deathloop, make sure to check out our 10 essential tips for getting started with Colt and the island of Blackreef. You can also dive into our 10/10 Deathloop review to find out why Arkane's latest is one of its best, and a strong GOTY contender.
