Blood Omen 2: Dark Gifts
In Blood Omen 2, Dark Gifts were the supernatural abilities possessed by vampires. They developed in every vampire as the vampire grew older, although they manifested differently for each individual. One vampire could have Dark Gifts that another had not gained, or the same gift could vary in power depending on which vampire used it.
Vampires were not necessarily limited to the gifts they gained through their aging. As Umah told Kain, should he defeat another vampire in battle, he could "absorb their veins and thus gain new abilities". Kain woke from his two hundred years of unconsciousness with only two Dark Gifts: 'Mist' and 'Fury'. As he travelled in and around Meridian, he gained more using the method Umah suggested.
Mist
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Gained From: |
N/A |
This Dark Gift allowed Kain to assume a Mist Form. In areas where there was mist on the ground, he could use this gift to make himself nearly invisible within it. It was useful for avoiding fights, but it also enabled Kain to perform kills more easily, as a victim was rarely alerted to his presence until it was too late.
Using Mist Form, Kain could sneak up on enemies, and position himself to deliver an unblockable deathblow. Unless he moved directly in front of an enemy, or touched them, he could remain undetected. A skull appeared above an enemy's head to indicate whan Kain could execute one of these 'Stealth Kills'. The nature of the attack varied, depending on which weapon Kain was holding. Most (if not all) weapons had two associated Stealth Kills. The first was used if Kain was standing still when the attack button/key was pressed. The second was used if Kain was moving towards the enemy when the attack button/key was pressed.
Glyph Guards and Glyph Knights - with their special armour - were able to detect Kain's presence, even when he was in Mist Form. Luckily it didn't tell them exactly where he was until they were very close. Kain could not maintain Mist form while feeding from a vanquished foe. |
Fury
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Gained From: |
N/A |
| This Dark Gift allowed Kain to perform a single, powerful, unblockable attack. He could not use this ability unless his rage meter was sufficiently full. Fury was particularly useful in the early chapters of the game, but it eventually became a little obsolete. It was superseded by Berserk. |
Jump
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Gained From: |
Faustus in the Den |
| This Dark Gift granted Kain the ability to jump massive distances. He could also use it to launch a swift strike at an enemy from far away, so he could catch them by surprise, and knock them to the ground. |
Charm
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Gained From: |
Marcus in the Upper City |
| This Dark Gift allowed Marcus to control the minds of humans, and read the thoughts of others, including Kain. When Kain gained this ability, he was also able to manipulate mortals, but only those that were mentally weak. He could not exert his influence over potential attackers. There was no sign that he could read minds as Marcus did either. |
Berserk
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Gained From: |
Sebastian in the Industrial Quarter |
| This Dark Gift enabled Sebastian to run at great speeds. When Kain acquired Berserk, it allowed him to perform a series of swift, powerful, unblockable attacks. Kain could not use this Dark Gift unless his rage meter was sufficiently full, and it could miss if Kain was not facing an enemy properly. |
Telekinesis
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Gained from: |
The Seer in the Canyons |
| This was the only Dark Gift (besides Mist and Fury) that Kain did not have to kill a vampire for. The Seer offered some of her blood to Kain, and this enhanced his natural telekinetic ability. Using Telekinesis, Kain was able to activate the seals in the Eternal Prison, the Device and the Hylden City. He could shove enemies from a distance with the power of his mind. A single hit was enough to kill some humans. |
Immolate
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Gained From: |
Magnus in the Eternal Prison |
| This Dark Gift allowed Kain to perform the most powerful of unblockable attacks. It incinerated any enemy. The Sarafan Lord was the only individual who was seen to survive this attack. Kain could not use Immolate unless his rage meter was completely full. |
The Sarafan Lord/Soul Reaver
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Gained From: |
The Sarafan Lord in the Hylden City |
| Each Blood Omen 2 boss had their respective Dark Gift symbol in their HUD (Head-Up Display). The Sarafan Lord's death did not grant Kain a Dark Gift as such, but he also had a unique symbol illustrating what Kain would gain by defeating him: the Soul Reaver. |
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