CONTROL Resonant Abilities and How to Unlock Them

Dylan's abilities come from two different progress tracks. Jesse Sightings Faults unlock the movement tools needed to cross Manhattan; Resonant bosses award Combat Abilities that shape a loadout. When a route seems physically impossible, check the traversal track first. When a fight feels limited, check which Resonant reward and upgrade nodes you have.

The choice offered after a boss gives you one ability immediately. A Reset Item can revise choices, while the Resonant Token earned from Pope's Research in the Unknown can unlock an additional previously offered Combat Ability in The Gap. That later token is a limited progression reward, so it is better to choose for the current stretch of the game rather than assume every skipped branch will be free soon.

Source image: NoobFeed's ability guide.

Traversal abilities: open the route first

These are progression tools, not optional damage upgrades. Shift opens the path to the Dancer and several inverted areas. Reach is taught through the Subway Fault and appears later in camera, dog, and story routes. If a collectible is visible but unreachable, it often belongs to a later cleanup pass after a Fault rather than a secret early jump.

Combat Abilities by encounter

These descriptions summarize what the abilities do, not a universal ranking. Shield is a forgiving Artist choice for players learning bosses, while Barrage and Volatile Anomaly support more active offense. Ignite versus Inferno has a dedicated decision guide because that choice changes the rhythm of Fire use. Ground Slam is also relevant outside combat: some Freeze Frame paths use it to break rooftop ability barriers.

Command differs from the two-way rewards: it unlocks after the Unknown Resonant and uses purple Command Charges. The boss index lists the route gates for each fight.

Plan a loadout around Power

A powerful ability that empties Power at the wrong time can make a build less safe. Decide which action is your usual offense, which is your emergency defense or control, and how your weapon forms create time to use both. For a melee-focused player, Ignite can add Burn without replacing the regular combo; for an ability-focused player, Inferno can justify more Power generation. The build guide connects those choices to Talents, Artifacts, and Build Power.

If you missed an ability you now want, check The Gap for Reset Items or, after Pope's Research, the Resonant Token. Read the current in-game description before spending scarce resources, particularly after balance updates. Return to the guide hub for the rest of the movement and combat routes.