Executions are the designated cinematic finishing moves in For Honor. While in duel modes they are purely cosmetic, executions can play a crucial role in one's chances of victory in team fighting modes.
Overview[]
To activate an execution, one must kill an enemy Hero with a heavy attack, then using one of the four inputs an execution is bound to. The Execution prompt lasts for roughly two seconds, before the Hero drops their victim to return to neutral.
Some Heroes will have other moves that can perform executions, such as Raider's Zone Attacks, while others will have special input Heavy attacks that cannot Execute, such as the Valkyrie's sweep follow-up. These attacks will be noted below.
Every Hero starts with two default executions, with more that they can purchase from the store with Steel, the in-game currency, or through the Battlepass. A Hero can have up to four Executions equipped at any time to use during a match.
Traits of Executions[]
A successful Execution will remove the executed enemy's ability to be revived, on top of extending their respawn timer by three seconds. It will also replenish the Executioner's health based on how long the Execution is, along with fully restoring their Stamina.
However, during the animation, the Executioner is left vulnerable, so the executioner must be strategic, either choosing a quick execution if they wish to prevent revive, a longer execution if they wish to heal more Health, or alternatively not executing at all to avoid giving opponents an opening to attack.
Climax[]
Executions are interruptible (see below), only becoming successful when they reach their "climax," displayed through a distinct sound effect, along with other visible factors, such as when the executed Hero has lost their arm or head or when they've been gruesomely stabbed or slashed during the execution. On the UI, this climax can be seen when the respawn indicator for the target is replaced with a red skull. Most emote effects make it more clear when an execute is successful, with a flared animation occurring at the "climax."
As long as this climax is not reached, the victim can still be saved from being executed, falling to the ground as a rag-doll ready to be revived instead. However, some Execution can have very early climax timings to help the Executioner prevent their victim's revival.
Health & Stamina[]
Although Stamina Regeneration is momentarily stopped while performing an Execution, a successful Execution will fully restore the Executioner's stamina.
Successful Executions will also heal the Executioner, with each Execution having a defined amount of health regain of either 20, 35 or 50. Executions with a longer user duration (kill time speed does not factor in) typically grant the 50 health heal. Due to their prolonged starting animation and their status as Universally obtainable Executions, Universal Executions require more time to heal more health.
- Normal Executions abide by the following when healing the executioner:
- Executions that are 4 seconds or shorter will grant 20 health.
- Executions that are between 4 and 5 seconds will grant 35 health.
- Executions longer than 5 seconds will grant 50 health.
- Universal Executions, where the Hero sheathes their weapon, abide by the following when healing the executioner:
- Executions that are 5.2 seconds or shorter will grant 20 health.
- Executions that are between 5.2 and 6.2 seconds will grant 35 health.
- Executions longer than 6.2 seconds will grant 50 health.
Feats & Perks Interactions[]
There are Feats and Perks that will interact with executions.
- The Feat "Executioner’s Respite" increases the base heal value by 50%. This increases the base healing values to 30,52.5 and 75.
- The Hitokiri's Unique Feats interact with Executions, particularly Tainted Gift and Spirit Shroud.
- During an Execution, the Feat "Deliverance" grants Hitokiri a full shield along with Hyper Armor.
- When a Hero marked by the Feat "Tainted Gift" is executed, the Executioner and all nearby allies of the Executioner will be healed for 50 Health.
- Upon Executing an enemy Hero, the user of the Feat "Spirit Shroud" will gain a 15% damage reduction from all enemy attacks. This lasts until the user dies.
- The Perk "Devourer" heals the Executioner an additional 15 Health.
- The Perk "Head Hunter" grants the Executioner an additional 4 maximum health for each unique enemy Hero executed, up to 16 bonus max health.
- Opposite of benefiting from an Execution, some Feats give benefits to victims who are not executed when killed:
- The Feat "Last Laugh" will trigger if the user is not killed by an Execution, dropping a high damage bomb at their feet.
- Similar to Last Laugh, "Auto Revive" will allow the user to Revive after a delay if they are not executed on death.
Executable/Non-Executable Attacks[]
Below is a list of attacks that can or cannot initiate an Execution. With the general rule of thumb being that in-lock Heavy Attacks can execute, any moves not mentioned follow this rule.
- Ground-based Heavy follow-ups cannot perform an Execute, unless the knocked down opponent stands up early (ie. from taking damage from other attackers). They are as follows:
- Centurion's Eagle's Talon
- Valkyrie's Spear Sweep Punish, even if the opponent stands up early
- Jormungandr's Hamarr Slam
- Shaolin's Sun Sweep Follow-up
- Tiandi's Dragon Kick Follow-up
- Valkyrie's Shoulder Pin also cannot land an Execute.
- Gladiator's Skewer and Skewer Deflect cannot land an Execute.
- Shugoki's Demon Ball cannot land an Execute.
- Raider's Zone Attacks (both Raider's Storm and Raider's Fury) can initiate an Execution.
- Hitokiri's Feat "Senbonzakura" can initiate an Execution.
Interruptions[]
Heroes can be interrupted while performing their Executions. If the Execution is interrupted before the "climax," the target of the Execution can still be revived and the Executioner does not receive the benefits of the Execution. However, if interrupted after the "climax," the Executioner will simply be bumped out of the Execution animation while retaining all the benefits of the Execution, including removing the target's ability to be revived.
There are a number of ways to interrupt an execution.
- Any sort of damage whether it is from an attack or a feat; it does not matter if the damage is done by a Hero, Soldier, or Captain, as they all can interrupt the execution. However, damage over times will not continuously prevent a Hero from Executing a target.
- This only applies to damage done by enemies, not allies.
- Bashes, Sweeps and Guardbreaks will stop the execution from happening, even if performed by an ally.
- If the Execution physically is in the way of some action, be it picking up a Tribute/banner or interacting with an object (ballista, ladder, etc), the Executioner will shove be shoved aside, interrupting the Execution. This can also happen if a Hero is either thrown or knocked back into the Executioner or victim.
Revenge offers super armor to the user, which prevents the Executioner from being interrupted during an Execution, even from Guardbreaks. Hitokiri's Feat Deliverance and Conqueror's Feat Uninterruptible can be used to grant the user Uninterruptible Stance during an Execution, making them Uninterruptible from all attacks except Guardbreaks and Bashes.
A Hero can also not perform an Execution by either unlocking from Guard Mode, performing a Dodge or waiting for 3 seconds to pass. This may be more variable when in a Teamfight or trying to fulfill an Objective as quickly as possible.
Heroes' Executions[]
Index
- Backstab* = does this Execution have a separate animation for executing enemies from behind?
- Kill Time: Time taken for execution to be confirmed; has visible and audible trigger
- User Duration: Time taken for the execution to play-out (if the execution can be cancelled, earliest cancel time added after slash "/")
- Victim Duration: Time taken until the victim's respawn timer starts. Evidently, victim duration may be longer or shorter than the user duration.
- Use this information for charts
Knights[]
| Name | Visual | Backstab* | Kill Time (sec) | User Duration (sec) | Victim Duration (sec) | Heal (hp) |
| Hilt Strike | 
|
No | 2.1 s | 4.6 s | 4.6 s | 35 hp |
Vikings[]
| Name | Visual | Backstab* | Kill Time (sec) | User Duration (sec) | Victim Duration (sec) | Heal (hp) |
| Skull Cracker | 
|
No | 2.1 s | 4.6 s | 5.7 s | 35 hp |
Samurai[]
| Name | Visual | Backstab* | Kill Time (sec) | User Duration (sec) | Victim Duration (sec) | Heal (hp) |
| Beheader | 
|
No | 2 s | 3.3 s | 3.4 s | 20 hp |
Wu Lin[]
| Name | Visual | Backstab* | Kill Time (sec) | User Duration (sec) | Victim Duration (sec) | Heal (hp) |
| Typhoon Punishment | 
|
No | 2.5 s | 5.6 s | 6.1 s | 50 hp |
Outlander[]
| Name | Visual | Backstab* | Kill Time (sec) | User Duration (sec) | Victim Duration (sec) | Heal (hp) |
| Flying Sword | 
|
No | 5.2 s | 6.9 s | 6.8 s | 50 hp |
Universal[]
Trivia[]
- As shown above, some Executions can also be performed from behind (unofficially called "backstab"). If not, the Execution will turn the body to face towards the executioner at the start of the execution or mid-way. This is entirely cosmetic.
- A select number of executions have two parts, and can be cancelled after the first part is finished. These executions are unique since they are split into two parts, where the second portion is a cosmetic animation that can be cancel-able. Heroes who have executions that can cancel are Lawbringer, Raider, and Shaman.
- For example, Lawbringer's "Oh Come On!" can be canceled comparatively early on in the execution animation, at around 4.7 seconds of the Execution's 9 second animation. During the second part, Lawbringer will poke at their victim, becoming dismayed in finding out their victim is already dead.
- Some executions end early for the user, while the victim continues to be locked in the Execution animation, such as writhing in pain. Heroes who have executions that noticeably have this property (more than 2 seconds between user and victim durations) are Peacekeeper, Centurion, Warlord, Aramusha, Jiang Jun and Nuxia.
- For example, Centurion's "Veni Vidi Vici" is considered like other one-part executions, lasting 4.7 seconds and having a 35 health heal. However, the executed target will continue to go through with a death animation after the Centurion's Execution is over, for a total of 9 seconds.
- In contrast to the above, ragdolls during an Execution can actually benefit the victim, as colliding with an object because of the ragdoll will instantly start the Respawn timer instead of waiting for the Execution to end. This includes when the victim falls to the ground early on into the animation for some executions. As a result, while the Executioner is still in the Execution animation, the victim is already counting down to respawn.
- For example, Shaolin's "Maximum Shaolin" usually is 10.1 seconds long, with a 9.4 victim duration. However, because the Shaolin ragdolls the victim right at the climax with a fierce punch, if the victim has their back to an object/wall, the victim can start their respawn timer as early as around 7.4 seconds.
- Shugoki, prior to the changes in his Hyper Armor passive, was the only Hero able to execute enemies even when being hit by Minions, without the aid of Revenge or a Feat. This is because Minions did not consume his Hyper Armor passive, allowing him to execute undisturbed.
- As of the Vortiger update, Shugoki's Hyper Armor passive has been removed in favour of an Uninterruptable Stance on most of his attacks, removing his ability to pull off Executions in a minion wave at any time.
- Later on, Hitokiri would attain this capability through their Deliverance feat which grants Hyper Armor (and a shield) during Executions, letting them Execute in peace even if mobbed by minions.
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