Messy kills

Messy Kills, also known as Finishing moves, Executions and Stylish Kills, is when a character performs an animated killscene.

These can be simple slices to beheadings and shield rams. This extends to the slow-motion kills of Ogres and the cross-slice of animals.

Some weapons such as Ageless and Aeducan Mace have an inherit Buff called 'Messy Kills' which is supposed to create a larger chance of the animation occuring upon death, although this is unproven.

The Messy Kill animations are, in my experience, most closely linked to critical hits. If an enemy dies of a critical hit, then the Execution will occur, hence why daggers often create alot of these scenes. The Duelist Ability Pinpoint Strikeis a valid way to test this as it ensures critical hits and therefore a Messy Kill-chain.

Henceforth, the 'Messy Kills' stat on Ageless and Aeducan Mace (Ironically, both from Orzammar Diamond Quarter) may just increase the chance of a Critical Hit, or change the Execution requirement to a certain damage amount insead of a Critical nessecity.

Ageless is found on the Throne Room Dragon event.

Aeducan Mace is awarded by Bhelen Aeducan for making him King.

There is no Rune for Messy kills.