Master the art of parry in Elden Ring, a technique that can turn the tide of battle in your favor. Parrying allows you to deflect incoming attacks, creating an opening for a devastating counterattack. But how does one master this elusive skill? In this guide, we will delve into the intricacies of parry, providing you with all the knowledge you need to execute it flawlessly and dominate your foes.
Parrying in Elden Ring is not for the faint of heart. It requires precise timing and an unwavering resolve. To master this technique, you must first understand the basics. Parrying is executed by pressing the “L2” button (on the PlayStation controller) or the “LT” button (on the Xbox controller) just as an enemy’s attack is about to hit you. Timing is crucial here, as parrying too early or too late will result in a failed attempt. Additionally, some attacks, such as grabs and certain magical projectiles, cannot be parried.
Once you have grasped the fundamentals, it is time to put them into practice. Start by practicing on weaker enemies until you become comfortable with the timing. As you progress, you can gradually face more formidable foes. Remember that each enemy has a unique attack pattern, so it is essential to study their movements and anticipate their attacks. With dedication and perseverance, you will eventually master the art of parry and become a formidable force in the Lands Between.
Understanding the Parry Window
Parrying in Elden Ring is a defensive technique that allows you to deflect enemy attacks and open them up for a riposte. To parry effectively, it’s crucial to understand the parry window, which is the brief moment during which an attack can be parried. The parry window varies depending on the type of attack and weapon being used.
For most attacks, the parry window is relatively short, typically lasting around 10-15 frames. This means that you need to time your parry attempt extremely precisely. If you parry too early, your character will simply block the attack, while if you parry too late, you will be hit by the attack.
There are certain attacks that have unique parry windows. For example, leaping attacks (such as the Lion Claw skill) have a longer parry window than standard attacks. Additionally, certain weapons (such as Caestus) have a longer parry window than others. It’s important to experiment with different weapons and attacks to learn the specific parry windows for each situation.
| Attack Type | Parry Window (Frames) |
|---|---|
| Standard Attacks | 10-15 |
| Leaping Attacks | 15-20 |
| Thrust Attacks | 5-10 |
Positioning and Spacing for Effective Parrying
Mastering the art of parrying in Elden Ring requires precise positioning and spacing. By understanding the game’s mechanics and practicing effectively, you can elevate your combat skills and become a formidable opponent.
Positioning and Spacing for Effective Parrying
Positioning and spacing are crucial elements of successful parrying in Elden Ring. Here are some key guidelines to consider:
1. Stand perpendicular to the enemy: Position yourself directly facing the enemy, with your character facing forward. This ensures optimal timing and precision.
| Incorrect Positioning | Correct Positioning |
|---|---|
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2. Maintain a comfortable distance: Find a sweet spot between being too close and too far away. Too close, and you risk being struck before you can execute a parry, while too far away will prevent you from making contact. Experiment with different distances and adjust accordingly.
3. Predict opponent’s attacks: Pay attention to your opponent’s movements and attack patterns. Anticipate their next move and position yourself accordingly to execute a well-timed parry.
Timing and Button Input Precision
Parrying in Elden Ring is a precise technique that requires perfect timing and button input precision. The parry timing windows are relatively short, and even a slight mistimed press will result in a Shield Bash instead of a Parry. The parry input requires you to press the Parry button just as the enemy’s weapon is about to hit your shield. The timing varies depending on the enemy’s attack speed, so you need to practice and get a feel for it.
Additional Tips for Successful Parrying
- Use a small shield or buckler. These shields have faster parry timings than larger shields.
- Raise your shield early. Start raising your shield before the enemy’s attack is about to hit. This will give you more time to adjust your timing.
- Practice, practice, practice. The best way to improve your parrying skills is to practice. Fight enemies that are easy to parry and focus on getting the timing down.
Visual Cues
When attempting to parry an attack, pay close attention to the enemy’s movements. Just before the attack lands, you’ll see a flash of light around their weapon. This is the visual cue that indicates the perfect time to parry.
Audio Feedback
In addition to visual cues, you can also use audio feedback to help you parry. When an attack is about to land, you’ll hear a distinct sound effect. This sound effect is different for each type of attack, so it’s important to learn to recognize them.
Timing
The timing of your parry is crucial. If you parry too early, you’ll simply block the attack. If you parry too late, you’ll take damage. The sweet spot is to parry just as the attack is about to land. This takes practice, but with time you’ll be able to parry consistently.
Practice
The best way to improve your parrying skills is to practice. There are several ways to practice parrying. You can do it against enemies in the game, or you can use the training dummies in the Roundtable Hold. You can also find online tutorials that can teach you the basics of parrying.
Tips
Here are a few tips to help you improve your parrying skills:
**1. Use a shield that has a high parry rating.** This will make it easier to parry attacks successfully.
**2. Practice against different types of enemies.** Each type of enemy has different attack patterns, so it’s important to learn how to parry each one effectively.
Practice and Perseverance
Mastering the art of parrying in Elden Ring requires dedication and continuous practice. Here are some tips to enhance your proficiency and turn this defensive technique into a vital asset in combat:
1. Understand the Mechanics
Parrying involves initiating an attack as an enemy’s weapon is about to strike yours. The timing must be precise, as attacking too early or late will result in a blocked or missed parry. Experiment with different weapons and enemy attacks to gain a feel for the timing.
2. Choose the Right Shield
Not all shields are equally effective for parrying. Buckler shields are highly recommended for their small size and fast parry speed, making them ideal for quick reactions. Experiment with other shield types to find one that suits your playstyle and weapon.
3. Time the Parry
The timing of a parry is critical. Study enemy attack patterns and anticipate their strikes. The moment an enemy raises its weapon for an attack, press the parry button. Experiment with different attacks and enemies to refine your timing.
4. Practice Consistently
Consistent practice is crucial for mastering parrying. Dedicate time to practicing in safe areas like Stormveil Castle’s courtyard. Practice parrying against weak or slow enemies to build confidence before facing more challenging foes.
5. Advanced Parrying Techniques
Once the basics are mastered, explore advanced parrying techniques to increase your effectiveness:
| Technique | Description |
|---|---|
| Chain Parrying | Parrying multiple attacks in a row, allowing you to stagger or break enemy posture. |
| Perfect Parrying | Parrying at the height of an enemy’s attack, granting a window for a powerful repost or critical hit. |
| Jump Parrying | Parrying an enemy’s attack while airborne, providing a unique window of opportunity for a counterattack. |
Utilizing Specific Weapons for Parry Potential
Selecting Ideal Weapons for Parrying
Parrying in Elden Ring is a crucial defensive technique that can turn the tide of battle. While most weapons can parry an opponent’s attack, certain weapons offer distinct advantages for this maneuver.
Buckler
The Buckler is a lightweight shield renowned for its exceptional parry potential. Its small size and low weight allow for swift and precise parries, making it a popular choice among skilled parry masters.
Golden Parry Ash of War
The Golden Parry Ash of War, obtainable from the Golden Epitaph Sword, can be applied to any weapon to grant it exceptional parrying capabilities. This ash of war creates a golden shield that lingers for a brief period, allowing for more opportunities to parry incoming attacks.
Carian Retaliation Ash of War
The Carian Retaliation Ash of War, found in the Carian Study Hall, empowers a weapon to parry with a burst of magical energy. This explosive parry damages the attacker and stuns them briefly, providing a window for a counterattack.
Misericorde Dagger
The Misericorde Dagger, a unique weapon found in the Deathtouched Catacombs, boasts an exceptionally high critical hit damage bonus. When used to parry an enemy, its critical hit chance is amplified, making it lethal against heavily armored foes.
Parry and Riposte Damage
The damage dealt during a riposte after a successful parry varies depending on the weapon used. The following table provides a general overview of the damage scaling:
| Weapon Type | Parry Damage | Riposte Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Dagger | Low | High |
| Thrusting Sword | Moderate | Moderate |
| Curved Sword | Moderate | Moderate |
| Greatsword | High | Low |
| Axe | High | Low |
Combining Parrying with Other Combat Techniques
Parrying is a crucial skill in Elden Ring, but it becomes even more potent when combined with other combat techniques. Here are some effective ways to maximize its usage:
Guard Counters
After parrying an attack, you can immediately follow up with a guard counter. These quick attacks deal significant damage and can quickly overwhelm your opponents. Guard counters are particularly effective against enemies with high poise, as they can stagger them for a critical hit.
Critical Hits
Parrying an attack creates a window of opportunity for a critical hit. By performing a heavy attack immediately after the parry, you can inflict massive damage on stronger enemies.
Jumping Attacks
Combining parrying with jumping attacks can surprise your opponents and deal substantial damage. After parrying an attack, jump and perform a heavy attack for a powerful overhead strike. This technique is especially effective against slow-moving enemies.
Skill Combinations
Certain skills can synergize well with parrying. For instance, the “Bloodhound’s Step” Ash of War grants you quick movement and invulnerability frames, making it easier to get into position for a parry and follow up with a critical hit.
Weapon Arts
Some weapons have unique weapon arts that can be used in conjunction with parrying. For example, the “Golden Parry” weapon art on the Golden Parry shield allows you to parry magic attacks and follow up with a powerful counterattack.
Table of Defensive Techniques
| Technique | Description |
|---|---|
| Parrying | Deflect an attack at the right moment, stunning the attacker. |
| Blocking | Absorb an attack with a shield or weapon. |
| Rolling | Evade an attack by dodging to the side or backward. |
Managing Stamina Consumption
Parrying in Elden Ring consumes a significant amount of stamina. To manage this consumption effectively, consider the following tips:
1. **Parry Only When Necessary:** Avoid parrying every attack. Reserve it for when it’s essential to block a powerful blow or interrupt an enemy’s spellcasting.
2. **Light-Roll Agility:** Equip armor that grants you light-roll agility to reduce stamina consumption during evasions. This will allow you to recover stamina faster after parrying.
3. **Use a Buckler:** Consider using a buckler, which consumes less stamina per parry compared to larger shields.
4. **Talismans and Consumables:** Equip talismans like the Green Turtle Talisman or consume items like the Rainbow Stone Rose to increase your stamina regeneration.
5. **Stamina Management Skills:** The Golden Lineage skill tree offers skills like “Endure” and “Crimsonwhorl Bubbletear,” which reduce stamina consumption or replenish it when taking damage.
6. **Practice and Timing:** Practice parrying to improve your timing and reduce the number of stamina-consuming mistimed parries.
7. **Identify Parryable Attacks:** Not all attacks are parryable. Learn to distinguish between parryable and unblockable attacks to avoid wasting stamina.
8. **Stamina Consumption Table:**
| Shield Type | Stamina Consumption Per Parry |
|---|---|
| Small Shield | 30 |
| Medium Shield | 35 |
| Large Shield | 40 |
| Buckler | 25 |
Note that these values are approximate and may vary depending on the specific shield and enemy being parried.
Advanced Parry Techniques and Variations
9. Perfect Parrying
Perfect parrying is the pinnacle of parry skills in Elden Ring. Performing a perfect parry requires timing your parry perfectly with the moment of impact. When successfully performed, a perfect parry will trigger a stunning effect on the enemy, opening them up for a short period of vulnerability. This technique is highly effective against powerful enemies and bosses, allowing you to capitalize on their staggered state for devastating follow-up attacks. Mastering perfect parrying takes practice and precision, but the rewards are well worth the effort.
The timing for a perfect parry is extremely tight, requiring you to press the parry button just as the enemy’s attack is about to connect. The window for perfect parrying varies depending on the enemy and the attack animation. To successfully achieve a perfect parry, it is crucial to be observant and learn the timing patterns of specific enemies. With practice, you will develop an intuitive feel for when to initiate a perfect parry.
Perfect parrying not only provides a tactical advantage in combat but also grants you a sense of immense satisfaction. It is a testament to your skill and mastery of the game’s mechanics. As you master perfect parrying, you will unlock new levels of combat prowess and be able to overcome even the most formidable challenges in Elden Ring.
| Enemy | Attack Animation | Perfect Parry Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Marauder | Sword Swipe | Just as the sword is about to strike |
| Tree Sentinel | Halberd Thrust | Halfway through the thrust animation |
| Malenia, Blade of Miquella | Waterfowl Dance | Each individual flurry must be parried perfectly |
Parry Etiquette and Online Multiplayer
Like any other fighting game, there’s an unspoken etiquette to parrying in Elden Ring. Generally speaking, it’s seen as disrespectful to parry someone’s first attack, as this can be seen as taking advantage of their unfamiliarity with your playstyle.
It’s also considered poor form to parry someone who is clearly new to the game or who is struggling against you. If you’re matched up against someone who is clearly out of your league, it’s better to just let them win rather than rubbing salt in their wounds by constantly parrying them.
When playing online multiplayer, it’s important to be aware of your opponent’s latency. If you’re playing against someone with high latency, it can be difficult to parry their attacks effectively due to the delay in their inputs. In these cases, it’s best to focus on dodging and punishing their mistakes rather than trying to parry them.
Here are some additional tips for parrying in Elden Ring:
- Make sure you have a good understanding of the timing of your opponent’s attacks.
- Practice parrying against different enemies to get a feel for the different attack patterns.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment with different parry tools and techniques.
- Be patient and don’t get discouraged if you don’t get the timing right every time.
- Use the parry window to your advantage to get in a few free hits on your opponent.
- Be aware of your opponent’s stamina and try to parry when they’re running low.
- Don’t rely on parrying too much, as it can be risky if you miss.
- Be prepared to switch to a different strategy if your opponent starts to adapt to your parry attempts.
- Remember that parrying is just one of many tools in your arsenal. Use it wisely and don’t let it become a crutch.
- Have fun!
How To Parry Elden Ring
Parrying in Elden Ring is a technique used to deflect enemy attacks and create an opening for a counterattack. To parry, players must press the block button just before an enemy’s attack hits them. If timed correctly, the parry will result in a loud clang and the enemy’s attack will be deflected. Parrying can be used against a wide range of enemy attacks, including melee and ranged attacks.
There are several benefits to parrying in Elden Ring. First, parrying can allow players to avoid taking damage from enemy attacks. Second, parrying can create an opening for a counterattack, allowing players to deal significant damage to their opponent. Third, parrying can interrupt enemy attacks, which can be useful for stopping enemy combos or charge-ups.
However, parrying can also be difficult to master. The timing of the parry is very precise, and players must be able to react quickly to enemy attacks. Additionally, some enemy attacks cannot be parried, so players must be able to distinguish between parryable and non-parryable attacks.
People Also Ask About How To Parry Elden Ring
How do you parry in Elden Ring?
To parry in Elden Ring, press the block button just before an enemy’s attack hits you.
What is the timing for parrying in Elden Ring?
The timing for parrying in Elden Ring is very precise. You must press the block button just as the enemy’s attack is about to hit you.
Can you parry all attacks in Elden Ring?
No, you cannot parry all attacks in Elden Ring. Some enemy attacks, such as grabs and unblockable attacks, cannot be parried.
