Break their stance in your next boss fight with a parry.
Parrying is an action that cancels certain enemy attacks, giving you the opportunity to counterattack effectively. It is especially useful against challenging bosses and in PvP scenarios.
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When you successfully parry an attack, the enemy will stagger, giving you an opportunity to follow up with a powerful attack. If the parry is mistimed, you may still block some damage but will suffer stamina loss or take full damage from the attack.
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To execute a parry, you need to have a shield equipped that has a parry skill.
Shield or Weapon:
You must equip a shield or weapon that has the parry skill. Common shields like the Buckler come with this skill by default, while others may require you to apply a specific Ash of War.
Ash of War:
If your shield does not have the parry skill, you can acquire it by applying the Parry Ash of War. This can be found at locations like the Warmaster’s Shack. Other effective Ashes include Golden Parry and Carian Retaliation, which offer a larger parry window and are recommended for beginners.
Parrying in Elden Ring is a combat mechanic that allows players to deflect enemy attacks, making them vulnerable to a critical hit known as a riposte. If you time it correctly, the enemy will recoil and you won't be damaged.
Hold your shield and press Shift + Right-click at the moment of impact.
If you’re using a shield with the parry skill, ensure it’s set as your primary action in the UI.
Equip your shield in the left hand.
As an enemy attacks, press L2 (PlayStation) or LT (Xbox) just before the attack connects.
The key is to time your input right as the enemy’s weapon is about to hit you.
Observe Enemy Movements: Pay close attention to the enemy’s weapon hand. Start your parry just as their hand begins to move towards you, which is often more reliable than focusing solely on the weapon itself.
Practice against weaker enemies first, such as those found near the Gatefront Ruins. This will help you get accustomed to the timing without facing heavy penalties from stronger foes
Not all attacks can be parried; some enemies have specific moves that are unparryable. Generally, slower attacks are easier to parry.
The Buckler shield is particularly effective due to its longer parry window, making it an excellent choice for beginners.
Experiment with different shields and Ashes of War to find what works best for your playstyle.
You can perform a deflect by blocking an enemy attack within the first few frames of a weapon's block animation.