Welcome to our guide on parrying in Elden Ring. Parrying is a high-risk, high-reward defensive technique that allows you to deflect an enemy attack and follow up with a powerful critical hit called a riposte. To parry, you'll need equipment with the Parry skill. This typically includes small shields, some medium shields, and certain weapons like the Parrying Dagger. Each parrying tool has slightly different timing windows, with small shields generally being the easiest to use for beginners.
The most crucial aspect of parrying is timing. You need to press the parry button, which is L2 on PlayStation or LT on Xbox, just before the enemy's attack is about to hit you. This timing window is very brief, typically just a few frames. For better results, watch the enemy's hand movement rather than their weapon, as the hand initiates the attack animation. Different enemies have different attack speeds and patterns, so you'll need to learn the specific timing for each enemy type. It's recommended to practice on predictable enemies first, such as the basic soldiers in Limgrave or Liurnia. Remember that if you mistime your parry, you'll likely take full damage from the attack, leaving you vulnerable.
After successfully parrying an enemy attack, you'll have a brief window to perform a riposte. When your parry connects, the enemy will be staggered, often falling to one knee or showing a stunned animation. You'll also hear a distinctive sound effect. To capitalize on this opportunity, quickly move close to the enemy and press the standard attack button - R1 on PlayStation or RB on Xbox. This will trigger a special critical hit animation that deals significantly more damage than a regular attack. It's important to note that not all attacks in Elden Ring can be parried. Generally, you can parry most melee attacks from humanoid enemies, attacks from smaller creatures, and some weapon skills. However, large boss attacks, grab attacks, most magic spells, and many special attacks cannot be parried.
Let's discuss the best tools for parrying in Elden Ring, especially for beginners. The Buckler Shield, which can be purchased from Gostoc in Stormveil Castle, has the fastest parry frames, making it the easiest shield to successfully parry with. The Small Leather Shield offers a good balance between parry frames and recovery time. The Parrying Dagger is a stylish option that can be equipped in your off-hand while still allowing you to use your main weapon. For those who prefer customization, the Golden Parry Ash of War can be applied to most shields and provides extended parry range. For practice, I recommend starting at the Gatefront Ruins in Limgrave, where you'll find predictable soldiers with straightforward attack patterns. As you improve, try parrying the soldiers near the Church of Irith, and when you're ready for a challenge, the knights in Raya Lucaria Academy offer more complex attack patterns to master. Remember that parrying has a learning curve, so don't get discouraged if you don't succeed immediately.
Let's summarize what we've learned about parrying in Elden Ring. First, parrying is a high-risk, high-reward defensive technique that allows you to counter enemy attacks with devastating critical hits. The timing is absolutely crucial - you need to press L2 or LT just before the enemy's attack connects with you. After successfully parrying an attack, you can press R1 or RB to perform a powerful riposte critical attack that deals significant damage. For beginners, I recommend starting with the Buckler Shield, which has the most generous parry frames, and practicing on predictable enemies like the soldiers in Limgrave. Remember that not all attacks can be parried - focus on humanoid enemies and smaller creatures for the best results. Most importantly, don't get discouraged if you fail at first. Parrying has a steep learning curve, but once mastered, it becomes one of the most satisfying and effective combat techniques in Elden Ring. With practice, you'll be parrying like a pro and making even the toughest enemies vulnerable to your counterattacks.