Dark Souls 3 is the third sequel of the souls game series of video games that delivers its expectations of excellent graphics and gameplay mechanics. Released by FromSoftware and Bandai Namco Entertainment, the game was launched on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC in 2016. Dark Souls 3 has many unique elements that other action RPG games do not have relative to what this genre offers. One such element is parrying the incoming attacks with unique punchy animations. We have curated Dark Souls 3 how to parry guide and have entailed everything players need to know about parrying features in the game across all platforms, PS4, XBOX, PC, or new consoles.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Parrying in Dark Souls 3 is a skill every close combat lover should learn. Parrying works with a sword-shield combo.
- Start the Parry by stunning the opponent. When you see the enemy preparing to hit, an L2/LT press will stun the enemy.
- The second move is to counterattack. By pressing R1/RB, you can do a Riposte. The hit will land on the stunned opponent and the Parry is complete.
- You can use a lot of shields to use parry, excluding the Greatshields. Parrying can also be done using lightweight weapons and fist weapons.
- While using parry in PvE, keep in mind that parrying does not work on all the bosses.
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Dark Souls 3 How To Parry
Dark souls 3 combat is composite and complex at the same time. Players need a lot of time to understand the in-game mechanics and how things, such as counters and parries, work. Many players prefer fighting from a distance and use spells and arrows to defeat their enemies. Meanwhile, others like the intense close combat encounters, so they use a sword and shield to hunt down their enemies. Players can parry any attack with any shield, as long as it is not a Greatshield, which trades the parrying element for a strong shield bash. Moreover, not all attacks can be parried as some of the bosses in the game have unparriable and special attacks that can only be blocked.
How To Parry Using A Shield
Parrying an opponent with a shield equipped consists of 4 parts. The opponent’s initiating the attack is the first step. When you notice the flick regarding the enemy’s attack landing on your character, immediately press L2/LT (The keybind to parry). After which, you would notice that the opponent has entered a stun animation, indicating that you have successfully parried the incoming attack.
The next part is launching the counterattack by pressing the R1/RB for a successful Riposte. This is a special attack and is only used after you have successfully parried an opponent. Also worth noting during this part is that you are entirely immune while riposting. So do not be hesitate when you get the chance to strike back after successfully parrying the enemy.
You can do this parry with a medium shield easily, so not doing it with a light shield is out of the question. Keep in mind that you cannot parry an attack by equipping a great shield.
Dark Souls 3 Shields That Can Parry
- Buckler
- Red and White Shield
- Elkhorn Round Shield
- Target Shield
- Iron Round Shield
- Hawkwood’s Shield
- Caduceus Round Shield
- Crimson Parma
- Leather Shield
- Sacred Bloom Shield(can alsoSpell Parry)
- Small Leather Shield
- Llewellyn Shield
- Golden Falcon Shield
- Sunset Shield
- Kite Shield
- Crest Shield
- Grass Crest Shield
- Dragon Crest Shield
- East-West Shield
- Blue Wooden Shield
- Knight Shield
- Silver Knight Shield
- Spirit Tree Crest Shield
- Golden Wing Crest Shield
- Large Leather Shield
- Wooden Shield
- Lothric Knight Shield
- Sunlight Shield
- Carthus Shield
- Round Shield
How To Parry Without A Shield
Besides shields, there are weapons that you can use to parry. Primarily, these weapons come from light weapon categories such as the Parrying Dagger, the Dagger, Katanas, etc. Moreover, you can also use fist-based weapons such as the Caestus and even parry bare-handed.
Dark Souls 3 how to parry strategy is pretty much difficult if you are using fist-based weapons. They have the lowest parry frames out of all the weapons in Darks Soul 3, so make sure you time it accordingly. The smaller a parry frame, the faster reflexes you need to parry the incoming attack. It is why a separate practice is always required while using the fist and light weapons. Parrying with light weapons and fist weapons is generally harder than the standard shield method, so players would need a lot of practice to learn how to parry in dark souls 3. Here is how parry can be done without a shield.
Likewise, the method of parrying an opponent without a shield remains the same. While using fist weapons, make sure you do not parry too early, as it would result in you taking some damage. The same goes for parrying bare-handed. Not only do you take a lot of damage, but you also lose a significant proportion of stamina, so make sure to time it correctly.
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Weapons That Can Parry
| Name of Weapon | Method To Parry |
| Katanas | Can parry while using Hold |
| Caestus | Can parry from left hand |
| Demon’s Fist | Can parry from left hand |
| Claw | Can parry from left hand |
| Crow Talons | Can parry from left hand |
| Manikin Claws | Can parry from left hand |
| Rapier | Can parry from left hand |
| Scimitar | Can parry from left hand |
| Farron Greatsword | Can parry while two-handed or using a shield withWeapon Skill |
| Parrying Dagger | Can parry from either hand |
| Shotel | Can parry from either hand |
| Scimitar | Can parry from left hand |
| Sellsword Twinblades | Can parry from left hand |
| Pontiff Knight Curved Sword | Can parry from left hand |
| Painting Guardian’s Curved Sword | Can parry from left hand |
| Rotten Ghru Curved Sword | Can parry from left hand |
Dark Souls 3 How To Parry In PvE
Parrying in PvE is much easier than Parrying in PvP. However, underestimating the parrying mechanics while engaging in PvE combat can prove disastrous. Some NPCs and bosses such as Pontiff Sulyvahn or Champion Gundyr require micro-second level perfection to parry them. It is why parrying these bosses is immensely challenging, and arguably, they are even hard to parry compared to fights in PvP modes.
You can pretty much estimate when to press your L2/LT to parry the attack just by listening to the sound of it. When you hear the enemies’ attack’s swoosh, give it a 0.5-second break and then press L2/LT. The 0.5 second is just to be on the safe side and not parry too early.
An interesting build guide: Dark Souls 3 Katana Build
While playing against the AI in Dark Souls 3, PvE-based enemies do not learn your strategies to break the loop of parrying. Hence you can parry again and again and drain a boss or NPC’s health entirely. Parrying comes naturally after practicing it with different sorts of PvE and PvP opponents, and over time everyone gets over the Dark Souls 3 how to parry learning process.
Bosses That Can Be Parried
- Iudex GundyrAbyss Watchers
- Crystal Sage
- Deacons of the Deep
- Pontiff Sulyvahn
- Champion Gundyr
- Dragonslayer Armour (You can’t riposte)
- Lorian, Elder Prince (You can’t Riposte)
- Lothric, Younger Prince (Spell Parry)
- Champion’s Gravetender
- Sister Friede
- Halflight, Spear of the Church
Dark Souls 3 How To Parry In PvP
However, that is not the case while playing PvP. An online opponent uses a great variety of weapons, skills and other combinations in combat, which makes knowing an enemy’s next move an impossible task. So, it would take you a great deal of time to master every weapon. This is probably why parrying in PvE is relatively much easier than in PvP.
That is pretty much everything you need to know about Dark Souls 3 how to parry guide. If you think we missed out on something, please do mention it in the comments section below.
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FAQs
How To Parry In Dark Souls 3 [2023] - VeryAli Gaming? ›
Parrying in Dark
Press L2 (PS3) / LT (XBox) / TAB (default on PC) at the moment (the first frame) the enemy's weapon begins its motion towards you (i.e. after the windup). On successful parry, the enemy will be thrown back for about one second, and you'll hear a echoing cue sound. The enemy will be in an unique staggered state.
What button do you press to parry in Dark Souls 3? ›Left Ctrl - One of the easiest and effective key usage that will allow you to Parry or perform a Weapon art.
What is the best parrying tool in Dark Souls 3? ›The three best small parrying shields in Dark Souls 3 are the Buckler Shield, Target Shield, and Small Leather Shield. The Buckler Shield is the lightest option and has the lowest stamina cost, while the Target Shield offers a balanced approach, and the Small Leather Shield has the shortest parry animation time.
How can I get better at parrying? ›- Timing Is Everything. ...
- Equip A Shield. ...
- Parrying Bosses Is Difficult Even For Pros. ...
- Use Your Dodge To Learn Their Attacks. ...
- The Closer The Better. ...
- Runes Can Make Parrying More Effective. ...
- It's Very Useful Against Unbreakable Shields. ...
- Be Wary Of Your Stamina.
First, you must have a Shield equipped in your left hand with Parry or another parry skill. Then when the enemy makes a parriable attack, press the skill button at just the right time so your shield is coming up just as the enemy's arm is coming down.
Why do I still take damage when I parry? ›Because you're either not timing it right or the game is lagging, or both. When you parry a little too early (i.e. already entered recovery frame) or trying to parry an unparriable attack, you will do a "partial parry".
Which souls game is hardest to parry? ›Dark Souls was the hardest by far (i played remaster on PS4).
What is the timing of parrying in Dark Souls 3? ›The exact timing varies depending on the parrying tool being used and the opponent's weapon, but in general, you want to initiate a Parry just before the opponent's attack would hit you.
Which button to parry? ›Press the parry button (L2/LT) just before an enemy's weapon makes contact. A successful parry will depend on the timing.
Is parrying important in Dark Souls 3? ›
From Dark Souls to Bloodborne, parrying is important, but it's never actually necessary when simply running through a standard playthrough. All the same, parrying is a core part of the Souls experience and can cut the difference when it comes to difficult boss fights or PvP.
What is the hardest weapon to parry in Dark Souls 3? ›Whips cannot be parried at all, but also cannot perform a cirtical either. Rule of thumb, massive weapon being twohanded cant be parried, fish backstabs, running attacks can be, jumps never can.
What is the best weapon to beat Dark Souls 3? ›- 8 Astora Greatsword.
- 7 Black Knight Sword.
- 6 Claymore.
- 5 The Dragonslayer Spear.
- 4 Exile Greatsword.
- 3 Sellsword Twinblades.
- 2 Farron Greatsword.
- 1 Gael's Greatsword.
1. Best Overall: Diavolo Gauche – 16th Century Parrying Dagger. The Diavolo Main Gauche is a wonderful parrying blade which can be used for defense and offense, but works best when combined with a single-handed sword such as a rapier. It is large for a dagger, but has a trident effect with up-turned ends to its guard.
Is it better to block or parry? ›Blocks are your lower-risk defensive maneuvers, while catches and parries are higher-risk, but they leave you with the ability to counter punches against an opponent.
Is parry better than block? ›Block just blocks an attack like a shield would. Parry allows you to immediately counter attack after using an attack that is faster than a normal attack.
How does Golden parry work? ›Perform an Erdtree incantation and swing the shield to deflect enemy attacks and break their stance. Effective even at a slight distance.
Does dexterity affect parry? ›Parrying Dagger is a Dagger in Elden Ring. The Parrying Dagger scales primarily with Dexterity and Strength and is a good Weapon for parrying enemies as its name states.
Why are small shields better for parrying? ›Small Shields usually weigh very little and give the least protection from attacks. They are often used by players who prefer parrying rather than blocking. Its lighter weight also makes it ideal for quick, agile characters with low equipment weight capacity.
Who is the hardest boss in DS3? ›1 Nameless King
The Nameless King is considered by most to be the hardest Dark Souls 3 boss. Located at the Archdragon Peak, this boss appears after you ring the bell by the Great Belfry. This boss is fought in two phases, with one being while he rides a wyvern. Watch out for his piercing attacks while he is on foot.
Is Dark Souls 3 harder than Elden Ring? ›
Elden Ring is potentially easier than Dark Souls 3 and Bloodborne, but it isn't a surefire thing anymore. What remains is the various other Soulslikes, most of which are designed to be more forgiving.
Is Dark Souls 3 one of the hardest games? ›Dark Souls 3 might not be the hardest of the Dark Souls, but it is hard, rewarding, and amazingly well-designed.
Why do I still take damage when I parry ds3? ›Because you're either not timing it right or the game is lagging, or both. When you parry a little too early (i.e. already entered recovery frame) or trying to parry an unparriable attack, you will do a "partial parry".
Can you parry every boss in Dark Souls 3? ›While not every attack can be parried, an alarmingly high number can. Most enemies have at least one parryable, as well, rewarding attentive players with an eye for telegraphs. Even though most of Dark Souls 3's bosses can't be parried, the hardest ones (like Pontiff Sulyvahn) can.
How many frames to parry in ds3? ›| Parrying Tool (60 FPS) | Startup Frames | Active Frames |
|---|---|---|
| Parry Small Shields [3] | 8 | 10 |
| Small Shields | 10 | 10 |
| Small Shields (Mainhand) | 8 | 12 |
| Normal Shields | 12 | 4 |
Jumping/Plunging attacks performed by players cannot be parried under any circumstances. When two-handed, R1 and R2 attacks from Ultra Greatswords, Greataxes, and Great Hammers cannot be parried. Two-handed rolling and running R1 attacks from these weapons can still be parried.
Is it hard to parry in Dark Souls 3? ›Dark Souls 3 how to parry strategy is pretty much difficult if you are using fist-based weapons. They have the lowest parry frames out of all the weapons in Darks Soul 3, so make sure you time it accordingly. The smaller a parry frame, the faster reflexes you need to parry the incoming attack.
Can you get a boss soul twice? ›The only thing to be cautious of is: you can only duplicate one Remembrance per Walking Mausoleum. So choose wisely, and if you want another Remembrance duplicated, you'll need to find another Walking Mausoleum.
How long is ds3 100%? ›When focusing on the main objectives, Dark Souls III is about 32 Hours in length. If you're a gamer that strives to see all aspects of the game, you are likely to spend around 97 Hours to obtain 100% completion.
What is the highest FPS Dark Souls 3? ›Dark Souls III has been bumped up to 60FPS on Xbox Series consoles.
What has the longest parrying window in Dark Souls 3? ›
the original question was: what parrying item has the largest parrying window. The answer is the Target Shield (or other parrying shields - Buckler, e.g.). It has the highest number of parrying frames at 12. Caestus and Parrying Dagger each have 10 parry frames.