How to Parry in Elden Ring
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Elden Ring
How to Parry in Elden Ring
Best Shields for Parrying
Parrying is one of Elden Ring’s highest-skill, highest-reward mechanics — a successful parry into a riposte is one of the most satisfying interactions in the game and can end humanoid boss phases extremely quickly. Margit, Godrick, and most knight-type enemies are fully parriable. The effort invested in learning parry timing pays off enormously across the entire game, particularly in the late game against humanoid bosses like the Elden Beast’s first phase and the Godfrey fight.
Frequently Asked Questions
⚡ Quick Answer
How to Parry — Step by Step
Equip a small or medium shield in your left hand and press L2/LT just as an enemy attack is about to connect. A successful parry staggers the enemy — immediately follow up with a right-hand attack (R1/RB) to perform a critical riposte dealing massive damage. Timing is tight: press L2 when the attack arm begins to extend toward you, not when you see the windup. The Buckler has the largest parry window in the game.
1Equip a parry-capable shield in your offhand (left hand). Not all shields can parry — small shields (Buckler, Small Leather Shield) and most medium shields have the Parry skill by default. Large shields, greatshields, and torches cannot parry. Check the weapon skill listed on the shield’s info screen.
2Face the enemy and wait for their attack animation to begin. The key timing: press L2/LT when the attack starts to reach toward you — not at the very beginning of their windup and not when the weapon is already past you. Each enemy has slightly different timing.
3A successful parry produces a distinctive clang sound and spark effect — the enemy is briefly staggered and hunched forward. Walk up to them immediately and press R1/RB (light attack) while close to trigger the critical riposte animation, which deals 2–4× normal weapon damage.
4If your timing is off, you’ll either block the attack (too early — shield goes up but no parry) or get hit (too late — attack connects before the parry frame activates). Blocking costs stamina but isn’t a failure state — adjust your timing based on which error you made.
5Practice on basic undead enemies in the starting areas — the Cemetery Shade and Demi-Human combatants have slow, readable attacks ideal for learning parry timing. Spend 10–15 minutes there before attempting parries on tougher enemies or bosses.
→Buckler — the best parry shield in the game, found on a body near the starting area or bought from the twin maiden husks. It has the largest active parry window of any shield. Low stability but that doesn’t matter since you parry rather than block.
→Small Leather Shield — also available very early, nearly identical parry window to the Buckler. Slightly higher stability if you occasionally need to block a hit you miss the parry on.
→Carian Retaliation (Ash of War) — attach this to any shield to gain a unique parry that also deflects magic projectiles, converting them into glintstone shards that damage the attacker. Exceptional against sorcery-using enemies and in PvP.
→Some curved swords and fists also have parry ashes of war — equipping Parry on an offhand curved sword gives you parry capability without a shield, freeing your build for two weapons while retaining the parry option.
Which bosses can be parried in Elden Ring?Most humanoid bosses are parriable including Margit, Godrick, Morgott, Godfrey, and the Godskin apostles. Large creature bosses (dragons, giants) and magic-based bosses generally cannot be parried. When in doubt, attempt a parry on a slow attack — if sparks appear, the boss is parriable.
Can you parry without a shield?Yes — equip the Parry Ash of War on an offhand curved sword, dagger, or fist weapon to parry without a shield. The parry window varies by weapon type. Daggers generally have a smaller but faster parry window; curved swords are more forgiving. This allows dual-wielding builds to still access parry.
Why does my parry not work on some attacks?Some attacks are unparriable — jumping attacks, attacks from very large weapons (colossal weapons, giant boss attacks), magic projectiles (unless using Carian Retaliation), and grabs cannot be parried. If an attack consistently won’t parry despite correct timing, it’s likely an unparriable move type.
Does parrying work in PvP?Yes — parrying in PvP is powerful but harder due to human opponents’ unpredictable timing. The Buckler remains the best choice. Be aware that experienced PvP players will deliberately delay or mix up their attacks to bait parry attempts. Carian Retaliation is particularly strong in PvP since it counters sorcery spam.