How do you parry?

[Carnifex]

What is the timing like to input a parry for it to connect? Am I supposed to do it before the attack is about to hit me or slightly earlier? I already know about smaller shields having the best parry active frames like the Buckler.

[Major Fletcher]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxkSkMUVD8c

https://www.reddit.com/r/Eldenring/comments/t54kyj/technical_guide_help_i_tested_parrying_frame_data/

[Faust Wither]

each shield or weapon has diffrent parry frame, the most easy timing is buckler parry.

[LuckyCheshire]

Rather than us trying to explain how the timing works filtered by our unique psychological and gaming hardware setups, it would be more efficient for you to just try it out for yourself on some random soldier and figure out how it works. It's not difficult to tell if you did it successfully or not.

[Mushroom]

Rather than commenting a useless reply and being generally unhelpful, here's my tip on how I began learning parrying: it's not like Sekiro.

There's a small delay between when the parry is activated and when the animation actually allows a parry. This is usually a ~4 frame delay, but this was enough to throw me off when I started learning. You'll also have to time this to when an enemy activates an attack hitbox, and most enemies with melee weapons typically have several attack patterns that can be parried off-the-bat. The first swing in an attack pattern is usually the easiest to time.

Some enemies, like those Aging Untouchables in the Abyssal Woods, have a really awkward parry window. In these cases, it really comes down to trial-and-error if practicing without a guide.

[toughnails]

Most attack animations in From Soft games consist of a windup followed by an actual attack. Roughly, you're supposed to press the parry button at the very end of the opponent's windup, which is usually when their arm is farthest away from you.

Try to get the Carian Retaliation AoW ASAP, it's the best way to parry and can be put on any small or medium shield.

[Carnifex]

Thanks to all that has given me helpful tips and information.

[Sonnenbank]

Every attack of a boss has a fixed but individual parry timing.

So for each boss every parry timing is individual and not connected to what you see on screen.

Some attacks have to be parried super ultra early before the weapon of the boss even starts to go into your way and
some mid timingwise and some can be parried very late after the weapon allready connected to your model

there is no other way than to do trial and error

try to parry super early
if that doesnt work
try to parry even earlier

if that still doesnt work , try to parry late

etc etc...

[Artek [General]]

The parry window is somewhere in the middle of animation - both start and end of parry animations are "failed parries" that block, but still eat the attack all the same.
Different item types have different (larger, smaller, early, late) parry window.
Buckler is the best for reliability - early start, large window, pays with a longer than most animation allowing for greater punishment, but still.
Small shields are the golden standard - quick and large.
Medium shields have a worse and often delayed window, but punish you less for failure because they're so sturdy.
And finally - Parrying daggers, but there doesn't seem to be an info on how exactly they work in this game... In Dark Souls 3 it had a window just as large as a buckler, but extremely delayed, but I have no idea how it works around here.

Bonus info : something that is very counter intuitive yet still stays true for all From Soft games - YOU DONT PARRY THE WEAPON, YOU PARRY THE HAND.
If an enemy has a looooong sword or spear and stabs you from afar - you are never Parrying that. But if you get closer and time the parry so that they "punch" it with their fist - it will work.
Crazy stuff, but we got too used to it.

[toughnails]

Originally posted by Artek General:

Small shields are the golden standard - quick and large.
Medium shields have a worse and often delayed window, but punish you less for failure because they're so sturdy.

This is not the case in Elden Ring, both Carian Retaliation and Golden Parry work the exact same way on both small and medium shields. The only reason to use a small shield in this game is its low weight.

[›Kolanaki]

It depends on the shield. A buckler makes it super easy; you can practically hit the button any time you see the enemy's arm move slightly.

This is not the case in Elden Ring, both Carian Retaliation and Golden Parry work the exact same way on both small and medium shields. The only reason to use a small shield in this game is its low weight.

Carian retaliation is basically the same as a buckler, but Golden Parry is the same parrying with a medium shield.

[Morton Koopa Jr.]

Originally posted by LuckyCheshire:

Rather than us trying to explain how the timing works filtered by our unique psychological and gaming hardware setups, it would be more efficient for you to just try it out for yourself on some random soldier and figure out how it works. It's not difficult to tell if you did it successfully or not.

This is not only unhelpful but also terrible.

As other pointed out, the parry timings vary wildly between bosses so the answer truly is trial and error but you made it sound to new players like you can figure it all out on a random soldier.

[›Kolanaki]

Originally posted by Morton Koopa Jr.:

Originally posted by LuckyCheshire:

Rather than us trying to explain how the timing works filtered by our unique psychological and gaming hardware setups, it would be more efficient for you to just try it out for yourself on some random soldier and figure out how it works. It's not difficult to tell if you did it successfully or not.

This is not only unhelpful but also terrible.

As other pointed out, the parry timings vary wildly between bosses so the answer truly is trial and error but you made it sound to new players like you can figure it all out on a random soldier.

The timing for the parry is always right before you get hit. What you're parrying does not change that fact; only how fast they attack. Practice on things that are easy to pay attention to and ramp up to things that are much faster.

[Morton Koopa Jr.]

Originally posted by ›Kolanaki:

Originally posted by Morton Koopa Jr.:

This is not only unhelpful but also terrible.

As other pointed out, the parry timings vary wildly between bosses so the answer truly is trial and error but you made it sound to new players like you can figure it all out on a random soldier.

The timing for the parry is always right before you get hit. What you're parrying does not change that fact; only how fast they attack. Practice on things that are easy to pay attention to and ramp up to things that are much faster.

Lol. That's not true. At all.

[LuckyCheshire]

Originally posted by Morton Koopa Jr.:

Originally posted by LuckyCheshire:

Rather than us trying to explain how the timing works filtered by our unique psychological and gaming hardware setups, it would be more efficient for you to just try it out for yourself on some random soldier and figure out how it works. It's not difficult to tell if you did it successfully or not.

This is not only unhelpful but also terrible.

As other pointed out, the parry timings vary wildly between bosses so the answer truly is trial and error but you made it sound to new players like you can figure it all out on a random soldier.

I meant as a starting point, to figure out the basic mechanics. Obviously not every boss in the game is Rick, Soldier of God. My point was indeed that trial and error would be the best approach rather than waiting for someone to come up with the perfect phrasing to explain what to do in every situation. Sure, I could have elucidated a little more about how that trial and error best works. I was just throwing out some quick advice however, and was keeping it succinct.

[Sonnenbank]

Originally posted by ›Kolanaki:

The timing for the parry is always right before you get hit. What you're parrying does not change that fact; only how fast they attack.

Lol thats completely and utterly wrong
wtf
like you could not be more wrong

we are not talking about spontanious guard flask !

we are talking about shield parry !