Is parry really important?

[Fufa Calala]

I want to finish sekiro, i always wanted but i couldnt cause i gave up, and im not gonna give up this time, so im asking you all, should i learn how to parry always i can? Thank you!

[Beaquire]

U can to finish sekiro without parry

[spy]

there is no parry. you say deflect. in my first playthrough i tried 300 battle with genichiro. 400 ape too. you must more practice to learn deflect every time. once you learn you will beat all game.

[Banshee]

Deflecting your enemies in Sekiro can usually provide you with a many advantages against most opponents, especially humanoid ones. Being able to deflect consistently will allow you to play the game with much more ease. Let's go over some of the benefits to deflecting: causes great damage to enemy posture, does less posture damage to you on successful deflection, there is a skill that makes your counter attacks (attacks after a successful deflect) do more damage, holding your guard after a successful deflect regenerate posture quicker than if you were to simply block your opponent and then guard, deflecting can create openings against certain enemies and bosses. These are just a few of the advantages to successful deflects that I can think of off the top of my head. In short, you technically don't need to deflect to beat Sekiro but learning and understanding the mechanic fluently can massively decrease the difficultly you may be experiencing.

[Squirel_squire]

Originally posted by Fufa Calala:

I want to finish sekiro, i always wanted but i couldnt cause i gave up, and im not gonna give up this time, so im asking you all, should i learn how to parry always i can? Thank you!

YES, it's important. It's the core of the gameplay and it's FUN as hell once it "clicks".
However, by using prostethic tools you can beat ANY boss with minimal parries.

I've made a list of all 50 bosses and minibosses focused on Prostetics and arts:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0kd8_agKc5bx5pn0I6l38Xtrij43yweB&si=39btBS9TbtA65zGZ

[supergorilla]

yes you should learn how to parry, it's only optional if you're a masochist. yes you can get away by spamming R1 in all but a handful of situations.

[eb]

More than anything else, you should learn to always be on the offensive, and don't just wait for opportunities to parry. If you are too passive, most enemies will just immediately recover from any posture damage you do to them, unless they're absurdly aggressive.

[Alexoferith]

Firstly, the game was designed for you to learn your way as you progress in the story though not many players get the foundamental idea of the game hence the many complaints, curses about the game. This foundamental idea was formed by Miyazaki, the chief designer and producer of the Dark Soul series. And the idea was "what if I can defeat the enemy without depleting his or her health (a typical way to play the game as in most other games)".... So, after he finished the DS series, Miyazaki spent the next 3 years perfecting this idea. And the result was the combat system in Sekiro. He did it by adding the "posture bar"... which, when depleted, the subject will be "totally" stunned hence the opponent can inflict serious harm or worst, executing a deathblow.
In the game, there are a few passive combat arts that will increase the damage Sekiro can cause to his enemies' posture bar, especially those that use sword as main weapon. So, do look out for them.
Oh sorry, I forgot to mention that every time you (or Sekiro) deflect enemy's attack, damage will be caused to his or her posture bar. Same thing will happen if your, or rather Sekiro's attack is deflected. However, if you manage to deflect "perfectly", even if your posture got full up, your posture will never be broken, i.e. Sekiro, will not be stunned. So, it is vital to learn how to execute perfect deflect. The way to know that you have executed a perfect parry or deflect is that, firstly, you will see sparks flying everywhere. And secondly, you will hear a clear, crisp, clinking or clanking sound in high pitch. If you mistime the deflect, apart from no spark, you will hear a dull clunking sound. Later on in the game, if your mistime when you trying to execute a perfect parry, you will suffer chip damage to both your health and posture bar. And later on, if you want to make the game harder, play the game without the Kuro's charm, whenever you block or mistime your perfect parry, you will suffer chip damage to your health and posture.
Just like to add, when you playing the game the 1st time, or with the Kuro's Charm (default condition), when facing minions, armoured minions with axe or sword, you can block and you will not suffer chip damage.
When you can execute perfect parry / deflect, you can defeat anything and anyone, even without upgrading your vitality and your attacking power. But of course, you will have to know all the moves of all the enemies in Sekiro. Ongbal was the 1st player put up videos exhibiting this skill with only 10 vatality and 1 Attacking Power (AP) soon after the game was released back in early 2019. Have a look if you are curious.
Anyway, good luck and have fun.... :)

[Sokurah]

Don't be afraid to defelct. The timing is actually very generous. When you know the enemy you will find yourself waiting for the next attacks, it seems like slow motion.

Just focus, shinobi of the divine heir ;)

[Apoloyn]

Parrying is to Sekiro, what firing your gun, is to FPS games.

[LightLance]

Originally posted by eb:

More than anything else, you should learn to always be on the offensive, and don't just wait for opportunities to parry. If you are too passive, most enemies will just immediately recover from any posture damage you do to them, unless they're absurdly aggressive.

[Narcentropy]

Originally posted by Beaquire:

U can to finish sekiro without parry

I love how people are bringing up the fact plenty of Content-baiting youtubers have started posting meme runs of them not deflecting and immediatle say that it's a viable playstyle to someone who's already struggle.

to OP, don't listen to this guy or anyone else who say anything similar; trying to go through this game without parrying/deflecting will make you hate life.

[Silyth]

you can either spam deflect after your attacks for some success or learn the rhythm to each fight. But you do need to deflect attacks.
"Hesitation is defeat"

[LightLance]

Originally posted by Narcentropy:

Originally posted by Beaquire:

U can to finish sekiro without parry

I love how people are bringing up the fact plenty of Content-baiting youtubers have started posting meme runs of them not deflecting and immediatle say that it's a viable playstyle to someone who's already struggle.

to OP, don't listen to this guy or anyone else who say anything similar; trying to go through this game without parrying/deflecting will make you hate life.

Yes. I remember the guy in this forum who admired the game and didn't like deflection mechanic. He played this game like ds . Sent him into blacklist, cause his messages about the game were absolutely uninteresting and uninformative.

[Sokurah]

Originally posted by LightLance:

Originally posted by Narcentropy:

I love how people are bringing up the fact plenty of Content-baiting youtubers have started posting meme runs of them not deflecting and immediatle say that it's a viable playstyle to someone who's already struggle.

to OP, don't listen to this guy or anyone else who say anything similar; trying to go through this game without parrying/deflecting will make you hate life.

Yes. I remember the guy in this forum who admired the game and didn't like deflection mechanic. He played this game like ds . Sent him into blacklist, cause his messages about the game were absolutely uninteresting and uninformative.:galdr:

Don't make the mistake to think dodge is useless tho. It's like one of these meme graphs like the "Frankenstein is the monster meme".

The better you get, you start using more deflect, and when you get even better, you defelct everything, except the parts where dodge is just the better option.

Often it's a good way to get direct hits, direct hits lowers health, less health means less posture recovery, means your defects have a higher effect.

The best way is a mix of dodge and deflect.

Take Genichiros floating passage. If you dodge the very last hit you can get a lot of direct hits in. At least in his non lightning phase its better to dodge the last strike. In the lightning phase deflect it, because he will follow up with a trust.

Shirafiju is also very easy to beat with dodge if you sturggle with her timing. If you miss the defelct you might get hit with huge damage. Dodge feels a lot safer in that fight. You can easily dodge her shots as well.

Dodge is also very good to close disctance to an enemy.

You can / should dodge Owls fire crackers, you can get hits in as well. It's better than just avioding the attack.

You need the dodge in the True monk fight as well, because you can't defelct his poison sh*t.

[LightLance]

Originally posted by Sokurah:

Don't make the mistake to think dodge is useless tho.

Of course. There are planty situations in the game where it's very usefull.