How to Parry Attacks in Avowed

There’s nothing more satisfying in an action game than parrying an enemy’s attack, turning their momentum into a wonderful moment of gut-stabbing action. If that’s the *Avowed* experience you’re looking for, here’s a comprehensive guide on how to master the art of parrying in the game.

How to Unlock Parry in Avowed

An image showing the Parry ability in Avowed as part of a guide on how to parry in the game.

To parry in *Avowed*, you need to unlock the ability first. Navigate to the menu, head to the "Abilities" screen, and select the "Ranger" tab. You'll find the Parry ability in the middle column at the top. To unlock it, you must invest an Ability point into any of the three core trees. Once that's done, you can unlock Parry.

Parry has three ranks, detailed in the table below:

Rank	Player Level Requirement	Level Description
1	N/A (1 Point Spent)	Unlocks Parry.
2	Player Level 5	Increases Parry efficiency by 25%, dealing greater Stun when Parrying enemies.
3	Player Level 8	Increases Parry efficiency by 50%, dealing greater Stun when parrying enemies.

At level 10, you can unlock "Arrow Deflection," a related ability that allows you to block arrows and other projectiles by parrying.

How to Parry Attacks in Avowed

An image showing the player in Avowed holding up a sword, about to parry a Yellowband outlaw, as part of a guide on how to parry in the game.

To execute a parry in *Avowed*, you must time your block perfectly just before an enemy’s attack lands. You’ll hear a distinctive metal clanking sound, and the game will provide a visual cue as the enemy recoils from your successful parry. The timing can be tricky and varies with different enemies, but with practice, you'll master it. It's less challenging than in games like *Dark Souls* or *Elden Ring*.

Parrying Isn’t Always an Option

Keep in mind that not all attacks can be parried. Attacks marked with a red circle require dodging instead. Additionally, not all weapons in *Avowed* support parrying. Single-handed and two-handed weapons can generally parry if not held in your off-hand. Shields in the off-hand can also be used for parrying. Ranged weapons such as guns, wands, and bows, as well as grimoires, cannot parry.

What Parrying Does (& Why You Might Want to Do It)

Parrying in *Avowed* serves a crucial role in combat. It stuns your attacker, causing them to stagger, which allows you to deal significant damage. This makes parrying an excellent strategy for melee characters to avoid damage while maximizing their offensive opportunities.

However, the effectiveness of parrying depends on your character build. It's more suited for melee fighters engaged in close combat. Ranged-focused characters might find less use for it. Fortunately, *Avowed* offers an easy and affordable respec system, so if you decide Parry isn't for you, you can change your abilities later without hassle.

And that’s the complete guide on how to parry in *Avowed*. Master this skill to enhance your combat prowess in the game.

*Avowed is available now.*