Parrying in Elden Ring is a nuanced combat mechanic that, when mastered, can drastically change the flow of battle. Understanding the underlying mechanics of parrying is crucial for players looking to incorporate this skill into their repertoire. This article breaks down the parry mechanics in Elden Ring, explaining how parry frames, hitboxes, and latency affect the outcome of parry attempts.

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The fundamental principle of parrying involves creating a temporary hitbox in front of the player character that, if it intersects with an enemy's attack hitbox, triggers a parry. The duration and size of this parry hitbox vary depending on the parrying tool used. Some skills, such as certain Ashes of War, offer superior parry frames or additional utility compared to standard shield parries.

However, the simplicity of this mechanic is complicated by the presence of latency, especially in online play. Latency introduces a delay between a player's input and its manifestation in the game world, leading to discrepancies between what the player sees and what is actually happening in the game. In the context of parrying, latency can make it difficult to accurately time parries, as the player must account for the delay between the enemy's attack animation and the actual hit registration.

One technique to mitigate the effects of latency is to use setups, planned actions designed to create predictable scenarios for parrying. For example, an "attack parry" involves hitting an enemy to trigger a stun animation and then parrying their subsequent attack. The timing for this type of parry remains consistent regardless of latency, making it a reliable option in PvP. Another setup, the "trade parry," involves parrying after both players trade hits and enter a stun animation.

Different weapons have different "critical boost" parameters, which determine the damage dealt during a riposte. Weapons with higher critical boost, such as the Misericorde dagger, will deal significantly more damage than weapons with lower values, even if the latter have higher overall attack power. Furthermore, infusing the Misericorde with an element and equipping the Dagger Talisman can further amplify its riposte damage. While mastering parrying requires practice and adaptation, understanding the underlying mechanics can significantly improve a player's ability to execute successful parries. If you want to optimize your parrying build, explore where to buy Elden Ring Items to get the best gear.