Mastering Parry Techniques in Avowed: A Guide

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 how to master the art of parrying in the game.

How to Unlock Parry in Avowed

To parry in *Avowed*, you’ll first need to unlock the ability. Begin by opening the menu and navigating to the “Abilities” screen under the “Ranger” tab. You'll find the Parry ability in the middle column at the top. To unlock it, you must allocate an Ability point into any of the three core trees. Once you've done that, you can then unlock Parry.

Parry comes in three ranks, detailed in the table below:

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

How to Parry Attacks in Avowed

To execute a parry in *Avowed*, you must block just before an enemy’s attack lands. You'll hear a distinctive metal clanking sound and see a visual indicator on the screen as the enemy staggers from your successful parry. The timing can be tricky and varies between 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. If you see a red circle, you'll need to dodge those attacks instead.

Additionally, not all weapons in *Avowed* can parry. Single-handed and two-handed weapons can generally parry, but only if they're not in your off-hand. If you have a shield in your off-hand, you can use it to parry as well. Ranged weapons like guns, wands, and bows, as well as grimoires, cannot parry, so don't take "the pen is mightier than the sword" literally.

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

Parrying in *Avowed* is an excellent way to stun your attacker, causing them to stagger and allowing you to deal significant damage. It's a strategic move to avoid taking damage while increasing your offensive opportunities.

However, whether you should use parry depends on your build. It's particularly beneficial for melee characters who engage enemies up close. If your character focuses on ranged attacks, you might want to skip parry. Fortunately, respecing in *Avowed* is easy and affordable, so if you find parry isn't for you, you can always change your abilities later without hassle.

And that’s how to master parrying in *Avowed*.

*Avowed is available now.*