Parrying is an incredibly useful ability in God of War Ragnarök, as it not only protects you from damage, but will also stagger the enemy leaving them vulnerable to a counter attack.
But successfully executing a parry is easier said than done. If you’re not sure how to use this skill, then we’ve created this guide to help you through the process.
Once mastered, you should become considerably more effective in combat. Keep on reading to find out how to parry in God of War Ragnarök.
What you need:
The Short Version:
- Wait until an enemy’s attack is about to land
- Press L1 on your controller
- Revel in the parry, and then quickly counter
- Watch out for red rings, although yellow rings are fine
- Double tap L1 if you see a blue ring
Step
1Wait until an enemy’s attack is about to land
You can only execute a parry when an enemy’s attack is milliseconds away from landing. Press too early, and Kratos will just do a standard block. Press too late, and your enemy will likely cut off a big chunk of your health bar.
Step
2Press L1 on your controller
When the enemy is just about to land its attack, press L1 on the controller. This is the same for both the PS5 and PS4 pads.
Step
3Revel in the parry, and then quickly counter
If successful, you should then see a stylish animation as Kratos slams his shield into the enemy’s weapon. The enemy will then stagger back. It’s important to then counter, as otherwise there isn’t much point in a risky counter opposed to a block.
Step
4Watch out for red rings, although yellow rings are fine
If you see a red ring around an enemy as they attack, this means you’re unable to parry. Instead, you’ll have to dodge. If you see a yellow ring, then you’re still fine to pull off a parry, although make sure to perfect the timing as standard blocks won’t work.
Step
5Double tap L1 if you see a blue ring
If you see a blue ring around an enemy as they’re about to attack, you’re still able to parry but you need to double press L1 instead of hitting it once. This is an important skill, as it can prevent enemies from healing or executing a heavy-damage attack.
FAQs
The time window for when you can execute a parry is so short that it can be difficult to pull off successfully. That’s been done on purpose, as it’s a high-risk option in combat. However, you can improve your chances by equipping certain shields. Some shields widen the time window, but aren’t as useful for blocking and can deal less damage when used as a weapon.
The parry button is L1 for God of War Ragnarök.
Blocking is the safer option, as its increases your odds of avoiding damage. However, parrying is an excellent option for offensive combat, as it leaves an enemy open to attack, which is extremely useful against aggressive foes. Both are useful, just for different tactics and situations.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
