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Parry move being used in Stellar Blade
Screenshot by Pro Game Guides

Full Parry Guide – How to Parry Bosses in Stellar Blade

One of the most useful skills in combat!

Mastering parries in Stellar Blade is essential for surviving boss and elite enemy encounters. In this full parry guide, I will show you how to properly parry bosses in Stellar Blade.

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How Parry Mechanics work in Stellar Blade against bosses

In Stellar Blade, parrying is not about a quick tap but a timed hold. When you anticipate an attack, press and hold the L1 button and only release once you receive the visual, audio, or rumble feedback indicating a successful parry. The window for this action is generous, allowing you to adapt your timing to the game's rhythm. Anticipating the boss's attacks is key to landing a proper party, as is the case in all souls-like games. Here are some of the main parrying points that I've learned during my time playing the game:

  1. Press and Hold: Instead of tapping, press and hold L1 when you anticipate an attack. Release after getting the parry feedback.
  2. Timing Practice: Spend time in practice mode to familiarize yourself with the timing of enemy attacks. Understanding attack patterns is crucial for successful parrying.
  3. Visual Cues: Pay attention to visual cues from enemies to better predict when to initiate a parry.
Eve parrying an attack in Stellar Blade
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Advanced Parry Techniques

Retaliation after a parry in Stellar Blade
Screenshot by Pro Game Guides
  1. Beta Attack Follow-Up: After a successful parry, you can execute a secondary beta attack without additional beta meter consumption, enhancing your counterattack strategy. Using this method is especially important against bosses, as you need to be landing hits as frequently as possible to deplete their large health pools.
  2. Air Dodge and Slash: Master the timing of air dodges and follow up with an air slash for aerial advantage. Most bosses will be vulnerable to this exploit.
  3. Dodge Mechanics: Learn the nuances of ground dodges, including the backflip maneuver, which requires no directional input and offers strategic positioning.
  4. Beta Chain Attack: Utilize the beta chain attack during combos to maximize damage while conserving the beta meter.

Related: How to do a Perfect Parry in Stellar Blade

Additional Combat Tips

Parry branch on the Survival Skill tree in Stellar Blade
Screenshot by Pro Game Guides
  • Skill Tree Exploration: You can grab to upgrade your parrying abilities. If you're struggling, there is a Focus Boost skill to make it easier. If you're confident, you can instead grab one of the several counter-attack skills or a beta recharge skill to help you in combat.
  • Input Delay Sensitivity: If you experience input delay, particularly when playing on a TV, activating game mode may mitigate the issue, providing a more responsive gaming experience.

Use Parry Practice to beat bosses

Here are some key points to practice parrying to defeat bosses in Stellar Blade.

  1. Familiarization: Begin by familiarizing yourself with the hold-to-parry mechanic in a low-risk environment or practice mode.
  2. Enemy Study: Focus on learning one enemy's attack pattern at a time, starting with simpler foes before tackling boss challenges.
  3. Feedback Utilization: Use the feedback from successful parries to refine your timing, aiming to understand the window for each enemy's attacks.
  4. Repetition: Consistent practice is key. Repeat parry drills with various enemies to build muscle memory and confidence in your parrying skills.

Looking for more guides on beating Stellar Blade? Look no further; you're in the right place! Have a look at All boss weaknesses in Stellar Blade here on Pro Game Guides!


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Author
Image of Luka Rakočević
Luka Rakočević
Luka Rakocevic works as a full-time staff writer at Pro Game Guides and is a new-generation gamer. Backed with old-school gaming knowledge, his oldest gaming memories are on SNES, trying to beat Super Mario. Games are his big inspiration, and he frequently draws from that well to create new art. He prefers narrative-driven games like God of War, Killzone, Half-life, Uncharted and similar. Luka mainly writes science fiction in his free time. When he's not home banging away at his computer keyboard, you will most likely find him at a local pub or a metal concert in the middle of a mosh pit.
Author
Image of Hristina Matić
Hristina Matić
Hristina has been a full-time Staff Writer at Pro Game Guides since October 2023. She has a Master's degree in English Language, Literature and Culture from the University of Belgrade. She's used her love of English to write blogs, anime quizzes, books as well as work as a Content Editor before starting at PGG. She lives for the horror genre and you'll often find her playing Dead by Daylight, Lethal Company, and Phasmophobia. Hristina's comfort games are Outlast, Last of Us, and Until Dawn, which she has played or watched other people play more than 10 times each.