How to parry attacks in Final Fantasy XVI (FF16)

A great opportunity to strike

You can parry attacks in Final Fantasy XVI, which can help a lot in battle. A precise parry will cause your opponents to slow down and let you get in a few more hits. These strikes will also ding your opponent’s stagger bar to great effect. Here’s how to use parry attacks in Final Fantasy XVI.

How to perform parry attacks in Final Fantasy XVI

To nail parry attacks in Final Fantasy XVI, you’ll need to time a sword clash just right. As an enemy is about to attack you, swing your sword back with the Square button. If you get the timing just right, a parry is performed. The timing can be hard to master, and each enemy has their own attack patterns to memorize.

When you land a parry in Final Fantasy XVI, the game blurs and slows down, giving Clive an opportunity to land anywhere from three to five strikes before the battle speed returns to normal. The stagger meter will significantly go down for the enemy too, getting you closer to a full break of their guard.

Other combat bonuses to consider

There are other ways to succeed in this game’s combat system. In addition to the parry attacks, you can dodge, getting a bonus if you hit it at just the right time. These are called Precision Dodges. Clive will light up in blue if you perform these correctly. It slows down time for a few seconds, allowing you to get a cheeky strike on your foe. It will certainly take them by surprise.

You can improve the effectiveness of the Precision Dodge by mastering it on the abilities screen. It will cost 500 ability points. Additionally, you can make them easier to perform. The Ring of Timely Evasion lets you automatically evade attacks if they’re deemed avoidable by the game.