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 parry in the game.
How to Unlock Parry in Avowed
To parry in *Avowed*, you'll first need to unlock the ability. Start by opening the menu and navigating to the "Abilities" screen, then select the "Ranger" tab. You'll find the Parry ability in the middle column at the top. To unlock it, you must first allocate an Ability point into any of the three core trees. Once that's done, you can unlock Parry.
Parry comes in three ranks, detailed in the table below:
| Rank | Player Level Requirement | Level Description |
| 1 | N/A (1 Point Spent) | Unlocks Parry. |
| 2 | Player Level 5 | Increases Parry efficiency by 25%, dealing greater Stun when Parrying enemies. |
| 3 | Player Level 8 | Increases Parry efficiency by 50%, dealing greater Stun when parrying enemies. |
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 parry in *Avowed*, you need to block just before an enemy's attack hits you. You'll hear a metal clanking sound and see a visual indicator on the screen as the enemy reels from your parry. The timing can take some practice to master, and it varies slightly between enemies. However, it's not as challenging as in games like *Dark Souls* or *Elden Ring*.
Parrying Isn’t Always an Option
Not all attacks can be parried. If you see a red circle, you'll need to dodge those attacks instead. Additionally, not all weapons can parry in *Avowed*. Single-handed and two-handed weapons can generally parry, provided they're not in your off-hand. If you have a shield in your off-hand, you can parry with that as well. Ranged weapons, such as guns, wands, and bows, and 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 a great way to stun your attacker, causing them to stagger. This allows you to deal significant damage. It's an excellent method to avoid taking damage while increasing your chances of dishing it out.
Depending on your build, you may or may not want to use parry. It's more suited to melee characters who engage enemies up close. If your character focuses on ranged attacks, you might not need parry. However, it's a very effective ability for melee fighters. The good news is that respecing in *Avowed* is easy and affordable, so if you decide you don't like Parry, you can remove it later without any issues.
And that's how to Parry in *Avowed*.
*Avowed is available now.*
