How to Parry Attacks Like a Boss in Valheim

The combat system of Valheim offers a good bit of variety depending on how you like to do things, with some people likening it to a Dark Souls adjacent experience. With so many good weapons to choose from, each with its own styles and attacks, there’s a little something for everyone. But where there is offense, there is also defense, and the most satisfying defense is knowing how to parry your foe’s blows.

In this quick tips guide, we’re going to talk about parrying in Valheim and how it’s an essential technique to master.

Parry on My Wayward Son

Parrying can be done with any weapon that you can block with; from the lowly wooden club to a mighty iron axe and the stout Stagbreaker. Your default blocking key for keyboard and mouse is bound to the right mouse click.

The advantage of a parry over a block is that it not only will block incoming damage, but it will also cause your enemies to stagger and give you a small window to do critical damage.

So, if it’s the same key as your block, then how do you do it? Timing. It’s all in the timing. 

Parry Timing

Similar to games like Dark Souls, the parrying mechanic in Valheim is all about timing. A well-timed right-click, as soon as an enemy is about to land their attack, will register as a parry.

It’s easy to tell if the parry was successful, as it will make a noise similar to the one made when you gain a skill level. The enemy will also stagger backward,  drooping slightly and remaining motionless for a second or so. 

Parrying with a Shield

Now, while you can pull the move off with a weapon, doing so with a shield is the better route to go.

A shield is going to block more damage, and you’re going to be quicker on the counterattack since you don’t have to wait for your weapon to go back to a neutral position.

It is also very important for you to remember that blocking and parrying will require stamina, with that stamina requirement getting lower as your block skill increases with each successful attack block/parry. You could eat a bit of fish to up your stamina before battle to make things a bit easier. 

Lastly, larger enemies like bosses and trolls are going to be much harder to parry, if at all, and very difficult to stagger, so don’t put yourself in their direct line of attack if at all possible. 

And there you have it, parrying in Valheim comes down to timing, practice, and knowing your foe. Hopefully, you found this quick tip guide helpful and, if you’re new to Valheim, consider checking out some of our other articles like our starter help guide, base construction guide, or merchant finder methods.