Final Fantasy 16 Parry Guide: Parry Timing and Tips for FFXVI

As all avid Action RPG fans know, knowing the fundamentals is a must if you plan on coming out on top in all scenarios, and in Final Fantasy XVI that means knowing how and when to perfectly dodge, and parry. Now, so that you can make Lord Murdoch proud, here’s how to parry efficiently in Final Fantasy 16.

How To Parry Efficiently in Final Fantasy XVI

You can parry in Final Fantasy XVI by hitting your opponent or performing a Swift Recovery as their attack is about to hit Clive, which will allow him to repel it and open the enemy for a counterattack.

Differently from the timing of a perfect dodge — which you can perform by dodging as the enemy is about to land and attack — you will need to account for the speed of Clive’s action when attempting to parry an enemy advance with a melee attack.

Related: Final Fantasy XVI Review

FFXVI Parry Tips: All Parry Types in Final Fantasy XVI and How to Trigger Them

As we mentioned above, it is possible to parry enemy advances in two distinct ways in Final Fantasy XVI, by either making use of melee attacks (such as the ones featured in the normal 4-hit combo or in lunges) or performing a Swift Recovery at the moment the opponent is about to hit you. But getting the timing of each action right is key if you plan on pulling it off.

Now, here are a few tips sure to help you perform both parry types with a high success rate in FFXVI.

• Standard Parry: In most scenarios, you will be able to perform this parry by pressing the attack input (Square) as the opponent’s weapon is either around a meter from Clive (Pierce attacks) or when the enemy starts its slashing motion. Different enemies will have different attack patterns and swing speeds, so make sure to change the timing of your strikes accordingly. Pierce attacks can also be parried by meeting them with your own advances.
• Swift Recovery Parry: Can be performed by, after being knocked down, pressing R1 right as the enemy’s attack is about to hit Clive, which will allow him to instantly counter and then get up on his feet. You will need to unlock the Swift Recovery skill from the Ability Tree in order to perform it. Swift Recovery can be unlocked in exchange for 10 Ability Points and becomes available after Clive arrives in Stillwind during the Prologue.

For those looking to practice their parrying, it may be the Elden Ring in me, but I found parrying fast strikes to be way easier than the slow ones at first, given their unusual build-up.

Parry Vs Precision Dodge: When Should You Parry and When Should You Dodge?

Overall, we always recommend that you perform a perfect dodge over parrying in Final Fantasy XVI, as doing so presents you with way fewer risks in exchange for pretty much the same pay-off (in most scenarios). With that said, parrying will, contrary to a perfectly performed dodge, stop most targets’ attacks on their tracks and thus can be a great way to deal with enemies whose forms are otherwise unaffected by your strikes.

Now that you know how to parry all attacks efficiently in Final Fantasy XVI, don’t forget to also check out how to sprint in the game, as well as the location of the Fallen Giant in Rosaria Ruins.

This guide was made while playing Final Fantasy XVI on a PS5.