Dark Souls 3 has a lot of very deep mechanics when it comes to combat. This means that your controller has to do a whole lot, with very little. Each button performs some action, but then you can modify that action by doing something else, such as with the analog stick. Kicking is like this, as there is no single button you press to kick. Instead you have to perform a couple of actions at the right time to do it. So, here’s a quick guide on how to kick in Dark Souls 3.
Kicking uses the standard light attack button, which by default is the right bumper for Xbox One, or L1 button for PS4. Along with this you need to tilt the left analog stick toward your enemy. However, you can’t just hold forward on the analog stick and push the button to do the kick. Instead you need to time them, hitting the button just as you tap the analog stick in the right direction.
The timing is the key here, so work on that most of all. The truth is, you’ll mostly kick by accident if you don’t understand how it works. Gaining an understanding of how to kick in Dark Souls 3 is important not just because kicking can stun an enemy for a few frames, but also so that you don’t go for a light attack against a boss, only to kick at them aimlessly.
There’s much more to Dark Souls 3 though, so if you’re having trouble you can head to our thorough Beginners Guide for a full rundown of everything you need to know to get started in Dark Souls 3. We also have a bunch of other guides both in-depth and simpler ones like this. If you’re having a problem with any aspect of the game, be sure to check them out.
