Final Fantasy 16 Parry Guide: Parry Timing and Tips for FFXVI | Attack of the Fanboy

As all avid Action RPG fans know, knowing the fundamentals of battle 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 simply attacking or performing a Swift Recovery as your opponent’s attack is about to hit Clive, which will allow him to repel it and open the enemy for a counterattack.

It’s important to point out that 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 attack or overall move when attempting to parry an enemy advance.

Related: Final Fantasy XVI Review

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

As we mentioned above, it is possible to parry attacks by making use of melee attacks (such as the ones featured in the normal 4-hit combo or in lounges), as well as by recovering from a fall at the moment the opponent is about to hit you. But performing each one requires a mastery of both its mechanics and a good knowledge of an enemy’s moveset.

Here’s how to perform all Parry types in Final Fantasy XVI, as well as a few tips sure to help you perform them actively.

• Standard Parry: Perform an Attack as the enemy is about to attack. 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.
• Swift Recovery Parry: Can be performed by pressing R1 right as the enemy’s attack is about to hit Clive, which will allow him to immediately counter it and then get on his feet. You will need to unlock the Swit Recovery skill from the Ability Tree in order to perform it. Swit Recovery can be unlocked in exchange for 10 Ability Points and becomes available after Clive arrives in Storwind 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 perfectly 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 perfectly performed dodge, stop your target’s attack on its tracks at once and can be a great way to deal with enemies whose form is 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 spring 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.

– This article was updated on June 26th, 2023

About The Author

Franklin is a writer and journalist. A video game fanatic with more than 3 years of experience, his work can also be seen on sites such as The Click, Games Atlas, and Try Hard Guides. When not writing, he is most likely making his wallet cry while playing Gacha Games or trying to stay composed as we get closer to the release of Final Fantasy XVI.