How to parry in Tears of the Kingdom – step-by-step guide

If used right, parrying in Tears of the Kingdom can be one of the most useful skills in Link’s toolkit, and can make even the toughest of fights a breeze. Not only is it a great way to counter-attack in The Legend of Zelda: TotK, but it provides the chance to deal some hefty damage with your weapons to anyone on the other end of your shield.

If you’re struggling with the new Tears of the Kingdom enemies in the latest entry to the Zelda franchise, learning how to use the Tears of the Kingdom parry will help make short work of enemy attacks, so you can go back to exploring those Hyrule Sky Islands in peace. As you’ll see, it’s all about timing

How does parrying work in Tears of the Kingdom?

To parry in Tears of the Kingdom, you’re need to have your shield equipped and then counter at just the right time. Please follow these steps:

• Ensure you are locked on to the enemy you want to parry and ensure a shield is equipped. Hold ZL.
• Wait for the enemy to begin the attack, and then press the A button just before they strike you
• If timed correctly, you’ll perform the perfect parry, triggering momentary slow motion, and you’ll be able to perform a parry attack. If you time it just right, it’ll be called a perfect guard which can deflect projectiles

The parry skill can be a hugely useful combat tool, but it’s also an essential skill for defensive purposes. When you successfully parry an attack, Link enters a state known as a flurry rush. When this happens, time slows down, and you are able to deliver a melee attack to the enemy without them being able to block. For most monsters, a couple of flurry rushes should be enough to take them out. Note, if you time it just right, Link will parry projectiles.

Parries are also key to defeating enemies that fire lasers. If you parry a laser correctly, not only does it block the laser, but it reflects it back at the enemy that shot it, dealing a huge amount of damage. If you’re struggling to reflect lasers, there is a small visual clue to help you time them. Just before firing a laser, the charged beam will briefly flash. As soon as you see this flash, use your parry, and you should successfully reflect the laser.

This is how dodging worked in Breath of the Wild. Once we get our hands on Tears of the Kingdom, we will make sure to confirm the information in this guide.

Now you should have everything you need to get out there and parry to your heart’s content. If you need some good food to heal you up while you practise, check out our Tears of the Kingdom recipes guide. And if you want another way to put your shield to good use, our Tears of the Kingdom shield surf guide tells you all about it.

Is parrying hard in TOTK?

No, but against some of the more complex enemies in the game, you’ll need to judge their attack patterns carefully.

Can you parry without a shield in Tears of the Kingdom?

No, you must have a shield equipped to parry in TOTK.