How to parry in Final Fantasy 16

As Final Fantasy 16 has committed to an action-focused combat system, new mechanics like parrying can really help you break free from an otherwise fatal attack in the game. It can be tricky to do - and it is most certainly a high-risk high-reward maneuver - but very few things are more satisfying than when you get it right.

Of course, like all systems in FF16, it will take practice to perfect the parry, so keep reading for a rundown on how to trigger the action alongside what happens when you successfully pull it off.

How do you parry?

In order to parry, all you need to do is attack an enemy at the same time that they attack you. That is unfortunately about as precise as it gets, but it is generally timed just before their attack hits you.

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Not all attacks in the game are able to be parried, with ranged and area of effect abilities typically impervious to your attempts. However, anything that physically hits you can typically be parried, opening up a vital opportunity for attack.

This includes bosses and can be the key to overcoming even the toughest foes in battle. Typically you only get two pause points per stagger period for any enemy, so creating space to get away or deal further damage with no response is incredibly powerful.

What does parrying do?

When you successfully parry an attack in Final Fantasy 16, time will slow to a crawl, giving you the opportunity to attack the enemy with no response or flee to safety. This is incredibly useful for dealing extra damage - especially if you've got an ability with a longer cooldown.

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It only lasts a couple of seconds, so make sure to take advantage of the opening when it appears. Do also be wary that the enemy will be ready to attack again once time returns to normal speed, so don't presume that they remain staggered and continue attacking without recourse.

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