How to Parry in No Rest for the Wicked

No Rest for the Wicked generously offers a handy Parry system, and while you can use it to stop enemies in their tracks completely, I understand if you’re having trouble with the system.

Parrying is at the heart of so many combat systems now. The art of a Parry isn’t a new concept, but one I’d say was popularized by Souls games. Now, every action-adventure game featuring melee-based combat seems to have a built-in Parry system—and No Rest for the Wicked has also jumped at the chance.

Rolling and blocking is a great way to stave off the threat of enemy attacks, but mastering the Parry will make you a dominant of combat.

How to do a Parry in No Rest for the Wicked

To accurately Parry in No Rest for the Wicked at the right moment, press L2 on a PS5 DualSense controller, LT on an Xbox controller, or click the mouse button on PC.

Parrying requires utmost precision and timing. So, you need to do several things: Be patient and don’t attack the enemy, study an enemy’s attack patterns, and conserve stamina if possible.

Patience is a virtue

If you attack, the enemy is likely to still attack you while doing so, leading to an equal exchange of damage. However, while they die if you win, you’re left to rummage through your inventory for food and burn through resources to heal. Instead, don’t attack and learn the Parry timing window.

Watch and learn

Each enemy has a different set of attacks and movements. Chances are, you will encounter many of these enemy types throughout No Rest for the Wicked. If you want to be a Parry perfectionist, it will benefit you in the long run to learn enemy attacks. So, when you encounter them again, you’ll already know what to expect and when they’ll attack, and you can Parry accordingly.

Don’t waste Stamina

Swinging endlessly consumes Stamina, as does rolling, so again, be patient and smart. Unless it’s a big enemy dealing big damage or one that can unleash a flurry of attacks and you need to panic roll, save your Stamina for Parrying. After all, it’s no good trying to Parry if you don’t have any Stamina to Parry.

I understand all this is much easier said than done—I would know as I struggled immensely with Parrying in the early game. As No Rest for the Wicked is currently in early access, fixes will be coming to the game, and I believe one of the mechanics that devs will look at first is Parrying because the timing window right now feels very harsh.

So, if you’re struggling to Parry, I’m in the same boat that it’s not your fault, and we’ll have to see if Parrying gets updated. Until then, use the tips above and also learn how Weight Class works, how to repair equipment, and how to save your game.