Valheim has garnered a lot of praise since its release, putting a Viking-themed spin on the survival genre. It has a surprisingly complex combat system, with several options for weapons, each with their own unique line of skills that players can pour time into developing.

Along with those weapons, Valheim's players can craft shields and other protective items like armor, and even stylish capes, that do add protective bonuses, slight as they may be. While these things are essentially requirements to progress through the game's increasingly difficult bosses, they all pale in comparison to the ultimate form of defense-- parrying.

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Parrying not only blocks incoming damage, but it staggers enemies, making them more vulnerable to attacks in return. But like several useful tips and tricks in Valheim, the ability to parry isn't readily apparent, nor is it recognized in the game. It's entirely possible that players have been doing it accidentally, without even realizing that they are executing a powerful defensive maneuver.

The parry can be pulled off with pretty much any weapon, from the Wooden Club to the Bronze Axe to the powerful Stagbreaker, so long as a player has the capability to block with said weapon. Blocking is, by default, bound to right-click when a weapon is equipped in an open hand.

It's recommended that players parry with some sort of shield, as not only does it block more damage, but it would be quicker to then counter the staggered enemy with whatever weapon is equipped in the other hand. Players can upgrade their base blocking skill by preventing any sort of damage from happening. Be aware that blocking does use stamina, like most actions in Valheim. 

In similar fashion to Dark Souls, parrying in Valheim is all about timing. A player has to right-click to block as soon as an enemy is about to hit them with an attack. It's easy to tell if the parry was successful, as it will make a distinctive noise similar to the sound made when a skill is leveled up. The enemy will also saunter backwards and droop downwards, motionless.

It's while they are in this state that a player's attacks will do bonus damage. There are certain enemies, like most of Valheim's bosses or Trolls that are extremely difficult, or even impossible, to parry. As a general rule of thumb, the bigger they are, the harder they are to stagger.

Valheim is available now in Early Access on PC.

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