Controls & combat basics

Block, parry and guard break

Blocking is the held defensive action. The community combat reference describes incoming blocked attacks building your posture; high posture can leave you guardbroken and stunned. Watch that meter instead of treating a held block as permanent protection.

Parrying uses the same listed F input with different timing: press it just before an attack connects. Learn one enemy’s windup first, then practise against a quicker sequence. There is no verified universal millisecond window in the reviewed material.

For Bael, the walkthrough uses parries to help create a posture-break opening. The Magic Knight Exam demonstrates a trial whose attack speed increases. Both reward reacting to the attack rather than repeating one fixed rhythm.

Movement before complicated combos

Use a directional roll to leave an attack’s path or regain space. The combat reference lists M2 during a roll as an early cancel. A cancel changes the movement; it does not prove that another dodge is available immediately. Read any trait that changes that behaviour separately.

The listed default sprint input is a double-tap of a movement key. Sprint settings and Auto Run can alter the input or attack you get. Crouching uses Control, while a slide requires running before Control.

The Air Dash walkthrough covers a separate movement unlock. A movement option being listed in a guide does not mean a fresh character already has it.

Misdirect and aerial attacks

The sources describe M1 followed by M2 during the attack as Misdirect, a feint or modified attack. Practise when the cancel happens before building around a trait that triggers from it. The input alone does not guarantee a hit, guard break or follow-up.

The Combat Mechanics reference explicitly requires Shift Lock for the jumping M2 downslam. The two written control pages describe the aerial M1 requirement differently. When practising either move, check Shift Lock and the current input prompt rather than assuming that every jumping attack uses the same condition.

Your basic sequence and critical also depend on the equipped weapon. Changing a keybind does not purchase a weapon skill; proficiency and skill unlocks are separate steps.

Controller and custom bindings

The FAQ lists gamepad support. Use the game’s settings to inspect the current controller mapping instead of translating every PC key into a guessed button.

The reviewed controller video visits settings at 0:27. Its creator later reports a fix and demonstrates R3 Shift Lock at 2:41. The earlier complaint in that recording should not be read as a current universal controller fault.

If the expected action does not happen

1. Check your current bindings and sprint setting.
2. For weapon attacks, equip the intended weapon and confirm that the skill is learned.
3. For running moves, establish a run first; for downslam, check Shift Lock.
4. For a parry, practise the impact timing rather than holding block throughout the windup.
5. If a move depends on a trait or unlock, check its requirements and purchase state in the relevant menu.

Use J for the listed Journal shortcut and Tab for the menu. Tracking the actual quest is often the quickest way to distinguish a missing unlock from an input problem.