How to parry in Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, which comes to us from Team Ninja, carries much of the studio’s DNA. It’s possibly the fastest-paced real-time combat in a Final Fantasy entry yet, with a healthy mix of role-playing elements and standard action-game mechanics.

That means parry understanding is a big part of his ability cap. Stranger of Paradise offers several parry systems that can be used depending on the active job or overall skill. Our guide explains the game’s universal parry systems, as well as profession- and weapon-specific ones.

Universal parades

The universal parry systems apply to every job and weapon type. They will be your biggest fallbacks while experimenting with the extensive job system. As with any other game, blocking at the right time with L1 on PlayStation or the left bumper on Xbox just when an attack is imminent opens up the enemy for a follow-up strike. This works regardless of what weapon you’re using.

Soul Shield is usually associated with instant item mechanics, but can also be used to parry normal blockable attacks, with a much greater risk associated with it. Normal, blockable attacks are any attack that doesn’t have a move’s name flashed over the opponent’s head. Summoning the Soul Shield with Circle on PlayStation or the B button on Xbox drains your Fracture Gauge. If you underestimate the timing of an attack, you won’t be able to act until the Break Gauge recovers.

Job and weapon specific parries

With universal parries out of the way, it’s time to delve into some of the more specific parry systems that only apply to certain jobs and weapons.

The simplest of these is the Swordsman’s Intercept ability. Any unblocked attack will automatically result in a counter with no damage taken. There is usually only one counter or parry per intercept, but you can acquire intercept mastery through the Swordsman job tree. This gives us the same end result when using the Soul Shield without disabling Intercept, effectively allowing two counters per activation.

All jobs that can use maces, like the various mages and monks, have access to a combo that is performed by pressing the left stick while attacking. This activates a very short window of time in which each attack is countered. This window is indicated by a blue flash.

Greatswords also have their own special parry system. You can block while charging a standard greatsword swing, which activates a parry with a more forgiving window of opportunity than the mace’s counterattack or even the standard parry. As expected, you can follow this up with a counterattack by using the normal punch immediately after. Of course, the fact that you have to charge up an attack first means you can’t draw it out at any point. However, it helps with surprise hits during a settlement.

Katanas have the most difficult parrying system. Holding down the standard attack button, whether you’re rocking a ronin, warrior, or samurai, will enter Senshin Stance as long as the katana is equipped. A properly timed normal attack while in Senshin Stance activates a parry that makes you invulnerable while you can continue with a barrage of attacks in the meantime. We only recommend this method for experienced action players, as the setup and timing make it the most difficult of the game’s parry systems to pin down.