How to block & parry in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers

Blocking and parrying are essential parts of any Soulslike, but Wuchang: Fallen Feathers doesn’t show you how to do it right away.

Much in the same vein as Black Myth: Wukong, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers‘ combat is lightning quick, and more reliant on nimble footwork than brute strength. That being said, dodging only takes you so far, especially against human enemies with powerful melee attacks.

That’s where blocking and parrying (or deflecting) come in, allowing you to soak up some damage before unleashing a counterattack of your own.

But if you’re just starting out and are struggling to know how to unlock it or how to do it, we’ve got you covered.

How to block in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers

The only way to block is by equipping a weapon with a blocking Discipline. If you do, all you have to do is press R2, RT, or Shift + Right Click before an enemy attacks, and you’ll take much less damage.

Unlike other action RPGs, there is no dedicated block button that can be used at any time; instead, you have to deliberately build Wuchang to incorporate the move. Some weapons you pick up will already have the Discipline equipped, while others have it buried in the skill tree.

For example, the Vermillion War Club Axe found early had the block ability from the get-go, but to use it on the Lashing Whip Longsword, you’ll need to unlock Sword Counter in the Impetus Repository. Once Sword Counter is unlocked, it can be used on any Longsword you pick up as long as the Discipline is active.

Crucially, you’ll need to select a block in place of a more attacking Discipline, so be sure to take that into consideration before selecting. In some cases, especially if the Weapon Skill is also quite defensive, it might be better to drop in favor of something that helps you deal damage.

How to deflect

To parry (deflect) in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, simply block just before an enemy lands their attack to completely avoid all damage. There are some pretty significant caveats, though.

The first is that it only works against enemies with weapons; it doesn’t work against punches, kicks, or spells. So, if you’re fighting a giant insect that swipes you with its claws, you’re out of luck.

But the biggest is that, once again, not all weapons can deflect automatically. With Longswords, it can only be done once the Sword Counter ability has been unlocked, while Axes, Spears, and One-Handed Swords don’t have the option at all.

Clash

Clash works very similarly to deflect in the sense that it can remove all of the damage from an enemy’s attack, but the main difference is that it’s activated by attacking rather than blocking.

If you have a weapon or Discipline that supports clash, you must time it so that your blow lands at the exact same time as your opponent. This is much trickier to master, especially if it’s an attack with a longer wind-up animation, but it’s extremely effective once you master it.

It won’t be for everybody, but it’s a great way to give more attack-minded weapon types like the Spear some extra defensive options.

Just keep in mind that, just like parrying, it only works against enemies wielding weapons.