Combat System Guide — Parry, Dual Wield, Weapon Switch & Controls

Combat System Overview

Echoes of Aincrad uses real-time action combat built around stamina management, timing-based counters, and weapon-specific Sword Skills. There is no auto-attack — every swing requires player input.

Note: SP costs, timers, and percentages below are community-reported and may change with patches.

Core Mechanics

Stamina (SP) System

SP is your action currency. Most actions consume SP:

Action	SP Cost
--------	---------
Light Attack	5 SP
Heavy Attack	15 SP
Block	10 SP (initial), 2 SP/sec hold
Dodge Roll	20 SP
Parry Attempt	15 SP (success or fail)
Sword Skill	25–50 SP
Sprint	3 SP/sec

SP regenerates at 10 SP/sec out of combat and 5 SP/sec in combat. Higher END improves regeneration.

HP & Death

Your HP has two sections:

White HP (70%): Recovers over time out of combat
Red HP (30%): Requires healing items or Inn rest

At zero HP, you enter a downed state for a short window. Your AI partner can revive you within that window. If the timer expires, you respawn at the last safe zone — losing unspent Growth Points and a portion of your carried Col (see the Progression Guide). In Death Game mode, death is permanent: your character is gone. See the Game Modes guide for mode differences.

Parry & Counter Mechanics

How to Parry

Hold block stance
Tap parry just before an enemy attack lands
A successful parry creates a blue flash and a counter window (reported roughly 2–3 seconds)

Parry Windows by Enemy Type

Enemy Type	Window	Difficulty
-----------	--------	------------
Normal mobs	0.5s	Easy
Elite mobs	0.3s	Medium
Floor Bosses	0.2s	Hard
Humanoid NPCs	0.15s	Expert

Counter Attack

After a successful parry:

Enemy is staggered briefly
Your next attack deals a large counter damage bonus (community-reported)
Follow up with a Sword Skill for maximum burst
Counter attacks cannot be blocked or dodged

Pro tip: some players report that high DEX extends the parry window slightly — a useful improvement against bosses.

Dodge & Block Mechanics

Dodge Roll

Universal (any weapon)
20 SP cost
0.5s invincibility frames
0.8s recovery animation (reduced by AGI)
Best for: wide sweeps, AoE, boss charges

Block (Shield Required)

Reduces damage by 60–80% based on shield quality
10 SP initial + 2 SP/sec hold
Cannot block unblockable attacks (red glow indicator)
Best for: enemy combos, projectiles, low-SP situations

Dual Wielding Requirements

Unlock Conditions

Requirement	Detail
-------------	--------
Level	25+
DEX	20+
Weapon Skill	One-handed Sword rank 10+
Quest	"The Black Swordsman" (late-game)

How It Works

Main-hand uses Sword Skills, off-hand auto-attacks during combos
Unique Dual Wield Sword Skills (high damage)
SP costs increased by 30%
Block disabled — rely entirely on dodge and parry

Best Weapon Combinations

Main Hand	Off Hand	Strategy
-----------	----------	----------
Longsword	Shortsword	Balanced damage and speed
Rapier	Dagger	High crit, fastest attack speed
Shortsword	Shortsword	Max combo speed, lowest SP efficiency

Weapon Switching During Combat

Carry up to three weapon sets and switch mid-combat.

How to Switch

Open weapon wheel (Tab / R1)
Highlight desired set
Release to confirm
3-second swap animation (vulnerable)

Restrictions

Cannot switch while staggered or knocked down
Cannot switch while an enemy is locked onto you
Costs 30 SP + 15-second cooldown

When to Switch

Situation	Switch To
-----------	----------
Enemy shield raised	Greatsword / Two-Handed Axe
Enemy staggered	Rapier / Dagger
Low HP	Sword & Shield
Boss enrage phase	Ranged option

Character Appearance Customization

Permanent (Character Creation)

Face shape, body type, hair style/color, eye color, voice type — cannot be changed after creation.

Armor visual: Equip different armor or use Transmogrify
Weapon visual: Any weapon of same type can override appearance
Hair style/color: Visit Salon NPC (500 Col)
Accessories: Equip or remove freely

Transmogrify System (Smithy Level 3+)

Apply one armor piece's appearance to another:

Have both pieces in inventory
Visit Smithy > Transmogrify
Select source (appearance) and target (stats)
Pay 100–500 Col based on rarity

Combat UI Explained

Element	Location	Purpose
---------	----------	---------
HP Bar	Top-left	Health (white + red segments)
SP Bar	Below HP	Stamina pool
Sword Skills	Bottom-center	Assigned skills (1–4)
Enemy HP	Top-center	Target health + stagger meter
Combo Counter	Right side	Hit count toward Sword Skill unlock
Partner Status	Top-right	AI partner HP, SP, buffs
Minimap	Top-right	Enemies (red), allies (blue), POIs (gold)
Cardinal Rank	Top-center	Current rank and progress

Combat Tips by Playstyle

Aggressive (Daggers, Rapier): Parry → counter → Sword Skill loops. Keep SP above 30% for emergency dodges. Stack DEX and AGI. Defensive (Sword & Shield): Hold block during combos, counter-attack during recovery. Shield Bash creates stun windows. Prioritize END. Power (Greatsword, Axe): Charge attacks during safe windows. Break enemy guard with heavy swings. Cannot cancel long animations. Technical (Dual Wield): Perfect dodge timing mandatory. Manage the 30% SP penalty aggressively. Highest damage potential but most vulnerable.