Mastering the art of parrying, dodging, and unleashing a perfect Flurry Rush can turn the toughest battles in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom into a showcase of precision and timing. Here’s how to read enemy movements, counter with confidence, and strike back before they know what hit them.
However, you could easily get most of the way through the game without perfecting it, making things much harder than they need to be. Frustratingly for some, this vital skill isn’t taught until a few hours into the game, after you leave the Great Sky Island and you’re back on Hyrule and accidentally stumble upon the Kyononis Shrine.
Still, whether you’re up against a Bokoblin, Moblin or the fearsome Phantom Ganon, these vital tips will help you get through Tears of the Kingdom with all of your heart containers intact.
How to dodge in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
To dodge in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, hold ZL to target an enemy, then press X while directing the left stick left, right, or down just before an attack lands. Side hops evade vertical strikes like overhead swings, while backflips avoid horizontal slashes. A precisely timed dodge slows time for a Flurry Rush, letting you mash Y for rapid counterstrikes. Practice against basic foes to refine timing, as perfect execution turns defense into heavy damage output.
Dodging is the first step on the road to the perfect Flurry Rush, and it all centres around the ZL button.
Once in an encounter, simply hold the ZL button to focus and wait for your enemy to attack. Just before they make contact, tap the X button to jump and move the left stick in the direction you want to move – make sure you don’t let go of ZL.
If Link loses focus, he’s gonna get slapped. Nobody wants that.
Which direction do you dodge in? Simply put:
- If they’re jumping at you or swinging down with an overhead attack, you want to dodge to the side (left or right, up to you).
- If they come singing side-to-side, you want to dodge backwards.
How to parry in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Hold ZL to lock onto an enemy and raise your shield while they prepare an attack. Tap A right before the strike connects to deflect it, stunning the foe briefly for a counterstrike. Practice the timing on weaker enemies like Bokoblins to reflect melee blows, projectiles, or lasers back at attackers.
Like dodging, parrying is an essential skill in Zelda:Tears of the Kingdom. Again, the ZL button is your best friend, but instead of the X button to jump, we’re hitting A for action.
Again, get into a battle, equip a shield and wait for the enemy to attack. While holding ZL, tap the A button just before impact. A perfectly timed parry will see the enemy attack not only rebound, but briefly stun them into dropping their weapon.
If you’re quick enough, you can steal their weapon, too. That’s Link’s sword now, Moblin…
How to Flurry Rush in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Hold ZL to target an enemy and observe its attack animation closely. Press X to dodge with precise timing just as the strike connects-backflip for horizontal swings or sidestep for overhead blows-to activate the slow-motion window. Mash Y repeatedly during this period to deliver a barrage of weapon strikes that deal massive damage.
Once you have perfected the dodge and the parry, you are ready to unleash righteous fury in the form of a Flurry Rush – a counter attack consisting of a rapid set of strikes. If you parried the enemy’s attack and stole their weapon, hitting them with the Flurry Rush will add insult to injury; you don’t get anything extra for doing so, but you feel like a badass, and that’s always nice.
The Flurry Rush is an extension of the dodge. To Flurry Rush, hold ZL to focus and then X to jump, just before the enemy makes contact. If you time it correctly, time will slow briefly as the prompt Flurry Rush (Y) pops up on your screen.
Best enemies to practice parry and Flurry Rush on
Bokoblins, Lizalfos, and Moblins serve as ideal starters for honing parry and Flurry Rush timing due to their predictable swings and low threat level. Lynels offer advanced practice once basics click, with savable solo encounters for endless retries.
Beginner Foes
Bokoblins top the list-their slow club smashes and spear jabs telegraph clearly, letting you nail side-hops (ZL + X left/right) or backflips without instant death. Isolate one by luring it away from camps, save beforehand, and reload freely to build muscle memory on perfect dodges.
Lizalfos jump erratically but repeat lunges reliably; parry their spear pokes (ZL hold + A tap on impact) to disarm and stun.
Intermediate Practice
Moblins wield heavy weapons with wide, readable arcs-backflip horizontal swings for Flurry Rush (mash Y in slow-mo). Their size makes lock-on stable, minimizing distractions.
Guardian Scouts (in shrines) demand precise parries on laser beams, transitioning to melee dodges for variety.
Advanced Targets
Red Lynels provide the gold standard: learn all patterns via YouTube breakdowns, parry every attack sans counters first, then add Flurry Rushes. Save mid-fight for zero-risk grinding; higher tiers ramp difficulty seamlessly.
Which enemies have slow predictable attack patterns
Bokoblins and Moblins feature the slowest, most predictable attack patterns in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, ideal for mastering parries and Flurry Rushes. Their deliberate wind-ups give ample reaction time.
Bokoblins
Basic Bokoblins swing clubs or spears with exaggerated overhead arcs and long pauses between attacks, telegraphed by raised arms. Blue and Black variants repeat these even slower under stamina pressure, forgiving mistimed dodges (ZL + X).
Practice solo ones near New Serenne Stable for endless resets via quicksave.
Moblins
These bulky foes deliver heavy, wide club smashes with massive wind-up animations, often pausing to growl before committing. Their size ensures stable ZL lock-on, making backflips (ZL + X down) reliable for Flurry Rush entry.
Red Moblins in early Depths caves offer isolated practice without group interference.
Honorable Mentions
Chuchus lob slime balls in straight, slow arcs-parry with A on contact for easy stuns. Larger enemies like Talus occasionally stomp predictably, though rarer early-game.
