Controls

Left Stick: Controls movement
Right Stick: Controls Camera Angle

D-Pad:

Select (PS) / Back (Xbox):

Start:

  • Opens the game menu – this does not pause the game (there is no way to pause the game). Things can still attack you, and you can still move with the left analog stick, but the buttons control the menu operations (your shield is down, you cannot sprint, attack, or perform any other actions).
  • While using the menu, you can hit Start again at any time to immediately return to the game and close all menus - this is very important if you intend to change equipment during battle.

X (PS) / A (Xbox) :

  • Activation Button
  • Hold button and shake controller in a direction from the palette to perform an emote (PS3 only)

☐ (PS)/ X (Xbox) :

O (PS) / B (Xbox):

  • Hold while running to Sprint (Uses stamina)
  • If you double tap O while sprinting, you will perform a running leap. Leaping is useful for getting across difficult terrain.
  • If you Sprint towards a target and hit an attack while sprinting, you will perform a running attack. Running attacks do more damage than standard.
  • If you tap O while standing still, you will hop backward. Useful to dodge.
  • If you tap R1 after a backward hop, you will perform a fast counter-attack. The attack will vary depending on the weapon you have equipped.
  • If you hold a direction with the left stick and tap O, you will roll in that direction.
  • After rolling, immediately pressing R1 will execute a, usually, fast attack depending on the weapon equipped.
  • When falling from a height, if you hit O (or O and hold a direction) right when you land, you will backstep/roll and recover immediately without the momentary stun on landing hard (you will still take the damage as usual). You can also change weapons or change between 1-handed and 2-handed mid-air, then hit O and hold a direction, to go right back to running without the roll.
  • While on a ladder, press O to slide down it.

Δ (PS) / Y (Xbox) :

  • Toggles holding current right hand weapon with two hands (Works on any weapon, including daggers or even shields). Gives you a 1.5x strength increase but reduces Guard Break Reduction. 1.5x strength means you can use weapons requiring high strength when you are a few points shy of one-handed proficiency and increases damage for Strength stat bonus weapons.

R1 (PS) / RB (Xbox):

  • Standard Attack with the right hand or use chosen spell (depending on the equipment in hand)
  • Backstab Attack, done with shield lowered while close behind an enemy (critical damage and kicks the enemy forward and prone to the ground). The damage bonus of this backstab is dependent on the weapon type (daggers seem to have a high multiplier), and there is a narrower zone for a successful backstab for other weapons. You are invincible during a large part of the backstab animation but will be vulnerable to attack for a short time after it ends.
  • Plunging Attack, done while falling towards an enemy (extremely high damage).
  • Kick can be done by tapping forward on the left stick and hitting R1 at the same time, useful for staggering enemies and knocking them off ledges. (Certain weapons, such as the Scimitar and the Estoc, do special attacks instead of kick)

R2 (PS) / RT (Xbox):

  • Power Attack with right hand weapon
  • Leap Attack with forward on the left stick and R2 at the same time, much like a kick, that causes you to leap at an enemy and attack with a powerful downward strike.
  • When 2-handing a bow/crossbow, use R2 to switch between your selected arrows/bolts.

R3 (PS) / Right Stick (Xbox):

  • Target Lock/Unlock (Click to do this)
  • You can flick the R stick in a direction towards an enemy to change targets without unlocking.
  • When locked on a target, your camera will always face that target, and moving left and right will cause your character to strafe instead of turning.
  • You can't lock onto enemies behind obstructions or around corners, but if you are already locked, you can move behind obstacles without disengaging.
  • Moving too far from an enemy you've locked on to will cause you to disengage - this can be dangerous in areas with fatal falls, as your movement will suddenly alter, and your camera may rotate to match.
  • Effective use of this feature, including knowledge of when not to use it, is essential in combat.

L1 (PS) / LB (Xbox):

  • Standard Attack with a small/medium weapon in the Left hand
  • Cast the selected spell if you have a catalyst or talisman equipped,
  • If you are wielding a shield or a weapon with both hands, hold L1 to block.
    • The shield or weapon will reduce the damage taken from the attack by its Damage Reduction % value, and stamina will be reduced based on the Guard Break Reduction (higher Guard Break Reduction = lower stamina cost).
    • If you have no stamina or not enough stamina remaining when you block, your guard will break, and you will take damage and be stunned briefly.

L2 (PS) / LT (Xbox):

  • Parry with Left hand small/medium weapon or small shield.
    • There is a short recovery delay after parrying, during which you'll be unable to defend yourself.
    • While holding L1, you can also press L2 to parry: in this case, the parry will occur as soon as you release L1.
    • After parrying with L2, R1: Riposte. A severely damaging critical strike delivered to the front of an enemy after they are thrown off balance by a successful parry. You can perform any standard action or attack can after a parry, but only R1 attack gets the critical riposte bonus.
  • When wielding certain weapons or large shield, you will attack instead of parrying.
  • When wielding a weapon with both hands, you will block instead of parrying.
  • While holding a Bow with both hands, L1: Toggle sniper mode
    • Aim with the Right Analog Stick and move slowly with the Left Analog Stick.
    • Up and Down D-pad arrows will zoom in or out, respectively.
    • Sniper mode is not usable with crossbows.
    • Because the viewpoint is still slightly offset, the actual arrow path will begin to the left of the crosshair, pass through it, and end to the right of it when very far.

Notes

  • Avoid button mashing as there is an input delay in which it is possible to queue up future actions by inputting them during an animation. Experienced players can use this to their advantage to queue up actions as quickly as possible, but many new players end up swinging their weapon one too many times due to button mashing. Calm and deliberate input is vital.
  • Being struck while guarding, then attempting to perform a leaping attack with your weapon (forward+R2) will often result in a standing Power Attack (R2) instead of a leaping one. Be wary, as this unintentional action may leave the character vulnerable if the Power Attack is particularly slow in execution.
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