Deflection

Disclaimer: The information in this article is currently heavily outdated and should not be thought of as verifiably correct.

Description

Deflection is a hidden value for weapons that have blocking ability, but primarily only concerns shields. This value is not listed in game. It is not the same as the stability value of the shield. Upgrading shields does not affect its deflection value.

If an attack connects with your shield, and your shield's Deflection rate is high enough to overpower it and that attack doesn't break your guard by draining the rest of your stamina, then the attack will be deflected. Your opponent will be in staggered state, allowing for extra damage.

Even though you can block with almost all weapons (by equipping it in left hand or two-handing it), all non-shield weapons (including Dark Hand) have no deflection rate. That means, the enemy won't be staggered and can finish their attack animation if you block with those weapons. Shields that you don't have enough stats to wield in one hand also have no deflection, even if you wield greatshields like Havel's Greatshield.

As a general rule:

Though there are exceptions:

Iron Flesh provides the Deflection of a Greatshield, but only to unblocked attacks.

List of Deflectable Enemy Attacks

Ordered by normal playthrough without the Master Key. Each enemy has different attack which need different level of deflection rating to successfully deflect, some of which can't be deflected at all. The undeflectable attacks, and enemies whose attacks are undeflectable, are not listed here.
Enemy Location Attack Pattern Needed
Hollow (sword) Undead Asylum
Undead Burg
Undead Parish
Painted World of Ariamis
1-H swing
2-H overhead swing
Jump attack
Light
Medium
Medium
Hollow (torch) Undead Asylum
Lower Undead Burg
Undead Parish
Depths
Painted World of Ariamis
All except jump attack
Jump attack
Light
Medium
Armored Hollow (sword) Undead Burg 1-H swing
2-H overhead swing
Jump attack
Light
Medium
Medium
Armored Hollow (axe) Undead Burg 1-H swing
2-H overhead swing
Jump attack
Medium
Heavy
Heavy
Undead Soldier (sword) Undead Burg
Undead Parish
1-H swing
2-H overhead swing
Jump attack
Light
Medium
Medium
Undead Soldier (spear) Undead Burg
Undead Parish
1-H thrust
2-H thrust
Light
Medium
Small Undead Rat Undead Burg
Depths
All attacks Light
Balder Knight (side sword) Undead Parish
Sen's Fortress
Quick slash
Sword & shield bash
Running stab
Medium
Heavy
Heavy
Balder Knight (rapier) Undead Parish
Sen's Fortress
Stab Medium
Undead Attack Dog Lower Undead Burg
Royal Wood
Bite
Jump attack
Light
Heavy
Undead Assassin Lower Undead Burg Quick 1-H slash
Charged 1-H slash
Light
Medium
Large Undead Rat Depths All attacks Light
Infested Barbarian (club) Blighttown 1-H diagonal swing Heavy
Infested Ghoul (sword) Blighttown 1-H horizontal swipe
1-H overhead smash
Shoving attack
Light
Light
Heavy
Infested Ghoul (spear) Blighttown 1-H horizontal swipe
1-H overhead smash
Shoving attack
Light
Medium
Heavy
Infested Ghoul (corpse) Blighttown 1-H horizontal swipe
1-H overhead smash
Shoving attack
Medium
Heavy
Heavy
Flaming Attack Dog Blighttown Bite
Jump attack
Light
Heavy
Cragspider Blighttown Claw swipe Light
Giant Leech Blighttown Bite Medium
Egg Carrier Quelaag's Domain Larva bite Light
Egg Carrier's larva Quelaag's Domain Lunging bite Light
Serpent Soldier Sen's Fortress
The Duke's Archives
All attack except bite Medium
Serpent Mage Sen's Fortress
The Duke's Archives
Quick slash
Charged slash
Light
Light
Painting Guardian Anor Londo Right/left 1-H slash
Cartwheel slash
"1-H strong attack" slash
Light
Light
Heavy
Silver Knight (sword) Anor Londo Quick slash
Thrust
Heavy
Heavy
Silver Knight (spear) Anor Londo Quick stab
Horizontal slash
Heavy
Heavy
Bat Wing Demon Anor Londo Stab
Charged stab
Horizontal swipe
Medium
Heavy
Medium
Demonic Foliage Darkroot Garden Horizontal swipe
Overhead smash
Double overhead smash
Light
Medium
Heavy
Ghost (daggers) New Londo Ruins All attacks except grab Light
Darkwraith enemy New Londo Ruins 1-H Slash
Running thrust
Heavy
Heavy
Skeleton (scimitar) The Catacombs Quick slash
Charged slash
Charged spinning slash
Light
Medium
Medium
Skeleton (falchion) The Catacombs 1-H slash
2-H slash
Light
Medium
Giant Skeleton (sword) The Catacombs
Tomb of the Giants
1-H slash Medium
Skeleton Beast Tomb of the Giants Quick (non-combo) bite Heavy
Undead Crystal Soldier (sword) The Duke's Archives 1-H slash
Overhead slash
Shoulder bash
Light
Heavy
Heavy
Man-eater Shell The Duke's Archives
Ash Lake
Kick Heavy
Minor Capra Demon Demon Ruins 1-H slash Heavy
Chaos Eater Lost Izalith Tentacle swipe Heavy
Black Knight (sword) Undead Burg
Undead Asylum
Kiln of the First Flame
Quick slash
Thrust after shield bash
Heavy
Heavy
Black Knight (halberd) Darkroot Basin
Tomb of the Giants
Kiln of the First Flame
Quick stab Heavy
Snow Rat Painted World of Ariamis All attacks Light
Crow Demon Painted World of Ariamis Wing swipe Medium
Phalanx Painted World of Ariamis Stab
Swipe
Light
Medium
Heavy Knight (sword) Painted World of Ariamis 1-H slash Heavy
Scarecrow (pitchfork) Royal Wood Swipe
Single shove
Overhead smash
Medium
Medium
Medium
Bloathead Oolacile Township
Chasm of the Abyss
Left/right hand swipe
Flail around
Medium
Heavy
Bloathead Sorcerer Oolacile Township
Chasm of the Abyss
Hand swipe Medium
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