Combat Mechanics Guide

Master the Sekiro-inspired combat system

Parry, Posture, FlowState, and advanced techniques explained

⚔️ Combat Philosophy

Excry's combat is inspired by Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Unlike traditional RPGs where you spam attacks, Excry emphasizes:

🛡️ Posture Management

Break enemy posture to deal massive damage

⏱️ Timing Over Speed

Perfect parries beat button mashing

🎯 Spacing Control

Distance management is survival

🎮 Core Combat Mechanics

1. Posture System (架势条)

Posture is the hidden health bar in Excry. Every attack, block, and parry affects posture.

How Posture Works:

  • • Your Posture: Depletes when you block attacks or get hit
  • • Enemy Posture: Increases when you attack or parry them
  • • Posture Break: When enemy posture is full, they're vulnerable to Deathblow
  • • Recovery: Posture slowly regenerates when not in combat

✅ Good for Posture:

  • • Perfect Parry (Tap F)
  • • Dodging attacks
  • • Creating distance
  • • Aggressive offense

❌ Bad for Posture:

  • • Holding Block (Hold F)
  • • Getting hit
  • • Passive playstyle
  • • Running away constantly

2. Parry System (格挡)

Parrying is the most important skill in Excry. Master it or die.

Perfect Parry (Tap F)

Input: Tap F right before enemy attack lands

Window: ~0.3 seconds (forgiving)

Effect:

  • • No damage taken
  • • No posture loss for you
  • • Massive posture damage to enemy
  • • Opens counter-attack window

✅ Always use this!

Normal Block (Hold F)

Input: Hold F

Effect:

  • • Reduces damage
  • • Drains your posture
  • • Stops stamina regeneration
  • • Slowly recovers posture

⚠️ Emergency only!

Use when you miss parry timing

💡 Parry Tips:

  • • Watch enemy animations, not health bars
  • • Listen for audio cues (weapon swing sounds)
  • • Practice on weak enemies first
  • • Different weapons have different parry timings
  • • Some attacks are unparryable (red indicator)

3. FlowState (心流状态)

FlowState is a hidden combat meter that tracks your performance. High FlowState unlocks advanced techniques.

How to Build FlowState:

✅ Increases FlowState:

  • • Perfect Parries (+20)
  • • Successful attacks (+5)
  • • Dodging attacks (+10)
  • • Combo chains (+15)
  • • Not getting hit (bonus)

❌ Decreases FlowState:

  • • Taking damage (-30)
  • • Missing attacks (-5)
  • • Failed parries (-15)
  • • Standing still (-2/sec)
  • • Running away (-10)

FlowState Thresholds:

0-99
Normal
100-199
Enhanced
200+
Black Flash Ready!

4. Black Flash (黑闪) ⚡

Black Flash is the ultimate combat technique. It's rare, powerful, and requires perfect execution.

Requirements:

  • • FlowState: Must be 200+ (critical!)
  • • Perfect Parry: Successfully parry an attack
  • • Feint: Immediately use feint move (varies by weapon)
  • • Land Hit: Connect the feint attack
  • • RNG: ~30% chance even with perfect execution

Black Flash Effects:

Visual:

  • • Black lightning effect
  • • Screen flash
  • • Slow-motion moment
  • • Unique sound effect

Combat:

  • • 2.5x damage multiplier
  • • Enemy stunned (1.5 sec)
  • • Massive posture damage
  • • Free combo window

💡 Black Flash Tips:

  • • Build FlowState to 200+ before attempting
  • • Practice parry → feint timing on weak enemies
  • • Different weapons have different feint moves
  • • It's RNG-based, so don't rely on it in critical moments
  • • When it triggers, follow up with your strongest combo

5. Mikiri Counter (识破)

Mikiri Counter is a high-risk, high-reward technique that punishes enemy thrust attacks.

How to Perform:

  1. 1. Identify Thrust Attack: Enemy winds up for heavy thrust (usually has red indicator)
  2. 2. Timing: Wait until attack is about to land
  3. 3. Input: Press W + Q (forward dash)
  4. 4. Result: You dash through the attack and counter-strike

✅ Success:

  • • Dodge the attack
  • • Enemy stunned (2 sec)
  • • Massive posture damage
  • • Free combo opportunity

❌ Failure:

  • • Take full damage
  • • Lose posture
  • • Vulnerable to follow-up
  • • Wasted stamina

⚠️ Common Mistakes:

  • • Using it on non-thrust attacks (doesn't work)
  • • Dashing too early (get hit)
  • • Dashing too late (miss the counter)
  • • Wrong direction (must dash forward, not sideways)

6. Deathblow (必杀一击)

Deathblow is an execution move that deals massive damage to enemies with broken posture.

Requirements:

  • • Enemy Type: Only works on Non-Humanoid enemies (beasts, monsters)
  • • Posture: Enemy posture bar must be full (broken)
  • • Indicator: Red skull icon appears above enemy
  • • Input: Get close and press attack button

💀 Deathblow Damage:

  • • Deals 50-70% of enemy's remaining HP
  • • Ignores defense
  • • Cannot be interrupted
  • • Resets enemy posture after use

💡 PvE Strategy:

Focus on breaking posture rather than depleting HP. A well-timed Deathblow can end fights 3x faster than normal attacks.

🎯 Advanced Techniques

Wall-Combo

Pin enemies against walls to prevent escape and extend combos.

How: Push enemy toward wall → Attack → They can't dodge → Free combo

Frame Trap

Punish enemies who try to dodge during your attack recovery.

How: Attack → Delay next attack → Enemy dodges early → Hit them during dodge recovery

Spacing Control

Maintain optimal distance based on your weapon range.

Tip: Spear = far, Katana = mid, Fist = close. Play to your weapon's strength.

Stamina Management

Never let stamina hit zero or you're vulnerable.

Rule: Keep 20% stamina reserved for emergency dodge/parry

💡 Combat Tips & Best Practices

✅ Do This:

  • • Practice parry timing on weak enemies
  • • Stay aggressive to maintain FlowState
  • • Watch enemy animations, not UI
  • • Use terrain to your advantage
  • • Learn each weapon's moveset
  • • Mix attacks and parries
  • • Keep stamina above 20%

❌ Don't Do This:

  • • Spam attacks mindlessly
  • • Hold block constantly
  • • Run away from fights
  • • Ignore posture management
  • • Fight multiple enemies at once
  • • Waste stamina on failed dodges
  • • Panic when low HP

📚 Training Progression

1

Beginner: Master Parrying

Practice on weak enemies until you can parry 80% of attacks

2

Intermediate: Build FlowState

Chain parries and attacks to maintain 100+ FlowState

3

Advanced: Mikiri Counter

Learn to identify and counter thrust attacks

4

Expert: Black Flash

Achieve 200+ FlowState and attempt Black Flash combos

⚔️

Weapons Guide

Learn weapon movesets

🧮

Build Simulator

Optimize combat stats

⚠️

Anti-Softlock

Avoid combat mistakes