Controls

Left Stick: Controls movement.
Right Stick: Controls Camera Angle.

D Pad:

Select (PS3) / Back (Xbox):

Start:

  • Opens the game menu – this does not pause the game (there is no pause in this 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, etc).
  • 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 (PS3) / A (Xbox) :

  • Activation Button

☐ (PS3)/ X (Xbox) :

O (PS3) / B (Xbox):

  • Tap to cancel most actions, including using levers, going through fog gates, gestures, or most magic. (all that i've noticed, needs confirmation.)
  • Hold while running to Sprint (Uses stamina)
  • If Jump Controls are set to O / B, you can double tap this button while sprinting to perform a running leap. This is useful for getting across difficult terrain.
  • If you Sprint towards a target and hit an attack while sprinting, you will do a running attack. This does more damage and is easier to hit if you lock on to the enemy with R3 / RS.
  • If you just tap O / B, you will hop backwards. Useful to dodge.
  • If you tap R1 / RB after a backwards 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 / B, you will roll in that direction.
  • After rolling, immediately pressing R1 / RB will execute a, usually, fast attack. Depends on the weapon equipped.
  • When falling from height, if you hit O / B (or O / B 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 normal). 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, hold DOWN and O / B to slide down it. Holding UP and O / B while on a ladder will make your character move quickly up the ladder, at the cost of stamina. Tapping O / B while motionless on a ladder will make your character drop from the ladder.

Δ (PS3) / Y (Xbox) :

  • Toggles holding current Right Hand weapon with two hands (Works on any weapon, including daggers or even shields).
  • While using two weapons of any class, with the exception of reapers, whips, and twinblades (and having 1.5x the stat requirements to wield each weapon), holding the button allows you to Dual Wield and places the character in a power stance causing the L1 and L2 buttons to attack with both weapons at the same time. (While dual-wielding a sword with any non-sword weapon you will use the latter's attack animation instead of the horizontal slashing motion of the sword.)
  • Holding causes player to hold current Left Hand weapon with two hands (Works on any weapon, including daggers or even shields).

R1 (PS3) / RB (Xbox):

  • Standard Attack with right hand or use chosen spell (depending on equipment in hand)
  • Backstab Attack, done with shield lowered while close behind an enemy (high 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 whilst falling towards an enemy (extremely high damage).
  • Guard Break 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 guard break)

R2 (PS3) / RT (Xbox):

  • Power Attack with Right hand weapon
  • Leap Attack with forward on 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 fire your secondary equipped arrows/bolts.

R3 (PS3) / Right Stick (RS) (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 constantly 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 obstructions 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 be altered, and your camera may rotate to match.
  • Effective use of this feature, including knowledge of when not to use it, is essential in combat.

L3 (PS3) / Left Stick (LS) (Xbox).

  • If Jump Controls are set to L3 / LS (default), you can tap this button while sprinting to perform a running leap. This is useful for getting across difficult terrain.
  • Sometimes, pressing down on L3 will unintentionally switch items/weapons. Unsure if it's a glitch or intentionally put into game. Be careful.

L1 (PS3) / LB (Xbox):

  • Standard Attack with a small/medium weapon in the Left hand
  • Cast the selected spell if a Staff, Sacred Chime or a Pyromancy Flame is equipped,
  • If you are wielding a shield or a weapon with both hands, hold L1 to block.
    • Damage taken from the attack will be reduced by the Damage Reduction % of the shield or weapon, and stamina will be reduced based on the Guard Break Reduction (higher Guard Break Reduction = less stamina lost).
    • If you have no stamina or not enough stamina remaining when you block, you will take damage and be stunned briefly as your guard is broken.

L2 (PS3) / 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.
    • You can also, while holding L1, 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. Any action or attack can be done after a parry, but only R1 attack gets the critical riposte bonus. (After parrying, you must wait until the enemy has fallen to the ground to repost.)
  • When wielding certain weapons or large shield, you will attack instead of parrying.
  • When wielding (ultra)great swords/hammers, you will perform parry animation that is slower than a shield but nonetheless still effective for a riposte. This will damage the weapon more than a standard attack, even if you miss.
  • When wielding a weapon with both hands, you will block instead of parrying.
  • While holding a Bow with both hands, L1: Toggle a '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.
    • You CAN use the sniper mode on a crossbow if you use it with 2 hands
    • Because the viewpoint is still slightly offset, the actual arrow path will pass from slightly left of the aim point, through it at range, and then slightly 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 necessary in this game.
  • 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.
  • Adaptability will allow you to perform certain actions quicker, such as rolling.
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