Parry

Targets of melee attacks can have a chance to parry each incoming frontal attack. A successful parry nullifies the attack (for the attacker it is like a miss) and reduces the swing timer of the defender. It is a passive ability which does not require any action to be used. Most melee classes get this ability — warriors at level 6, hunters and paladins at level 8, and rogues at level 12. Shamans have a 20 point Enhancement talent ( [Spirit Weapons]) which grants them the parry ability in addition to threat reduction on their melee attacks.

Functionality

• If a character or mob has a parry chance, it's always active and can take effect on every incoming frontal melee attack.
• If applicable, the parry chance is added to the attackers attack table.
• The only stat which increases the chance to parry is defense (0.04% per point).
• Some classes can increase their chance to parry with talents (either direct or via defense).
• Similarly items can directly increase the chance to parry or indirectly via defense.
• Attacks from the rear cannot be parried. Mobs sometimes do so anyways - this can be due to a bug or because they turn very quickly in place.
• After a succesful parry, the defenders swing timer is reduced (or even reset), resulting in an increased damage output (for details see Formulas:Parry). While tanks like to profit from this effect, melee damage dealers should attack from behind whenever possible.

See also

• Combat
• Combat rating system
• Formulas:Parry