Parry

The parry system is a key gameplay feature in Ninjala used to counter incoming attacks. During a parry, players must choose between three options of attack in hopes of gaining the upper hand on their opponent. However, provided the player has enough S-Energy, they can also perform a dodge in any direction to escape the parry, and there are multiple ways you can get upper hands in parries, though you will never be able to win all of the time.

## About

Parries occur when two players either attempt to strike each other with identical standard attacks, or a player performs a successfully S-Burst to block an upcoming melee attack. Four arrows will then appear to the left of the player's ninja. These arrows all stand for different standard attacks, and they operate similar to the classic game Rock-Paper-Scissors. The Up arrow corresponds with a normal attack, Side arrows are both back attack, and the Down arrow is a wide attack.

Players and their opponents must choose a direction using the left joystick , so when one direction dominates another, that player will win the parry. The following rules applies: up beats down, down beats side and side beats up. Or to put it with the attacks: normal attacks beat wide attacks, wide attacks beat back attacks and back attacks beat normal attacks. However, if both players choose the same direction or attack, they re-enter the parry and must choose a direction again. This can result in a parry chain - when both players choose the same direction multiple times in a row. Parries do not consume S-Energy so if players choose the same attack over and over again, infinetly parries can be performed.

Another icon depicting a person running away will appear above all the arrows. Pressing  and a direction on the left joystick  allows players to escape the parry at the cost of their S-Energy. Both players can dodge out. If one chooses an attack option instead, the attack will be performed anyway. So the dodger has to pay attention to input a direction to not get hit. This can be tricky when the parry happens near a wall or a corner. Since Season 12 the attacker will gain S-Energy. If a player does not have enough S-Energy or a dodge left, they cannot escape and are forced to choose an attack option. A player has one dodge per jump.So if they end up in a parry right after a dodge, escaping is not possible.

If a player wins the parry and finishes off the opponent within a certain time, it will automatically result in an Ippon with additional bonus points depending on how many parry rounds or re-enters there were.

Note: All attack options generally deal significantly more damage than if they are performed outside a parry. Its roughly twice as strong as normally.

## Mechanics

If a player enters a parry with a big weapon while the opponent has a regular weapon, the big weapon will always win parries when both players choose the same direction/attack option. Thus, it is recommended to avoid entering a parry with an opponent having a large weapon without one already in play.

Based on the weapon class some weapons also get Super Armor on specific attack options, indicated by a shield symbol next to the arrow. Boards get Super Armor on normal attacks, Hammers on back attacks, and Yo-yos on wide attacks. Super Armor essentially breaks ties. Both players will get damage but the one player with Super Armor won't get a knockback. Thus, a follow up attack can be performed. If both players have Super Armor no one gets knockbacked. Out of all three option the Super Armor attack deals the most damage. Super Armor does not prevent a player from being knocked out so paying attention to the health bar is important.

A parry also causes a brief shockwave when the weapons clashes together, making outside players temporarily flinch and fly away. Under normal circumstances the shockwave does not do any damage, it just launches players. But if one player in the parry has the Shinobi Card "Two-Edged Parry" and a certain Assist Code equipped the shockwave can deal damage.

There are Specials and attacks that can disrupt parries, for example long ranged attacks of Yo-yos Type A. A lot of Alter Specials with a projectile property can disrupt parries as well as Gum Ninjutsu in general. To successfully interrupt a parry the timing is important, because the players within the parry are invulnerable during the moment when the weapons clash and right after one player wins the parry.

## Tips

* The S-Burst is a counter mechanic, and is not meant to be used carelessly or as a panic button. If an opponent uses a Break Attack, they'll Gum Bind you. As such, using an S-Burst should be used only as a last resort or to get out of a pinch.
* The time between an attack is performed or inputted and the attack hits differs from weapon to weapon and attack to attack. Some take more time, some less. If the S-Burst is timed within this time, its a guaranteed success. For example, a Back Attack of the Katana Type A weapon consists of the user teleporting behind the opponent and hitting them. If a S-Burst is used in the moment the opponent teleports the attack will be successfully S-Bursted against.

## Gallery

Two identical Attacks clashing results into a Parry.Select an Option in a Parry with the .Dodge while in Parry with .The Options have a Rock/Paper/Scissors Relationship.Big Weapons are adventageous in Parries.Board Type Weapons have Super Armor on their Normal Attacks while Parry.Hammer Type Weapons have Super Armor on their Back Attacks while Parry.Yo-yo Type Weapons have Super Armor on their Wide Attacks while Parry.