Parrying and backstabbing are advanced combat techniques that can turn the tide of battle. To parry, you need to use a Blood Veil with a parry animation (most Ogre and Stinger types have one) and press the L1/LB button just as an enemy's attack is about to hit you. A successful parry will stagger most enemies, leaving them vulnerable to a critical 'Drain' attack. Backstabs are performed by getting behind an enemy and pressing the light attack button. This also deals critical damage and can be a great way to open combat or deal with isolated foes. Mastering these techniques requires practice but significantly increases your damage output and survivability against tougher enemies.
