People forget why blades were introduced in the first place... It's so you don't HAVE to hit super hard to do damage 😅

This is why you can parry charged attacks in souls games

"Doesn't matter how strong he is, I can take it." Works until you're fighting a 40 foot giant like Radahn

“Guy with the large, two-handed steel mace enters the room”

"Doesn't matter how big they are, I can handle it"

Damn, wish I knew about this before getting my arms cut off during my last crusade

"I'm gonna parry it" the last word of someone after getting battered by 7ft 7" guy with a freaking axe.

Kinda reminds me of a Japanese sword instructor who said tatami cutting could actually make you a worse swordsman because it encourages you to cut with too much power, when blade agility should be your priority, because a quick and well placed cut will cause far more damage than a powerful cut against a more protected part of the body. Made a lot of sense.

Fucking love that outfit

In a HEMA environment, those big strong attacks can really be something though. I think we’ve all experienced that one fencer that’s built like a defensive linemen, doesn’t move at all, sword cocked in vom tag, just waiting for you to move in and WHAM! You better hope you have good gloves, because those guys are ready to break thumbs. 😂

A lot of video games that have parry mechanics specifically point out that you should parry power attacks instead of blocking them. The power attack is typically not about preventing your opponent from parrying, but about punishing them for blocking too much.

"it doesnt matter how big they are i can handle it" Sellswordarts 2023

In a hema environment chained powerful strikes with a rapier can be a significant problem your your opponent is stronger and/or taller than you (I'm specifying the rapier because I have experience with it) It's a significant psychological shock when you parry a powerful strike it gets you nervous and gets you in such a frame of mind where you're more likely to make a mistake When it comes to video games it's important to emphasize that the characters often fight giant monsters for which a sword might not even be the best weapon, but such a hard strike might make more sense if for example a creature is slow but it's flesh is thicker and more resistant than human (I'm purposely not mentioning armored creatures because a sword ain't doing you any good there) However in a hema context it's really important emphasising structure

Just wait till this guy sees raiden wield his sword with his feet

"doesnt matter how big they are-" the forklift in the back:

"dosent matter how big they are, I can handle it" sounds wierd af out of context

Teaching is the best way to learn. I'm sure you're getting better by giving us these lessons. I love how dedicated you are to your craft. Your passion clearly shows. Thank you for your videos

Final form Redditor, actually knows what they’re talking about, the power is unlimited

In D&D and Pathfinder, a power attack comes with an accuracy penalty but delivers greater damage. Furthermore, it has a fear requirement, so not everyone can do it. This explanation is perfect for both the attack penalty and the feat requirement

Zweihander has entered the room

Guts on his way to break your sword:

I disagree with your premise. Watch Marines training against each other with Pugi-sticks. A really big/strong person just knocks the defensive weapon into the defender and shoves them back with kinetic energy. This is especially true with large males charging at small females. The difference, as you showed, is technique; an experience fighter (boxing, fencing, whatever) side-steps the attack and re-directs that energy. But... especially in anime or electronic games, the defender doesn't do that, and neither do inexperienced fighters.

There ARE strong attacks with axes, polearms, and maces though. If you slide your grip down to the very end, youll strike with a lot more energy since the center of weight is farther from your hand and angular momentum, but it will be harder to recover from if you miss. Poleaxes in particular have an entire guard based around this.

Oh it's totally a thing, as long as your weapon of choice is the kanabo

In video games the strong attack exists because it's easier to program than actual dueling sword skills or at least it's the reason I often hear about it. Plus there's also the "it looks cool" factor I'm curious what you think about the Dragon's Dogma strong attacks? At least for melee, because they're fairly quick thrust attacks

I agree with the wind up, but they can also try to hit the weak part of your block as well. They can also attempt to choose their distance to make it hit a more power part of their attack. They also aren't necessarily be using another sword. If you are wearing plate armor, and have a mace, trying to smash through someones guard with it may not be a bad idea. That said, the windup time that they depict is the biggest issue, because if you do that, they will know exactly what you plan to do, with is usually a really bad idea. Fortunately, you don't have to do a dramatic windup, to hit hard. If you are in real harms way, if someone is hitting really hard on their attacks, it not only tires you out, but very intimidating. I know, because I have done it, and had it done to me. It's a whole different matter when the other person is allowed to hurt you. I have caused people to run, by acting like I was pissed at them. You aren't the main character fighting robots, they can work against you as well.

The Yakumaru Jigen-Ryu school of kenjutsu does have a big swing where you put your entire body weight into it to smash through guards. As long as you have the right form and structure, you can put all the strength and weight into your attack and go ham.

Plus that overpowered attack over-rotates you, leaving you way more vulnerable. Looking at where your leading shoulder ends up is a great example of why form beats raw strength.

Another aspect of video games is that the characters are using mythical weapons and have the capacity to bench a tractor trailer.

Imagine they have a giant hammer they just hit you in the head with full force while you're trying to parry with a sword

When translating melee combat into gameplay, there's always a level of abstraction. In Elden Ring/DS3/Bloodborne, charged attacks don't just represent a gathering of strength behind a swing, but an understanding of timing. The player can only make these sorts of attacks if they can identify gaps in the enemy's attacks and defense. It would be comparable in real life to an attack with a higher level of commitment and more weight, but stylized to the extreme.

So MGR's "stop that blade" scene makes perfect sense. Raiden just had a very good parry

I've not been trained in HEMA but with the sword training I did receive I found a rare exception to your otherwise totally correct point: Someone like me with alot of bulk and power who's also agile enough and fast enough to generate excess momentum is capable of nullifying all but the most stalwart of blocks, a simple parry from my peers in training was never enough. At that point I was a teenager and thought I was "cool" and did spins with wide, easily telegraphed power moves that made use of intense power and speed. Swiping left and right, across and around, a heavy handed whirlwind that tired out really quick. The instructor had essentially the same point you did and just sidestepped; even if I had the strength of gods, doesn't help much if I miss. Learned that a bladed edge with massive force behind it can be like a guillotine, but an agile blade with strength behind it is an almost impenetrable defense.

I learned so much about sword fighting with these shorts because you explain it so swiftly and entertainingly that I can't help but get into actual sword fighting myself

I had no idea how realistic Minecraft combat is

Well, in video games, the strongest attacks are also the easiest ones to parry.

Make a short about structured parry. So a heavy blow from a heavy sword can be parried off?

Damn, this attack came in like a lightning. I expected something fast, as slow and heavy is inaccurate, but I'd never expected this.

Skyrim sitting in the backrow trying to make itself invisible hearing this.

"it doesn't matter how big they are, I can handle it" Guts's dragonslayer sword moving at 200km/h towards his body:

"Doesn't matter how big they are, I can handle it with a good structured parry" The fully loaded M1911 in my backpack:

In Chivalry, you can make power attacks to your opponents, but you still have to alling the attack in a way that they can't parry back. I know it isn't acurate, but is pretty balanced

Enemies in Wo Long Dynasty have a good structured parry💀💀💀

i always saw it as like, an alternative for a more calculated attack. like charging up an attack is really just thinking about your next move, hence why it opens up a larger window for your enemy to attack.

That may be the case but nothing’s as satisfying as winding up a big attack with a big sword and hearing that posture break sound in Dark Souls and going in for a critical hit.

I agree with almost all of what you said. But a structured strong attack from someone stronger than you has a high chance of breaking through your defense. Claiming no matter how big and strong they are I can take them is a statement we must never make. This also the reason why Different weight class fighters in the MMA do not get put against each other. A heavy weight has a huge advantage over a feather weight or a light weight and trying to block punches or kicks from them can do serious damage even to the parts blocking. Plus some times they can even power through and deliver enough damage to severely tire you out or knock you out. If the feather weight is not Mayweather or Connor Macgreggor then they will consistently lose. If you say the laws of unarmed combat do not apply to melee weapons combat then you are dead wrong. Try to block a staff or a thick strong stick with a sword. Skallagrim has a video showing that even a cheap walmart wooden pole has enough momentum to power through a hard block of a sword or atleast strain you heavily. Now Imagine what a proper staff or Polearm could do to hard block of a sword. Strength was praised in the battle field for a reason because it is terrifyingly effective. And these weapons are not even slow they are pretty darn fast. One of the main reasons why Shields exist and where used to block incoming attacks.

“Doesn’t matter how big they are, I can handle it with a good structure parry.” Basically Sekiro:

Strong horizontal slash sounds like an absolute menace though considering the awkward ass angle which it's going to hit at. In fact, strong horizontal slashes actually pack more power than strong vertical ones.

Parry this you filthy casual *Pulls out gun*

Huh. The powerful attack you suggest is similar to the Hidden Technique 5 I think it was, or 6 from Zelda Twilight Princess A lot less flashy though

see, thats how humans will deflect a meteorite.

Big guy on tiny horse who uses gravitational magic: “And I took that personally”

People forget that videogames are not meant to be accurate but to evoke a feeling. Charging up an attack, big swings and huge motions not only setve to communicate the feel, but to make gameplay easier to readand react to.

In most games that I’ve played, heavy attacks are meant to break through blocking, not parries. Usually, parries just counter everything at the cost of being harder to execute.

"Doesn't matter how big they are, I can handle it" Yhorm the Giant: "Cute."

Imagine breaking into his house and you see him with 30 swords and a sword in his hand.

Guts carrying his dragon slayer:

The 300 lbs American with his AR15: *laughs in burger*

"Doesn't matter how big they are, I can handle it" Unicron: I don't know about that one

"Doesn't matter how big they are i can handle it" Artorias looming in the background

"PARRY THIS, YOU FILTHY CASUAL" METEOR EXPLOSIOOOONNNNN

It’s like getting killed by a Lynel in one hit, then realizing you can just parry the fireballs.

that demonstration attack at the end was FAST

What if your sword can best be described as a giant lump of iron and you're mega strong and your name is a synonym of intestines and bravery?

"Doesn't matter how strong he is..." Enter 400 pound strongman with a zweihander.

Wait till he meets guts

“Doesn’t matter how big they are I can handle it” same bro… same

This man is gonna go up against a meteor and say, "its fine, i have a structured parry and the rock's just all muscle."

The sword blade turning orange for a second had me confused

"Doesn't matter how big they are, I can take it" *Smough has entered the chat*

"Parry this heavy attack then" *pulls out AA-12*

This is why strong attacks in Metal Gear Rising arent just "hit harder" but actually have different movesets

"doesn't matter how big they are" Proceed to parry a meteor

*Throws frag* “Parry this, you filthy casual”

"Doesn't matter how big they are" Gaius:

Just want to say that I appreciate your content. I have found it very informative and educational. There is far more to swordsmanship than my younger self would have ever imagined.

it's kind of like baseball where your no. 1 priority is batspeed and using your legs to create structure

"a weapon incorporating a metal tube from which bullets, shells, or other missiles are propelled by explosive force, typically making a characteristic loud, sharp noise."

One thing I liked about Final Fantasy 16 was that the charge attack did made sense because it was charged with magic and not just heavy hitting.

The song is A Mother's Wrath Had to hunt for it, one of my favorites for D&D

That's for blades, everyone gangsta until a 2m patagonian dude with a 150cm hammer throw a power attack lol

“PARRY THIS YOU FILTHY CASUAL!!”

I am imagining him parrying a minivan with a with a sword welded on the side.

I can see power attacks working in a situation where you have a magically enhanced sword

Bro at that last swing i felt like I got a haircut

I do want to point out that most of those games also have enemies that can parry you. I think the move is just supposed to break blocking or stances not revolved around parry

It would be nice if you reviewed how accurate is the combat in Mordhau.

You say parry my brain says "Come, Sekiro!"

You need to test these with a pressure bag that boxers hit. Would be interesting to see how close you can get a structured attack to a wild overpowered attack.

"Doesn't matter how big they are, I can handle it" Kratos:

These inputs are so great, be cool to see how you have moves like this in videogames and still have it as satisfying

The thing about games is the enemy is not able to parry, you won't always go against a person with a sword there might be some creature or something.

The sledgehammer in my back pocket:

"Doesn't matter how big they are I can handle it"

"doesn't matter how big they are I can handle it" AYO

Noted. Giant hunk of metal for a blade can be parried by a small sword

Can you please make a long-form video concerning footwork. I know everyone just wants to see you be badass with swords all day, but I'd love to know more about footwork and if different longsword styles use different footwork. Thanks for the videos, I love your work.

I’d like to see this guy try to parry a battle axe from a 6’6” Viking trying to actually kill him

"No matter how big they are I can handle it"

It makes sense if the charge up is the character focusing and then when they hit they actually hit a more precise or exposed location which is why it does more damage.