Parry Frame Data | Dark Souls 2 Wiki

Parry Frame Data in Dark Souls 2 compiles data attained from testing different Weapons and measuring the frames it took to complete their moveset. These are measured in 3 sections from the Start up period, active period and recovery. These are then totaled to give the final number of frames. Use this data and implement it when creating builds and going into Combat.

Dark Souls 2 Parry Frame Data

All testing were done for Patch 1.04 Calibration 1.08 on PC 60 fps in PvE. Not all weapons were tested, but the most noticeable members in category. All categories were covered though (Straight swords, Small shields etc.)
Notes:

• The Monastery Scimitar has been 're-patched' as of Calibration 1.10. The graph is incorrect now, and the weapon now falls under the 'curved swords' category.
• You are not able to roll away during Recovery frames
• Parry Small Shields are Buckler and Target Shield
• Slow Small Shields are Magic Shield, Phoenix Parma, Manikin Shield and Transgressor's Leather Shield
• All the rest of small shields are considered Fast Small Shields.
• You get "Hilt parry" animation when 2-handing such weapons as Katanas, Hammers, Straight Swords, Whips, Axes, Greataxes and Fist Weapons.
• You get Block animation when parrying with Spears, Halberds, Lances, Reapers  and Twinblades
• There are few exceptions in categories when weapon does not have parry animation at all (e.g. Ricard's Rapier)

Parry Window Graphics

by TheHolyChicken86

DS2 Parry Frame Speculations

• Testing of "Hilt parry" was done only with Washing Pole and Blue Flame weapons, so it is only assumption that the rest of weapons from "Hilt parry" category have the same parry frame data based on the same parry animation
• There was no testing for PvP, but most likely the frame data is the same, but you need to add latency delay to startup frames.

DS2 Parry Frame Conclusions

• Unless small shield has "make parrying easier" property in description, it does not have more parry frames even with "fancy" parry animation. In fact it makes startup and recovery longer. Thus Llewellyn Shield is the best alternative to Target Shield.
• Black Knight Greataxe (Greataxes category) has "Hilt parry" animation, but Gyrm Axe (Axes category) has Greatswords parry animation. Looks like both Greataxes and Axes have "Hilt parry" if they have long enough hilt and "Greatswords parry" if they are short and somewhat massive.
• If the item has "Spell parry" property, it has the same spell parry frames as for weapon parry.