Skip to main content
Tech Radar
  • Tech Radar Pro
  • Tech Radar Gaming
Tech Radar Gaming TechRadar Game-changing stories
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
RSS
Asia
flag of Singapore
Singapore
Europe
flag of Danmark
Danmark
flag of Suomi
Suomi
flag of Norge
Norge
flag of Sverige
Sverige
flag of UK
UK
flag of Italia
Italia
flag of Nederland
Nederland
flag of België (Nederlands)
België (Nederlands)
flag of France
France
flag of Deutschland
Deutschland
flag of España
España
North America
flag of US (English)
US (English)
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of México
México
Australasia
flag of Australia
Australia
flag of New Zealand
New Zealand
  • News
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • How To
  • Deals
  • Switch 2
Trending
  • Switch 2
  • PS5 Pro
  • Black Ops 6
  • Monster Hunter Wilds
  • Fortnite
Recommended reading
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers
Gaming Wuchang: Fallen Feathers promises an action-packed romp through Ming Dynasty-era China
Key art for the game Blades of Fire
Gaming Blades of Fire review: forging a path with mid-budget retro charm
Assassin's Creed's Edward Kenway on a yellow background, with "tech radar" written across it
Consoles & PC Best Assassin’s Creed games: every series entry ranked
Tekken 8 Jin Kazama punching towards the screen
Consoles & PC Best fighting games to play in 2025
A screenshot from Glowmade's King of Meat game
Gaming King of Meat’s chaotic co-op action and quirky creator mode show me that it might just have the legs to succeed
The key art for Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition
Nintendo Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition review: gruelling for newcomers, but hard to put down
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers
Gaming Wuchang: Fallen Feathers kept me on the edge of my seat as a soulslike that rewards dodging over parrying
  1. Gaming
  2. Consoles & PC

For Honor tips and tricks

How-to
By Dom Reseigh-Lincoln published 24 February 2017

(Vi)King of the hill

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Treat Story mode like one big tutorial

Treat Story mode like one big tutorial

For Honor’s token single-player mode might be a little short, but that doesn’t mean it can’t help you prepare for the war ahead. Compared to online players, the AI of For Honor is painfully predictable so use this solo campaign to practice your skills with some of the game’s key systems. 

Since you can ramp up the challenge by levelling up each mission and increasing the difficulty (you can do this on the pre-mission launch screen), this is an ample time to drill guard break, external block and the ability to fight multiple enemies at once. These three skills are vital to slaying with the big boys/girls online. 

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
Guard break is important, so master it

Guard break is important, so master it

Watching the trailers and b-roll footage of For Honor might convince you its combat is all about blocking, parrying and slashing - then you head online, get whacked in the face with the butt of sword and get kicked off a bridge to your death. This is the block-breaking power of guard break and it’s one of the most spammed moves used by online players. 

To perform a guard break, highlight an opponent with by holding L2/LT, then press Square/X. A broken red shield will pop up showing it was successfully activated. Two presses will potentially send an opponent flying back (use this near bridges and ledges for an instant kill), while Square/X followed by R1/RB will throw in a cheeky light attack on top. 

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
Parrying and counter guard breaking are your friends

Parrying and counter guard breaking are your friends

Now you’ve learned how to break your opponent’s block and open them up to a stumble or a quick slash of your blade, it’s time to learn how to defend against them. On principle, counter guard breaks work a lot like parries - you need to initiate your own guard break the moment your opponent’s strikes you (the sound of a shield being struck will offer you a helpful warning). 

The window for success is tiny, but it’s there to be found if you practice enough. Being able to counter this move will mean everything online, so drill it plenty. Parrying, where you interrupt an enemy strike and use the opening to hit them, works in much the same way. This time, you just need to meet their blade with yours in the right position in mid-air. 

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
Defend smart with external block

Defend smart with external block

Some players online will fight with a certain level of respect in 3v3 matchups - however, some are just plain douches and will gang up on someone if they’ve already defeated their own opponent. It’s intimidating, but it’s not impossible to counteract - they key is using your block to protect yourself as much as possible.

So choose an enemy to target by holding L2/LT and use the right analog stick to block any attacks coming left or right. Since you’re now locked to an enemy dead ahead, blocking their strikes for above, left and right still works the same way. You might not block every hit in such a blitz, but patience can see you evening the odds with deadly accuracy. 

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
Your Revenge meter can make all the difference

Your Revenge meter can make all the difference

Getting your armoured backside handed to you in a duel or a mob can be a little disheartening, but that doesn’t mean you’re without any form of backup. For Honor uses a system called Revenge that fills via an amber coloured bar at the bottom-left of the screen (being hit and successfully blocking will help fill it).

When this appears, press Triangle/Y to temporarily boost the strength of your stats. This buff can mean the difference between a win and a loss in a duel, so use it when you’re against the ropes and far enough to not get caught. It even adds a sliver of life to your health bar, so use it wisely.  

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
Always use executions - they boost your health

Always use executions - they boost your health

Executions are a staple in most PvP games these days, but they’re usually just for show. Not so in For Honor. Executions, which are initiated by killing your opponent with a heavy strike (R2/RT) then pressing Square/Triangle (X/Y), also provide you with a slight boost to your Renown. 

There are other benefits too - players executed in 4v4 Dominion will receive a three second respawn delay, while anyone unlucky to be dispatched this way won’t be open to revives by teammates. Just keep in mind executions can be interrupted, so be careful if an enemy teammate is active nearby. 

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
Decide which Feats work best for you

Decide which Feats work best for you

Feats are essentially a set of special abilities or buffs that you take with you into battle. They’re mapped to your D-pad and usually have a one-time use during a single match or battle. These perks might seem throwaway, but they’re actually a vital part of For Honor’s wider combat system. 

For Honor players define duels as ‘critical’ and ‘non-critical’ - for instance, duels where respawns have stopped or ones where a loss would enable a foe to revive his teammates would be considered critical. These are times to use your Feats - since this perks include unblockable strikes, arrow barrages and health boosts, you can see why they’re so powerful. 

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
Experiment with Heroes and Classes

Experiment with Heroes and Classes

There are currently 12 different Heroes to choose from in For Honor, with each one split into four classes - Vanguard, Heavy, Assassin and Hybrid. Vanguard’s are the standard, well-rounded avatars, while the Heavies offer power over speed. The Assassin can dodge much faster, but its strikes don’t deal as much damage, and the Hybrid offers superior parrying but with a longer weapon (making them much harder to use). 

Don’t be afraid to try each Hero out and see how well it suits your playstyle - be sure to study how long attack animations last and use this frame data to help you overcome your opponent in a duel. 

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
Upgrade your Hero with gear

Upgrade your Hero with gear

When a match draws to a close, For Honor will ‘scour the battlefield’ to find you loot (this being XP, Steel (For Honor’s in-game currency) and gear. These are usually pieces of armour or weapons that can buff your character’s stats.

However, in any other game such items could create an imbalance in battle - not so in For Honor. These upgrades only affect your stats in 4v4 Dominion. In any other mode (ie, Deathmatch and Duel & Brawl), these upgrades will only serve an aesthetic value so don’t worry about another player kicking your face off with buffed up stats in 1v1. 

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
Always be aware of your environment

Always be aware of your environment

The nine launch maps of For Honor are built to facilitate 1v1 duels above all, so there are plenty of narrow bridges and ledges to clash steel upon. However, since dodging (moving the left analog stick and pressing Cross/A) is a vital part of your arsenal, rolling off a nearby edge is an easy self-inflicted doom. 

To keep yourself safe from environmental suicide, have a quick glance over your surroundings before rushing to meet your opponent. If the scenery in the middle or on your opponent’s side looks treacherous, goad them with an Emote (press Triangle/Y) and draw them over to you instead. 

  • More of a footballer than a viking? Check out our collection of Fifa 17 tips and tricks
Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
Dom Reseigh-Lincoln
Read more
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers promises an action-packed romp through Ming Dynasty-era China
Key art for the game Blades of Fire
Blades of Fire review: forging a path with mid-budget retro charm
Assassin's Creed's Edward Kenway on a yellow background, with "tech radar" written across it
Best Assassin’s Creed games: every series entry ranked
Tekken 8 Jin Kazama punching towards the screen
Best fighting games to play in 2025
A screenshot from Glowmade's King of Meat game
King of Meat’s chaotic co-op action and quirky creator mode show me that it might just have the legs to succeed
The key art for Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition
Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition review: gruelling for newcomers, but hard to put down
Latest in Consoles & PC
The Nintendo Switch 2 console on a desk running Donkey Kong Bananza
Nintendo Switch 2 restocks live: UK Switch 2 Donkey Kong offers at Currys, Best Buy stock drop confirmed, and all the latest links to check
The Ghost of Yotei standard edition
Ghost of Yotei pre-order guide: the best deals, prices, retailer links, and key information on each edition
Nintendo Switch 2 GameCube Controller
Nintendo Switch 2 GameCube controller review: old dog, new tricks
Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo's anti-piracy rules have got one Switch 2 owner's console banned after they bought pre-owned games that they later found out were cloned
Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo implements new Nintendo Switch 2 eShop guidelines in Asia to combat 'slop' games and sensitive content
ROG Xbox Ally
The ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X may have had their prices leaked, and if they're accurate, they'll be the most expensive Xbox consoles yet
Latest in How Tos
PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 16: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland looks on during a practice round prior to The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 16, 2025 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
British Open 2025 live stream: how to watch the golf online, schedule, Round 1 tee times
Kevin Vauquelin of France and Team Arkea - B&B Hotels attacks climbing the Cote d'Outreau
Watch Tour de France LIVE: Stage 12 updates, TV channels, free streams
People wave flags at the Royal Albert Hall in west London on September 7, 2013 during the last night of the Proms. US conductor Marin Alsop became the first woman to conduct the Last Night of the Proms in its 118-year history. AFP PHOTO/CARL COURT (Photo credit should read CARL COURT/AFP via Getty Images)
How to watch First Night of the Proms 2025: live stream for free online from anywhere
MLB All-Star Game Logo
How to watch MLB All-Star Game 2025 — watch baseball online from anywhere
The Great British Sewing Bee season 11 contestants
How to watch The Great British Sewing Bee season 11 for free online from anywhere
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 12: Wimbledon tennis balls sit ready on the Queens Club practice court at The Queen's Club on June 12, 2025 in London, England.
How to watch Sinner vs Alcaraz Wimbledon on BBC iPlayer (it's free)
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. 1
    New Samsung tri-fold leaks may have revealed its launch window and official name
  2. 2
    The Analogue 3D has been delayed once again and this time its creator is blaming tariffs
  3. 3
    Philips Hue smart bulbs just got a massive 41% price cut at Amazon, smashing last week's Prime Day deals
  4. 4
    First poster for Supergirl reveals near-full look at the DC comic book hero's outfit – and puts a rebellious spin on Superman's 'look up' tagline
  5. 5
    Marshall Kilburn III review: an exceptional Bluetooth speaker that’s considerably pricier than its predecessor, but worth every penny

TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Web notifications
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...