Why You Cannot Parry as Grace in Resident Evil 9 Requiem

In Resident Evil 9: Requiem, players are introduced to a dual-protagonist system that drastically alters the rhythm of combat depending on who they control. A frequent point of confusion among new players is the "Parry" mechanic. Specifically, while Leon S. Kennedy retains the high-intensity defensive capabilities seen in recent remakes, Grace Ashcroft operates under entirely different rules.

Grace cannot parry enemy attacks. If you are pressing the parry button (Space on PC, L1/LB on consoles) as an enemy lunges toward Grace, she will not raise a weapon to deflect the blow. Instead, her defensive kit is built around agility and evasion rather than brute force and weapon-based deflections. Understanding this distinction is vital for surviving the higher difficulty ranks in the Wrenwood and Raccoon City segments.

The Core Difference Between Grace and Leon

The combat philosophy in Resident Evil 9: Requiem is divided between Leon’s "Action-Horror" and Grace’s "Survival-Horror."

Leon is a veteran operative equipped with a combat hatchet. His parry mechanic allows him to negate incoming damage, stagger enemies, and set up devastating physical follow-ups like roundhouse kicks. However, this comes at the cost of hatchet durability. If Leon’s hatchet becomes dull or breaks, his ability to parry is lost until he can sharpen or repair it.

Grace Ashcroft, an FBI agent with a more grounded skill set, lacks Leon’s heavy-duty melee equipment. Her campaign emphasizes stealth, resource management, and precise movement. For Grace, the game replaces the parry with the Perfect Dodge. This is not a bug or a missing feature; it is a deliberate design choice by Capcom to force players into a more vulnerable, atmospheric playstyle.

Mastering Grace Ashcroft’s Perfect Dodge

Since Grace cannot block or parry, mastering the Perfect Dodge is her only reliable way to avoid damage in close-quarters encounters.

How to Execute the Perfect Dodge

The Perfect Dodge is triggered by pressing the movement keys and the sprint button simultaneously just as an attack is about to land. Unlike Leon’s parry, which requires a specific button press to initiate a deflection animation, Grace’s dodge relies on directional input.

1. Observation: Watch the enemy's wind-up animation. In RE9, "Blister Heads" and regular zombies have distinct "tells"—a slight shoulder drop or a sharp intake of breath before they lunge.
2. Timing: The window for a "Perfect" dodge is approximately 12 to 15 frames at standard difficulty.
3. Result: If timed correctly, the camera will subtly shift, and Grace will perform a swift duck or sidestep. During this animation, she gains a brief window of invincibility (i-frames).

Why the Perfect Dodge is Often Better than Parrying

While it might feel punishing to lose the parry, Grace’s dodge offers advantages that Leon lacks:

• Zero Resource Cost: Leon’s parry consumes hatchet durability. Grace can dodge indefinitely without worrying about weapon maintenance.
• Repositioning: A parry usually keeps you in front of the enemy. A dodge allows you to move behind or to the side of a foe, which is essential when dealing with "Chunk" bosses or the "Two Singers" in the subway.
• Counter-Stance: Successfully pulling off a Perfect Dodge as Grace allows for a faster "aim-down-sights" (ADS) transition, often resulting in a brief slowdown effect that lets you land a headshot with her B934 handgun or the S&S M232.

Tactical Breakdown: Leon’s Parry vs. Grace’s Dodge

To understand why Grace cannot parry, we must look at the technical trade-offs between the two characters' defensive options.

In our testing across multiple playthroughs, particularly on the "Insanity" difficulty where Adaptive Difficulty (AD) stays locked at Rank 9, Leon’s parry becomes a double-edged sword. At Rank 9, a failed parry can result in losing 50% of Leon’s 1200 HP instantly. Grace, despite having a lower base HP of 800, feels safer in many scenarios because her dodge doesn't require her to "meet" the attack; it encourages her to get out of its path entirely.

Why Grace Cannot Parry: A Narrative and Gameplay Analysis

Capcom’s decision to limit the parry to Leon serves the narrative of Resident Evil 9: Requiem. Leon is portrayed as the "seasoned pro"—a man who has survived Raccoon City, the Spanish countryside, and countless bioterror threats. He is, quite literally, a human weapon.

Grace, however, is investigating the "Raccoon City incident" survivors under a cloud of personal trauma. Her mother, Alyssa Ashcroft, was an investigative journalist, and Grace’s skills are more analytical. In the Rhodes Medical Center, where Grace’s campaign begins, the atmosphere is claustrophobic and focused on first-person immersion.

If Grace could parry like Leon, the tension of being stalked by Victor Gideon would vanish. By removing the ability to "fight back" through deflections, players are forced to engage with the environment. You have to hide, use the "Hemolytic Injector" to weaken foes from stealth, and rely on crafting specialized ammo for the "Requiem Gun."

Managing Health and Defense with Grace

Because Grace lacks a parry, her margin for error is slimmer. It is important to understand her internal health and movement values to compensate for her defensive limitations.

HP and Mercy Mechanics

• Grace’s Base Health: 800 HP (can be upgraded to 1200 HP using Steroids found in the Care Center).
• Leon’s Base Health: 1200 HP.
• Mercy Mechanic: Grace has a unique "survival" threshold. If her health is above "Danger" (200 HP) and she takes a hit that would normally kill her, her health will drop to 1 HP instead of triggering a Game Over. This is her version of a "safety net" since she cannot parry.

Movement Speed

Grace is significantly slower than Leon. Her run speed is 2.7 meters per second, compared to Leon’s 4.25 m/s. This makes the timing of her dodge even more critical. You cannot simply outrun a zombie in the narrow subway corridors of Raccoon City; you must time your dodges or use the environment (like doors and supply boxes) to reset enemy AI.

The Impact of Adaptive Difficulty (AD) on Defense

Resident Evil 9 features an Adaptive Difficulty system that scales based on your performance. If you are playing as Grace and successfully dodging attacks and landing headshots, your AD Rank will climb.

• Rank 0-2 (Casual): Large dodge windows, enemies move at 75% speed.
• Rank 3-7 (Standard): The standard experience. Dodge windows feel tight but fair.
• Rank 8-9 (Insanity): Enemies move 15-20% faster. At Rank 9, the timing for Grace’s Perfect Dodge becomes razor-thin (approx. 6-8 frames).

In these higher ranks, the lack of a parry for Grace feels most acute. Without the ability to block, players must rely on "Weapon Force Power"—the hidden stat that determines how easily an enemy flinches. As Grace, using the "R.I.P. Knife" (which has 220 damage and 50 force) is often better for creating space than trying to dodge through a crowd.

How to Unlock the Untouchable Achievement

Many players search for "can Grace parry RE9" because they are trying to unlock the Untouchable achievement/trophy, which requires you to "Parry an enemy attack."

It is important to clarify: You cannot unlock this achievement while playing as Grace.

To get the Untouchable trophy:

1. Play the Leon campaign.
2. Reach the first street combat section in the Wrenwood Outbreak (Chapter 1).
3. Equip the Combat Hatchet.
4. Find a lone zombie in the narrow alley near the burning vehicle.
5. Wait for the zombie to raise its arms.
6. Press the parry button (Space/L1/LB) just before the contact.

Once the spark effect occurs and the enemy is staggered, the achievement will pop. If you try this as Grace, you will simply take damage or, at best, perform a standard dodge if you have the movement keys pressed.

Combat Strategies for Grace Ashcroft

Since you can't rely on a parry, here is how you should handle combat as Grace to maintain efficiency and stay alive.

1. Stealth over Confrontation

Grace is the only character who can effectively use stealth to bypass entire sections of the Rhodes Medical Center and the Raccoon City streets. Utilize the first-person perspective (or third-person if you prefer) to peek around corners. If an enemy doesn't see you, you don't need to parry or dodge.

2. The Hemolytic Injector

Grace’s signature tool is the Hemolytic Injector. Instead of parrying a "Blister Head," you can weaken it with gunfire and then use the injector for a "Lethal Dose" finisher. This consumes "Infected Micro Samples" but is a guaranteed kill that avoids the risk of close-quarters combat entirely.

3. Exploiting "Blister Head" Habits

Zombies in RE9: Requiem retain fragments of their former lives. Some will stop to "work" at a desk or stare at a wall. Grace can take advantage of these patterns to sneak by. If you are forced into a fight, always aim for the legs first. A crawling zombie is much easier to dodge than a standing one, especially since Grace lacks a counter-attack parry.

4. Crafting Blood-Based Items

Grace can craft items using a "Blood Collector." Instead of looking for traditional green herbs, she can craft enhanced ammo and healing injections that provide temporary buffs to her dodge window. If you find yourself struggling with the timing of the Perfect Dodge, look for crafting recipes that increase Grace's "Agility" or "Reaction Time."

Resident Evil 9: Requiem Mechanics Analysis

For those interested in the raw data of how defense and combat work for Grace versus Leon, the internal values reveal why the characters feel so different.

Weapon Damage and Force

Grace's weapons generally have higher "Force" but lower fire rates.

• B934 Handgun: 90 Damage / 100 Force.
• S&S M232: 120 Damage / 100 Force.
• Requiem Gun: 1500+ Damage / 1000+ Force.

The high Force value on Grace's handguns means that while she can't parry, a single well-placed shot is more likely to cause an enemy to flinch (cancel their attack animation) than one of Leon’s standard 9mm rounds. This "stagger-on-hit" is effectively Grace’s version of defensive play. Instead of waiting for the attack to come to you to parry it, you interrupt the attack before it even starts.

Armor and Durability

Leon has access to Armor bars (800 durability each) which further enhance his ability to tank hits and parry. Grace has no armor system. She is meant to be fragile. In our Insanity run, we found that focusing on "Steroids" to boost her max HP was the only way to survive the later boss encounters like "The Chef" or "Victor Gideon" because one mistake with a dodge could be fatal.

Summary of Defensive Strategies

• Leon: Aggressive. Uses the Hatchet to parry and counter. Combat is a rhythmic dance of blocking and striking.
• Grace: Evasive. Uses the Perfect Dodge to reposition. Combat is about spacing, stealth, and using the Hemolytic Injector.

If you find yourself trying to parry as Grace out of habit from the RE4 Remake or Leon’s sections of RE9, you need to retrain your muscle memory. Stop looking for the "parry window" and start looking for the "escape route."

Conclusion

The answer to "can Grace parry in RE9" is a definitive no. By stripping Grace Ashcroft of the parry mechanic, Capcom has successfully created two distinct gameplay experiences within a single title. Leon Kennedy remains the powerhouse fans love, capable of deflecting chainsaws and hatchets with ease. Grace Ashcroft, meanwhile, returns the series to its roots—where every enemy encounter is a high-stakes puzzle and survival depends on your ability to avoid conflict rather than meet it head-on.

Mastering the Perfect Dodge, understanding the Adaptive Difficulty ranks, and utilizing Grace’s unique crafting system are the keys to overcoming the horrors of Wrenwood. While the lack of a parry might feel like a disadvantage initially, the tactical depth it adds to Grace’s campaign makes her sections some of the most rewarding in the Resident Evil franchise.

FAQ

What happens if I press the parry button as Grace?

Nothing happens. Grace does not have a parry animation. You will likely take full damage from the incoming attack unless you are also moving and trigger a standard or perfect dodge.

Can Grace use Leon's Hatchet to parry?

No. Weapons and key items are character-specific in Resident Evil 9: Requiem. Grace cannot pick up or use Leon's Hatchet, and Leon cannot use Grace's Hemolytic Injector or Requiem Gun.

Is the Perfect Dodge available for Leon?

No. Leon's defense is entirely based on the Parry and standard movement. He does not have the "Perfect Dodge" frame data or animations that Grace possesses.

Why is the Untouchable achievement not working?

The Untouchable achievement requires a successful parry, which is a mechanic exclusive to Leon Kennedy. You must be playing as Leon and successfully stagger an enemy with a timed hatchet block to unlock it.

Does the difficulty level change Grace's dodge window?

Yes. On Casual difficulty, the window is very generous. On "Standard (Modern)" and "Standard (Classic)," it is moderate. On "Insanity," the window is significantly reduced, requiring near-perfect timing to avoid damage.

Can Grace parry bosses?

No, Grace cannot parry bosses or regular enemies. For boss fights like "The Chef" or "Chunk," you must bait their heavy attacks and use the dodge to move into their blind spots for counter-attacks.