Strategies for Fighting Against Rapiers

Lately I've had a lot of problems fighting against this weapon. I've also been unable to parry the attack that rapiers can do while blocking. Any tips?

They have relatively low damage. They're easy to sidestep. Just get a big weapon and you can usually out damage them.

^tanking the damage can be a efficient way to deal with them. when they turtle, kick the shield/black flame to break guard, since post patch you take a lot of stamina damage from it.

If they're rolling/poking, spam R1, it will be hard, but if you hit, you will hit hard. Watch out for parries.

Pivot-BS them. If my opponent is doing nothing but turtling I lose my hate for backstabs.

If they are not turtling, try to outrange them.

Running attacks with Rapiers are 2 hits, not one, so always roll to the side, not backwards, during a rolling attack, as either the first or second hit will get you if you roll backwards.

Rynn wrote:Running attacks with Rapiers are 2 hits, not one, so always roll to the side, not backwards, during a rolling attack, as either the first or second hit will get you if you roll backwards.

I never noticed that!

Jiub of Carim wrote:

Rynn wrote:Running attacks with Rapiers are 2 hits, not one, so always roll to the side, not backwards, during a rolling attack, as either the first or second hit will get you if you roll backwards.

I never noticed that!

It's 100% true. You can get massive damage off of that.

If they're turtle poking, hold your shield up and back against a wall. Don't play into their game.

kazumoshi wrote:If they're turtle poking, hold your shield up and back against a wall. Don't play into their game.

Really? That seems like a great way to get yourself into a tight situation.

kazumoshi wrote:If they're turtle poking, hold your shield up and back against a wall. Don't play into their game.

Do you have 11 poise?
If they are turtle poking grow a backbone and tank a bit to backstab them.
They will never do it again.

Rapier does little Poise damage. Tank the hit and bs them. Pivot bs turtle pokers. If you can, I recomend Shotel againt turtles, it works splendid.

However, there are Rapier users, like me, who will bait you into thinking you can bs them and then they counter bs you, or parry you.

Dealing with their running R1 is easy. Either tank and bs them, which is very easy as they end the attack on your side, or behind you, or parry them. Parrying it may seem hard, but it's easy because the attack is telegraphed. If you see a Rapier user come at you in straight line, parry. Chances are that you will land the parry on one of those attacks, because both are parriable. That means that even if you do the parry late, you can still land it on the second attack.

Kicking works great against turtle pokers as well as more aggressive rapier wielders.
Aside from that, stay mobile as rapiers have a tiny hit box.

Warning: staying mobile is only good if you have very little poise. If you have enough poise its better to just tank their pokes and hit em hard.

As a rapier user who doesn't turtle (much ), I lose when:
1: I get outranged.
2: I get parried. Now this is a given, but it's pretty easy to parry me when there's a low risk factor for it. I do little damage to health and poise.
3: The enemy flips. Rapiers have an already tiny hitbox that is easily dodged to the side, but someone with a ninja flip really capitalises on the hitbox.

I'll think of more later.

I've adapted all that was posted on this thread and its work in the most part. Thats only on my DEX build though. My STR build is still getting torn apart bro DMB and rapiers. Even with 1800 health and poising through their pokes, i still get poked to death.

Which weapons do you use on your STR build?

My STR build is as follows:

http://mmdks.com/1dbs

A wasted a few points in INT for hidden weapon.

Also I have my whole inventory organized through the Bottomless Box, so I change weapons on the fly. I also grinded all these weapons to max, here's what I have available to invade with or switch to mid-combat:

Hand Axe +15
Chaos Hand Axe +5 (idk why haha)
Man-Serpent Greatsword +15
Butcher Knife +15
Great Club +15
GreatAxe +15
Golem Axe +15
Stone Greataxe +5
Demon's Greataxe +15
Demon's Great Machete +15
Demon's Great Hammer +15
Dragon King Greataxe +5
Dragon Greatsword +5
Obsidian Greatsword +5
Dragon Tooth +5

That's all I have now and I have 3 slabs left. I know I need to max the Large Club, any other weapon that could help with rapiers or strategies for them with any of these?

Are you specifically having problems with turtlers or rapiers in general on your DEX build?

If it's turtling, dead angle with the ultra greatswords. If it's poking and rolling in between your attacks, play more patiently and let them come to you. Use those giant weapons to take out half their health anytime they approach you.