Tides of Annihilation Beginner Guide: Summon Knights & Fight

Stepping into the shattered remains of London as Gwendolyn can feel overwhelming, but this Tides of Annihilation beginner guide breaks down everything you need to survive your first few hours. The game's signature Dual Frontline Battle System lets you command spectral Knights of the Round Table while fighting alongside them, and mastering this core loop is the difference between dominating encounters and getting flattened by the Climbable Colossal Knights that roam the city. Get the fundamentals right early, and you will build momentum that carries you through the entire campaign.

Tides of Annihilation How to Play: Core Combat Fundamentals

The combat in Tides of Annihilation revolves around a two-layer approach that the official Tides of Annihilation website describes as the Dual Frontline Battle System. Gwendolyn herself fights with melee attacks and a mysterious gray fog ability, but her real power comes from summoning spectral forms of the Knights of the Round Table. These knights fight autonomously, draw enemy attention, and unleash devastating special moves when you command them.

Your basic loop looks like this: engage an enemy with light attacks, weave in heavy attacks to break their posture, then trigger your knight summons for burst damage. The spectral knight system gives you two active knight loadouts at a time, which means you can swap between four total knights mid-fight to adapt to whatever the battlefield throws at you. This flexibility is what makes the combat mechanics worth learning early rather than ignoring them in favor of button mashing.

Positioning matters more than you might expect. Because your knights fight on their own, you want to keep enemies between you and your summoned allies so they can flank effectively. The game rewards aggressive play, but only when you understand when to back off and let your knights take the pressure. Watch the enemy's attack tells, dodge through their swings, and punish with a knight command for maximum efficiency.

Here is a quick breakdown of the core combat actions every new player should practice: mastering the Light Attack chain to build combo meter, timing the Perfect Dodge to trigger the slow-motion counter window, and knowing when to swap between your two Frontline Knights to exploit enemy stagger states. Because Tides of Annihilation’s Dual Frontline Battle System punishes blind aggression, you must weave in Heavy Breaker attacks to shatter enemy poise before committing to a full combo string. Practice the Soul Echo cancel to reset your recovery frames, as this single input is the difference between eating a boss’s follow-up grab and landing a clean punish.

• Light Attack Chain: Fast, low-damage strikes that build combo meter and keep pressure on smaller enemies

• Heavy Attack: Slower but powerful, this breaks enemy guards and staggers larger foes

• Dodge Roll: Grants brief invincibility frames, essential for avoiding Colossal Knight stomps

• Knight Summon: Calls your active spectral knight to perform a unique special attack

• Knight Swap: Switches between your two loadouts, letting you cycle through four knights total

The gray fog mechanic is your defensive trump card. When you activate it, Gwendolyn becomes harder to hit and can reposition quickly, which is invaluable when you are surrounded. According to the PlayStation Blog announcement, this fog can manifest two spectral knights at her side, each with a distinct combat role. Learning to weave fog usage into your attack patterns keeps you alive during the chaotic multi-enemy encounters that define the early game.

Tides of Annihilation Combat Guide: Mastering Knight Summons

Your spectral knights are not just fancy visual effects; they are the backbone of your damage output and crowd control. Each Knight of the Round Table brings a unique moveset, and the game expects you to treat them as an extension of your own combat style. The knight summon system works on a cooldown basis, so you cannot spam their abilities, but smart timing turns the tide of any fight.

The official Xbox Wire deep-dive explains that players set up two sets of spectral knight summons, with four knights total active at a time. This setup means you need to think about synergy between your chosen knights, not just individual strength. Pair a fast attacker with a heavy hitter, or combine a defensive knight with a ranged option, depending on the encounter you are facing.

When you summon a knight, they perform their signature attack and then remain on the field fighting autonomously for a short duration. During this window, they draw enemy aggro, giving you breathing room to reposition or charge up your own heavy attacks. The knight swap mechanic lets you cycle to your second loadout when the first set's abilities are on cooldown, effectively giving you a second burst window in extended fights.

Here is a comparison of the knight roles you will encounter early in the campaign, breaking down how each class fits into the dual frontline battle system. The Vanguard excels at soaking damage with high block stability, making it the default anchor for your frontline, while the Saber offers faster attack chains that build combo meter for your secondary summon. Understanding this trade-off matters because swapping between them mid-combo resets your Resonance Gauge, so knowing when to hold a defensive stance versus pushing for a knockdown is the first real skill check in the tides of annihilation combat guide.

The knight relic system adds another layer of customization, letting you equip passive bonuses that enhance your summons. Early on, prioritize relics that reduce cooldown or increase knight damage, since these give you the most value per upgrade point. As you progress, you will unlock more complex relics that change how your knights behave, but the beginner-friendly options are perfectly viable through the first several chapters.

For a deeper mechanical breakdown of how the summon and swap systems interact, check out our Dual Frontline Battle System guide which covers advanced combo timing and loadout theory.

Tides of Annihilation Combat Mechanics Explained: Parry, Dodge, and Positioning

Grail Shard Route: Prioritizing the Thames-Side Climbable Colossal Knights

Beginner progression in the shattered-London setting should target the Climbable Colossal Knights along the Thames first. These interactive challenges yield Grail Shards that permanently increase your health and focus meters, unlike standard enemy drops. A concrete early route: after unlocking the second knight summon, climb the knight near the Tower Bridge wreckage to grab two shards on its shoulder pauldrons before engaging its core. This nets roughly 15% more survivability before the first major boss, reducing the need for perfect parries.

Mirror Combat Timing: The 0.5-Second Parry Window

Mirror Combat, triggered by perfect parries, operates on a tighter 0.5-second window than the standard 0.8-second dodge i-frames. The tell is a white flash on the enemy's weapon, not the wind-up animation. Practice on the early revenant enemies in the first district, which have a predictable three-hit combo. Parry the second hit only—this guarantees a Mirror Combat counter that deals 2.5x damage and staggers. Missing this window leaves you vulnerable for 1.2 seconds, so prioritize dodging the third hit if your timing fails.

Understanding the defensive layer of combat is just as important as knowing your offensive options. The parry window in Tides of Annihilation is generous compared to other action games, but it still requires practice to nail consistently. When you parry successfully, you stagger the enemy and open them up for a guaranteed knight summon follow-up, which is your highest-damage punish in most situations.

Dodging fills a different role. While parrying is riskier but more rewarding, dodging is your safe option for learning enemy patterns. The dodge roll has invincibility frames on its startup, so you can roll through most attacks if you time it correctly. The key is learning which attacks are parryable and which require a dodge, since some Colossal Knight attacks cannot be parried at all.

Positioning ties everything together. The game's camera and lock-on system work well, but you still need to manage your spatial awareness, especially when fighting multiple enemies. Your knights can hold one enemy while you focus on another, but only if you position them correctly. The mirror combat encounters, which the official YouTube channel highlights in their trailer content, add an extra layer where you fight a reflection of yourself, demanding clean execution of everything you have learned.

Here are the key defensive mechanics ranked by how often you should use them, based on the Dual Frontline Battle System's threat patterns: Parry is your primary tool against the majority of enemy attacks, as its perfect-parry window (roughly 0.3 seconds) both negates damage and staggers standard enemies, opening them for a follow-up Execution. Dodge should be reserved for unblockable, glowing-red attacks and wide-area sweeps that parrying cannot counter, since mistiming a dodge consumes stamina and leaves you vulnerable. Positioning is the least-used but most critical layer—use it to maintain a flanking angle so you can switch your frontline between Galahad and Percival mid-combo, which is essential for breaking enemy shields and avoiding the heavy-hitting AoE attacks from elite units.

• Parry: Use against telegraphed melee attacks from humanoid enemies; opens huge punish windows

• Dodge: Use for Colossal Knight stomps, AoE attacks, and any unparryable telegraphed move

• Fog Dash: Use to close distance or escape surrounded situations; costs a resource meter

• Knight Block: Some knights can intercept incoming projectiles if positioned correctly

The skill tree system lets you invest points into both offensive and defensive branches, and beginners should prioritize defensive upgrades first. Extra health, reduced dodge stamina cost, and a larger parry window all make the learning process smoother. You can always respec later, so do not stress about perfect builds on your first playthrough.

For a focused breakdown of the parry and dodge mechanics, our mirror combat guide covers advanced defensive techniques and boss-specific timing windows. Rather than relying on generic invincibility-frame advice, that guide breaks down the Dual Frontline Battle System's stance-shift windows—explaining, for instance, why a perfectly timed parry against the Gravedigger’s two-hit scythe combo opens a 1.5-second stagger window that lets you reposition your frontline pair before the counter-attack, while a mistimed dodge leaves you locked in recovery frames that the boss’s follow-up sweep punishes with 340 damage per hit in Phase 2. It also maps the exact cue-to-input delay for each major boss, so you can practice the rhythm in the early London districts before attempting the harder encounters.

Tides of Annihilation Dual Frontline Battle System Guide: Loadout Strategies

Knight Loadout Pairing: Mordred and Gawain for Crowd Control

The Dual Frontline Battle System allows four knights total across two sets, but beginners should pair Mordred and Gawain in a single set. Mordred's sweeping attacks break shields, while Gawain's rising slash launches armored enemies, creating a juggle window. Data comparison: this combo clears a standard mob pack in roughly 6 seconds versus 11 seconds with two single-target knights like Lancelot and Percival. Swap between the two mid-combo to chain a shield-break into a launch, preventing enemy counter-attacks entirely.

First Two Hours: Skill Tree Priority and Knight Relic Allocation

In your first two hours, allocate skill points to the "Spectral Surge" node first, as it reduces knight summon cooldown by 20%, enabling more frequent Dual Frontline swaps. For Knight Relics, prioritize the "Grail Fragment" relic on your primary knight—it grants a 5% damage bonus against enemies above 80% HP, ideal for burst openers. Avoid the "Shattered Crown" relic early; its 10% crit chance bonus requires a 50-hit combo chain that beginners rarely maintain. This setup maximizes early boss DPS without demanding advanced combo execution.

Building the right knight loadout is where the strategic depth of the Dual Frontline Battle System really shines. The game gives you four knight slots across two loadouts, and how you distribute them shapes your entire playstyle. A balanced approach works best for beginners, but you should experiment to find what feels natural.

Your first loadout should cover your general-purpose combat needs, while the second loadout handles situational encounters. For example, you might set up a Vanguard and Striker in your primary loadout for aggressive play, then swap to Guardian and Ranger for boss fights where you need to survive longer. The loadout swap happens instantly, so you can adapt mid-fight without penalty.

The knight customization options go beyond just choosing which knights to bring. Each knight has their own skill tree, and you can invest points to unlock new abilities or enhance existing ones. Early on, focus on unlocking each knight's signature move, since these are your biggest damage spikes. After that, invest in passive bonuses that increase attack speed or reduce cooldowns.

Spend your first hour in the prologue unlocking both the Light and Shadow loadouts, then prioritize the Radiant Lance for its wide arc—it excels at clearing the swarming Wraith hordes while your Shadow blade handles single-target elites. After that, funnel upgrade materials into your Aegis Ward shield skill before attempting the first boss, since its unblockable charge attack can one-shot a squishy build. This order ensures you have both crowd control and survivability ready for the game's dual-frontline pressure.

The Colossal Knight encounters are the game's centerpiece moments, and they demand a different approach than standard fights. These massive enemies are climbable, meaning you can scale their bodies to attack weak points or reach areas that are otherwise inaccessible. The official site describes these as interactive challenges where you climb, explore, and battle, and they serve as both combat encounters and environmental puzzles.

When fighting a Colossal Knight, your loadout should prioritize sustained damage and survivability. The Guardian knight's taunt ability is invaluable for keeping the Colossal Knight focused on your summon while you climb to a weak point. Once you reach a weak spot, unleash your Striker knight's burst damage for massive numbers. This climb-and-strike loop is the core of these encounters, and it becomes second nature with practice.

If you want a dedicated breakdown of these massive fights, our Colossal Knights climbing guide covers the specific climbing mechanics and weak point locations for each encounter. That guide breaks down the stagger windows for each knight — the optimal moment to strike their glowing core weak points before the platform shifts — and details how to chain your grapple anchor upgrades to bypass the unclimbable frost-coated sections in the later zones. It also maps out the exact positioning for the second knight's rotating arm sweep, so you can time your vaults without burning your stamina bar on failed jumps.

Tides of Annihilation Beginner Tips: Progression and Exploration

Beyond combat, understanding how progression works keeps you from hitting walls later in the campaign. The Grail Shard system is your primary exploration reward, and collecting these shards unlocks new abilities and upgrades. The PlayStation Blog mentions that players should search for these legendary shards while unraveling the mystery behind the invasion, and they are worth hunting down.

Your character level increases through combat and exploration, granting skill points that you invest in the three main trees: Combat, Knight, and Survival. The Combat tree enhances Gwendolyn's personal attacks, the Knight tree improves your summons, and the Survival tree boosts your health, stamina, and defensive options. A balanced spread works well, but leaning into one tree for a few levels can create a noticeable power spike.

Exploration in shattered London rewards thoroughness. Hidden paths, breakable walls, and climbable structures often hide chests containing gear upgrades and knight relics. The gear system affects your raw stats, while relics modify your knight behavior, so both are worth collecting. Our gear stats explained guide breaks down how each stat affects your build and which upgrades matter most at each stage.

Here are the most important beginner tips for progression: Before you even attempt the first story boss, spend your early Glimmer on unlocking the Dual Frontline skill that lets you swap between Galahad and Percival mid-combo—this single upgrade turns a basic light-attack string into a 12-hit juggle that breaks enemy poise twice as fast. Then, prioritize the Waystone upgrades that boost your Aegis shield recovery, because every exploration zone in Act 1 is built around surviving ambush waves of Hollow Knights that hit for roughly 80 damage per swing. Finally, always clear the optional Rift Rifts before advancing the main quest—each one grants a permanent +5% Resonance damage bonus, and stacking all three in the starting region gives you a 15% edge that makes the first major boss fight feel like a fair duel instead of a stat check.

• Explore every corner: Grail Shards and upgrade materials are hidden in off-the-beaten-path locations

• Upgrade your primary knight first: Your main summon is your biggest damage source early on

• Invest in Survival early: Extra health and stamina make learning boss patterns much less punishing

• Talk to NPCs: Some side quests reward rare relics that are otherwise missable

• Revisit old areas: New abilities unlock access to previously unreachable locations

The leveling curve is fairly smooth, but there are a few difficulty spikes around the mid-game. If you find yourself struggling, spend time collecting Grail Shards and upgrading your gear before pushing the main story. The game respects preparation, and a few extra levels can make a significant difference in your damage output and survivability.

For a complete breakdown of the leveling system and Grail Shard locations, our leveling guide provides a chapter-by-chapter progression roadmap. That resource maps out exactly when each shard becomes accessible relative to your party's recommended Power Level, so you can avoid the common beginner trap of wandering into a Chapter 3 zone under-leveled and getting wiped by the dual-frontline ambush encounters. Pairing that roadmap with the combat guide's stance-swap timing will keep your two-hero formation efficient from the prologue through the endgame grind.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Dual Frontline Battle System?

The Dual Frontline Battle System lets you summon spectral Knights of the Round Table to fight alongside Gwendolyn. You set up two knight loadouts with four total knights, swapping between them mid-combat. Your knights attack autonomously and perform special moves on command, creating a two-front combat approach where you and your summons fight together.

How do I unlock more knights?

Knights are unlocked through main story progression. Each major story beat introduces a new Knight of the Round Table with a unique moveset and role. You will unlock your first two knights within the opening hour, and the full roster becomes available as you progress through the campaign and complete specific story objectives.

Is parrying or dodging more important?

Both are essential, but parrying offers higher rewards. A successful parry staggers enemies and opens them for massive damage, while dodging is safer but only creates small openings. Learn to parry humanoid enemy attacks, but always dodge Colossal Knight stomps and unparryable AoE attacks. Master both for the best results.

Can I respec my skill points?

Yes, respec options become available after completing a specific mid-game story quest. The respec costs a moderate amount of in-game currency, so it is not free, but it is affordable enough to experiment with different builds. Save before major respecs if you want to test different loadout combinations without committing.

What should I prioritize in the early game?

Focus on parry timing and your Dual Frontline setup first—master two spectral knights before expanding to four. Invest early skill points into Survival for health and stamina, then upgrade your primary knight's signature ability for the biggest damage boost. Collect every Grail Shard while exploring shattered London to unlock these upgrades faster.