How to trigger the Retribution skill in Stellar Blade for maximum damage

Time of India

12-06-2025

Stellar Blade has finally launched on PC, opening up its world of stylish combat and tough enemies to even more players. The game's battle system is built around precise timing and sharp reflexes. One of the most powerful skills in the game is called Retribution. It is a finishing move that becomes available after you perfectly parry enemy attacks in a sequence.
Retribution deals massive damage and can turn the tide in a close fight, especially against stronger Naytibas. Whether you play with a gamepad or a keyboard, the steps to trigger Retribution are the same. The only difference is which button or key you press at the end — and for keyboard players, that will depend on your personal keyboard settings.
How to use Retribution in battle
Stellar Blade slashes its way onto PC today, with new content and updates also dropping on PS5: https://t.co/wV6aqo12tZ pic.twitter.com/OeAyfKj7Ac
You need to be patient and time your parries correctly. Here's how you can pull it off:
Stop attacking for a while and focus only on parrying enemy strikes.
Every successful parry fills up your Guard Meter. This is shown as small yellow dots just below your health bar.
Once the enemy takes enough pressure, it enters a Stagger state. You'll see it drop to its knees or freeze in place for a second.
At this moment, a prompt will appear at the bottom of the screen asking you to use Retribution.
Press the correct button or key and your character will perform a powerful move, often killing or heavily damaging the enemy.
If the enemy survives, you'll need to avoid their next combo, land more parries, and trigger Retribution again.
Key inputs for Retribution
The final step of Retribution is the same across all platforms, but the actual button or key you press depends on your control scheme. Here's how it works:
Gamepad/Controller users
If you're using a PlayStation controller, press Triangle when the Retribution prompt appears.
If you're on an Xbox controller, press Y to perform the attack.
The Retribution icon will show up on-screen, so you'll know when to press it.
Keyboard users
The action to trigger Retribution will depend on how you've mapped your keys.
It's usually the key you've assigned to 'Special Attack' or 'Execution Move.'
Check your keyboard settings in the control menu if you're not sure. The process is still the same: parry, stagger, and then hit the Retribution key when prompted.
No matter what you play on, learning to use Retribution will make your combat much more effective. Keep practicing those perfect parries, and you'll soon master this deadly move in Stellar Blade.