Three actions, three practice goals
The PlayStation hands-on distinguishes Parry’s sword enhancement from Deflect’s enemy-stamina damage. The developers describe Issen as a counter performed immediately before an incoming hit, with significant risk if mistimed. These are different decisions, not interchangeable names for a single perfect block.
Start with the action you can reproduce consistently. Against one familiar swing, practice defending without immediately pressing attack. Once you recognize success, add a short follow-up. For Deflect practice, watch the enemy stamina response instead of judging the attempt only by lost health.
Avoid guessing a universal timing window
We have not measured frame data for the September 5 PC build. A precise millisecond or frame-count recommendation would therefore be misleading. Use the point at which the enemy actually commits to the strike, not simply the beginning of its wind-up.
A useful personal record has three parts: the enemy, the attack animation, and whether your response was early or late. Delayed attacks and repeated follow-ups deserve separate entries.
Convert defense without getting greedy
A successful response is only half the exchange. Check whether a second opponent is nearby before extending damage. If the camera hides a threat, reposition first.
Treat Issen as a deliberate practice target, not a mandatory response to every attack. When learning a new enemy, surviving long enough to observe its complete sequence is more valuable than repeatedly gambling on a counter you cannot yet read.