Guard Break

Guard Break is a gameplay mechanic in Dark Souls II.

General Information
The Guard Break move replaces the kick from Dark Souls. After a short windup, the player delivers a backhand attack, stunning their target. If the target's shield is up, their guard is broken: they are stunned for a longer period of time, during which they may be riposted similarly to a parry and riposte from Dark Souls.

Guard breaking when unarmed or using a fist weapon is significantly faster than guard breaking with any other weapon, and can be accomplished by nearly all weapons.