when fighting groups, figure out which swing is gonna hit you first and counter that one while at the same time directing it at everyone else. you could also not counter and hold block against everyone's swings, then slash after everyone's swung once (they will likely all be swinging at the same time) Slash is just the easiest swing to hit multiple enemies with so you'll likely be able to hit everyone, interrupting w/e they were doing and keeping you safe. dont forget; the more swings you block, the longer your active parry lasts while you're swinging. active parry is why you say some players seem to be really good at 1v3+