Button Layout - Less thumb movement, more TL movement

[DragonWR12LB]

I just stumbled on the notion and saw that having to move my thumb only the short distance of a few buttons could cost important frames here and there. So I remmapped by buttons so everything I need to press my fingers are on already.

I recently changed my Y to be my special (B). In doing so, I'm able to arrow cancel like a pro, since I was no fast enough to just with X then hit B quick enough for the second B. I also made L my grab since I always have an index finger on R and L ... why move my right finger to hit Z? It's nice because my right thumb is over X,Y, and A ready to press any instantly. The only downside, I'm alot slower when it comes to using smashes. However I usually use Dair, Fsmash, and Usmash with DI and A instead of the C stick.

My question is...what button layout do you guys use and what makes for the best TL player?

(PS: I assume everyone has tap jump off ^.^)

[rebd121]

I use default, tap jump on. Although, I've been thinking of remapping Grab to L to help with Zair.

[Alzi]

My tap jump is off, I jump with "Y" and i grab with "x". Also that toon link plushie in you're avatar is so awsome i would buy another 5 of them if i have money.

[DCStyle]

Default + tap jump off.

I'll reconsider changing to my y to b, considering I never use y to jump, but rather x.
A stupid habit I have is L air-dodging but r shielding/side-stepping. I should change that too.

[SSD]

I have a classic controller setup where I mapped all face buttons to the shoulder buttons, allowing me to keep my thumbs on the sticks at all times. I ended up removing the grab button, but I can just hit attack and block at the same time.

[Darktemplio]

I have Y set to special cuz of the arrow cancel. R set to grab and tap jump on.

[TLMarth]

Using grab itself is not really a good idea, usually it's just shield grab. But it's a good idea.

The only problem is that I use L to Up B/Upsmash OOS.

[BengalsRZ]

When I play TL I just switch my Up Taunt to jump, this way I can SHDA consistently.

[Jman115]

I use r to jump, L to shield, tap jump off.
Anytime I want to grab I usually am doing a shield grab so I don't need grab to be changed. And most of my zairs are airdodge zairs which require L and A.

[vanderzant]

I just use default controls (so Tap Jump is on).

There is practically nothing you can't do with this control scheme. SHDA and other things just takes practice.

[ImpactAR]

I probably have the most awkward button scheme.

A: Jump
B: Special
X: Grab
Y: Attack
L: Shield
R: Attack
Z: Grab by default; not used
Tap Jump: OFF

A is centralized in order for me to do ATs easier. A to B for Arrow Cancel. A to Y allows me to iNair (Nair ASAP after a jump) out of shield or dash. A to Y was initially intend just so I can perform iNair more consistently, but I also found it make it easier for me to Jump Cancel Throws.

Personally, I don't like that the shoulder buttons have to press all the way in for a command. Zair is also more comfortable this way. So I set X to grab for ease. Z is a very small button, after all.

Although I don't like the shoulder buttons, I have to agree that it's the best place for the Shield button. I use L to shield because it's most comfortable for me. I don't use R (or Z) for anything now, but with the discovery of the iBomb (credit to CaliburChamp) is set R to Attack so I easily and consistently press Shield and Attack together at the same time.

WARNING: Because of this, I am not able to pick up Melee and play it like I use to. I also broke my Melee disc so now I can't even learn both. Make sure you can learn both and don't lose your Melee disc or your Melee skills will be effected. :(

[UnderWing]

I run with tap jump off, and L is remapped to jump. This gives me the ability to do "lazy" SHDA'ing (I usually just trigger it normally with X) if I want. I don't honestly use Z as much as I should -- I rely heavily on R->A for grabs and ZAirs -- nothing particularly wrong with doing it this way, but I think if I conditioned myself to use Z more often than just bomb-dropping, it would improve my game. I'm currently experimenting with some ZAir combos, and after screwing around with Link and Snake during some friendlies (finally learned boost smashing) I got some ideas for approaches that are fairly control-intensive (training myself to be more conscious of my lateral DI as to improve on my spacing). So I'm spending more and more time on my C-Stick, and I'm learning how to use Z together with L jumps and R dodging to do in the air what I would previously use R+A and X for.

The reason I chose L for jump is that for as long as I can remember, I've only ever shielded with R. When it's legal, I use a springless controller (so the triggers are just buttons, no analog element), but I have also gotten used to holding down the springs on my other, unmodified controller when necessary. One of the absolute best and most useful parts of having an index-finger jump (as long as there's not too much lag to it) is that you can JC-Throw bombs perfectly with no effort -- your thumb can just sit on the C-Stick for throw direction. I've started using this more and more in my game as it's just become natural over the past few months, 'cause it's always nice to have more bombs in the air. :D

--UnderWing

[UncleSam]

Defaults with Tap jump off
I'm thinking of switching the Z and R commands since I always shield with L and now that my Z buttons broke I'm used to L+A for IBomb, Z-airing, and Grabbing, R would just be there if I get lazy, and If I want to bomb slide
Edit: I'm thinking of modding my controller and take out the Y button and move the C-stick up closer to the buttons for a faster reaction

[A1lion835]

Uh... I do tap jump on and y to specials.

I'm a n00b tl...so...why tap jump off?

[Cloud Cleaver]

I don't know. I like being able to jump, ub-B, and upsmash out of dash and shield...

[TLMarth]

You can do things OOS if you jump at the same time as using your attack.
That is made easier with the Tap Jump.

However, if you set jump to something other than X or Y, you can press that while pressing Up and A or B.

I set L to jump.

I run with tap jump off, and L is remapped to jump. This gives me the ability to do "lazy" SHDA'ing (I usually just trigger it normally with X) if I want. I don't honestly use Z as much as I should -- I rely heavily on R->A for grabs and ZAirs -- nothing particularly wrong with doing it this way, but I think if I conditioned myself to use Z more often than just bomb-dropping, it would improve my game. I'm currently experimenting with some ZAir combos, and after screwing around with Link and Snake during some friendlies (finally learned boost smashing) I got some ideas for approaches that are fairly control-intensive (training myself to be more conscious of my lateral DI This should really be Air Control, DI is when you are knocked by an attack. as to improve on my spacing). So I'm spending more and more time on my C-Stick, and I'm learning how to use Z together with L jumps and R dodging to do in the air what I would previously use R+A and X for.

The reason I chose L for jump is that for as long as I can remember, I've only ever shielded with R. When it's legal, I use a springless controller (so the triggers are just buttons, no analog element), but I have also gotten used to holding down the springs on my other, unmodified controller when necessary. One of the absolute best and most useful parts of having an index-finger jump (as long as there's not too much lag to it) is that you can JC-Throw bombs perfectly with no effort -- your thumb can just sit on the C-Stick for throw direction. I've started using this more and more in my game as it's just become natural over the past few months, 'cause it's always nice to have more bombs in the air. :D

--UnderWing

Well unless you want to zair really quickly I think airdodge and A is better. And unless your grab game is really good, you might want to stick to shield grabbing people.
The only thing my left hand does is use the control stick. But that's a pretty big job.

Like I said before L lets you do stuff OOS.

[DCStyle]

I messed around with button configs today, and I changed my up taunt to special so I could arrow cancel and SHDA easier.

[Ugg]

I rock the default controls.
I just slide my thumb from Y to B for SHDA.

[Xaoz]

Default, with tab jump off, Y as special, and L as Jump. I'm left handed, so jump-based ATs are loads easier with a Jump on the left side for me.

[A1lion835]

Well, I was recently screwing around with it. Now I have L set to specials (although that's gonna take a bit of time to get used to, I shield with either L or R most matches). Now I can perform QD more easily, not to mention that thing where you sh>pull out bomb>bomb barrier. I also have Y set to specials, but I only use that if I'm gonna jump right after I do it.

[Shadow Moth]

I use r to jump, L to shield, tap jump off.
Anytime I want to grab I usually am doing a shield grab so I don't need grab to be changed. And most of my zairs are airdodge zairs which require L and A.

Same but switch L and R. I still use Z for grabbing but I should just learn to shield grab.

[UnderWing]

Well unless you want to zair really quickly I think airdodge and A is better. And unless your grab game is really good, you might want to stick to shield grabbing people.
The only thing my left hand does is use the control stick. But that's a pretty big job.

My grab game's one of the best areas of my game, actually. I have been doing a lot of experimentation with getting sliding grabs out right after ZAir approaches, and it seemed to pay off yesterday at a tournament. R+A grabbing still definitely has a place in my game, but certain situations lend themselves to using Z.

I find that lately my game's been getting stale, and I've been contemplating doing this for a while, so I figured I'd mention -- I'm looking at changing up my *entire* control scheme, just to challenge myself and hopefully improve my game in the long run. I'm talking something to the order of L/A jumping, Z attacking, R/B specials, X shields, Y grabs, and C smashes (this is all completely in the planning stages, these controls probably aren't final). If I'm forced to re-learn controlling my character, I figure I might not develop some of the bad habits I have in my current scheme. Hopefully I can figure out a pattern that lets my right thumb rest on the C-Stick more often (for aerials), while letting my index fingers do the majority of the work. I've also thought about moving to the Classic Controller, and figuring out a scheme that would have the same effect. Thoughts?

--UnderWing

[QUIVO]

I wanted to be super technical in melee, so it's kinda easy for me to just learn the ATs in brawl with the default controls.

[Cheesewulf]

Default, with tap jump on

and I do all of my attacks except jabs, tilts, Nair, and specials ofc with the c-stick
I use L to shield, so my right indexfinger is mostly on Z

[Asdioh]

Everything default, including Tap Jump On, with the exception of Y being set to Special. I changed Y to Special MONTHS ago, for Toon Link's SHDA and bomp pull->arrow cancel, even though I don't main Toon Link.

And I told the TLs multiple times that they should try it too, but I don't think anyone ever listened to me >_>

My life has become easier since then, though.

[TLMSheikant]

I use everything default. Tap jump off though.

[DyranMahBoooiii]

I use the default function (tap jump off), but I'm not fast enough to get off SHDA without holding the controller specifically to do that, so I think I'll try out the OP's layout.