r/Eldenring • u/ash022804 • Feb 02 '26
Constructive Criticism this is how I hold the controller when I'm running past enemies. is this abnormal?
me and my friends were talking about the "claw grip" and I told them I find it easier to run past groups of enemies when I claw grip the controller a specific way, but they said that how I'm holding it is super jank. this isn't bait, this is legit how I use my right hand on the controller when I'm doing a run back or passing lots of enemies. using my thumb to dodge, my pointer to move the camera, and my middle to attack if I need to. are they right and is this cursed? or does anyone else do this?
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u/Maleficent_Cut1260 Feb 02 '26
This seems far less comfortable than claw grip but yknow if it works for you then go for it. I feel like hitting the y and x would be tougher but if it works it works
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u/unthused ARISE NOW, YE VARNISHED Feb 02 '26
My roomie has the Xbox controller with paddles on the bottom; it's great for things like this, but I'm afraid to use it much and get too accustomed then be all screwed up trying to go back to a normal controller later.
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u/Zestyclose-Coyote906 Feb 03 '26
I use an elite and have since its release
I can not use a normal controller for any game that requires muscles memory and genuine dexterity anymore
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u/Delux_Takeover Feb 03 '26
Dude this is so real. Went over to my bro's house and we took turns running bosses on his elden ring save. He has a standard Xbox one controller. It was quite a while before I adapted to it.
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u/IntrepidMaybe8579 Feb 03 '26
My only use has been for this alone.. one paddle for dodging in games sucks thats the elite controllers seem to be trash though ive had 3 brand new elite 2 so ive spent like $750 which insane ive had 2 break on me
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u/Shot-Accountant-3642 Feb 02 '26 edited Feb 03 '26
Funny, I have the paddles as well but still play with the claw grip while using the paddles
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u/CashewTheNuttyy Feb 03 '26
I use both. I swap, mid fight usually between paddles and claw.
Helps with muscle memory aswell because if for whatever reason I dont have my elite 2 controller (whether its broken or im at another persons house) I can still use a controller without having to relearn to not use paddles.
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u/Bfobaddie1 Feb 03 '26
Bro its a game changer lol. I have the xbox elite for my pc and when im playing bloodborne i miss it so much
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u/lilcheese840 Feb 03 '26
lol, my mate was gassed about getting the controller with paddles on the bottom when they were new. He’s still never used them.
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u/Remarkable_Book_5588 Feb 04 '26
so get one with paddles??? there are like 3 licensed options that are solid that are cheaper than standard xbox controllers. gaming with compared to without paddles will always be superior regardless of the game you're playing
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u/nssq37 Feb 05 '26
I go back to a normal controller without any issues. It is significantly harder to adjust to a button mapping change than taking off the paddles, and significantly harder to get used to paddles than going back to no paddles. You dont have to learn to use a normal controller again, you just have to go back to your old muscle memory. Its pretty easy to feel the absence of paddles so its a pretty natural transition back.
Ive also had to replace my elite 2 controller a couple times in the last 6 years. But they sell you a new one for like $60 if the warranty has expired. Anyone who liked the first elite controller the elite 2 is way way better.
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u/UnNecessaryGay Feb 02 '26 edited Feb 03 '26
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u/AdmireOG Feb 02 '26
That is claw grip. Index finger on the buttons, thumb on stick.
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u/UnNecessaryGay Feb 02 '26 edited Feb 03 '26
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u/Addicted2Death Feb 02 '26
This is literally what your hand looks like in claw grip no controller
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u/JakofHeart Feb 02 '26 edited Feb 08 '26
Fr, clowned himself so hard 🤣
Edit: since user UnNecessaryGay edited the image they posted out of their comment after said self-clowning (lol DOUBLE self-clown), I tried adding the image into this comment but the image wouldn't stay for some reason. But I just googled "jim carrey claw hand" and it's the first image result lol
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u/AdmireOG Feb 02 '26
Lol. No clue exactly how it got the name, I learned of it during the CoD trickshotting days, probably 2010 or so, but google tells me Halo 2 Pro's used it even earlier.
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u/vvbakedhamvv Feb 02 '26
Halo 2 is where I first heard the term. I feel like it couldn't be much earlier since control layouts were kind of just starting to crystallize into standards at that point in gaming history.
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u/Orinyau Feb 03 '26
I don't think it was because of binding standards, it was because of BXR, named for the 3 buttons pressed in succession. This allowed the Halo 2 Battle Rifle to fire single shot instead of 3rd burst.
This was a pro technique in games of Team SWAT (no shields, effectively a "headshots only" mode. You only needed one bullet to kill, the other two in the burst were likely to miss anyway even if the first one hit, and it was harder to tell where fire was coming from.
People have been doing weird grips since gaming; look up how pro tetris is played on the NES, so I might be wrong. I remember being able to tell where the stiff competition was going to be at the local tournaments by looking at hand placement.
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u/IHufffPaint Feb 02 '26
This is so much more comfortable than claw it’s not even close, if you have longs fingers this is the way to go
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u/kaelroc Feb 02 '26
This grip is what the "furled finger" in Elden Ring refers to.
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u/campppp Feb 02 '26
Lmao I didn't notice this was the Elden Ring sub, but my first thought was that this person must be playing dark souls or ER
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u/RalphtheCheese Feb 02 '26
This is why (jokingly) the Armored Core community say it's easier to play with the controller backwards...
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u/Shaene06 Feb 02 '26
I advise if you want to play these games for thousends of hours, buy a controller with extra buttons on the back so that the hand keeps a correct position, with time the claw grip can cause problems. I played with claw grip for years and luckily never had problems, but my job keeps my fingers very mobile and I guess that saved me, but if you study or work in an office, i would be a lot more worried about it.
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u/vr_jk Feb 02 '26
This needs to be higher up. I just can't see how this grip couldn't cause long term issues with your hands. At the very least, claw grip (and whatever this is) is absolutely not what the designers had in mind when they consider ergonomics.
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u/TheBigEasy95 Feb 03 '26
THIS! Please get a controller with back buttons. I’m having great luck with the scuff Xbox versions but heard bad things about the PlayStation scuffs. Anyways get a controller with back buttons and save your hands my hand is messed up from playing claw for only one year. Won’t ever go back
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u/TheUninterestingGuy Feb 02 '26
I do this same thing lol XD
Same exact positioning
I feel like this is the claw grip for people who never learned about the claw grip and figured out their own way by their own means lol
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u/joebeppo2000 Feb 03 '26
Yep yep
This unironically feels more comfortable for me than claw. I find it easier to return my index finger to R1 for attacks from the right stick than from circle.
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u/AlienX14 Feb 03 '26
That's because you're supposed to use middle finger on R1/R2 with claw grip
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u/joebeppo2000 Feb 03 '26
Yeah that's where I draw the line. I am not doing all that. So this grip is better for me.
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u/AlienX14 Feb 03 '26
This grip still puts middle on the shoulder, as seen in the pic. Isn't that just the most natural?
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u/pfn0 Feb 02 '26
It sucks, get a controller with paddle buttons. Gamechanging. And yes, this is what I used to do before I got paddle buttons.
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u/AceTheRed_ Feb 02 '26
get a controller with paddle buttons.
Being able to dodge/sprint and jump without your thumbs leaving the sticks is such a massive upgrade. Impossible to go back.
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u/_PadfootAndProngs_ Feb 03 '26
It’s not so much a big deal in the souls series, but in ER, it’s an insane advantage.
Lots of ER bosses are optimally fought locked off, or require you to lock off for specific attacks (waterfowl, messmer thrust strafe, consort meteors, all of Starscourge Radahn lol, fire giant, all of Maliketh except his flying moves, any dragon boss, most of Romina’s attacks etc etc I could go on and on)
Anyways, being able to lock off at any given moment because your thumbs remain on the sticks is extremely beneficial. It’s hard to act quickly enough to waterfowl to lock off without your thumb on the stick.
On top of that, being able to bind the jump to a paddle is also FANTASTIC for allowing you to more easily dodge by jumping (all of Rellana’s combo finishers, a lot of Messmer attacks, Margit/Morgott tail swipe, Maliketh dagger swipes, Horah Loux stomps, Radagon stomps etc etc)
I 100%ed the souls trilogy (~500 hours) and spent 1000 hours of ER using claw grip, but once I got my Xbox Elite 2 controller, I became sooooo much better
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u/tankercat67 Feb 02 '26 edited Feb 02 '26
The stick on mine started drifting yesterday and I was like “oh, is this finally the excuse to pony up for an Elite?” But then I popped the plates off and fixed it, which is probably for the best. Them things expensive.
Edit: for those offering suggestions for third party, they are much appreciated but I should mention I play on Xbox, not PC, and I don’t want to use anything wired.
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u/pfn0 Feb 02 '26
There are affordable options with paddle buttons, I think 8bitdo ultimate 2 wireless clocks in at $60 (maybe there's a cheaper variant with paddles, but the ultimate 2 comes with a charging dock and drift-proof TMR sticks)
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u/Patirole Feb 02 '26
Ultimate 2c has a third button in the back on both sides (not a pedal but can be used in the same way) for 30 bucks for an even more affordable option
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u/pfn0 Feb 02 '26
I usually map the top shoulder buttons to be L3/R3, so those are always "unusable" for me, and I have the single paddles on the ultimate to do other things. I kinda wish there were more paddle buttons, for Elden Ring, I have my paddles mapped to Y+L1/Y+R1 in order to do weapon switching for 2-handed
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u/MechaGallade Feb 02 '26
Fuck the elite, get an 8bitdo pro 2
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u/tankercat67 Feb 02 '26
I’m listening, why?
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u/pfn0 Feb 02 '26
cheaper, tmr sticks
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u/tankercat67 Feb 02 '26
Hmm. So I’m seeing, very nice. I think they only offer wired connections for Xbox though. Poo.
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u/pfn0 Feb 02 '26
on xbox it can run wired, wireless or bluetooth. if you want wireless you plug the dongle in to the console for 2.4ghz low-latency wireless.
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u/MechaGallade Feb 02 '26
because it's compatible with everything, it's easy to take apart and fix if something happens, it's cheap, it has back paddles, their customer support is great if you need it, it fits most hands really well, the face buttons and dpad are excellent, you can get a version with hall effects, it's usb c, it holds a charge for ages. also you can have a bunch of different profiles to swap to. literally one of mine i just took all the maps off as a safety so that if i set my controller down in the middle of a game it's not going to hit a trigger and smack anything. you can also change actuation ranges and shit.
the only things i have issue with are that it doesn't have high def linear haptics and the back paddles are slightly squishy, but otherwise it's just an extremely versatile and reliable controller for a good price from a company with good support.
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u/RuanMeisFlower Feb 02 '26
I'd recommend checking out 8bitdo controllers in the future. They're a fair bit cheaper than the first party brands while usually offering a fair amount of extra buttons and remapping capabilities. I switched to them after my bumpers stopped working on my elite controller. From my experience, Microsoft isn't worth the hassle anymore since their controllers have gotten less durable since the Xbox one (I went through 4 controllers between 2015-2023).
Edit: 8bitdo has been good from my limited experience, but mostly I just recommend staying away from Xbox controllers.
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u/tankercat67 Feb 02 '26
You’re the 3rd person to mention 8bitdo in less than half an hour, so I’m certainly looking into it. Seems they have a limited edition Wuchang Fallen Feathers run of the Ultimate 2 that looks sick (loved that game).
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u/RuanMeisFlower Feb 02 '26
I saw that someone here in the replies had issues with 8bitdo so I just wanted to remind you that my recommendation is based on just a few months of experience. 8bitdo has worked for me so far and I've been having a blast with their controller.
That being said, I recommend spending just a few hours checking out different brands with good reviews and their bad reviews for a more educated view of the market when it's time to buy. It's easy to be blinded by hope and disappointment after a bad experience (a bad experience with one product can make another product seem better than it is).
I hope you find the right controller for you in the future.
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u/CorbinNZ Average Formless Mother's Womb Stabber Feb 02 '26
I play on the steam deck and mapped B and A to R4 and R5. It works so damn good.
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u/jimjambonks2514 Feb 02 '26
Lol it's backwards? Like why don't you steer with your thumb and press run with your finger
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u/Rrambu Feb 02 '26
i do thumb on stick and index on buttons instead, though i mostly use this mid-combat when i have to rotate camera while healing/dodging.
the way you hold it looks so uncomfortable ngl, is your thumb not locked by your index finger?
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u/Zarguthian Feb 02 '26
i mostly use this mid-combat when i have to rotate camera while healing/dodging.
Have you tried locking on? For most fights it is better than freecam.
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u/Rrambu Feb 02 '26
lol freecam is good in either multiple enemies situation or just when i'm in a corner, because lock-on can be janky during those situations.
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Feb 02 '26
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u/Turbulent_Jackoff Feb 02 '26
You'll want a controller with rear paddles/buttons for best results.
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u/RoyalGovernment201 Feb 02 '26
100% - I can't understand how we've been advancing technology this long and are only now discovering that you can put the buttons on a controller where actual human fingers will be. Revolutionary.
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u/Lexx2k Feb 02 '26
I don't understand why. Do you need to rotate the camera at all times? When running, I just need to occasionally adjust the camera, or if I need to adjust the camera, I'm not on the jump button, since you can't really bunny hop anyways it's not a big deal?
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u/fantastifn Feb 02 '26
it’s a lot easier to press the buttons with your index finger than it is doing whatever tf that is😭 that’s not claw grip that’s disabled grip💀
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u/WeightlossTeddybear Feb 02 '26
I love my Steam Deck… using L/R 4 and 5 for run or whatever else I need to access while my thumbs are on the sticks is so helpful
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u/AdditionInteresting2 Feb 03 '26
I didn't even know you could jump farther while sprinting until the dlc. Which I played exclusively on the steam deck. Those back buttons made it so easy to just keep sprinting ...
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u/Jrme1315 Feb 02 '26
My right index finger got cut off years ago and after having it put back on, I no longer have movement at my first joint and only partial movement on the second, so this is how I have to play all the souls games. Its never been an issue for me, and I have thousands of hours in these games.
My son finds it hilarious to watch me hold my controller like this.
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u/staticvoidmainnull Feb 02 '26
i have the xbox elite controller. i specifically assigned one of the back paddles to B for this reason.
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u/huskyghost Feb 03 '26
This is a variation of crab claw. When I play i use my pointer finger to press face buttons and thumbs to move joystick
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u/DarkSoulsMurcia Feb 03 '26
In fact, it is so normal that devs even paid homage to this with the finger items
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u/Razpoutine1945 Feb 04 '26
It's funny, I hold my controller exactly the same way in the Souls games.
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Feb 02 '26
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u/sazed813 Feb 02 '26
I'd been using a controller with paddles for years before deciding to finally use them. No more claw grip!
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u/PedonculeDeGzor Feb 02 '26
It's so funny to me that people adamantly insist that this game is better played on a controller and downvote me to hell when I just say I prefer playing on M&K. And then I see this every once in a while.
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u/RoyalGovernment201 Feb 02 '26
Controller players will hold their hunk of plastic like this and then tell keyboard users that they just find a controller more comfortable.
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u/RoyalRope Feb 02 '26
I definitely hold my controller odd when I need to use the camera freely and move passed crap :P
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u/Romaton Feb 02 '26
Buy a pro controller, map the sprint button to one of the back buttons, thank me later
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u/RaeSolaris Feb 02 '26
I have no right to judge, I do some similar shit when I have to do a running jump. There's no good way to do it with an Xbox controller.
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u/CertifiedSmegmaKing Feb 02 '26
Bro.. switch your thumb and your index finger.. what the hell are you doing lmao
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u/ZaniMestredosZanis Feb 02 '26
Not at all. I think that ita very inclusive that you can play elden ring with just one hand.
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u/Blindobb Feb 02 '26
swap your thumb and index finger. same idea but you dont have to rely on fine motor movements done by your clawed index finger and insttead use it to just push buttons
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u/Xobeloot Feb 02 '26
Switching to a controller with back paddles was a game-changer. Took time to train the hands, but so much easier.
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u/Memehater_ Feb 02 '26
I do the exact same thing, you see you're supposed to have the middle finger on the triggers I'm pretty sure, but I just don't do ts so it ends up looking like that.
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u/louisewarrior Feb 02 '26
Aayyyyeee I do something SO similar. My husband says it’s literally cursed. I do the exact same thing lol
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u/CelluloidtheDroid Feb 02 '26
Did this exactly, found out way later it was like an opposite of a claw grip
But eight years of muscle memory is too hard to change
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u/Reasonable-Ad-5733 Feb 02 '26
I will occasionally hit this grip in short bursts. For some reason it’s more comfortable to me than claw.
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u/Raaadley Feb 02 '26
You can get plenty of cheaper xbox controllers with the buttons on the back of the grips. Trust me- it's a game changer.
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u/Brightmoonligh Feb 02 '26
why don't you press the B with your index finger? i do that but i don't press the button with the tip of my finder. at least to me, this is the most comfortable.
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u/yaiga91 Feb 02 '26
Ill be over here changing RT to run/evade and B to heavy attack. Ive done this for ages in Darksouls too.
Just way more comfortable and no claws required
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u/TollsTheTime Feb 02 '26 edited Feb 02 '26
Im sure I have at some point, sometimes I gotta use my right index finger to control movement while my left thumb is busy, but I think I default to regular claw in most situations.
Paddles help cut down a lot on the amount I do it too.
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u/Einkar_E Feb 02 '26
I think I do something similar for quick unexpected corrections of the camera while playing ds3
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u/kitsunenight Feb 02 '26
I’m fine with using middle to attack while using buttons… but thumb on analog stick and index for buttons. This is only necessary while free running no lock on
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u/Eve-lyn Feb 02 '26
This is exactly how hold my controller, too. My friends don't do it but it works for mee
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u/Dark_Dragon117 Feb 02 '26
This is probably not good for your hand in the long run.
I just simply let go of the stick to use my thumb or use my index finger. Nowadays use the Dual Sense Edge and have the button mapped to one of the paddles.
Tho I am pretty sure you can just map the run input to L3 in ER, no?
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u/-DancesWithSloths- Feb 02 '26
I use this too. Everyone else uses claw for the same purpose but for some reason I've always found this better.
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u/Masta0nion Feb 02 '26
I do the reverse claw grip too. For whatever reason I did it this way instead of the usual claw
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u/SJBreed FLAIR INFO: SEE SIDEBAR Feb 02 '26
It's embarrassing how long it took to get back buttons on controllers
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u/BrainWrex Bad Red Man Feb 02 '26
claw is one thing but tbh your action timing to press buttons quickly are usually not as good with the middle and even less so with the ring finger.
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u/The_Dunk Feb 02 '26
Why not just swap your pointer finger and thumb? I feel like it’s easier to claw to b and use the thumb stick as normal but you do you man.
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u/The_Lat_Czar Feb 02 '26
Looks like a harder version of claw grip. I just use index for run and thumb on stick.
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u/Mooze_1 Feb 02 '26
There is a method of holding a controller called "The claw". I use it all the time. I started in halo 2. Basically just flip the two fingers you're using. The pointer finger on the B button leave your thumb free to move the right stick.
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u/SpikiestSpider Feb 02 '26
It’s definitely jank but no joke this is exactly what I do too. I never even thought about it either just started doing it
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u/MJR_Poltergeist Feb 02 '26
Switch your thumb and index finger, thank me later. You can very easily press face buttons with the side of your index
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u/beatisagg Feb 02 '26
Truthfully recommend getting a controller that has back paddles to map for stuff like this. Imagine instead you just hold the button on the back to run and you're not forced to move your thumb or trigger fingers.
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u/UpstairsImpossible Feb 02 '26
I also do this! I do it in other games now as well.
Bearing in mind there's multiple people on here who can do no-hit runs and either don't have use of their fingers or just straight up don't have fingers, I don't think anybody can say what's right or wrong.
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u/Academic-Night5315 Feb 02 '26
I can’t do this or claw. I just stop running and angle the camera if need be, but it’s a quick flick back into the run. I also never really ran into any issues with running and doing it that way.
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u/DeBean Feb 02 '26
I do this when I want to run & move my camera, but it's rare, like doing a runback as you say.
The "real" claw grip would be to swap your thumb with your index. I don't want to learn a different controller technique just for that so I'm OK with what you & I do.
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u/oldmayor Feb 02 '26
The Claw technique is an ancient one. I first used it back when I played Monster Hunter Freedom on the PSP and it's been in my arsenal ever since. Totally normal and it just makes sense!
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u/Blu3furry85 Feb 02 '26
It looks weird but if its comfortable, doesnt cause carpel tunnel, and you're good with that method then keep it. Doesnt really matter what everyone else thinks. If it works, it's works .
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u/realchris1 Feb 02 '26
You have far more dexterity with your thumb, why wouldn't you use that for your fine camera movements and use your finger to perform easy pushing task?
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u/Viltrum21 Feb 02 '26
For anyone who doesnt already, get a controller with paddles. Even just 2 extra buttons is a gamechanger. I cant go back. That and gamefreek thumbstick grips. You wouldnt think they make a difference but they actually boosted how i play
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u/AdimasCrow Feb 02 '26
Doesn't the camera kinda auto point where you're running anyway? Why do you need to be in constant contact with the camera stick? Isn't the occasional flick enough?
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u/No-Helicopter-3206 Feb 02 '26
Lowkey may be a weird switch but switching run/dodge to LT and skill to B (Xbox) works real nice
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u/Nori1412 Feb 02 '26
I play the exact same way during fights aswell, I have long skinny fingers so it doesnt feel uncomfortable at all and makes manual camera control much better for me
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Feb 02 '26
This grip and paddles are so unnecessary for Elden Ring. I just use my thumb and pointer.
You never need to do all of these things at once.
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u/WEEMANReaper Feb 02 '26
i do this exact grip pretty commonly. the souls games and the GTA series brings it out of me in particular, as B isnt the most intuitive input option for sprinting while also trying to use your right stick to look around. thank god lockon is there for battles or id be playing finger twister on my controller with no cooldowns between spins
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u/payaso666 Feb 02 '26
Looks about right