Claw For Falcon: Yay Or Nay?

[gapw]

Do you use the 'claw' controller grip for Falcon? Do you know of any notable players who use it? And do you think it's worth practicing and learning the grip?

 

[vexoskeleton]

If you prefer it then use it but falcon doesn't have to do such quick button clicks that any one would ever need to use it for him. You could maybe use it for haxdashing but other than that ,which isn't even a technique every falcon uses very often, you will never need it.

 

[Sieghart]

Most people don't play Claw and Falcon isn't the type of character that would promote it either way. If you count the occasions M2K play Falcon you could use him as an example but he plays claw in general and he is by no means a Falcon normally. Here's one set where he plays Falcon if you're interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPHolrSd6ZU

Since it's Falcon claw won't help at all so if you aren't already claw I don't recommend switching to it if that's your only reason. To be completely honest I don't recommend anyone switch to claw grip as it's even worse for your hands than what we're already doing. There's a reason people that game professionally with xbox controllers generally use Scuf controllers to avoid it.

 

[Nishifue]

aaaaaaaaaa

 

[Mastodon]

I don't think claw grip is really ideal for falcon. The only falcon technique that claw grip makes drastically easier that I can think of is instant upairs, and even that isn't super hard to learn with regular grip. Everything else that's required to play falcon well is easily doable with regular grip. The only other really difficult techniques for falcon, like hax dashing and moonwalking, aren't any bit easier with claw, so there isn't much use in spending a lot of time and effort in learning a new grip for falcon IMO.

 

[wafis]

If you're trying to play at the most optimal level, then claw will definitely make this easier. Gravy and Gahtzu both play claw, and they're pretty notable falcon players.

 

[Coyle]

If you're trying to play at the most optimal level, then claw will definitely make this easier. Gravy and Gahtzu both play claw, and they're pretty notable falcon players.

Make what easier? Only thing I can think of is what Mastodon said, instant u-airs

 

[krazyzyko]

Nay.

/10chars

 

[タオー]

I've been using claw for about a year now. It took a while to get used to the grip, but it gives you full mobility while using aerials. It also helps a lot with buffering jumps/rolls out of shield stops, instant aerials, as well as ASDI when being hit on the ground or in the air.

 

[Magellan]

Claw is amazing. I learned it just for Falcon. I also optimized other inputs that I use. No matter the character, it makes you objectively faster and gives you more control. I recommend it for any aerial character. Since aerials are basically half the game, I'd say all characters. I struggled with being able to accurately place my aerials in space and time simply because my thumbs were not fast enough. My hands would also quickly tire and began to ache from how fast I had to move my thumb. It seems most people would say claw is worse for your hands. To each his own, but I no longer suffer from hand pain when playing for extended periods of time.

 

[Sieghart]

It seems most people would say claw is worse for your hands. To each his own, but I no longer suffer from hand pain when playing for extended periods of time.

What we generally mean is that the grip itself is objectively worse due to the way you're positioning your hands. Like I said before this is why they've created custom controllers like Scuf which add remappable paddles on the back that correspond to buttons you'd typically claw to press better for other games where such grips are prevalent like CoD. If it works for you then it works. I'm just saying that if you're doing fine normally there's not much reason to switch if we're talking Falcon.

 

[Mastodon]

Claw is amazing. I learned it just for Falcon. I also optimized other inputs that I use. No matter the character, it makes you objectively faster and gives you more control. I recommend it for any aerial character. Since aerials are basically half the game, I'd say all characters. I struggled with being able to accurately place my aerials in space and time simply because my thumbs were not fast enough. My hands would also quickly tire and began to ache from how fast I had to move my thumb. It seems most people would say claw is worse for your hands. To each his own, but I no longer suffer from hand pain when playing for extended periods of time.

This seems kind of silly, but I'm just going to add that I'm a musician and teacher, and that technique and dexterity is integral to what I do on a daily basis.

That said: what you described sounds more like a case of tension and poor technique than the benefit of claw. Sure, claw makes your thumb positioning obsolete which probably helped you out a lot. But the majority of players I know who have issues with pain and getting tired fingers from playing: I look at their hands and they keep their right thumb at least an inch above the controller and I just shake my head. I agree with to each his own, but again I think in your case this was more just an issue with technique in your normal grip because claw removes the need to move your thumb efficiently.

For the record: if you hold your fingers way in the air while not pressing a button this will cause your fingers to get tired and can cause pain. This is a very common sign of tension, and it runs rampant among melee players. In music, just about all music teachers will beat this out of their students on just about any instrument that requires your fingers from day 1.

Again, as someone who knows the ins and outs of finger technique and dexterity, falcon players should be able to execute just about everything they need to do in regular grip WITHOUT getting tired or acquiring pain. Spacies, on the other hand, I find may benefit from claw for the sole reason of doing multishines. This is the only viable technique in the game that I think is too fast for people to execute in an efficient matter with just their right thumb. Every other viable technique on any character, as far as I am aware, can be done in an efficient, painless, tension-less, way in regular grip (with the exception of maybe Dr. Mario's Up-B cancel).

tl;dr - switching to claw because your hands get tired or they hurt from playing in normal grip is not the right reason to switch. I also believe that the benefits/problems gained from switching to claw for playing falcon are not worth the time and effort.

 

[タオー]

This seems kind of silly, but I'm just going to add that I'm a musician and teacher, and that technique and dexterity is integral to what I do on a daily basis.

That said: what you described sounds more like a case of tension and poor technique than the benefit of claw. Sure, claw makes your thumb positioning obsolete which probably helped you out a lot. But the majority of players I know who have issues with pain and getting tired fingers from playing: I look at their hands and they keep their right thumb at least an inch above the controller and I just shake my head. I agree with to each his own, but again I think in your case this was more just an issue with technique in your normal grip because claw removes the need to move your thumb efficiently.

For the record: if you hold your fingers way in the air while not pressing a button this will cause your fingers to get tired and can cause pain. This is a very common sign of tension, and it runs rampant among melee players. In music, just about all music teachers will beat this out of their students on just about any instrument that requires your fingers from day 1.

Again, as someone who knows the ins and outs of finger technique and dexterity, falcon players should be able to execute just about everything they need to do in regular grip WITHOUT getting tired or acquiring pain. Spacies, on the other hand, I find may benefit from claw for the sole reason of doing multishines. This is the only viable technique in the game that I think is too fast for people to execute in an efficient matter with just their right thumb. Every other viable technique on any character, as far as I am aware, can be done in an efficient, painless, tension-less, way in regular grip (with the exception of maybe Dr. Mario's Up-B cancel).

tl;dr - switching to claw because your hands get tired or they hurt from playing in normal grip is not the right reason to switch. I also believe that the benefits/problems gained from switching to claw for playing falcon are not worth the time and effort.

As a musician myself, I feel that claw grip does not necessarily put more strain on your hands. I let my fingers rest over the buttons and have come to think of my controller as another, simpler, fretted instrument. Since I play guitar left handed, the claw grip actually makes a lot of sense to me, as the finger dexterity of my right hand has already been honed through my years of playing the instrument. I suppose that I do not use the full claw grip, but a variant (I believe gravy also uses this), where my ring finger is on R, my middle is on Z, Index is on Y and I use my thumb to switch between the A and B buttons and the C stick. My pinky is used more like an anchor. This allows me access to my jump and any type of attack at all times, while also being able to switch to proper DI (both SDI an ASDI) when being hit. I suppose it's not for everyone, but I have seen a serious improvement to my aerial and defensive game (specifically SDI/ASDI to get out situations/ledge tech).

 

[Coyle]

You might find it hurts your hands. It might not. It might help your overall gameplay with Falcon. You might not need to learn it to get those gains.

Results may vary. If it sounds good to you, try it out

 

[Magellan]

I did not keep my thumb in the air, I let it rest on the buttons. Its just simple distance. You have to move your thumb all the way to the cstick to aerial after jumping. Now I just twitch my index and thumb which are already resting on the inputs. Claw gives easier control and faster movement with less effort. I just feel more in control.

 

[Nishifue]

aaaaaaaaaa