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Final Fantasy 16gives you the choice ofthree different wireless controller layouts, but it doesn’t tell you which one is best or which is bettersuited for your playstyle. This guide will explore the different layouts available. It will also look at how they affect theaction-oriented combat systemand the player’s ability toeffectively execute combos.
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The reason you may want to consider changing your button layout is that as you progress, you willacquire additional Eikonic action abilitiesand a greater variety of combat options. Performing complex combinations of all these abilities at once may proveimpracticalwith one layout over another, depending on your play style and combat priorities. you may change your controller layout by going toStart > System > Controller Layout(with the small controller icon).
Updated by Mohamed Hassan on July 20, 2025: The list now includes the three new wirless controller layouts added in patch 1.03, along with information on how they factor into the gameplay. The links throughout have been refreshed to offer more interesting options for readers.
Wireless Controller Layout General Differences
What changes between different layouts are mainlycombatinputs. In other words, the placement of functions such asMelee Attack, Eikonic Feat, Magic, Evade, Cycle Eikonic Abilities, Cycle Eikons, and Lock On(Tauntcommand inputs change slightly, but they aren’t animportantfactorin determining the best layout).
What remains the same istraversalormovement inputs. This meansJumpis still assigned to X across all layouts. All analog functions are also the same in every layout (Movewith left analog,Camerawith right analog,Reset Camera/Cycle Targetin R3, andAnimal Instinctfunction in L3). The D-pad commands that allow you tocycle through items and initiate pet commandsalso remain the same.
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Type A Wireless Controller Layout
Type A is the default layout. In this layout, you can useSquareto performmeleeattacks,Triangleto castmagic, and theCircleto use yourEikons' abilitiessuch as Phoenix Shift or Deadly Embrace.
you may also use theR1 and R2 keystododgeand readyEikonic abilitiesfor casting, and theL1 and L2 keystocycle Eikonsandlock onto enemies. In other words, this layout forces you to use and cast most of your abilities with yourright hand, and yourleft-handdoesn’t do much except move and lock on to enemies.
Also, since you have to castmagic(andcharge magic by holding Triangle) at thesame timeas doing other things like melee attacks or casting Eikon skills, you have to force yourself toremove your thumb fingerfrom theSquarebutton to press theTrianglebutton (unless you can play with theClaw techniquelike fighting game players).
Thatdoesn’t meanthe other layouts arewithout fault orthat theType A layout is bad. In Fact, if you canignore magiccasting, you will probablybe fine. You can also train yourself to pressSquare and Triangle at the same time(someDevil May Cry 5fans are used to charging and exceeding their weapons using the two buttons at the same time, but most just rebind keys there).
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Type B Wireless Controller Layout
In this layout, you have bothmagicandmeleeattacks assigned toR2 and R1respectively, so you will mainly be using yourindexandmiddle fingers to attack, leaving the rest of your fingers free to do whatever you want. The only downside is that not many action gamers areactually usedto fighting with their index and middle fingers.
Having theEikonic feats assigned to L2also adds to howweirdit might all feel for some (exceptSoulsplayers maybe). However, it’s the mostcomfortablelayout for those who want to get rid of the need to quickly switch fingers between Square and Triangle and use charged magic with ease.
On the pad itself,Evadeis assigned toCircle(which is actually thestandard evade buttonin most action games).Readying Eikon AbilitiesandCycling between Eikonsare assigned to theSquareandTrianglebuttons, respectively. Thissolvestheproblemof having to press Square and Triangleat the same time.
It makes sense when you see that the Square button allows you to use the abilities of your current Eikon until theircooldownis triggered. During this cooldown period, the Square button will temporarily becomeuseless for you. But this actuallyworks to your advantage, as you can nowmove your fingerto theTrianglebutton andswapout yourcurrent Eikon movesetfor another withminimal disruption to your gameplay tempo (this pause doesn’t exist for Magic, a feature you need to use — and charge — regularly without any cooldowns).
Thanks to its button arrangement and user-friendly design, thislayoutcould be aptly called the “beginner’s layout” of the three available ones.
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Type C Wireless Controller Layout
The layout veterans prefer because of how balanced it is and how it allows you to use both your hands effectively.Magichere is assigned toL1, andCycle Eikonstakes Magic’s former place in theTrianglebutton. As for theLock-onbutton, it now lives in theL2button instead. So the change is mainly in these three buttons and the rest remainsunchanged.
With this subtle change, Type C becomes the most comfortable setup for fans who still want toSquare their melee attackswhile castingmagicwithout interruptions since they are using an entirely different finger to do it.
There are stilltwo major downsides.
One: you have to learn how to use both of your hands to the fullest;thumbsandother fingersas well. Maybe your hand isn’tbig enoughto do that (like me), or maybe you have ashort attention spanandcan’t use that many fingers at once(also like me).
Two: Cycling Eikon willreplace the problemof switching to Magic in Type A layout (it will recreate the same problem of needing tomove your finger somewhere else, therefore,interrupting your gameplay flow). So there will be a slightlagin how you can connect magic, melee attacks, and Eikon abilities consistently, but in the end, it’s all up to yourpreferenceand what’s comfortable for yourhands.
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Type D Wireless Controller Layout
This layout can be considered avariation of the Type A layout, with the exception that theEikonic Featcan now be more conveniently activated with yourindex finger press on the R1 button, rather than having to remove your thumb from the Square attack button to press Circle and activate the Feat at the expanse of pausing your attacks.
Having the Eikonic Feat there is more appropriate forlategame, as some of the feats oflater EikonslikeOdinandBahamutrequire more synergy between using the feat and the other techniques at your disposal. Specifically,Odin’s Arm of Darknessrequires you to charge theZantetsukenGague with each slash, but only after you have activated the Feat. It can’t be charged while the feat is turned off.
Unfortunately, going on the offensive with Odin’s Blade alone is impractical most of the time, so you will actually beturning it on and off several timesas youswapbetween your different Eikon abilities. And to do that, you need to have access to the Eikon Feat morequickly than ever, so this is the most appropriate layout if you want to get the most out of Odin if you decide he should be a primary Eikon in your setup.
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Type E Wireless Controller Layout
This layout is also a variation of another layout, specificallyType B, and can also be considered a late-game layout because of its focus on making theEikonic Feat more accessible. The only thing this layout does differently from Type B is to swap theReady Eikonic Abilityoption in the Square button with theEikonic Feat in the L2 button, enabling you to use yourthumbto initiate Odin’s Arm of Darkness orBahamut’s Wings of LightFeats more easily whileyour right index and middle fingerstake care of all your other offensive options.
This layout puts all of your offensive options in yourright hand, rather than leaving some options, such as using Eikonic feats, in your left hand, which many players only use for movement. So it all depends on how comfortable you want to be withintegrating the Eikonic Feat in your offense, especially if you aremainingOdin or Bahamutin your setup.
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Type F Wireless Controller Layout
The last layout shifts theEikonic Feat in the Type C layout to the R1button, and moves theEvadebutton toCircle. Again, it’s another attempt atintegratingtheEikonic Featinto your options while still taking advantage of the Type C layout and allowing you to fully use both hands in battle.
Evade in Circle isn’t what I’d call the best place for it, but your play style with Odin is actually a bitslowerand morecreativeand doesn’t require you toevadeas much as other Eikons. Instead, it asks you to double down on attacks and use abilities likeOdin’s Rift Slipto cancel your attack animations into other attacks and combos, and not dodge until their cooldowns have cleared. And as mentioned before, it’s a layout that’s more suited toveteransof the game and action combat in general.
