Hold the controller with a traditional grip (right thumb on right thumbstick, right index finger on right trigger). Your left hand should have your thumb on the left thumbstick, and either your index finger or middle finger on the left trigger (preference). Your right hand should have your thumb on the right thumbstick and your index finger or middle finger on the right trigger (preference once again). Now, make some adjustments to your right hand's grip on the controller. Your thumb is now on the right thumbstick as usual, but move your index finger so it is covering the X, Y, A and B buttons. Your middle finger should be over the right trigger. You may notice it can be quite uncomfortable but consider the advantages this can give you.

Why should you use the claw if it can be quite uncomfortable? Well, there are multiple scenarios in which it is quite helpful. If you have an Xbox controller in your hand and you are holding it with a traditional grip, what if you need to jump? You would just move your thumb over to the A button. This does take a small amount of time to do but you cannot aim during the process of hitting the jump button. What about performing a weapon glitch such as the famous BXR, an instant kill if the shot is given to the head? Throughout this process, there is a chance your reticule may move away from the opponent’s head due to the other player strafing a tiny bit or your reticule was not perfectly lined up. Have you ever wanted a fix for these faults with a controller?

A visual representation of the controller and its lingo

So now you are questioning how can the claw solve these problems? Essentially the claw allows you to have instant access to all buttons without neglecting your aiming. If someone was to charge you when you had a battle rifle out, you could easily BXR him or her with a considerably higher chance of being successful. Upon the melee connecting, you can press X to cancel the animation while adjusting the reticule accordingly, should the enemy’s head not be positioned perfectly for the headshot.

Dave “Hotshy” Walsh of Team 3D Halo 2 has been given the nickname “Clawshy” for being one of the first professional Halo players to utilize the claw to great extents. For those who have been following MLG events with the Video on Demand service, his point of view is always quite entertaining to watch because of his versatility. In the recent MLG Pro’s First Annual Pro Choice Awards, he was awarded first place in the “Best Glitch User” category by acquiring 31 out of the possible 37 votes. He has recently been perfecting the double shot, also known as RRX, and is improving constantly.

SadPanda of Team EG utilizes the claw.

The claw is a small but sometimes uncomfortable change you can make to improve your skill and be more effective in close range battles. After one year of Halo 2 tournaments, the game is considerably different at the professional level. There are numerous weapon glitches allowed in tournament play and the practical uses of them are quickly becoming a standard in experienced play. More and more players are adopting the claw or variations of it because they are quickly understanding its importance.