Phoenotopia Awakening – Controlling Gail

Actions

Up, Down, Left, Right

Basic displacement inside and outside menus. 
Up is used to climb up ladders and certain walls, as well as for mashing where applicable. 
Down makes Gail crouch, allowing Left and Right to make her crawl. 
These actions also allow Gail to cook. 
 

Confirm / Talk, Cancel / Back

Menu and dialogue controls. 
For optimal dialogue speed, alternate between both. (This even expedites moments when the actions make squeaky noises, e.g. when Birdy says, "Bubbles! Come hither!") 
 

Attack

If Gail has a bat equipped, this action makes her swing it. 
She can do charged attacks when the input is held, and midair attacks while airborne. 
Attacking costs energy, unless the "regular attacks will not drain energy" Accessibility Option is enabled. 
 

Jump

The longer you hold the input, the higher Gail jumps. 
If she jumps into a body of water, then the height of the jump determines the depth of the plunge. 
Use this action while crouching, or while going through landing lag, to drop through permeable platforms. 
Expedites climbing, as well as movement along sloped surfaces. 
 

Tool, Alt Tool

Each tool has two functions. More in the Items and Equipment section. 
The main function is likely to cost energy. The alt function, rarely. 
 

Sprint

Move faster while draining Gail’s energy. 
Abruptly changing direction will cause Gail to skid. 
Jump while sprinting to do a leap, which costs less energy than sprinting the same distance at the same height, given a lack of ceiling constraints. 
Use this action while crouching, or conversely crouch while sprinting, to do a roll. 
The Sprint action can also be used to roll before Gail goes through landing lag, in which case it costs no energy. 
At the end of a roll, use the action again to cancel out the end lag. 
Lastly, if you get sent flying by a source of knockback, you can use the Sprint action before hitting a wall or floor to perform what’s called an ukemi, allowing Gail to regain control and not take any damage that would result from the knockback (e.g. when a Wrecker throws you). 
 

Crouch

Functions identically to the Down action, except in menus and while cooking. 
 

Grab

Self-explanatory. 
Press Up while grabbing an object, or conversely grab an object while holding Up, and Gail will attempt to lift it over her head. 
When Gail is lifting an object over her head, use the Grab action to put it down, or the Attack action to throw it. (Keep in mind that most pots and wooden boxes break when thrown.) 
(Also, in this state, steep slopes that Gail is normally forced to slide down (e.g. the bottom-left slope at the foot of Aurantia) are a cinch to scale by jumping until reaching a proper place to land.) 
You can also use this action to pet cats. 
 

Camera

If an area has multiple levels of camera magnification, use this action to cycle among them. 
The cycle goes from greatest to least magnification. 
 

Inventory, Options

Bring up the menus of the game. 
Inventory is for using items, changing equipment, and checking badge progress. 
Options are specifically View/Rebind Controls, Accessibility Options, Video Settings, Volume Control, Quit to Title Screen, Exit to Desktop, and Resume. 
 

Next/Prev Item

With a loaded Gear Ring, use these actions to cycle clockwise and counterclockwise through it. 
Also used to switch tabs in the Inventory menu. (Crouch and Sprint, respectively, function identically in that regard.) 
 

Unlisted Actions

If you find yourself unable to bind a key to an action, that’s because the key is reserved for an internal purpose that cannot be altered. 

• Numbers 1-8: In the Items menu, use these keys to add consumables and tools to the Gear Ring. (Slots are labeled by Roman numerals.) In-game, the keys are for using the Gear Ring as a quick-equipping mechanism. (When one item is quick-equipped, the other is automatically put away if applicable.) 
• Enter: Confirm / Talk 
• Escape: Options

Advanced Movement

(Credit to Whiskpl, one of the speedrunning greats of the series.) 
This is an expansion upon the following points: 

The Sprint action can also be used to roll before Gail goes through landing lag, in which case it costs no energy. 
At the end of a roll, use the action again to cancel out the end lag.

You can generate landing lag by doing a midair attack just before landing. As long as the midair attack does not fully come out, it will not cost energy. 
Combine this point with the other two to make the fastest form of energy-free movement: tumbling. 
This can be further combined with leaping to make the perfect blend of momentum and efficiency: somersaulting. 
Best practice is to somersault whenever possible, and tumble if you need your energy to regenerate. 
 
 
 

Key Binds

Defaults

Personal Preference

 
 
As someone who has dedicated at least 325 hours to the Switch release overall and about 10 hours to the Steam version for a segmented Zero Trial run with Dark Wings, I have concluded that these controls suit me best. 
(If you know EchecCritiqueMisc on YouTube or Vouivre Critique elsewhere, I am he.) 
And, if you’re curious about the full thought process behind this control scheme, allow me to shamelessly promote vouivreview.wordpress.com – https://vouivreview.wordpress.com/2021/01/31/awakening-to-phoenotopia/ 
I prefer to avoid analog crossbow aiming if I can help it (as I sometimes find myself prone to stick drift when using the Joycons), but I have the left and right mouse buttons bound to Tool and Alt Tool in case I ever need to use the crossbow that way. 
 

The Blackthifer Way

Blackthifer is a Discord community member who, unlike me, did not play the Switch release and does use the mouse while playing. Since they shared their key binds, I figured I would offer a different perspective in them. 
 

Items and Equipment

Consumables

Press the Tool key to commence consumption, and continue pressing it to speed up the process. 
Crouch, or use the Attack or Jump key, to put away the consumable. (The crouching occurs, whereas the latter two actions do not.) 
 

Slingshot / Treble Shot

Use the Tool key to pull it out, spawning a flashing reticle that gradually changes in trajectory from (roughly) 135° to 30° (starting upward and rotating in the direction Gail is facing) and back. 
(Note that you cannot pull out either of these tools in midair.) 
With either tool primed: 

• Use the Tool or Attack key to fire. 
• Press the Alt Tool key to hold the reticle in place, and again to keep it going. 
• Crouch, equip a different item, or press the Jump key to put the tool away. (In the latter case, the jump does not occur.)

Prior to pulling out either tool, hold Up to make the reticle start at 30° instead of 135°. 
The Treble Shot is a three-way projectile that deals 2 extra damage per round yet costs more energy. 
 

Civilian/Double Crossbow

On the ground, hold the Tool key to prime the crossbow, spawning a reticle that starts right in front of Gail and stays still unless aimed. 
With the crossbow primed: 

• Release the Tool key to fire. (The Attack key does nothing.) 
• Use the movement keys to aim. You can normally only aim it in eight directions, but the mouse or the Sprint key allows for analog aiming. In the latter case, Right moves the reticle clockwise, Left counterclockwise, Up towards Gail’s head, and Down towards Gail’s feet. 
• Equip a different item or press the Jump key to put it away. (In the Civilian case, the Alt Tool key also works. The Crouch key, however, has no effect.)

If used in midair, the crossbow will simply fire forward, no matter how long you hold the Tool key. 
The Double Crossbow fires twice in a row for 1 extra damage per round yet costs more energy. 
It also has an Alt Tool function to switch between spread rounds and split rounds. (The latter makes the rounds deviate (roughly) 10° in opposite directions.) 
 

(Refurbished) Crank Lamp / Neutron Lamp

Press the Tool key to take out the lamp, and continue pressing the Tool key to crank it and increase its illumination range. 
Cranking the Refurbished Crank Lamp will occasionally produce sparks that deal exactly 1 fire damage each. 
The Neutron Lamp boasts the longest light duration by far. 
Use the Alt Tool key to turn off the lamp, and put it away if you have it out. 
Crouch, change equipment, or use the Attack or Jump key to put the lamp away without turning it off. 
 

Fishing/Serpent Rod

Use the Tool key to cast the line. The longer the key is held, the farther the line goes. 
While the bait is out, use the Tool key to reel it in, or the Alt Tool key to make it spin. 
When a fish bites the line, it’s a battle between energy meters, which presents itself in a mini-game where you line up a needle with a moving ring portion. 
Adjust the needle using the movement keys or the mouse. In the former case, Right and Down make the needle go clockwise, while Left and Up make it go counterclockwise. Vertical movement is fast, whereas horizontal movement is precise and can be made fast using the Sprint key. 
If Gail’s energy runs out first, then she automatically puts the rod away. Else, the fish is caught. 
At any point, press the Jump key or equip a different item to put the rod away. 
The Serpent Rod slows the loss of energy during the mini-game. 
 

Bandit’s Flute / Spheralis

Use the Tool key to pull it out, and the Jump key to put it away. 
(Note that it cannot be pulled out in the middle of a leap.) 
While holding an instrument, use the Tool key to play a note, the movement keys to control the note played, and the Sprint key to alter the pitch. 
You can learn one of six particular songs by playing it when it is being taught to you. Learning a song means that you can play it at any time, potentially to some special effect. 
Non-particular songs are hidden in puzzles throughout the world, to be played for Song Stones guarding treasures of various significance. 
The Spheralis serves two additional purposes: to disable Megaliths by going through seven iterations of playing the note displayed on its pillar, and to operate mechanisms indicated by glowing D-pad-shaped engravings in the wall. 
 

Bombs / Remote Bomb

Use the Tool key (or Alt Tool key in the non-Remote case) to pull out a bomb. 
This bomb qualifies as an object that can be lifted over Gail’s head, so it can be put down, picked up, and thrown around at will. 
(It also makes for a good stepping stool when needed.) 
Only one Remote Bomb and/or two bombs total can occupy the same area as Gail. 
Standard Bombs have a 4-second fuse, while the Remote Bomb can be detonated manually with the Alt Tool key. 
Be warned that half of their damage output, rounded up, is dealt to Gail if she gets caught up in the blast. (On the flip side, their knockback can prove useful in reaching normally unattainable heights, or using crawl storage to bypass a box-height tunnel, e.g. the path beyond the South Castella Bridge Energy Gem.) 
 

Lifesaver

This piece of equipment allows Gail to explore water-filled areas with minimal drowning. 
Just hop into a body of water, and Gail will automatically don the Lifesaver to make herself gravitate to the surface. 
Your movement is slowed at the water’s surface, but you can use the Sprint key to propel yourself forward. This animation has a bit of end lag that can be canceled with a jump, albeit at a significant energy cost. 
However, should Gail remain underwater when her energy hits absolute zero (i.e. when every bit of green is gone from the meter), she will drown. 
 

Sonic Spear

Press the Tool key to prime the spear, and release to throw. 
With the spear primed, use Left or Right to change directions. 
Use the Jump key, or equip a different item, to cancel a primed spear. 
When thrown, spears stick to most walls and serve as extra platforms, but only two at a time can be active. 
Note that a ground-level spear toss is exactly one block high, which is helpful for small height adjustments, e.g. on the way to the Lunar Goblet. 
The Alt Tool key serves to dismiss all active spears, making explode those that are charged with ki. 
(Dismissing a spear while rolling on it is a safer method of storage to bypass box-height tunnels, e.g. on the first floor of the White Towers.) 
 

Rocket Boots

In midair, use the Jump key to hover with this piece of equipment. The thrusters deal 10 fire damage. 
Hovering during a leap will get you slightly more height than a full jump, but hovering after a standard jump is more energy-efficient. 
 

Kobold Blaster

A delayed and high-recoil projectile with two modes: explosive and five-way. 
Explosive rounds pack a wallop and…well, are explosive. Perfect for Dark Gail and Katash 2. 
The five-way deals more damage at point blank range to enemies with adequately low defense (and works wonders against Mother Computer’s barrier), and can serve as a means of chip damage against flying enemies. 
Use Tool to fire, and Alt Tool to change modes. 
 

Berserker’s Band

Use the Tool key to make Gail’s next attack charged with no windup, or the Alt Tool key to restore Gail’s energy. 
Caveat emptor: Each function costs up to 4 HP. 
(Also, this is the only item whose Tool function can be used while Gail is crouching.) 
 

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