# Transformations, fusion and team changes in Budokai T3

Bind the missing R3/L3 keys, check Blast Stock and learn how character, form and team conditions change the command.

<h2 id="bind-the-stick-buttons">Bind R3 and L3 before using keyboard recipes</h2>

The port has **no default keyboard key for R3 or L3**. These are stick clicks on a controller, not stick directions. Press F1 after the runtime is ready, open Controls and select player 1. Bind the R3 keyboard row to a free key; R is one possible choice. For team changes, also bind L3; F is one possible choice. Confirm that those keys are not already used, then close settings and refocus the game.

In this guide, **R3** always means your assigned R3 key or the controller's right-stick click. It does not mean the letter R unless you just assigned it. Similarly, L3 is your chosen binding or the left-stick click. Reopening F1 lets you inspect the current mapping rather than guessing what an old save retained.

<h2 id="transform-a-character">Transform a character with an available form</h2>

Choose a fighter that actually has another form in the selected edition. Goku (Early) does not become Super Saiyan in the original roster; choosing him is not a test of the Super Saiyan command. Goku (Mid) and Goku (End) have different form lists. A temporary support skill such as Kaioken is also not the same as selecting a new character form.

Open the battle pause menu with Enter and inspect **Skill List**, including the transformation page. Check the stock requirement and the displayed direction. With the correct form, enough stock and freedom to act, use R3 for the listed next form or the directional R3 combination for another listed option. Some reversible forms use Down + R3 to return; not every transformation is reversible.

Practice with a stationary opponent and change one form at a time. Then reopen the move list: your specials, ultimate and rush branches may now be different. Do not assume the same named attack survives every transformation.

<h2 id="fusion-checklist">Fusion needs the right team, not just a full gauge</h2>

Fusion is a character-and-team mechanic. Select a Team Battle and put the actual required partners on the same team. A different era of Goku or Vegeta is not necessarily a valid substitute. Check whether the partner is still available and whether both current forms meet the fusion requirement.

A useful original-roster example is **Goku (End) with Vegeta (End)**: inspect their fusion entries for Vegito or Gogeta rather than trying the command with Goku (Early) or Vegeta (Scouter). Hold the directional R3 combination shown in the Skill List for the selected fusion and have the listed Blast Stock available. Do not substitute MAX POWER for this stock requirement.

After fusion, confirm which fighter and move list you now have. Fusion is not a general-purpose free tag back to both original members. A mod may change partners, available forms or costs, so the selected edition's move list takes priority over an original-roster example.

<h2 id="switch-a-teammate">Switch to another teammate</h2>

For an ordinary original-layout team switch, use **L3 + R3** when the switch gauge is ready and another team member is available. This uses two stick-click bindings, so assigning R3 alone is not enough on the keyboard. Team order and other selection controls matter when more partners are present.

A single battle does not become a team battle just because the keys are bound. Likewise, selecting another game edition through the website's globe icon is not an in-game tag: it closes the current runtime after saving and loads another edition, whose progress is separate.

<h2 id="transformation-troubleshooting">Work through a failed transformation</h2>

| Symptom | What to check |
| --- | --- |
| Nothing happens on the keyboard | Is R3 actually bound in F1 for player 1? |
| The wrong form appears | Was the required direction held with R3? |
| A valid form still refuses | Stock, current form, recovery, mode or scenario restrictions |
| Fusion never appears | Correct partners, era, forms, team mode and availability |
| A teammate will not switch | L3 and R3 bindings, switch gauge and an available teammate |

Start with the simplest transformation in free practice before attempting a conditional fusion in a story scenario. If the command works in practice but not in the story, inspect that scenario's restrictions or prompts. Keep an exported save backup before experimenting with another edition; the [save guide](/guides/saves/) explains edition isolation.

## Bind first. Check conditions. Then transform.

R3 means clicking the right stick, not moving it right. The keyboard has no R3 binding by default.

1. **Open the bindings** — F1. In Controls, choose player 1 and find the R3 row.
2. **Assign a free key** — R → R3. R is a suggested custom binding, not a default. Check for conflicts.
3. **Check the move list** — Enter. Read the transformation or fusion direction, stock cost and form requirements.
4. **Use the listed command** — R3 + direction. Hold the indicated combination when the fighter is able to act.

## Questions while practicing

### Is R3 the right arrow key?

No. R3 is the right-stick click. The port leaves its keyboard binding empty by default; assign a key in F1.

### Why can Goku (Early) not turn Super Saiyan?

The original roster separates character eras. Goku (Early) does not have that transformation. Choose a version with the desired form and check its move list.

### Can I fuse any two Goku and Vegeta entries?

No. Fusion requires the correct partners, forms, mode and resources. Check the selected fighter’s fusion entry; mods can alter these rules.

## References

- [Port bindings — unassigned R3 and L3](https://github.com/stufno102/Tenkaichi3Decomp/blob/web-port/port/src/gs/gs_input.c)
- [Original transformation and team controls](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps2/939644-dragon-ball-z-budokai-tenkaichi-3/faqs/50979)
- [Original PS2 manual](https://www.gamingalexandria.com/ps2/Dragonball%20Z%20Budokai%20Tenkaichi%203/Dragonball%20Z%20Budokai%20Tenkaichi%203%20-%20Manual.pdf)