Here's my scheme, using a Dualshock 4 which beats the Xbox 360 controller by three and a half long shots, if you ask me.

Left stick: movement
Right stick: direction
RT: attack
LT: defend
LB: modifier
RB: toggle AT
Face buttons: weapons
Modifier+RT: dash
Modifier+O (B on an Xbox 360 pad): toggle map

I have some other bindings which I won't list because they're irrelevant to PvP and are only used with sprites/real shields.

Anyway, you could probably throw the dash on something else, like clicking a stick. Same goes for map toggle. If you don't use four weapons, you could use a face button or two for those actions.

As for tips on playing...
Hitting with small range swords will not be easy. Either try wider ones like Toothpicks and Sealed Swords, or enable AT. That, or learn to aim like an MLG pro such as Feyi or Rete.
Guns are definitely even harder to use with gamepads. The most beginner friendly ones are Pulsars and Valiance. Due to the large hitboxes and three shot clips, you can learn to lead shots properly at least with the latter. Once you've had enough practice, you could begin trying Alchemers. They have a bit lower bullet speed and a smaller clip so you'll cover a much smaller area. Still, the idea is the same. You just need lots of practice.
Bombing is probably the easiest thing for gamepad players because there's no aiming involved while you're also given the advantage of analogue movement.

Make sure to know your strengths and weaknesses as a gamepad player. You'll be able to move with much greater grace than any WASD+mouse player if you learn to use the sticks both synchronous and asynchronous. It will in turn allow for better use of boost and thus generally better performance in combat.

A few examples of good gamepad players:

• Feyi
• Retequizzle
• Glacies
• Zeddy
• Krakob

I think Monsterdestroyer plays with gamepad but I am not at all sure about that, really.

It's not a cross and a square. It's an X and a box.

The box? I thought Luguiru was six-dimensional.