Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Roy can force his way into close range with superior mobility, then turn Jab, Nair, Fair, or Up Tilt into heavy hilt damage once he is on top of Ike. Since Ike’s out-of-shield game is not fast, the matchup becomes very uncomfortable the moment he has to absorb repeated close-range pressure.
Because of that, Ike should not try to solve this matchup by shielding everything. The better plan is to place long Nair, Fair, and Bair first so Roy has to dodge or swing before he ever reaches hilt range. The table shows that Jab, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Dash Attack, every smash attack, Neutral B, and Side B can be punished by Grab (10f), OOS Bair (10f), or OOS Nair (13f), while Roy’s Nair, Fair, Bair, and Uair are mostly not punishable on the spot. Against those safer aerials, the stable answer is to track the landing and punish the second dash-in instead of forcing an immediate shield punish.
The win condition becomes clearer once Roy is offstage. His recovery distance is short, and both Blazer and Double-Edge Dance recovery routes are readable enough that Ike can keep shaving them away with Fair, Bair, Dair, and ledge Eruption once Roy is pushed out. That makes ledge pressure and edgeguards more reliable than trying to brawl him down in center stage.
The throw is landing directly above Roy or sitting in shield for too long. Both choices feed the exact Up Tilt and hilt aerial pressure Roy wants. Ike needs to own the horizontal space first and keep forcing Roy to run straight into the sword.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Ike OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab | 5 | -9/-12 |
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| Forward Tilt | 8 | -13/-16/-17 |
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| Up Tilt | 6 | -21/-25 |
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| Down Tilt | 7 | -3/-7 |
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| Dash Attack | 13 | -17/-21 |
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| Forward Smash | 13 | -27/-29/-32 |
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| Up Smash | 12/15/17/19/22 | -29 |
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| Down Smash | 6/21 | -46/-49/-30/-33 |
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| Neutral Air | 6/15 | -6/-6/-5/-6 |
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| Forward Air | 10 | -4/-5 |
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| Back Air | 8 | -5/-6 |
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| Up Air | 5 | -4/-5 |
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| Down Air | 16 | -9/-10 |
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| Neutral B | 21-260 | -15 to Shieldbreak |
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| Side B | 9 | -26/-16(air) |
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| Up B | 9/11… | ** | ||
| Down B | 8 (Start of Counter) | — | ||
| Grab | 7 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 10 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 11 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Place Nair, Fair, and Bair early so Roy has to dodge before reaching hilt range, and do not let him start point-blank pressure for free.
- After blocking Jab, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Dash Attack, any smash attack, Neutral B, or Side B, punish with Grab (10f), OOS Bair (10f), or OOS Nair (13f) every time.
- After blocking Nair, Fair, Bair, or Uair, do not mash back immediately. Track the landing and punish the next dash-in or landing instead.
- Once Roy is offstage, cover Blazer and Side B recovery routes with Fair, Bair, Dair, and ledge Eruption until the short recovery finally breaks.
Actions to Avoid
- Holding shield in place for too long and letting Roy loop safe aerials into another close-range reset.
- Escaping upward and giving Roy the exact vertical route he wants for Up Tilt and aerial pressure.
- Letting grounded burst options go unpunished and replaying Roy’s hilt-damage guessing game over and over.
- Backing away after one offstage hit and giving Roy enough room to rebuild a recovery that should stay under pressure.