Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Roy gets solid reward when Inkling actually has to hit shield. Jab 1-3, Rapid Jab Finisher, tilts, Dash Attack, smash attacks, Forward Air, Side B, and the grounded end of Up B all leave openings for OOS Uair (8f), OOS Nair (9f), Up B (9f), Grab (10f), OOS Bair (11f), or Up Smash (12f).
The matchup becomes worse when Roy stops at sword-tip range for too long. Inkling’s run speed, low profile, Nair/Bair whiff punishes, splat pressure, and Roller threat all make it easy to reset outside Roy’s strong hilt zone if Roy never fully commits to getting inside.
Roy should use walking and dash timing to meet Inkling’s movement path early, then enter with Nair, Jab, Grab, or Down Tilt and keep the sequence going into juggles and ledge pressure. Once Roy gets that close-range hit, the matchup should shift immediately toward Bair, Forward Tilt, and Up Smash kill routes instead of letting Inkling circle back out.
Inkling’s recovery and ledge options are stubborn, but the actual kill threat is still concentrated around Roller and corner mix. Roy should not panic into oversized swings. Holding stage control and punishing the escape options is the more reliable route.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Roy OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 3 | -13 |
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| Jab 2 | 2 | -16 |
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| Jab 3 | 4 | -21 |
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| Rapid Jab | 4/7/10… | ** | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 6 | -38 |
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| Forward Tilt | 8 | -17 |
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| Up Tilt | 7 | -16 |
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| Down Tilt | 5/12 | -13 |
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| Dash Attack | 8 | -16 |
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| Forward Smash | 16 | -25/-24 |
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| Up Smash | 9/18 | -44/-29/-32 |
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| Down Smash | 11/20 | -29/-21 |
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| Neutral Air | 6 | -2 |
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| Forward Air | 10 | -8/-9 |
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| Back Air | 7 | -2/-3 |
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| Up Air | 12/17 | -3/-3 |
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| Down Air | 16 | -5/-6 |
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| Neutral B | 12/16/20/24 | -6 |
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| Side B | 16 | -15 to -12 |
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| Up B | 12 | **/-29/-30 |
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| Down B | 20—40 | ** | ||
| Grab | 8 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 9 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 10 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- After blocking Inkling’s Jab 1-3, Rapid Jab Finisher, tilts, Dash Attack, smash attacks, Forward Air, Side B, or grounded Up B, punish with OOS Uair (8f), OOS Nair (9f), Up B (9f), Grab (10f), OOS Bair (11f), or Up Smash (12f).
- Do not linger only at sword-tip distance. Use walking and dash timing to meet Inkling’s movement early and get fully into Roy’s close range.
- Once Roy gets in, continue into juggling and ledge pressure instead of resetting neutral after one touch.
- Keep stage control and be ready for Roller without overcommitting to huge callouts.
Actions to Avoid
- Staying at outer spacing long enough for Inkling’s run speed and low profile to reset the matchup repeatedly.
- Swinging too big in response to splat pressure or Roller and getting whiff-punished.
- Giving up pressure right after a close-range hit instead of turning it into Roy’s real advantage state.
- Overchasing offstage and exposing Roy’s own recovery weakness for no reason.