Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Roy wants to stop giving Pichu long-range space and instead force close-range hilt contact with dash pressure, Jab, Nair, and Uair, because that is where one opening becomes real damage and early stocks.
In Roy vs Pichu, it is more stable to walk and shield forward through Thunder Jolt, then pressure landing and ledge routes, than to swing from afar and let Pichu’s low profile and quick movement make the sword whiff.
The table shows that Pichu’s Jab, tilts, Dash Attack, smash attacks, Forward Air, Back Air, Down Air, Neutral B, and Down B are all reachable for Roy’s OOS Uair (8f), OOS Nair (9f), Up B (9f), and Grab (10f), so blocked scrambles should be converted immediately.
Pichu can still slip under impatient swings and reverse edgeguards with Quick Attack routes, while Roy’s own recovery is not forgiving, so the matchup rewards stable positioning and repeated ledge pressure more than desperate lunges.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Roy OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab | 2 | -11 |
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| Forward Tilt | 5 | -11 |
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| Up Tilt | 7 | -10 |
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| Down Tilt | 7 | -4 |
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| Dash Attack | 6 | -20 |
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| Forward Smash | 16/19/22/25/28/31 | -16 |
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| Up Smash | 9 | -21 |
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| Down Smash | 8/11/15/19/23 | -21 |
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| Neutral Air | 3 | -4/-4 |
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| Forward Air | 10/14/18/22 | -10/-10 |
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| Back Air | 5/11/15/19/26/30 | -16/-16 |
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| Up Air | 4 | -8 |
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| Down Air | 14 | -16 |
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| Neutral B | 18 | -29/-30 |
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| Side B | 17 | -20 to +3 |
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| Up B | ** | — | ||
| Down B | 9 | -27 |
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| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 8 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 9 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Roy should not overjump Thunder Jolt; shield and walk forward, then enter close range with Jab, Nair, Uair, and grab once Pichu gives up space.
- After Roy blocks Pichu’s Jab, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Dash Attack, Forward Air, Back Air, Down Air, Neutral B, or Down B, answer with OOS Uair (8f), OOS Nair (9f), Up B (9f), or Grab (10f) immediately.
- Once Pichu is airborne, Roy should keep running under the drift and cover Quick Attack exits and ledge routes so the landing trap never fully resets.
- Roy should finish stocks by cashing in Pichu’s light weight and recoil damage with Back Air, Up Smash, and Up B around ledge rather than fishing for a center-stage hard read.
Actions to Avoid
- Swinging from too far away and letting low profile plus Thunder Jolt turn Roy’s sword into weak tipper damage or pure whiffs.
- Overcommitting to Side B and big swings while chasing Pichu and giving Quick Attack and tiny hurtbox shifts free escapes.
- Chasing too deep offstage after knocking Pichu away and exposing Roy’s own poor recovery.
- Blocking Pichu’s fast pressure but failing to take the turn back with Up B (9f) or OOS Uair (8f).