Specific Characters Match-up: Pikachu vs Villager

[Felth]

I know that there's a Matchup Thread. But I don't like that the information is spread among different pages because the discussion can be changed to different characters and that could be a little messy. To avoid this, I suggest the following idea: one post for each character. Following some general points I'll organize all the post in a very simple way.

I propose to study in this post the Villager MU. If you want to discuss other Matchup and you liked my idea just write a post following this idea. Suggestions of any type are welcome (I'm not an expert of Smash so it's probably that you know more than me about this).

Villager:

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• Neutral Game:

• Stage selection and Ban:

• Specific Situations:
  • Ground - Ground:
  • Ground - Air:
  • Air - Air:
  • Off Stage:
  • Some situation to punish or to look (Situations that are advantageous to pikachu vs this character)
  • Situations to avoid?

Extra information:
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• I don't want to lose all the information that the community has discovered at this point. Most of this theory it's in the MU Thread.

• You can read the document made by the User Umbreoff which summarizes the previous post. Click here to see the document. I'm transcribing this document into a pdf version with access to new options. If you want to check the progress of this document I'll invite you to see the PDF Online Version.

• With respect to the Killing Section: add Good Set-ups to perform the killing (not just the final attack). Set-ups performed in specific Stages are also welcome.

• With respect to the Stage Selection Section: we should discuss what stages to avoid and what stages are good for Pikachu. The Smash Player Esam made a Depth Analysis on each Stage. Recall that some stages could be good for Pikachu but are even better for other character that's the reason for why we should discuss this kind of things here (one example is Halberd: IMO is good for Pikachu but not against Meta Knight).

• With respect to the Difficulty Section we should discuss how difficult is this MU for Pikachu. If it's possible it would be good to associate a measure to this difficulty. I think that this section should be completed once we developed a lot of theory in the corresponding MU, otherwise is just speculation.

• With respect to the Specific Situations Section we should discuss what to do in both scenarios.

 

[The_Devious]

gimps have to be near the blastzones or aerials wont kill. villager is floaty and has a huge, controllable recovery.

 

[Soul.]

Unless I'm wrong (I don't think I am, but this will need further testing), when Villager is recovering high we can break their balloons with the Thunder cloud.
Granted, Villager's recovery is really good so breaking the balloons is a must.

I'll be trying this out later.

 

[Garde Noir]

As this thread seems fairly empty, I'll post my experience against my sparring partner: a villager

I'll try to keep it in the format of the OP

• Approaching:

The approach game is pretty difficult, as almost all Villagers will know how to wall you out with Lloid and quick Fairs. I find success in approaching high and QAC close to him from neutral. As long as Villager has space to start Projectile spamming, they will. If you're close enough that they're tossing out jabs and aerials only, go with tried and true Fast-Fall Fairs. With good timing, a lot of the hitboxes from Fair have been known to knock out those fast Fairs and Dairs, though expect to get hit every once in a while. Use the hit to prep a QAC.

• Edgeguarding:

To be completely honest, I'll only try Back and forth Quick Attacks to attempt to stop Villager. But most of the time, expect him to recover. With arguably one of the most dynamic recoveries outside of something like ours, going from nearly the bottom blast zone to the ledge and gets a retry with every hit, which is arguably really hard to do when you're aiming for the balloons due to their shift nature (just look at those eyes...) I just simply understand that killing him off the side or top is easier. Theoretically, you can use Thunder Jolt to try and hit the balloons, but that seems even harder than QAC

• Recovering:

Quick Attack to ledge for days. The villagers I've played, though aware they can pocket the Air Stalling Thunder, don't try too hard to, as it can be tricky and not always worth the effort when you still have the trump card up your sleeve

• Gameplan:

Patience patience patience. Be very careful not to overextend, as the whole Villager strategy is based on punishes for bad approaches and wrong reads.

• Neutral:

Is the approach game, however, Thunder Jolt can explode Lloid Rockets on the approach if you want to try that.

• Killing Options:

UP. Watch for Turnips, but Up Smash, and Up air combos are great ways to kill the not-so-heavy Villager. If you can get a Forward Smash, then do it, but Villager doesn't have a lot of ways to stop your parade upwards.

• Stage Selection:

Battlefield or Dreamland. Villager loves things like FD and Smashville, as there are less ways to approach him that aren't in the way of his projectiles. But be careful, as most Villagers are very comfortable with platforms, however, we tend to use them much better.

• Difficulty:

Probably 60-40 us, but be careful, as the entire Villager strategy is based on you getting impatient and making a stupid mistake. Don't be afraid if you're spending a lot of time not doing the standard guerilla warfare hit-and-run strategy. This matchup required a ton of patience, and ability to see long term, like Villager does. This is his game to lose.

• Specific Examples (List of videos):

• Specific Situations:
  • Ground - Ground: The basic neutral, read the approach thread
  • Ground - Air: optimal. Allows for most approach options for you. Fair and Dair cancels
  • Air - Air: Watch for Fair and Dairs from VIllager
  • Off Stage: explained
  • In High Percentage: Villagers killing options include UpSmash, Up Air, Down Air, Tree and very high percentage aerials. Pikachu has much lower percentage kills, however they require being a lot closer to villager. You have the upper advantage, and Villager is likely to start Camping. Remain patient and wait on a mistake to get the kill.

 

[Shram]

I know 3 villager mains, all of which I have beaten more than I've lost (I'm just saying I know the matchup pretty well)

If the villager is bad at teching stage spikes, you win.

Villager's recovery is super easy to gimp just as long as they don't tech often or try to cross the stage.
It might be common knowledge by now, but most villagers will try to lloyd rocket when far offstage. If an opportunity arises that you can attack them before the lloyd hits you (on stage or offstage), do it. Pikachu's speed is his most useful tool against villagers.
As previously stated, your fair can eat through a villager's slingshot pellets (which is really really good). Pay attention to when villagers will slingshot. Most will try to land right after the pellet is fired, but you can shield it and punish (or just fair through)

I've noticed that some villagers will try to land with aerials like nair and dair. If they do, space an fsmash at them.

The biggest worry I have in this matchup is the bowling ball. Make sure you time your quick attack properly (or just go over the attack) or else you could be dying at 70 or lower.

Unless I'm wrong (I don't think I am, but this will need further testing), when Villager is recovering high we can break their balloons with the Thunder cloud.
Granted, Villager's recovery is really good so breaking the balloons is a must.

I'll be trying this out later.

I disagree.
It's very tough to, and when you actually do get to break the balloons the villager will pop up a little bit (like half shorthop height) and can move horizontally pretty fast. I find it's MUCH easier just to go for a stage spike. However if you do want to break the balloons, thunderjolt seems to be a good option, since it can hit the balloons and disappear.

I find success in approaching high and QAC close to him from neutral.

Smart villagers will use their nair and dair to block your quick attack, avoid using quick attack asides from punishing.
Fair over lloyd rocket works, or you can shield the rocket and continue your approach from close-up.

• Edgeguarding:

With arguably one of the most dynamic recoveries outside of something like ours, going from nearly the bottom blast zone to the ledge and gets a retry with every hit, which is arguably really hard to do when you're aiming for the balloons due to their shift nature (just look at those eyes...) I just simply understand that killing him off the side or top is easier. Theoretically, you can use Thunder Jolt to try and hit the balloons, but that seems even harder than QAC

+1
Don't aim for the balloons, aim for a stage spike or plain old damage. An offstage villager is free damage, take it while it's there.
Only aim for the balloons if you're looking to enter a combo video or a montage.

Patience patience patience. Be very careful not to overextend, as the whole Villager strategy is based on punishes for bad approaches and wrong reads.

+1 To clarify, only patience without camping will work against villager. Obviously you will not win by hiding back on a platform spamming t-jolt, but by staying just barely out of villager's range. Wait for an opportunity, then strike with fair, SH cancelled dair, grab, or a well timed QA.

I agree with Garde Noir's stage picks and other tips