The Sparrow
Smash Cadet
Many people depend too much on Roy's nair in Neutral Game, a rooky mistake that people believe is incapable of being punished, it is a very brilliant move but overusing it to approach can be read by the opponent and punished unless you space it well. Here I'll list many alternatives that are very safe in neutral game for Roy to approach with.
First off is seeing how Roy can poke at an enemy's shield, if he sees the enemy shield dashing and always favoring jumps as oos options Roy can punish with a full hop fair to cross shield followed by a landing uair, I believe the landing uair should have applied enough shield hitstun to be safe to land with then continue with a side B that would come out faster than most of your opponents oos options (if you're going against a Mario, Marth, or Samus dont do this since their Up B will beat out your side b). If you predict the opponent will attempt to pressure your 'landing lag' with a dash attack instead of resetting neutral you can always sh bair or more reliably sideb them. sideb will beat the dash attack of most of the characters.
Second off you are capable of using nair's sourspot on an opponent's shield, the tip is safe and has little end lag when landing with it if well spaced. if the opponent runs after you you can punish with a jab, forward tilt, down tilt to reset neutral or put your opponent into a tech situation, spotdodge, up B, perfect pivot grab,dancing blade, and flare blade in some cases. Many options for you there, if they decide to keep their shield you can decide between playing safe and resetting neutral or by running at them and grabbing them. Up to your predictions and reading your enemy. Against characters like Diddy Kong and Pikachu if you hit them with sourspot nair you should follow up with Side B if they keep holding shield, time your hits between the side Bs and it should be enough to break their shield.
Third off at high percents sourspotted down tilt sends the opponent off at an angle to allow a tech chase and might even cause an untechable spin animation, this makes it safe to spam on shields since whether you sour or sweet spot it you can't be punished fast enough, tech chase will be rewarding because thats where Roy shines best due to his amazing fox trot, extended dash dance, and smash attacks. Landing the sweetspot of the down tilt at low to mid percents can also put your opponent in a tech situation, although if you land sweetspot down tilt at high percents your opponent will be capable of jumping, airdodging, and attacking before landing.
Fourth off you can always safely poke and mixup an opponent by preforming a c bounced dancing blade. This will mix up the opponent and potentially make them slip to perfect shield it and keep running at you where you can continue the dancing blade. Don't spam this through the whole match however as opponents with tether grabs, fast space closing attacks, or opponents that read you'll c bounce dancing blade will punish you before you can attack after the ending lag of the dancing blade's first hit. In cases like this I recommend you C bounce dancing blade and immediately follow up with the rest of the dancing blade. If you read it right they'll run into the rest of the attacks, if wrong you eat a punish.
You can use Roy's great fox trot to run in shield dash and mixup your opponent, or bait them to roll in the direction you predict (Predictions are easier when you've cornered them at the ledge, I always use Roy's extended dash dance when my opponent is next to the ledge so I can call a roll out and punish them with a side smash, up B, or jumpcanceled up smash.)
You can also throw in a neutral air and cross up their shield, using dancing blade behind you and either breaking their shield or forcing them to eat a ton of damage. This isn't always safe however as some characters can up B oos before your side B comes out
Roy has so many options in neutral, its key to atleast mastering a few of these and mixing them up to approach your opponent.
Roy Techniques:
Its important to learn how to do the following two techniques I'll mention here, they're an essential part of Roy's meta game and Roy's combo starter.
First technique is a frame cancelled first hit nair, since Roy's nair is two hits only the second hit actually has a knockback. The first hit has a set knockback so you can combine it with the second always. This can be used to your advantage by landing with first hit nair before the second hit ends so you can combine it with most combos you have, landing with no end lag.
Its also very safe on shield and can instantly be followed up with grab, jab, up B or spot dodge.
To do this, simply fast fall and press nair at the same time. The timing is strict hense alot of practice is required.
Second is a fox trot canceled forward smash, to do this input a dash, then as the dash ends input another dash and cancel it with a forward smash.
This is an AMAZING mixup tool in Roy's tech chase game. It can be combined with his extended dash dance and can really pack a punch if mastered. Most of Roy's kit is to put your opponent in tech situations and capitalize on it so mastered fox trot cancelled FSmash is important as hell.
Learning how to C Bounce Roy's Neutral B and Side B is important, heres a video by A Day In The Lab on how to C Bounce: https://youtu.be/VVwypXEPfck
First off is seeing how Roy can poke at an enemy's shield, if he sees the enemy shield dashing and always favoring jumps as oos options Roy can punish with a full hop fair to cross shield followed by a landing uair, I believe the landing uair should have applied enough shield hitstun to be safe to land with then continue with a side B that would come out faster than most of your opponents oos options (if you're going against a Mario, Marth, or Samus dont do this since their Up B will beat out your side b). If you predict the opponent will attempt to pressure your 'landing lag' with a dash attack instead of resetting neutral you can always sh bair or more reliably sideb them. sideb will beat the dash attack of most of the characters.
Second off you are capable of using nair's sourspot on an opponent's shield, the tip is safe and has little end lag when landing with it if well spaced. if the opponent runs after you you can punish with a jab, forward tilt, down tilt to reset neutral or put your opponent into a tech situation, spotdodge, up B, perfect pivot grab,dancing blade, and flare blade in some cases. Many options for you there, if they decide to keep their shield you can decide between playing safe and resetting neutral or by running at them and grabbing them. Up to your predictions and reading your enemy. Against characters like Diddy Kong and Pikachu if you hit them with sourspot nair you should follow up with Side B if they keep holding shield, time your hits between the side Bs and it should be enough to break their shield.
Third off at high percents sourspotted down tilt sends the opponent off at an angle to allow a tech chase and might even cause an untechable spin animation, this makes it safe to spam on shields since whether you sour or sweet spot it you can't be punished fast enough, tech chase will be rewarding because thats where Roy shines best due to his amazing fox trot, extended dash dance, and smash attacks. Landing the sweetspot of the down tilt at low to mid percents can also put your opponent in a tech situation, although if you land sweetspot down tilt at high percents your opponent will be capable of jumping, airdodging, and attacking before landing.
Fourth off you can always safely poke and mixup an opponent by preforming a c bounced dancing blade. This will mix up the opponent and potentially make them slip to perfect shield it and keep running at you where you can continue the dancing blade. Don't spam this through the whole match however as opponents with tether grabs, fast space closing attacks, or opponents that read you'll c bounce dancing blade will punish you before you can attack after the ending lag of the dancing blade's first hit. In cases like this I recommend you C bounce dancing blade and immediately follow up with the rest of the dancing blade. If you read it right they'll run into the rest of the attacks, if wrong you eat a punish.
You can use Roy's great fox trot to run in shield dash and mixup your opponent, or bait them to roll in the direction you predict (Predictions are easier when you've cornered them at the ledge, I always use Roy's extended dash dance when my opponent is next to the ledge so I can call a roll out and punish them with a side smash, up B, or jumpcanceled up smash.)
You can also throw in a neutral air and cross up their shield, using dancing blade behind you and either breaking their shield or forcing them to eat a ton of damage. This isn't always safe however as some characters can up B oos before your side B comes out
Roy has so many options in neutral, its key to atleast mastering a few of these and mixing them up to approach your opponent.
Roy Techniques:
Its important to learn how to do the following two techniques I'll mention here, they're an essential part of Roy's meta game and Roy's combo starter.
First technique is a frame cancelled first hit nair, since Roy's nair is two hits only the second hit actually has a knockback. The first hit has a set knockback so you can combine it with the second always. This can be used to your advantage by landing with first hit nair before the second hit ends so you can combine it with most combos you have, landing with no end lag.
Its also very safe on shield and can instantly be followed up with grab, jab, up B or spot dodge.
To do this, simply fast fall and press nair at the same time. The timing is strict hense alot of practice is required.
Second is a fox trot canceled forward smash, to do this input a dash, then as the dash ends input another dash and cancel it with a forward smash.
This is an AMAZING mixup tool in Roy's tech chase game. It can be combined with his extended dash dance and can really pack a punch if mastered. Most of Roy's kit is to put your opponent in tech situations and capitalize on it so mastered fox trot cancelled FSmash is important as hell.
Learning how to C Bounce Roy's Neutral B and Side B is important, heres a video by A Day In The Lab on how to C Bounce: https://youtu.be/VVwypXEPfck