I really like the idea of an AoE unit (as someone who also grew up in the RTS heyday and with the AoE games), but I'm not entirely convinced on changing body types (if only because it'd be really difficult to tell mid-fight). Weapon switching and buildings should be perfectly fine though.
I think that is easier to make a case for Steve from minecraft than a AoE unit, (I'm making this comparison because i'm pretty sure that both Minecraft and AoE as a stage with music tracks and remixes would be universally loved if included). But since pointing that i rather had a stage with it's very disctint graphic style and sick tunes wouldn't actually bring anything to the conversation, i will try to give a take at an AoE2 character (the most iconic one)
So far probably the most iconic units are villagers, and the monks (at least as memes). the monks imo wouldn't merge decently into a playable character but could be used as an attack/final smash/victory screen.
as for fighting units... is probably a contest between Skirmishers, light cavalry/Knights and Spearmen (skirmisher specially since those are the most versatile unit that can be easily be applied to the biggest ammount of trategies.. with the treabuchet as a final smash:
Sadly i don't want to make a summoner, but it seems like the more interesting idea i guess trying to use Duck Hunt Dog as a model.
my idea be a villager, with male and female skins, some of his basic attacks would be chops with a wood axe, using berry bushes and maybe its smashes he could summon sheep. as for aerials, a combination of hunter's arch and axe swings
They also have a resource number similar to MP that is food, food is spent for the summons. and it's recollected by hitting with some of the sheep/berries/fishnets attacks, Hunter's arch.
Down B would be a charge attack similar to zelda's phantom when he summons a cavalry unit, that would stay in place during a second and then charge, light charge a light cavalry, (that just tramples foes), Medium charge a Knight that also add a swipe and Full charge a paladin that also add a small jump (changing teh arch of the attack) Light cavalry resist one hit, knight resist 2 hits or 10% and paladin resist 20%. this unit can also be mounted as a gogoat, for **** and giggles.
Side B Would summon a skirmisher that stays one second blocking with it's shield (like links shield) and then throws a javelin. similar to duck hunt's gunman.
Neutral b would be building a watchtower... (with food?) similar to villager's tree, and upon completion fires small arrows.
Up B would be riding a fishing boat through an imaginary water stream? (similar to squirtles's) generate a good ammount of food on hit.
Taunts and would include monks and relics doing wololo stuff...
Final smash is a hit that transport the enemies to a castle where they fill safe, but villager is in teh distance with a treabuchet.
Victory screen would include an upgraded town center and each of teh villager colors is a different civilization, which is also reflected in teh town center.
Inb4 Yet another villager? smash is full of villagers using axes. etc...
Since we were sharing opinions I wanted to share mine.
